A Time for Everything – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

SPEAKER 01 : 0:00

Now, I got a mind that always asks why. It drives me crazy when I don’t know why. You know what Solomon is saying to me? He’s saying, Dave, your problem is you can’t relax and enjoy today. There is a danger not thinking through and responding to what your heart wants to know about eternity and the future. What does it mean to me? But then there’s the other problem. The writer says, if God’s in control and running everything the way he is, then appreciate the time he’s given you. So relax and enjoy it. Maybe you never think about this. And maybe that’s what’s wrong with us. See why our confidence isn’t in God. Why we don’t relax in the Lord. Why? Because in our hearts, as in the tendency of every human heart, there is some great doubt about the involvement of God in our lives. Oh, yes, he’s involved.

SPEAKER 03 : 1:01

It’s a blessing to have you with us for the midweek edition of Hope for Today. Some of us live with a constant question mark. Why this? Why now? Why me? And when we don’t get answers, we don’t rest. We worry. We strain. We try to stay in control. But Ecclesiastes chapter 3 calls us to a different response. If God is in control of time, if he has appointed every season, then faith is learned not by figuring everything out, but by trusting him and receiving the day he gives us. Today, Bible teacher David Hawking concludes his study of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 as God’s word calls us to rest in the Lord and enjoy the time he’s placed in our hands. We’ll get back into the passage in just a moment. Stay tuned. Before that, we want to take a moment to thank you for listening and for standing with this ministry in prayer and as God directs and supplies financial gifts as well. If God is using this teaching in your life, we ask you to prayerfully consider continuing to support Hope for Today or to start supporting Hope for Today through regular monthly giving, including simple and secure automated monthly support. This kind of faithful partnership helps keep God’s Word on the air day after day. and provide stability for the work ahead as the Lord directs and supplies. You can make a one-time donation, give a regular monthly support, or set up automated monthly support by visiting our website, davidhawking.org. Or call us in the U.S., 875-BIBLE. In Canada, 888-75-BIBLE. And Bible by the Numbers is 242-53. And thank you for your prayers and your faithful support. Well, as promised, here’s David.

SPEAKER 01 : 3:12

God is in control. He’s doing something that most people do not recognize or want to believe. We must acknowledge that God has a reason for all that happens in our lives. The second thing that I believe he is telling us is found in verse 9 to 11. Will you look at that, please? After telling us about all these 28 activities of man, He said, what profit, what advantage has the worker from that in which he labors? If God’s in control, I mean, what advantage, what profit is it to think that we’re going to accomplish anything or change anything? Here comes the answers. I have seen the God-given task. Never forget that. Every task you have. I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Now, in the first paragraph, he’s talking about acknowledging that God is a reason for all that happens. Here, He’s really asking us to accept God’s purpose and control over all that happens. In the first paragraph, he states it. It’s a fact no matter what. And now he is asking you to accept it. Accept it. You say, well, what advantage? Why not just give up if he’s in control? And his answer to that is kind of interesting. God is doing this, and you must accept it. You say, I want more reasons than that. I want more answers, man, as to why. And he simply doesn’t give them. No, you have to accept that fact that God is in control. And that’s going to affect two things, according to the writer. One, it’s going to affect our evaluations of what is happening. Because he said he has made everything beautiful in his time. Is that how you evaluate things? Is there anything last week that you describe as being a little less than beautiful? Come on, be honest. A lot of things probably happened in the week that you said, hey, beautiful, are you kidding? You should have been with me, you know. But he says he’s made everything, nothing is excluded, beautiful in his time. You see, it’s a perspective of one who’s looking as God does. You ever seen those signs in Christian bookstores that say, keep looking up? You ever seen them? They’re all over the place. Keep looking up. You know the idea of prayer? I’ve always wanted to change the last word to keep looking down from God’s viewpoint. Why is it that we’re all encumbered by trials and circumstances that change, and we’re always looking up, God, help, help, help. Why not turn it around and get God’s view? He’s made everything beautiful in His time. Oh, God, I praise You. I thank You for what’s happened. I don’t understand it. But, Lord, I know You’re in control. And there’s got to be a fantastic purpose to all this. I can hardly wait to see what it is. Everything is beautiful in its time. Do we believe that? You see, if you accept this truth that God is in control, it affects your evaluations. You become a Romans 8, 28 Christian for once. God causes all things to work together for what? Good, not bad. good. To those who love God and to those who are called according to His purpose. God’s doing that. Yet so many things in my life that I look at, I don’t think are good. I think they’re in category bad. It bothers me. But I know this is what the Bible teaches. God has a reason I may not see now. And it will begin to affect my evaluations. God made everything beautiful. Think of the beginning of creation, Genesis 1.31. It says, Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very, what? good. It was very good. Everything he made. Why are we complaining? You see, it seems to me that we only see the tangled threads on the backside of the tapestry that God is making. That’s what I see. Some beautiful tapestry he’s forming out of life, but all I see are the tangled threads on the backside of it. And I don’t see the beautiful tapestry that he is weaving through the lives and events and circumstances of people. God made everything beautiful. I think Bill Gaither got his motivation for this song when he wrote, All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife, but he made something beautiful. out of my life. God’s made everything beautiful in its time. God knows what he’s doing. So if I accept that truth, it is going to affect my valuations. But secondly, it’s going to also affect my expectations. Look at that verse carefully in verse 11. He says he made everything beautiful. Then also, the second point is, he has put eternity. That’s the same word in verse 14, translated forever. He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. You see, it affects my expectations. I don’t think there is a culture or a person who doesn’t at some moment have the future in his consciousness and perspective. The older we get, the more we think about it. The closer we approach the inevitable fact that one day we will die, the more the future and eternity is of great question. But there’s not a one of us, no matter what our age, at some point of crisis or provocation, where we don’t think about the future and eternity. Think of the young people that are going off to school and planning for the future. God has put eternity in the hearts of people. And man is different from the animal who operates only on the basis of the direct stimulus of a situation in front of him. God makes man rational, able to think ahead. And he’s put eternity and the future into our hearts. You see, when I accept that God is in control of everything, if everything is having a purpose and everything is having a plan, You see, that’s going to affect my expectations. I’ll no longer be worried because I know that God is in control. If I’m not submitting to God, if I’m not rightly related to God, I will be deeply affected by what the future may hold. That’s why many people reacted to that film on television the day after and the reactions the next day and listening to the commentators. I wrote them down, but I’m not even going to bore you with them. As you well know, it’s interesting, there was fear and anxiety. in the expectations of people about what might happen. But if God is in control, I’m not really worried about it. You say, hey, God may be in overall control, but some of these men may push the wrong button. Listen, God knows whether they’re going to push the wrong button or not. You know that? God knows that. He knows the time. He knows the event. He knows the place. He knows what he’s doing. And to the Christian, there is no fear. God removes that fear out of your heart because you know he’s in control and you know exactly where you’re going when you die. It does affect our expectations very, very much. The commentator Daitlich, who writes commentaries that very few people can read, but he is a great man. But he wrote this on this particular subject. He said, “…the author means to say that God has not only assigned to each individually his appointed place in history…” It says, but to break through the limits which it draws around him, to escape from the bondage and the disquietude within which he is held, and amid the ceaseless changes of time, to console himself by directing his thoughts to eternity. And how true that is. I wonder, has it affected your expectations? Because you know that God is in absolute control of everything. You can relax. Why are you worried about tomorrow? God is in control. You see, we must not only acknowledge that God has a reason, we must not only accept this purpose and control, but there’s a third thing that he concludes in verse 12 and 13. And that is that we must appreciate the time we have as a gift from God, therefore. If God is in control, if he knows all the days of my life, then what should I do? What’s my reaction to today? And the answer is, enjoy it. For too long Christians have said the answer is… Be mournful, sorrowful, realize how terrible life is. No, that is not what the writer is saying. In verse 12, he says, I know that there’s nothing better. This is the same conclusion as chapter 2. There’s nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It’s a gift of God. Now, I’ve got a mind that always asks why. And I don’t know why. I just always have done it. I went to school. I could not listen without asking why. And I’m sure I drove many of my professors bananas over this, but I always want to know why. I want to know why. It drives me crazy when I don’t know why. You know what Solomon is saying to me? He’s saying, Dave, your problem is you can’t relax and enjoy today. You’re too worried about those kinds of questions. Now there’s a danger in never asking the question, why? Because you may not be prepared to face the eternity that’s coming. So there is a danger not thinking through and responding to what your heart wants to know about eternity and the future. What does it mean to me? But then there’s the other problem. What good are we doing? We’re planning ahead. We’re thinking ahead. We want to know why. We want to get all the understanding we can. But wait a minute. The writer says if God’s in control and running everything the way he is, then what’s your response? Well, it’s to appreciate the time he’s given you. So relax and enjoy it. This is all the time you have and you just lost it. Did you realize that? You can’t live yesterday and you can’t live tomorrow. The only time you have is now, and that’s gone. Just a few moments ago when I said, now, it’s no longer here anymore. And what I just said is gone also. You say, this preacher is weird. Maybe you never think about this, and maybe that’s what’s wrong with us. See, why our confidence isn’t in God. Why we don’t relax in the Lord. Why? Because in our hearts, as in the tendency of every human heart, there is some great doubt about the involvement of God in our lives. Oh yes, he’s involved. He has a reason, he has a purpose, he knows everything about you, and all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to deal. So we need to appreciate the time. You see, it affects our attitudes. He says, rejoice. Verse 13, enjoy. It also affects our actions. He says, do good in your life. It should affect what we do, affect how we think, our attitudes, affect also what we do in life. Do good. Why? Because this is the only time I have. So let’s use the moments for good. Let’s enjoy life. Let’s have the joy of God with each of our passing moments. But let’s also seek to do good, to use them for the glory of God. But there’s a fourth thing that I draw to your attention. We must not only acknowledge that God has a reason for all that happens and accept this fact in our lives, but we must appreciate the time he’s given to us. But we must also apply these facts to our own attitude before God. Now here comes the punchline. If you believe or are even leaning towards what I’ve said so far, then let’s apply these facts. You say, what facts? That God has a reason, that He is in control, and that time is a gift of God. Then applying these facts in our life will affect our attitude toward God. Look at verse 14. I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nothing taken from it. God does it. Why? That men should fear before him. You see, the truth is, when you apply the facts of what we have said about God’s control, his providence, his purpose, his power, all of this, when you apply that, the conclusion you come to is that we should fear the Lord. Be afraid of him? No. reverence, worship, adoration, the ultimate objective of every believer. What is the conclusion of realizing that God is the master of my fate, not me? What’s the conclusion that even those things I think of are bad today are all in his hand? And the conclusion is to God be the glory, that every man would fear him and acknowledge his control. Say, God, I love you for who you are. What a joy to rest in a Lord like that. I don’t need to worry anymore. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep our hearts and minds through Christ. That is precious. The fear of God is mentioned so many times as we mentioned before in our series in Ecclesiastes. It is the main summary of the message that we should fear God, the conclusion of the matter. One more thing. We must not only apply these facts to our attitude toward God, but we must also answer to God for how we have used the time he’s given to us. Look at verse 15. That which is has already been. What is to be has already been. And God requires an account of what is past. We must answer to God for how we have used the time he’s given. Enjoy it. Praise God. And do good in it. Serve the Lord. And honor him and worship him because he’s in control. But also remember. that God holds you accountable for what you do in your life, how you have used the time that he has given to you. Romans 14.12 says, For every one of us will give account of himself to God. Matthew 12.36 and 37 says, Every idle word that we have ever spoken, God will ask us an account for it. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 4, 5, to judge nothing before the time when the Lord comes, who then will bring to light all the hidden things, all the secret motivations of the heart. And then every man will truly have praise of God. Because you’ll know then, as you’ve never known before, that you were saved by God’s grace and his forgiveness. Bring into account. Turn quickly to chapter 11 with this we conclude. It seems to me in chapter 11, he summarized this concept of really enjoying life, but remembering that God is going to ask you for an account of what you’ve done. And here he speaks to the young person. The young person’s got all his life ahead of him. Here’s what he says to him. Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes. Now at that point, we need to understand that it’s not right to tell young people, be miserable. Rejoice. Let your heart cheer you. I’m happy for you. These are great days in your life. But then look at the next words. But know that for all these, God will bring you into judgment. Therefore, remove sorrow from your heart. Put away evil from your flesh. For childhood and youth even are vanity or transitory. They only last for a little while. And God is going to ask you for an account of what you have done. I don’t know where you stand, but if you’re listening to me right now and in your heart there’s no assurance that if you died today you’d be in heaven with the Lord, I think everything he says ought to cause you to fall on your knees before God and say, God, I need more than anything else to settle my personal relationship with you. Time is being controlled by God Almighty. I don’t know how much time you have, but the Bible says now is the time, and now is the day of salvation, because the truth is now is all we’ve got, and we just lost that.

SPEAKER 03 : 20:46

That’s Bible teacher David Hawking finishing up our look at Ecclesiastes chapter 3, A Time for Everything. And I say finishing up. We’ve got just a bit more to share. David’s coming back in just a moment to wrap up our study of this wonderful chapter. You’re going to want to stay tuned for that. First, though, Matt Hawking is here, and we’ve got a wonderful package for you this month. This is tailored just for our current radio series and to help you get the most out of it.

SPEAKER 02 : 21:14

Matt? Jim, this note from the forward of my dad’s book, Is Life Worth Living, states, “…contemporary culture has lost its way. We have rejected, or at least neglected, the moral and spiritual values of the Bible. We have replaced God with ourselves, and following this path does not bring us into fulfillment or a sense of well-being in the end.”

SPEAKER 03 : 21:32

Solomon discovered this, Matt, in stark and vivid terms, and he was surrounded with wealth, pleasures, influence, power, and it all led to his powerful conclusion, life without God on the throne of your heart is sheer vanity.

SPEAKER 02 : 21:47

Yeah, and in today’s world, mankind’s pursuits leading to vanity are viral. I mean, everywhere we look. Yeah, so how do we avoid that vanity, Matt? How do we stay strong, committed, faithful, and enthusiastic in our walk? With God. Well, Solomon has Holy Spirit-inspired insights for us in Ecclesiastes. That’s why we’re studying through Ecclesiastes right now. And why we’re offering you a special power package this month.

SPEAKER 03 : 22:11

It’s the Is Life Worth Living Pack, which features David’s book study of Ecclesiastes titled Is Life Worth Living? Plus every audio message in our current radio series.

SPEAKER 02 : 22:21

Yeah, the complete package, just $40. The Is Life Worth Living Pack will bless and strengthen you. And your purchase will also help the ministry of Hope for Today.

SPEAKER 03 : 22:31

And please continue praying for Hope for Today. Well, we sure hope you’ll get the Is Life Worth Living Ecclesiastes Study Package, just $40. You can call us at 875-BIBLE to purchase, or in Canada, 888-75-BIBLE, online at davidhawking.org. You hear us often talk about prayer on Hope for Today. Do you have a prayer request, something that’s pressing on your heart right now, especially hard? You can call us at 800-75-BIBLE, that’s in the U.S., 888-75-BIBLE in Canada, or send a note through our website, the contact form at davidhawking.org. You can also make donations that way. Now, if you’d like to send in a prayer request or make a donation through the mail, or maybe share a testimony on how God is working in your life, Write to us at Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 92781. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO7OAKS. Abbotsford, B.C., V2S 8P1. And do get in touch today. We’d sure appreciate it. Well, once again, here’s David.

SPEAKER 01 : 23:47

Father, you know our needs even before we ask you. You know all the days of our life even before there are any of them. You are the God who is in control. You tell us that in heaven and on earth you do whatever you please. You change times and seasons, and you say there’s a purpose for everything that is happening. There’s an appointed time for all the changing circumstances and events of our life. And God, I know that the only time we have is right now. I would ask you, especially for those that are not sure of their relationship to God, Father, help them to know that only through the death of Jesus Christ for our sins, who died in our place only through his death, through his resurrection, for he’s alive and coming again, can we ever hope to be with you forever. We thank you that the moment that we put our faith and trust in what Jesus has already done, At that moment, you declare us to be saved, cleansed, forgiven, changed, new creature in Christ. Old things passed away. All things become new. God, I thank you that there is a great eternity for all those who will trust you and believe in you. Help us to trust you, Father, for all the moments and all the time of our life. In Jesus’ name we pray.

SPEAKER 1 : 25:16

Amen.

SPEAKER 03 : 25:19

Well, friend, as David was wrapping up today’s study, perhaps your heart was touched. Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you know what Christianity is according to God’s Word? Maybe you’re not a Christian yet, but you’d like more information. Get in touch with us. We’d love to send you a free booklet by David Hawking called What is Christianity? You don’t have to sign up for anything. Request it. We’ll send it to you. We’ll also send you a free Bible study by mail. You can call us at 1-800-75-BIBLE in the U.S., 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. The Bible is 242-53. Or use the contact form at davidhawking.org. Tomorrow we return to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. We’re going to verses 16 to 22 as David begins a message titled, A Time for Judgment. You’ll see what it’s all about right here on Hope for Today.