In this chapter Solomon makes a change in his writing style. He drops the autobiographical form of the first two chapters and begins to wax philosophical. He could have put this to music and made another million dollars. Although what he says is obvious, the way in which he puts things catches people’s attention.
For the sake of a brief devotion, let’s divide our thoughts into three “O’s.” We have opportunity, opportuneness and ordination.
First there is the third word – ORDINATION.
Would it be a good idea after church tonight to go home to our gardens and plant corn? The weather has changed; we are not going to have any more single digit temperatures for at least six or eight months. Despite the warmer days, planting corn tomorrow, would not be a good idea. Because with a great many other things in life there are seasons to be respected. I don’t care what tomorrow’s forecast might say, we are still in winter, and it may snow next week.
A season is basically a rule of time. Perhaps we could use the word “dispensation” in our conversation about seasons. Sometimes the seasonal rules are painfully strict. And at other times the rules are bent without seriously breaking our bones. The rest of 2016’s winter might be very mild, but don’t pack away your winter parka just yet. If the weather is nice, then wear something light, but keep your snow suit close to the front of closet.
A “season” is a RULE of time – and of weather. And what things does the word “rule” draw up into your mind? Perhaps there are the ideas of lines and boundaries. A “ruler” can be an instrument for drawing straight lines. And then there should be the recognition of a rule-giver, a law-maker. And therein comes the suggestion of “ordination.” There are seasons because God has ordained that there be seasons. He created the universe and established laws of gravity, earthly revolutions and galaxial rotations. Would you please tell me who says that I can’t plant corn tonight? I can plant all the corn that I want, but God has ordained that my labors in this regard will be in vain.
I am convinced of the sovereignty of Jehovah. The world is not controlled by a random bunch of earthly expectations. It is controlled by a supreme King – a King filled with a variety of principles and attributes. He is the King of the universe, and He can overthrow any rule or law He chooses. What is more He can establish new laws, and men are powerless to reverse them. Or God might establish something, letting let man break or meet that rule for either of their benefits. There is much that the Lord has ordained for us – there are seasons which have been set. You can try to call February 16, the “beginning of Spring,” but your declaration won’t make it true. You may decide to pack away all your winter clothes now, but it is not a good idea. We must conform to the God-ordained season or suffer the consequences.
And sometimes God’s season are painfully obvious. Sometimes seasons are more concrete than Spring and Winter, but they are revealed not by the weather-man, but rather by the Word of God. This means that we need to learn the Bible and view life in the light of its pages. For example, Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of God.” There are some adults who find it impossible to humble themselves as children. Perhaps at one point in their lives humility was a possibility, but the season has passed. Oh, how we need to learn to let God be God.
A second observation made by Solomon relates to OPPORTUNITY and the wisdom of waiting.
I wish that I had a dime every time I heard: “If you don’t like the weather around here, wait 15 minutes.” I have heard that here; I have heard that in Alberta; I have heard that in Colorado and in New Mexico. It seems that people in every corner of North America. think that this idea is uniquely theirs. And sometimes it is somewhat true. If we wait long enough, the sky will clear – or it will get cloudy.
Everything comes in its turn: even if we weep today, there is the likelihood that we’ll laugh tomorrow. And if not tomorrow then perhaps next week. If today we have nothing but toil, perhaps next week will bring rest and peace. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Not necessarily in 12 hours, but for the child of God, at least in eternity.
So what does this mean? It means ….. have patience – the Bible’s kind of patience. The number one religion in the world today is a human clone of Satan’s religion. Isn’t it true that mankind thinks that he can do a better job than Jehovah? “Lord this is a terrible time for my car to break down. “I just had to buy a new washing machine and the wife has been sick. “Lord, why couldn’t you have sent this trial next year, when I’m back on my feet? God, if I were you, I’d give the world a cure for the common cold, especially now that I’m getting the sniffles.”
But the obvious fact is, we are not God, nor do we possess the least of His attributes. It is our lot to plant in the Spring and to reap in the Fall. We glorify Jehovah by putting our trust in His wisdom and behaving properly in His seasons. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” “Wait upon the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart, wait I say upon the Lord.” This text reminds us to wait, for the opportunities that the Lord grants us.
And then there is the lesson of being OPPORTUNE.
There are seasons and there are purposes for those seasons. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to very purpose under the heaven.’ This is where we see the blending of ordination and opportunity. Stir together God’s ordination and our opportunity, and we see the responsibility of being opportune.
There is a time for birth and a time for death. None of us chose to be born; we certainly didn’t choose the time of our birth. And none of us have circled a date on the calendar as the time of our departure from life. Some people may take their own lives, but suicide is a sin against God. And how many attempted suicides fail, because Jehovah forbade its success? These are things which either are, or should be left in the hands of God. In the mean time, we have the responsibility to use our few days for God’s glory. We need to be opportune.
There are moments for killing and also for healing. These things are not completely outside our influence, but are they fully within our control? Does this specifically apply to the nasty subject of capital punishment? There are times to take lives, and times to save them. Let’s make these words refer to something other than the obvious. Could they apply to friendships, or to job situations? A professing Christian can choose to either join the Lord’s church or to forsake it. There are seasons for making such choices, but beware of butting heads with the season of God.
There are times for breaking down and building up – verse 3. I suppose that this might refer to an old building, but it applies in other ways. I believe that the Christian should be the most amiable person in any society. This means that wherever we are, we should be friendly and attractive. But some will be drawn to us who are not the most desirable of souls. There are times when those friendships should be cautiously cultivated. When there is opportunity to see spiritual good in these acquaintances, friendship should be pursued. When we can be strengthen by our contact with them they should be furthered. But there are times when those friendships should be torn down. Maybe this relationship will eventually bring us into a sinful compromise. Maybe he is trying to destroy our faith or our doctrine.
There is a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. There are TIMES not to embrace and there are PEOPLE not to embrace. There are times to keep silence and there occasions when we must speak. When is it improper to speak out for Christ? There are those occasions, but they are very few. Perhaps one is when we are being paid to do another man’s work, then do it. To waste or steal a man’s money by not working in order to glorify Christ, doesn’t in fact glorify Christ. When is it time to silent? There may be many such times. When our heart is bursting with pride is certainly one of those moment. Another might be when our anger is reaching an inopportune boiling point.
There is a time to love and a time to hate. The hatred of people simply because of race, color, religion or political affiliation is always out of season. But to love something that is condemned by God is also out of season. Our Lord Jesus Christ was the most loving man on earth, but at time He was filled with anger at various sins. There were times when He was at war, and there were times when He was at peace.
All this boils down to this: We need the direction of the One who sets the seasons. We need the lessons of the Word of God to show us what those seasons are. Then we need ears to hear the message and hearts willing to obey.