TIME IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT JESUS
ECCLESIASTES 3:1-15
FAIRVIEW CHURCH
February 15, 2015
INTRO- Passage made famous in Pop Culture by Seeger & Byrds (but God wrote it!)
*Many are comforted by the song b/c think “good times are coming”
-BUT, Hootie’s “Time” better communicates Solomon’s message here
-In that song, time haunts; it doesn’t comfort (Why you punish me?)
-You wash away my dreams; you left me crying; pain/sorrow; aint no friend of mine
-Like watching sand in the hourglass as your life runs out!
-time like an ever rolling stream bears all it’s sons away!
“Where did the time go?” “There aren’t enough hours in the day.” “I’ve got to make the most of my time” “When will my time come?” (Eswine 126)
-For some moving too fast – start to enjoy a season then on to a new one
-For others – maybe the young – time is moving slow
-Time is FRUSTRATING for us – Why is that & what should we do about it? Eccl 3:1-15
- If this cursed world is all there is, then time is meaningless (3:1-9)
*Context: Solomon says if this cursed world’s all there is, then all actions are futile then die!
-Nothing you attempt to find meaning/distraction in will work: pleasure, wisdom, work
-His purpose is to expose the foolishness of life w/o God so you’ll enjoy Him & His gifts!
-That’s the meaningful life b/c everything is meaningless unless you have Jesus!
-This time poem is another example of the futile & fleeting nature of life “under heaven”
*For everything there’s a season/a time for every matter under heaven (this world is all there is)
-A season is a period of time where certain activities take place (like snow in winter)
-Says there’s an appt’d time/season for every activity
-Life moves from 1 season to another: peeing outside/pushed in stroller to JOB!
-Begg: Cycle of life. Did you ever see us here in suits like this? (do things promised not)
*Poem will give all of these activities, but the poem itself does not comment/evaluate good/bad
-Solomon merely DESCRIBES the life’s seasons;he doesn’t PRESCRIBE what we should do
-He’s not telling you how to have only the former & none of latter (Garrett 297)
-He’s not telling you how to discern which is the right season for which (i.e. Prov 26:4-5)
-He goes thru 14 pairs of opposites/merisms to give a comp pic of reality (Enns52)
-The poem gives the full human & nat’l experience: birth, work, love, war, peace, death
-The picture is of the impermanent & mortal nature of life (Kidner 38)
*Again: positive negative actions – ea could be appropriate, but not commenting on that
*A time to “give birth” & a time to die (another reminder of frailty) – capstones of life under sun
-Everything else mentioned here comes b/t these capstones
-This recalls 1:4 & endless cycle of generations – death is pervasive (Gen 3; 5)
-“Cycle of life” but NOT way it’s supposed to be (cursed world!)
-A time to plant & pluck up (garden you planted now is dead & needs to be pulled up)
*A time to kill & heal– can refer to appropriate forms like self-defense, just war, CP
-Agricultural setting: nurse animal back to health & put it down (Clint!)
-NOT a prescription – “I need to go kill someone” – people hear all kinds of things
-A Time to break down & a time to build up (house built is now condemned)
*A time to weep/laugh & mourn/dance (a cursed world of marriages & funerals-miscarriage)
-David dances before the Lord (Eswine 135) & mourns at son’s death!
-Mourning is part of repentance & dance when all sin is forgiven (Driscoll/ee-taow)
*A time to cast away stones & gather stones
-To make a field unworkable in war-time (2 Kg 3:19, 25) then workable in peace (Isa 5:2)
-A time to embrace/refrain – Hug, welcome, get & sever friendships (Not w/ HS folks)
*A time to seek/lose – look hard, but times to give up search (Bermuda triangle w/ remotes)
-A time to keep/cast away (Keep Kindergarten pic that looks like junk to every1 else)
-BUT, you’ll never fit in those clothes why keep’em? (Driscoll) – consign/garage sell
*A time to tear/sew (may refer to Jewish practice of grief/mourning – Hunt 12; cf. Gen 37:29)
-A time to keep silence/speak (may be wisdom theme here like 26:4-5; Long 117)
-Eswine: introvert has to talk eventually & extrovert has to be quiet (132)
-Driscoll: Be silent and pray for and don't confront. Hope they'll repent
*A time to love/hate & for war/peace (move from personal to national – Longman 117)
-Again, not advocating, but describing as part of human experience
-Japan might be pulled out of pacifism by Isis beheading journalist
*The pt is not that good times will come, but rather the inevitable monotony of life under sun
-We all go thru these actions of birth, life, work, and then DIE
-Nothing really changes for humanity – meaninglessness & death pervade cursed world
*3:9-15 gives commentary/reflection on the poem – to show it’s part of the meaninglessness
-3:9 restates ?of 1:3 “what profit is there in this reality?” (imposed curse on toil,Gn3)
-Answer: Nothing! No purpose to life – everything we do is nullified by curse!
-No net gain/change from all planting, building, wars (just more dishes/war/death)
-Chp 1 poem shows this is the case in nature & now humanity (God set both, Enns52)
-Every activity cancels the other – 14 + & 14 – adds up to nothing (Begg-walk thru each)
-Illust: Parents spent $10,000 to nurse Sam for gauze, pantyhose, oxygen tent, “never thought I’d do that”, then had to put her down eventually!
-We seek meaning in all our activities & come away frustrated – what do we do?
-The frustration in our current existence should drive us to fear God!
- Your frustration should drive you to trust Christ (3:10-15)
*3:10 restates 1:13: God imposed a curse b/c of Adam’s rebellion, now burdened toil
-Shows this is NEGATIVE evaluation of the poem
-Activity & work is NOT supposed to be frustrating, but it is in cursed world
-Our frustration is a God-given burden (Begg) – Why? What’s the purpose?
*3:11 is a booger! People love & quote it – part of it – not sure we get it!
-Let’s walk thru each of the 3 clauses separately & then put it all together
-And then look at how it connects w/ the negative tone of what’s led here
*God made everything beautiful or appropriate in its time (recalls the poem)
-This refers to God’s creative act, but also what He’s done since (Long 119)
-This sums up the poem & sets us up for what follows…here’s the pt:
-He appt’d & ordained all of these things as part of his bigger plan that we can’t see!
*He has put eternity into man’s heart – eternity here contrasts w/ “time” 29x (Greid72)
-We know life under sun isn’t all there is (thus, absurd to live as if this is all there is)
-There is a desire to live forever – a desire for more than life under the sun
*Problem: BUT, man can’t find out what God has done from beginning to end!
-We can’t know/see God’s entire plan or fully grasp it (no matter how much want to)
-The limit of man’s knowledge becomes a major theme in Eccl driving us to FAITH!
-We know there’s more out there & want to know our purpose/destiny, but still dependent creatures who can only see/handle a sliver of what Creator is doing!
-Even Jesus didn’t know whole plan while on earth, right?!
-Chandler: We’re like a child in the “why” stage, but eventually “b/c I said so. Trust me”
*Idea: We know/long for better than this cursed misery, but can’t see full pic&must lean on God
-We’re trapped b/t time & eternity – see only end of Empire Strikes Back!
-Know there’s more & want to see it –in end see how that pain leads to better pic!
-Loom for a carpet (1 side is KNOTS & other is beauty) – we see small vantage pt!
-We’re frustrated b/c can’t pass beyond the fragmentary to see whole pic!
-Want our lives to matter & try to find ways to make that happen…
-BUT, there’s a divine purpose/plan from beginning to end (sees/declares it all)
-Made for the Divine & no surprise frustrated when turn from Him
-Begg: to dissatisfy you till you come to fellowship w/ Him (never satisfied w/o Him)
-Augustine: U made us for yourself & our hearts are restless until they can find rest in u
*This reality leads to another Carpe Deim passage – enjoy the details in the beautiful pic!
-Nothing better for Adam’s sons than to enjoy good things as long as they live (mist!)
-Eat, drink & enjoy work b/c this is God’s gift to man – to the 1 who “pleases Him”
-Only those who believe gospel can rightly enjoy God’s blessings as intended!
-Drink deeply of life: cuddle Emma, fish, teach, play, eat dessert (Chandler/Driscoll)
-Enjoy everything happening as part of a loving plan
*Solomon says whatever God does endures forever – nothing can be added/subtracted
-God’s plan can’t be changed & has a purpose – to cause people to revere Him (Key)
-No use trying to change past, present or future
-God uses all of this frustration & burden to drive you to Him – that’s good!
-Begg: Why won’t God make himself known? No obligation to cater to your intellectual curiosity. He caters to the contrite heart (can’t pull string & make God dance)!
*Romans 8:28: Trust Him & that His plan is GOOD
-He knows all your days & is sov over the small details of your life (job transfer-church)
-He mixes the good & the bad to make something beautiful. We don’t like that.
-He doesn’t allow us to pick & choose b/c doesn’t want us to be Veruca – Jesus!
-From earthly perspective, some things, never see how could be beautiful, but God says “You’re too close. Trust me. I’ve got you. The stained glass window is beautiful!” (Chdl)
-What can you do? Nothing! You can’t handle it. I can. I know it hurts. I’ve got it
-Begg: His eye is on the sparrow he watches over me
*God doesn’t abandon 1 second of life under sun – ea part fits into whole
-This is the God who turns evil to good (Joseph)
-Live in a cursed existence east of Eden longing for Gen 3:15 & access to tree of life
-Why can’t there always be good times? We long for something out there!
-In fullness of time, God set time when Jesus would be born, die, heal, build up, tear down, party, weep, & even kill at final judgment
-Christ came to take curse on self & turn evil of cross into good!
-Romans 8 says our lives fit into this plan to conform us to Christ!
Conclusion:Even the seasons were created to point us to Christ (Eph 1:10)
*All times point to HIM! Find your rest in Him
*LS: song got 1 thing right – ends w/ PEACE (May Prince of Peace come)
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