[Ecc. 3:2] A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
1-8 It is worthy of remark, that in all this list there are but two things which may be said to be done generally by the disposal of G-d, and in which men can have but little influence: the time of birth, and the time of death. But all the others are left to the option of man, though
G-d continues to overrule them by His providence; as soon as we are born we begin to die.
To die - And as there is a time to die, so there is a time to rise again, a set time when they that lie in the grave shall be remembered.
Planted - A man can no more reverse the times and order of "planting," and of "digging up," and transplanting, than he can alter the times fixed for his "birth" and "death." To try to "plant" out of season is vanity, however good in season; so to make earthly things the chief end is vanity, however good they are in order and season.
[3] A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to kill - when the judgments of G-d are abroad in a land and lay all waste, in wars of self-defense; not in malice. Out of this time and order, killing is murder.
A time to heal - G-d has His times for "healing" (literally, Isa 38:5, 21; figuratively, Deut. 32:39; Hosea 6:1; spiritually, Ps 147:3; Isa 57:19). To heal spiritually, before the sinner feels his wound, would be "out of time," and so harmful. He returns in ways of mercy, and then is a time to heal what He has torn (Hosea 6:1, 2). And to comfort a people after the time that He has afflicted them, Psalms 90:15.
A time to break down - a family, an estate, a kingdom, when it has ripened itself for destruction; but G-d will find a time, if they return and repent, to rebuild what he has broken down.
A time to build up - there is a time, a set time, for the L-rd to build up Zion, Psalms 102:13, 16. There is a time for men to break up house, and break off trade, and so to break down, which those that are busy in building up both must expect and prepare for.
[4] A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
The time of mourning and weeping is put first, before that of laughter and dancing, for we must first sow in tears and then reap in joy. There is a time when G-d calls to cheerfulness, a time to laugh and dance, and then He expects we should serve Him with joyfulness and gladness of heart.
[5] A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to cast away stones – by breaking down and demolishing defenses, when G-d gives peace in the borders, and there is no more occasions for them, the time for old towers to fall.
A time to gather stones together – for the making of strong-holds, also a time for towers and trophies too to be erected, when national affairs prosper.
A time to embrace – a friend when we find him faithful.
A time to refrain from embracing - when we find a friend is unfair or unfaithful, and that we have cause to suspect him; it is then our prudence to be shy and keep at a distance.
[6] A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to get – There is a time to get wisdom, and knowledge, and grace, when a man has a price put into his hand; but then let him expect there will come a time to spend, when all he has will be little enough to serve his turn.
A time to lose – when what has been soon got will be soon scattered and cannot be held fast.
A time to keep – when we have use for what we have got, and can keep it without running the hazard of a good conscience.
A time to cast away - when love to G-d may oblige us to cast away what we have, because we must deny the Messiah and wrong our consciences if we keep it and rather to make shipwreck of all than of the faith; when love to ourselves may oblige us to cast it away.
[7] A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to rend – the garments, as upon occasion of some great grief.
A time to sew – sew, your garments again, in token that the grief is over. A time to undo what we have done and a time to do again what we have undone.
A time to keep silence – A time when it becomes us, and is our wisdom and duty, to keep silence, when it is an evil time (Amos 5:13), when our speaking would be the casting of pearl before swine, or when we are in danger of speaking amiss (Psalms 39:2).
A time to speak - for the glory of G-d and the edification of others, when silence would be the betraying of a righteous cause, and when with the mouth confession is to be made to salvation; and it is a great part of Believers prudence to know when to speak and when to hold our peace.
[8] A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
A time to love – and to show ourselves friendly, to be free and cheerful and it is a pleasant time.
A time to hate – when we shall see cause to break off all familiarity with some that we have been fond of, and to be upon the reserve, as having found reason for a suspicion, which love is loath to admit.
A time of war - when G-d draws the sword for judgment and gives it commission to devour, when men draw the sword for justice and the maintaining of their rights, when there is in the nations a disposition to war
A time of peace - when the sword of the L-rd shall be sheathed and He shall make wars to cease (Psalms 46:9), when the end of the war is obtained, and when there is on all sides a disposition to peace. War shall not last always, nor is there any peace to be called lasting on this side the everlasting peace. Thus in all these changes G-d has set the one over-against the other, that we may rejoice as though we rejoiced not and weep as though we wept not.
G-d’s order is not always necessary our order, we are influenced with our surroundings, what society says, never the less, G-d’s order never changes on anything. We need to wrap ourselves around His plan and purpose for our lives and stay with in His order.
No comments:
Post a Comment