Ecclesiastes 3
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
The man who spoke these words very many years ago, saw that there was an order in all things on earth; he tells of this two by two:
“A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up” ... ..etc.
All this is true now, the same as long ago; there is a time when people are born, they grow older, they die; there is a time when seeds are planted, they grow, ripen, and then are “plucked up.”
But the order in everything is that of change: a baby does not stay a baby, nor do your animal pets stay little; trees, plants, everything changes, some quickly, and some slowly; joy does not always last; there are times when we laugh; there are times when we cry.
You will know of changes more, the older you grow: you will see that your parents change; your friends change, that even yourself changes; you will not be just the same as a year before. God has made this order for earth, and wants us to learn by it. Now notice this:
“He hath made everything beautiful in his (or its) time.” Verse 11.
If we make something, it is not complete until finished, but in what God has made, each thing is beautiful, or perfect, in itself; a bud is complete as a bud, the blossom complete as a blossom; the same is true of a bush or a tree; of a baby, of a child, or of youth.
The king saw the sad end of earth’s changes was death; people died; and animals died, we see the same sorrows; our pets die, our friends die, and it might seem there is no difference in animals and people. But the wise man knew then was a spirit, which he could not see, and he asked where the spirit went at death of the body. The answer could be known only from God, and He had before this given the scriptures which said, “the beasts perish” (Ps, 49:10, 20), but told many times of a sure hope for God’s people in a life after death with Himself, as David said,
“The spirit shall return to God Who gave it.” Ecc. 12:7.
We have more of God’s written words than this king, and we can read the words of the Son of God, Who spoke much of life after death. Before He gave up His life on the cross, Jesus said,
And to the thief on the cross, who believed Jesus was Lord and King, He said,
“Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-4339And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:39‑43).
Any who doubt that man has a spirit, or are uncertain of where it goes at death, are looking, as the king, to what they see on earth, but not in the Scriptures. Although the change of seeds put into the earth and springing up later into live plants, pictures a life after death, yet we would not know certainly without God’s Word. These words teach that God’s purposes never change;
“Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; God doeth it that men should fear before Him.” Verse 14.
ML 06/22/1941