Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 is a well-known passage that deals with the balanced and cyclical nature of life and says that there is a proper time for everything:
“There is a time for everything,
and a seasoning for all that is done under heaven. :
time to be born and time to die,
time to plant and time to pull up,
time to kill and time to heal,
time to destroy and time to build,
time to cry and time time to laugh,
time to cry and time to dance,
time to scatter stones and time to gather them,
time to embrace and time to refrain from embracing,
time to seek and time to abandon,
time to save and a time to throw away,
time to tear and time to mend,
time to shut up and time to speak,
time to love and time to hate,
time of war and time of peace.”
In this passage, the Preacher says that there is a time for every matter in life. He illustrates this truth by juxtaposing opposites: fourteen pairs of contrasting activities as examples of how life is made up of various seasons. A direct reading of the passage reveals several concepts:
First, the timing of our activities is important. Killing someone ( Ecclesiastes 3:8 )) is generally considered evil and a crime, but that can change during a time of war, when defending one’s country can be considered a noble act. Dancing (verse 4) may be appropriate during a time of celebration, but it would not be appropriate for a funeral. Both our actions and the timing of our actions are important to God.
Second, these seasons in which certain activities are appropriate are appointed by God. His life plan involves a variety of experiences and activities. Crying may be part of life, but life is not just crying; laughter also has a place ( Ecclesiastes 3:4 ). Construction is good in its time, but sometimes deconstruction is necessary (verse 3).
A key to this passage is found a few verses later: “He made everything beautiful in its time” ( Ecclesiastes 3:11 ). The right activity at the right time, which accomplishes God’s purposes, is a beautiful part of God’s overall plan. A tapestry, seen from behind, looks like a chaotic and unpleasant piece of work; but the maker of the tapestry has a wise purpose for the placement of each thread.
Third, Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 serves as a bridge between the first two chapters and the section that follows. People must accept each day as a gift from the hand of God (2:24–26). Why? Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 explains that it is because God has a reason and a time for all things. People may ignore God’s timing (3:9–11), but they are called to enjoy life in the present (3:12–13) and trust in God’s sovereignty (3:14–15).
God offers much wisdom in the saying: “Everything has its time, / and everything that is done under heaven has its hour.” God is sovereign. Our activity in this world is meaningful when we trust in his wisdom, his timing, and his goodness.