For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
KJV
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Commentary
Commentary
Solomon having shown the vanity of studies, pleasures, and business,
and made it to appear that happiness is not to be found in the schools
of the learned, nor in the gardens of Epicurus, nor upon the exchange,
he proceeds, in this chapter, further to prove his doctrine, and the
inference he had drawn from it, That therefore we should cheerfully
content ourselves with, and make use of, what God has given us, by
showing,
I. The mutability of all human affairs, ver. 1-10 .
II. The immutability of the divine counsels concerning them and the
unsearchableness of those counsels, ver. 11-15 .
III. The vanity of worldly honour and power, which are abused for the
support of oppression and persecution if men be not governed by the
fear of God in the use of them, ver. 16 .
For a check to proud oppressors, and to show them their vanity, he
reminds them,
1. That they will be called to account for it in the other world, ver. 17 .
2. That their condition, in reference to this world (for of that he
speaks), is no better than that of the beasts, ver. 18-21 .
And therefore he concludes that it is our wisdom to make use of what
power we have for our own comfort, and not to oppress others with
it.
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every
purpose under the heaven:
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;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and
a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a
time to dance;
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;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time
to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence,
and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time
of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he
laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of
men to be exercised in it.
The scope of these verses is to show,
1. That we live in a world of changes, that the several events of time,
and conditions of human life, are vastly different from one another,
and yet occur promiscuously, and we are continually passing and
repassing between them, as in the revolutions of every day and every
year. In the wheel of nature ( Jam. iii. 6 )
sometimes one spoke is uppermost and by and by the contrary; there is a
constant ebbing and flowing, waxing and waning; from one extreme to the
other does the fashion of this world change, ever did, and ever
will.
2. That every change concerning us, with the time and season of it, is
unalterably fixed and determined by a supreme power; and we must take
things as they come, for it is not in our power to change what is
appointed for us. And this comes in here as a reason why, when we are
in prosperity, we should by easy, and yet not secure--not to be secure
because we live in a world of changes and therefore have no reason to
say, To-morrow shall be as this day (the lowest valleys join to
the highest mountains), and yet to be easy, and, as he had advised
( ch. ii. 24 ), to enjoy the good of our labour, in a humble dependence upon God
and his providence, neither lifted up with hopes, nor cast down with
fears, but with evenness of mind expecting every event. Here we
have,
I. A general proposition laid down: To every thing there is a
season, v. 1 .
1. Those things which seem most contrary the one to the other will, in
the revolution of affairs, each take their turn and come into play. The
day will give place to the night and the night again to the day. Is it
summer? It will be winter. Is it winter? Stay a while, and it will be
summer. Every purpose has its time. The clearest sky will be clouded, Post gaudia luctus--Joy succeeds sorrow; and the most clouded
sky will clear up, Post nubila Phoebus--The sun will burst from
behind the cloud. 2. Those things which to us seem most casual and contingent are, in the
counsel and foreknowledge of God, punctually determined, and the very
hour of them is fixed, and can neither be anticipated nor adjourned a
moment.
II. The proof and illustration of it by the induction of particulars,
twenty-eight in number, according to the days of the moon's revolution,
which is always increasing or decreasing between its full and change.
Some of these changes are purely the act of God, others depend more
upon the will of man, but all are determined by the divine counsel.
Every thing under heaven is thus changeable, but in heaven there
is an unchangeable state, and an unchangeable counsel concerning these
things.
1. There is a time to be born and a time to die. These are
determined by the divine counsel; and, as we were born, so we must die,
at the time appointed, Acts xvii. 26 .
Some observe that here is a time to be born and a time to die, but no time to live; that is so short that it is not worth mentioning;
as soon as we are born we begin to die. But, as there is a time to
be born and a time to die, so there will be a time to rise again, a
set time when those that lie in the grave shall be remembered, Job xiv. 13 .
2. A time for God to plant a nation, as that of Israel in
Canaan, and, in order to that, to pluck up the seven
nations that were planted there, to make room for them; and at
length there was a time when God spoke concerning Israel too, to pluck up and to destroy, when the measure of their iniquity was
full, Jer. xviii. 7, 9 .
There is a time for men to plant, a time of the year, a
time of their lives; but, when that which was planted has grown
fruitless and useless, it is time to pluck it up. 3. A time to kill, when the judgments of God are abroad in a
land and lay all waste; but, when he returns in ways of mercy, then is a time to heal what he has torn ( Hos. vi. 1, 2 ),
to comfort a people after the time that he has afflicted them, Ps. xc. 15 .
There is a time when it is the wisdom of rulers to use severe methods,
but there is a time when it is as much their wisdom to take a more
gentle course, and to apply themselves to lenitives, not corrosives.
4. A time to break down a family, an estate, a kingdom, when it
has ripened itself for destruction; but God will find a time, if
they return and repent, to rebuild what he has broken down; there is a time, a set time, for the Lord to build up Zion, Ps. cii. 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.
5. A time when God's providence calls to weep and mourn, and when man's wisdom and grace will comply with the call, and will weep and mourn, as in times of common calamity and danger, and
there it is very absurd to laugh, and dance, and make merry
( Isa. xxii. 12, 13; Ezek. xxi. 10 );
but then, on the other hand, there is a time when God calls to
cheerfulness, a time to laugh and dance, and then he expects we
should serve him with joyfulness and gladness of heart. Observe,
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. 6. A time to cast away stones, by breaking down and demolishing
fortifications, when God gives peace in the borders, and there is no
more occasion for them; but there is a time to gather stones
together, for the making of strong-holds, v. 5 .
A time for old towers to fall, as that in Siloam
( Luke xii. 4 ),
and for the temple itself to be so ruined as that not one stone
should be left upon another; but also a time for towers and
trophies too to be erected, when national affairs prosper.
7. A time to embrace a friend when we find him faithful, but a time to refrain from embracing when we find he 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. It is commonly applied to
conjugal embraces, and explained by 1 Cor. vii. 3-5; Joel ii. 16 .
8. A time to get, get money, get preferment, get good bargains
and a good interest, when opportunity smiles, a time when a wise man
will seek (so the word is); when he is setting out in the world
and has a growing family, when he is in his prime, when he prospers and
has a run of business, then it is time for him to be busy and make hay
when the sun shines. 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. Nay, there will come a time
to lose, when what has been soon got will be soon scattered and
cannot be held fast.
9. 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; but there
may come a time to cast away, when love to God may oblige us to
cast away what we have, because we must deny Christ and wrong our
consciences if we keep it
( Matt. x. 37, 38 ),
and rather to make shipwreck of all than of the faith; nay, when love
to ourselves may oblige us to cast it away, when it is for the saving
of our lives, as it was when Jonah's mariners heaved their cargo into
the sea.
10. A time to rend the garments, as upon occasion of some great
grief, and a time to sew, them 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. Jerome applies this to the rending of the Jewish church
and the sewing and making up of the gospel church thereupon.
11. A time when it becomes us, and is our wisdom and duty, to
keep silence, when it is an evil time ( Amos v. 13 ),
when our speaking would be the casting of pearl before swine, or
when we are in danger of speaking amiss
( Ps. xxxix. 2 );
but there is also a time to speak for the glory of God 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 Christian prudence to know when to
speak and when to hold our peace.
12. A time to love, and to show ourselves friendly, to be free
and cheerful, and it is a pleasant time; but there may come 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 loth to admit.
13. A time of war, when God 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; but we may hope for a time of peace, when
the sword of the Lord shall be sheathed and he shall make wars to
cease ( Ps. xlvi. 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 God has set the one over-against the other, that we may rejoice as though we rejoiced not and weep as though we wept
not.
III. The inferences drawn from this observation. If our present state
be subject to such vicissitude,
1. Then we must not expect our portion in it, for the good things of it
are of no certainty, no continuance
( v. 9 ): What profit has he that works? What can a man promise himself
from planting and building, when that which he thinks is brought to
perfection may so soon, and will so surely, be plucked up and broken
down? All our pains and care will not alter either the mutable nature
of the things themselves or the immutable counsel of God concerning
them.
2. Then we must look upon ourselves as upon our probation in it. There
is indeed no profit in that wherein we labour; the thing itself,
when we have it, will do us little good; but, if we make a right use of
the disposals of Providence about it, there will be profit in that
( v. 10 ): I have seen the travail which God has given to the sons of men, not to make up a happiness by it, but to be exercised in it, to
have various graces exercised by the variety of events, to have their
dependence upon God tried by every change, and to be trained up to it,
and taught both how to want and how to abound, Phil. iv. 12 .
Note,
(1.) There is a great deal of toil and trouble to be seen among the
children of men. Labour and sorrow fill the world.
(2.) This toil and this trouble are what God has allotted us. He never
intended this world for our rest, and therefore never appointed us to
take our ease in it.
(3.) To many it proves a gift. God gives it to men, as the physician
gives a medicine to his patient, to do him good. This travail is given
to us to make us weary of the world and desirous of the remaining rest.
It is given to us that we may be kept in action, and may always have
something to do; for we were none of us sent into the world to be idle.
Every change cuts us out some new work, which we should be more
solicitous about, than about the event.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he
hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out
the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to
rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the
good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever:
nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God
doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath
already been; and God requireth that which is past.
We have seen what changes there are in the world, and must not expect
to find the world more sure to us than it has been to others. Now here
Solomon shows the hand of God in all those changes; it is he that has
made every creature to be that to us which it is, and therefore we must
have our eye always upon him.
I. We must make the best of that which is, and must believe it
best for the present, and accommodate ourselves to it: He has made
every thing beautiful in his time ( v. 11 ),
and therefore, while its time lasts, we must be reconciled to it: nay,
we must please ourselves with the beauty of it. Note,
1. Every thing is as God has made it; it is really as he appointed it
to be, not as it appears to us.
2. That which to us seems most unpleasant is yet, in its proper time,
altogether becoming. Cold is as becoming in winter as heat in summer;
and the night, in its turn, is a black beauty, as the day, in its turn,
is a bright one.
3. There is a wonderful harmony in the divine Providence and all its
disposals, so that the events of it, when they come to be considered in
their relations and tendencies, together with the seasons of them, will
appear very beautiful, to the glory of God and the comfort of those
that trust in him. Though we see not the complete beauty of Providence,
yet we shall see it, and a glorious sight it will be, when the mystery
of God shall be finished. Then every thing shall appear to have been
done in the most proper time and it will be the wonder of eternity, Deut. xxxii. 4; Ezek. i. 18 .
II. We must wait with patience for the full discovery of that which to
us seems intricate and perplexed, acknowledging that we cannot find
out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end, and
therefore must judge nothing before the time. We are to believe that
God has made all beautiful. Every thing is done well, as in creation,
so in providence, and we shall see it when the end comes, but till then
we are incompetent judges of it. While the picture is in drawing, and
the house in building, we see not the beauty of either; but when the
artist has put his last hand to them, and given them their finishing
strokes, then all appears very good. We see but the middle of God's
works, not from the beginning of them (then we should see how admirably
the plan was laid in the divine counsels), nor to the end of them,
which crowns the action (then we should see the product to be
glorious), but we must wait till the veil be rent, and not arraign
God's proceedings nor pretend to pass judgment on them. Secret
things belong not to us. Those words, He has set the world in
their hearts, are differently understood.
1. Some make them to be a reason why we may know more of God's works
than we do; so Mr. Pemble: "God has not left himself without witness of
his righteous, equal, and beautiful ordering of things, but has set it
forth, to be observed in the book of the world, and this he has set in men's hearts, given man a large desire, and a power, in
good measure, to comprehend and understand the history of nature, with
the course of human affairs, so that, if men did but give themselves to
the exact observation of things, they might in most of them perceive an
admirable order and contrivance."
2. Others make them to be a reason why we do not know so much of God's
works as we might; so bishop Reynolds: "We have the world so much in
our hearts, are so taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things,
and are so exercised in our travail concerning them, that we have
neither time nor spirit to eye God's hand in them." The world has not
only gained possession of the heart, but has formed prejudices there
against the beauty of God's works.
III. We must be pleased with our lot in this world, and cheerfully
acquiesce in the will of God concerning us, and accommodate ourselves
to it. There is no certain, lasting, good in these
things; what good there is in them we are here told, v. 12, 13 .
We must make a good use of them,
1. For the benefit of others. All the good there is in
them is to do good with them, to our families, to our
neighbours, to the poor, to the public, to its civil and religious
interests. What have we our beings, capacities, and estates for, but
to be some way serviceable to our generation? We mistake if we think we
were born for ourselves. No; it is our business to do good; it
is in doing good that there is the truest pleasure, and what is so laid
out is best laid up and will turn to the best account. Observe, It is to do good in this life, which is short and uncertain; we have
but a little time to be doing good in, and therefore had need to redeem
time. It is in this life, where we are in a state of trial and
probation for another life. Every man's life is his opportunity of
doing that which will make for him in eternity.
2. For our own comfort. Let us make ourselves easy, rejoice, and
enjoy the good of our labour, as it is the gift of God, and
so enjoy God in it, and taste his love, return him thanks, and make him
the centre of our joy, eat and drink to his glory, and serve
him with joyfulness of heart, in the abundance of all things. If
all things in this world be so uncertain, it is a foolish thing for men
sordidly to spare for the present, that they may hoard up all for
hereafter; it is better to live cheerfully and usefully upon what we
have, and let to-morrow take thought for the things of itself. Grace and wisdom to do this is the gift of God, and it is a good
gift, which crowns the gifts of his providential bounty.
IV. We must be entirely satisfied in all the disposals of the divine
Providence, both as to personal and public concerns, and bring our
minds to them, because God, in all, performs the thing that is
appointed for us, acts according to the counsel of his will; and we are
here told,
1. That that counsel cannot be altered, and therefore it is our wisdom
to make a virtue of necessity, by submitting to it. It must be as God
wills: I know (and every one knows it that knows any thing of
God) that whatsoever God does it shall be for ever, v. 14 . He is in one mind, and who can turn him? His measures are never
broken, nor is he ever put upon new counsels, but what he has purposed
shall be effected, and all the world cannot defeat nor disannul it. It
behoves us therefore to say, "Let it be as God wills," for, how cross
soever it may be to our designs and interests, God's will is his
wisdom.
2. That that counsel needs not to be altered, for there is nothing
amiss in it, nothing that can be am ended. If we could see it
altogether at one view, we should see it so perfect that nothing can
be put to it, for there is no deficiency in it, nor any thing
taken from it, for there is nothing in it unnecessary, or that can
be spared. As the word of God, so the works of God are every one of
them perfect in its kind, and it is presumption for us either to add to
them or to diminish from them, Deut. iv. 2 .
It is therefore as much our interest, as our duty, to bring our wills
to the will of God.
V. We must study to answer God's end in all his providences, which is
in general to make us religious. God does all that men should
fear before him, to convince them that there is a God above them
that has a sovereign dominion over them, at whose disposal they are and
all their ways, and in whose hands their times are and all events
concerning them, and that therefore they ought to have their eyes ever
towards him, to worship and adore him, to acknowledge him in all their
ways, to be careful in every thing to please him, and afraid of
offending him in any thing. God thus changes his disposals, and yet is
unchangeable in his counsels, not to perplex us, much less to drive us
to despair, but to teach us our duty to him and engage us to do it.
That which God designs in the government of the world is the support
and advancement of religion among men.
VI. Whatever changes we see or feel in this world, we must acknowledge
the inviolable steadiness of God's government. The sun rises and sets,
the moon increases and decreases, and yet both are where they were, and
their revolutions are in the same method from the beginning according
to the ordinances of heaven; so it is with the events of
Providence
( v. 15 ): That which has been is now. God has not of late begun to use
this method. No; things were always as mutable and uncertain as they
are now, and so they will be: That which is to be has already
been; and therefore we speak inconsiderately when we say, "Surely
the world was never so bad as it is now," or "None ever met with such
disappointments as we meet with," or "The times will never mend;" they
may mend with us, and after a time to mourn there may come a time to
rejoice, but that will still be liable to the common character, to the
common fate. The world, as it has been, is and will be constant in
inconstancy; for God requires that which is past, that is,
repeats what he has formerly done and deals with us no otherwise than
as he has used to deal with good men; and shall the earth be
forsaken for us, or the rock removed out of his place? There has no
change befallen us, nor any temptation by it overtaken us, but such
as is common to men. Let us not be proud and secure in prosperity,
for God may recall a past trouble, and order that to seize us and spoil
our mirth
( Ps. xxx. 7 );
nor let us despond in adversity, for God may call back the comforts
that are past, as he did to Job. We may apply this to our past actions,
and our behaviour under the changes that have affected us. God will
call us to account for that which is past; and therefore, when
we enter into a new condition, we should judge ourselves for our sins
in our former condition, prosperous or afflicted.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the
wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for
every work.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of
men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that
they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts;
even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the
other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no
preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to
dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the
spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than
that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his
portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Solomon is still showing that every thing in this world, without piety
and the fear of God, is vanity. Take away religion, and there is
nothing valuable among men, nothing for the sake of which a wise man
would think it worth while to live in this world. In these verses he
shows that power (than which there is nothing men are more ambitious
of) and life itself (than which there is nothing men are more fond,
more jealous of) are nothing without the fear of God.
I. Here is the vanity of man as mighty, man in his best estate, man
upon the throne, where his authority is submitted to, man upon the
judgment-seat, where his wisdom and justice are appealed to, and where,
if he be governed by the laws of religion, he is God's vicegerent; nay,
he is of those to whom it is said, You are gods; but without the
fear of God it is vanity, for, set that aside, and,
1. The judge will not judge aright, will not use his power well, but
will abuse it; instead of doing good with it he will do hurt with it,
and then it is not only vanity, but a lie, a cheat to himself and to
all about him, v. 16 .
Solomon perceived, by what he had read of former times, what he heard
of other countries, and what he had seen in some corrupt judges, even
in the land of Israel, notwithstanding all his care to prefer good men,
that there was wickedness in the place of judgment. It is not so
above the sun: far be it from God that he should do iniquity, or
pervert justice. But under the sun it is often found that that
which should be the refuge, proves the prison, of oppressed innocency. Man being in honour, and not understanding what he ought to do, becomes like the beasts that perish, like the beasts of prey,
even the most ravenous, Ps. xlix. 20 .
Not only from the persons that sat in judgment, but even in the
places where judgment was, in pretence, administered, and
righteousness was expected, there was iniquity; men met with the
greatest wrongs in those courts to which they fled for justice. This is vanity and vexation; for,
(1.) It would have been better for the people to have had no judges
than to have had such.
(2.) It would have been better for the judges to have had no power than
to have had it and used it to such ill purposes; and so they will say
another day.
2. The judge will himself be judged for not judging aright. When
Solomon saw how judgment was perverted among men he looked up to God
the Judge, and looked forward to the day of his judgment
( v. 17 ):
" I said in my heart that this unrighteous judgment is not so
conclusive as both sides take it to be, for there will be a review of
the judgment; God shall judge between the righteous and the
wicked, shall judge for the righteous and plead their cause, though
now it is run down, and judge against the wicked and reckon with them
for all their unrighteous decrees and the grievousness which
they have prescribed, " Isa. x. 1 .
With an eye of faith we may see, not only the period, but the
punishment of the pride and cruelty of oppressors
( Ps. xcii. 7 ),
and it is an unspeakable comfort to the oppressed that their cause will
be heard over again. Let them therefore wait with patience, for there
is another Judge that stands before the door. And, though
the day of affliction may last long, yet there is a time, a set
time, for the examination of every purpose, and every work done
under the sun. Men have their day now, but God's day is coming, Ps. xxxvii. 13 .
With God there is a time for the re-hearing of causes,
redressing of grievances, and reversing of unjust decrees, though as
yet we see it not here, Job xxiv. 1 .
II. Here is the vanity of man as mortal. He now comes to speak more
generally concerning the estate of the sons of men in this
world, their life and being on earth, and shows that their reason,
without religion and the fear of God, advances them but little above
the beasts. Now observe,
1. What he aims at in this account of man's estate.
(1.) That God may be honoured, may be justified, may be
glorified-- that they might clear God (so the margin reads it),
that if men have an uneasy life in this world, full of vanity and
vexation, they may thank themselves and lay no blame on God; let them
clear him, and not say that he made this world to be man's prison and
life to be his penance; no, God made man, in respect both of honour and
comfort, little lower than the angels; if he be mean and
miserable, it is his own fault. Or, that God (that is, the world
of God) might manifest them, and discover them to themselves,
and so appear to be quick and powerful, and a judge of men's
characters; and we may be made sensible how open we lie to God's
knowledge and judgment.
(2.) That men may be humbled, may be vilified, may be
mortified-- that they might see that they themselves are beasts. It is no easy matter to convince proud men that they are but men ( Ps. ix. 20 ),
much more to convince bad men that they are beasts, that, being
destitute of religion, they are as the beasts that perish, as the horse and the mule that have no understanding. Proud
oppressors are as beasts, as roaring lions and ranging bears. Nay, every man that minds his body only, and not his soul, makes
himself no better than a brute, and must wish, at least, to die like
one.
2. The manner in which he verifies this account. That which he
undertakes to prove is that a worldly, carnal, earthly-minded man,
has no preeminence above the beast, for all that which he sets his
heart upon, places his confidence, and expects a happiness in, is
vanity, v. 19 .
Some make this to be the language of an atheist, who justifies himself
in his iniquity
( v. 16 )
and evades the argument taken from the judgment to come
( v. 17 )
by pleading that there is not another life after this, but that when
man dies there is an end of him, and therefore while he lives he may
live as he lists; but others rather think Solomon here speaks as he
himself thinks, and that it is to be understood in the same sense with
that of his father
( Ps. xlix. 14 ), Like sheep they are laid in the grave, and that he intends to
show the vanity of this world's wealth and honours "By the equal
condition in mere outward respects (as bishop Reynolds expounds it)
between men and beasts,"
(1.) The events concerning both seem much alike
( v. 19 ); That which befals the sons of men is no other than that which befals beasts; a great deal of knowledge of human bodies is
gained by the anatomy of the bodies of brutes. When the deluge swept
away the old world the beasts perished with mankind. Horses and men
are killed in battle with the same weapons of war.
(2.) The end of both, to an eye of sense, seems alike too: They have
all one breath, and breathe in the same air, and it is the general
description of both that in their nostrils is the breath of life ( Gen. vii. 22 ),
and therefore, as the one dies, so dies the other; in their
expiring there is no visible difference, but death makes much the same
change with a beast that it does with a man.
[1.] As to their bodies, the change is altogether the same, except the
different respects that are paid to them by the survivors. Let a man be buried with the burial of an ass ( Jer. xxii. 19 )
and what preëminence then has he above a beast? The touch
of the dead body of a man, by the law of Moses, contracted a greater
ceremonial pollution than the touch of the carcase even of an unclean
beast or fowl. And Solomon here observes that all go unto one
place; the dead bodies of men and beasts putrefy alike; all are
of the dust, in their original, for we see all turn to dust
again in their corruption. What little reason then have we to be
proud of our bodies, or any bodily accomplishments, when they must not
only be reduced to the earth very shortly, but must be so in common
with the beasts, and we must mingle our dust with theirs!
[2.] As to their spirits there is indeed a vast difference, but not a
visible one, v. 21 .
It is certain that the spirit of the sons of men at death is
ascending; it goes upwards to the Father of spirits, who made
it, to the world of spirits to which it is allied; it dies not with the
body, but is redeemed from the power of the grave, Ps. xlix. 15 .
It goes upwards to be judged and determined to an unchangeable
state. It is certain that the spirit of the beast goes downwards to
the earth; it dies with the body; it perishes and is gone at death.
The soul of a beast is, at death, like a candle blown out--there is an
end of it; whereas the soul of a man is then like a candle taken out of
a dark lantern, which leaves the lantern useless indeed, but does
itself shine brighter. This great difference there is between the
spirits of men and beasts; and a good reason it is why men should set their affections on things above, and lift up their souls to
those things, not suffering them, as if they were the souls of brutes,
to cleave to this earth. But who knows this difference? We
cannot see the ascent of the one and the descent of the other with our
bodily eyes; and therefore those that live by sense, as all carnal
sensualists do, that walk in the sight of their eyes and will
not admit any other discoveries, by their own rule of judgment have no preëminence above the beasts. Who knows, that is, who
considers this? Isa. liii. 1 .
Very few. Were it better considered, the world would be every way
better; but most men live as if they were to be here always, or as if
when they die there were an end of them; and it is not strange that
those live like beasts who think they shall die like beasts, but on
such the noble faculties of reason are perfectly lost and thrown
away.
3. An inference drawn from it
( v. 22 ): There is nothing better, as to this world, nothing better to be
had out of our wealth and honour, than that a man should rejoice in
his own works, that is,
(1.) Keep a clear conscience, and never admit iniquity into the place of righteousness. Let every man prove his own work, and approve himself to God in it, so shall he have rejoicing in
himself alone, Gal. vi. 4 .
Let him not get nor keep any thing but what he can rejoice in. See 2 Cor. i. 12 .
(2.) Live a cheerful life. If God have prospered the work of our hands
unto us, let us rejoice in it, and take the comfort of it, and not make
it a burden to ourselves and leave others the joy of it; for that is
our portion, not the portion of our souls (miserable are those that
have their portion in this life, Ps. xvii. 14 ,
and fools are those that choose it and take up with it, Luke xii. 19 ),
but it is the portion of the body; that only which we enjoy is ours out
of this world; it is taking what is to be had and making the best of
it, and the reason is because none can give us a sight of what shall
be after us, either who shall have our estates or what use they
will make of them. When we are gone it is likely we shall not see what
is after us; there is no correspondence that we know of between the
other world and this, Job xiv. 21 .
Those in the other world will be wholly taken up with that world, so
that they will not care for seeing what is done in this; and while we
are here we cannot foresee what shall be after us, either as to
our families or the public. It is not for us to know the times and
seasons that shall be after us, which, as it should be a
restraint to our cares about this world, so it should be a reason for
our concern about another. Since death is a final farewell to this
life, let us look before us to another life.
INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 3
The general design of this chapter is to confirm what is before observed, the vanity and inconstancy of all things; the frailty of man, and changes respecting him; his fruitless toil and labour in all his works; that it is best to be content with present things, and cheerful in them, and thankful for them; that all comes from the hand of God; that such good men, who have not at present that joy that others have, may have it, since there is a time for it; and that sinners should not please themselves with riches gathered by them, since they may be soon taken from them, for there is a time for everything, Ec 3:1; of which there is an induction of particulars, Ec 3:2; so that though every thing is certain with God, nothing is certain with men, nor to be depended on, nor can happiness be placed therein; there is no striving against the providence of God, nor altering the course of things; the labour of man is unprofitable, and his travail affliction and vexation, Ec 3:9; and though all God's works are beautiful in their season, they are unsearchable to man, Ec 3:11; wherefore it is best cheerfully to enjoy the present good things of life, Ec 3:12; and be content; for the will and ways and works of God are unalterable, permanent, and perfect, Ec 3:14; and though wicked men may abuse the power reposed in them, and pervert public justice, they will be called to an account for it in the general judgment, for which there is a time set, Ec 3:16; and yet, such is the stupidity of the generality of men, that they have no more sense of death and judgment than the brutes, and live and die like them, Ec 3:18; wherefore it is best of all to make a right use of power and riches, or what God has given to men, for their own good and that of others, since they know not what shall be after them, Ec 3:22.
Ver. 1. To every [thing there is] a season,.... A set determined time, when everything shall come into being, how long it shall continue, and in what circumstances; all things that have been, are, or shall be, were foreordained by God, and he has determined the times before appointed for their being, duration, and end; which times and seasons he has in his own power: there was a determined time for the whole universe, and for all persons and things in it; a settled fixed moment for the world to come into being; for it did not exist from everlasting, nor of itself, nor was formed by the fortuitous concourse of atoms, but by the wisdom and power of God; nor could it exist sooner or later than it did; it appeared when it was the will of God it should; in the beginning he created it, and he has fixed the time of its duration and end; for it shall not continue always, but have an end, which when it will be, he only knows: so there is a determined time for the rise, height, and declension of states and kingdoms in it; as of lesser ones, so of the four great monarchies; and for all the distinct periods and ages of the world; and for each of the seasons of the year throughout all ages; for the state of the church in it, whether in suffering or flourishing circumstances; for the treading down of the holy city; for the prophesying, slaying, and rising of the witnesses; for the reign and ruin of antichrist; for the reign of Christ on earth, and for his second coming to judgment, though of that day and hour knows no man: and as there is a set time in the counsels and providence of God for these more important events, so for every thing of a lesser nature;
and a time to every purpose under the heaven; to every purpose of man that is carried into execution; for some are not, they are superseded by the counsel of God; some obstruction or another is thrown in the way of them, so that they cannot take place; God withdraws men from them by affliction or death, when their purposes are broken; or by some other way; and what are executed he appoints a time for them, and overrules them to answer some ends of his own; for things the most contingent, free, and voluntary, fall under the direction and providence of God. And there is a time for every purpose of his own; all things done in the world are according to his purposes, which are within himself wisely formed, and are eternal and unfrustrable; and there is a time fixed for the execution of them, for every purpose respecting all natural and civil things in providence; and for every purpose of his grace, relating to the redemption of his people, the effectual calling of them, and the bringing them to eternal glory; which are the things that God wills, that he takes delight and pleasure in, as the word {e} signifies. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it, "to everything under the heaven there is a time"; and Jarchi observes that in the Misnic language the word used so signifies. The Targum is,
"to every man a time shall come, and a season to every business under heaven.''
{e} Upx lkl "omni voluntati", Montanus, Mercerus, Cocceius; i.e. "rei proprie capitae ac desideratae", Drusius
Ecclesiastes 3:2
Ver. 2. A time to be born,.... The Targum is,
"to beget sons and daughters;''
but rather it is to bear them, there being a time in nature fixed for that, called the hour of a woman, Job 14:1;
and a time to die; the time of a man's coming into the world and going out of it, both being fixed by the Lord {f}: this is true of all men in general, of all men that come into the world, for whom it is appointed that they shall die; and particularly of Christ, whose birth was at the time appointed by the Father, in the fulness of time; and whose death was in due time, nor could his life be taken away before his hour was come, Joh 7:30; and this holds good of every individual man; his birth is at the time God has fixed it; that any man is born into the world, is of God; no man comes into it at his own pleasure or another's, but at the will of God, and when he pleases, not sooner nor later; and the time of his going out of the world is settled by him, beyond which time he cannot live, and sooner he cannot die, Job 14:5; and though no mention is made of the interval of life between a man's birth and death, yet all events intervening are appointed by God; as the place of his abode; his calling and station of life; all circumstances of prosperity and adversity; all diseases of body, and what lead on to death, and issue in it: the reason why these two are put so close together is, to show the certainty of death; that as sure as a man is born, so sure shall he die; and the frailty and shortness of life, which is but an hand's breadth, passes away like a tale that is told, yea, is as nothing; so that no account is made of it, as if there was no time allotted it, or that it deserved no mention; and also to observe that the seeds of mortality and death are in men as soon as they are born; as soon as they begin to live they begin to die, death is working in them;
a time to plant; a tree, as the Targum, or any herb;
and a time to pluck up [that which is] planted; a tree or herb, as before, when grown to its ripeness, and fit for use; or when grown old, barren, and unfruitful; there are particular seasons for planting plants, and some for one and some for another. This may be applied in a civil sense to planting and plucking up kingdoms and states; see Jer 1:10; as it is by the Jews, particularly to the planting and plucking up of the kingdom of Israel; the people of Israel were a vine brought out of Egypt and planted in the land of Canaan, and afterwards plucked up and carried captive into Babylon; and afterwards planted again, and then again plucked up by the Romans; and will be assuredly planted in their own land again; see Ps 80:8; It may be illustrated in a spiritual sense by the planting of the Jewish church, sometimes compared to a vineyard; and the plucking it up, abolishing their church state and ordinances; and by planting Gospel churches in the Gentile world, and plucking them up again, as in the seven cities of Asia; or removing the candlestick out of its place; and by planting particular persons in churches, and removing them again: some indeed that are planted in the house of the Lord are planted in Christ, and rooted and grounded in the love of God; are plants which Christ's Father has planted, and will never be rooted up; but there are others who are planted through the external ministry of the word, or are plants only by profession, and these become twice dead, plucked up by the roots; and there are times for these things,
Ps 92:14.
{f} "Stat sua cuique dies, breve et irreparabile tempus omnibus est vitae"; Virgil. Aeneid. l. 10.
Ecclesiastes 3:3
Ver. 3. A time to kill, and a time to heal,.... A time to kill may be meant of a violent death, as a time to die is of a natural one; so the Targum,
"a time to kill in war;''
or else, by the hand of the civil magistrate, such who deserve death. Aben Ezra interprets it "to wound", because of the opposite "to heal"; and so there is a time when wounds and diseases are incurable, and baffle all the skill of the physician, being designed unto death; and there is a time when, by the blessing of God on means, they are healed; the wound or sickness not being unto death: so the Targum paraphrases the last clause,
"to heal one that lies sick.''
This may be applied in a civil sense to calamities in kingdoms, and a restoration of peace and plenty to them; which is the property of God alone, who in this sense kills and makes alive in his own time,
De 32:39; And in a spiritual sense to the ministers of the word, who are instruments of slaying souls by the law, which is the killing letter, and of healing them by the Gospel, which pours in the oil and wine of peace and pardon through the blood of Christ, and so binds up and heals the broken hearted; and there is a time for both;
a time to break down, and a time to build up; to break down a building, and build a waste, as the Targum; to break down cities and the walls of them, as the of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar; and to build them up: as in the times of Nehemiah and Zerubbabel: and so in a spiritual sense to break down the church of God, the tabernacle of David, and to raise up and repair the breaches of it; to build up Zion, and the walls of Jerusalem, or to restore the Gospel church state to its glory, for which there is a set time; see Am 9:11.
Ecclesiastes 3:4
Ver. 4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh,.... There is a time for these things, as it goes ill or well with persons, as to their health, estate, or friends; and as it goes ill or well with kingdoms and states. The Jews wept when they were in Babylon, and their mouths were filled with laughter when their captivity was returned,
Ps 137:1; and as it goes ill or well with the church of Christ, when there are corruptions in doctrine and worship, a neglect of ordinances, declensions in faith and practice, few instances of conversion, and there are divisions and contentions, it is a time for the mourners in Zion to weep but when God creates Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy, or makes her an eternal excellency, and the praise of the whole earth, then it is a time to rejoice and be glad, Isa 61:3; and as it is, with believers, when Christ is withdrawn from them, it is a time to lament, but, when the bridegroom is with them, it is a time of joy; when it is a night of darkness and desertion, weeping endures, but when the morning comes, the day breaks, and the sun of righteousness arises, joy comes with it, Mt 9:15
Joh 16:19. Now in the present state is the saints' weeping time; in the time to come they will laugh, or be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory, Lu 6:21;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance; to mourn at funerals, and to dance at festivals; in a spiritual sense, God sometimes turns the mourning of his people into dancing, or joy, which that is expressive of; see Ps 30:11.
Ecclesiastes 3:5
Ver. 5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together,.... To cast stones out of a field or vineyard where they are hurtful, and to gather them together to make walls and fences of, or build houses with; and may be understood both of throwing down buildings, as the temple of Jerusalem, so that not one stone was left upon another; of pouring out the stones of the sanctuary, and of gathering them again and laying them on one another; which was done when the servants of the Lord took pleasure in the stones of Zion, and favoured the dust thereof. Some understand this of precious stones, and of casting them away through luxury, wantonness, or contempt, and gathering them again: and it may be applied, as to the neglect of the Gentiles for a long time, and the gathering of those stones of which children were raised to Abraham; so of the casting away of the Jews for their rejection of the Messiah, and of the gathering of them again by conversion, when they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign on his land, Zec 9:16;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing: or "to be far from" {g} it; it may not only design conjugal embraces {h}, but parents embracing their children, as Jacob did his; and one brother embracing another, as Esau Jacob, and one friend embracing another; all which is very proper and agreeable at times: but there are some seasons so very calamitous and distressing, in which persons are obliged to drop such fondnesses: it is true, in a spiritual sense, of the embraces of Christ and believers, which sometimes are, and sometimes are not, enjoyed, Pr 4:8.
{g} qxrl te "tempus elongandi se", Pagninus, Montanus; "tempus longe fieri", V. L. {h} "Optatos dedit amplexus", Virgil. Aeneid. 8. v. 405.
Ecclesiastes 3:6
Ver. 6. A time to get, and a time to lose,.... To get substance, as the Targum, and to lose it; wealth and riches, honour and glory, wisdom and knowledge: or, "to seek, and to lose" {i}; a time when the sheep of the house of Israel, or God's elect, were lost, and a time to seek them again; which was, lone by Christ in redemption, and by the Spirit of God, in effectual calling;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away; to keep a thing, and to cast it away, into the sea, in the time of a great tempest, as the Targum; as did the mariners in the ship in which Jonah was, and those in which the Apostle Paul was, Jon 1:5; It may be interpreted of keeping riches, and which are sometimes kept too close, and to the harm of the owners of them; and of scattering them among the poor, or casting them upon the waters; see Ec 5:13.
{i} vqbl te "tempus quaerendi", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus, Rambachius.
Ecclesiastes 3:7
Ver. 7. A time to rend, and a time to sew,.... To rend garments, in case of blasphemy, and in times of mourning and fasting, and then to sew them up when they are over; see Isa 37:1; This the Jews apply to the rending of the ten tribes from Rehoboam, signified by the rending of Jeroboam's garment, 1Ki 11:30; the sewing up or uniting of which is foretold, Eze 37:22. Some interpret it of the rending of the Jewish church state, signified by the rending of the vail, at the death of Christ; and of the constituting the Gospel church state among the Gentiles;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak {k}; when it is an evil time, a time of calamity in a nation, it is not a time to be loquacious and talkative, especially in a vain and ludicrous way, Am 5:13; or when a particular friend or relation is in distress, as in the case of Job and his friends, Job 2:13; or when in the presence of wicked men, who make a jest of everything serious and religious, Ps 39:1; and so when under afflictive dispensations of Providence, it is a time to be still and dumb, and not open the mouth in a murmuring and complaining way, Le 10:3. And, on the other hand, there is a time to speak, either publicly, of the truths of the Gospel, in the ministry of it, and in vindication of them; or privately, of Christian experience: there is a time when an open profession should be made of Christ, his word and ordinances, and when believers should speak to God in prayer and praise; which, should they not, the stones in the wall would cry out.
{k} wrh men polewn muywn, wrh de kai upnou, Homer. Odyss. 11. v. 378.
Ecclesiastes 3:8
Ver. 8. A time to love, and a time to hate,.... For one to love his friend, and to hate a man, a sinner, as the Targum; to love a friend while he continues such, and hate him, or less love him, when he proves treacherous and unfaithful; an instance of a change of love into hatred may be seen in the case of Amnon, 2Sa 13:15. A time of unregeneracy is a time of loving worldly lusts and sinful pleasures, the company of wicked men, and all carnal delights and recreations; and a time of conversion is a time to hate what was before loved, sin, and the conversion of sinners, the garment spotted with the flesh, the principles and practices, though not the persons, of ungodly men; and even to hate, that is, less love, the dearest friends and relations, in comparison of, or when in competition with, Christ;
a time of war, and a time of peace; for nations to be engaged in war with each other, or to be at peace, which are continually revolving; and there is a time when there will be no more war. In a spiritual sense, the present time, or state of things, is a time of war; the Christian's life is a warfare state, though it will be soon accomplished, in which he is engaging in fighting with spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world: the time to come, or future state, is a time of peace, when saints shall enter into peace, and be no more disturbed by enemies from within or from without. In the Midrash, all the above times and seasons are interpreted of , and applied to them.
Ecclesiastes 3:9
Ver. 9. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?] That is, he has none. This is an inference drawn from the above premises, and confirms what has been before observed, Ec 1:3; Man has no profit of his labour, since his time is so short to enjoy it, and he leaves it to another, he knows not who; and, while he lives, is attended with continual vicissitudes and changes; sometimes it is a time for one thing, and sometimes for its contrary, so that there is nothing certain, and to be depended on; and a man can promise himself nothing in this world pleasant or profitable to him, and much less that will be of any advantage to him hereafter. The Targum adds,
"to make treasures and gather mammon, unless he is helped by Providence above;''
though it is man's duty to labour, yet all his toil and labour will be fruitless without a divine blessing; there is a time and season for everything in providence, and there is no striving against that.
Ecclesiastes 3:10
Ver. 10. I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men,.... The pains and trouble they are at to get a little wisdom and knowledge, Ec 1:13; and so to obtain riches and honour, peace and plenty, which sometimes they do obtain, and sometimes not; and when they do, do not keep them long, for there is a time for everything. This the wise man had observed, in a variety of instances; and he considered the end of God in it, which was for men
to be exercised in it, or "by it"; or "to afflict" or "humble [them] by it" {l}; to let them see that all their toil and labour signified little; all depended on a divine blessing, and no happiness was to be had in the creatures; all was vanity and vexation of spirit;
See Gill on "Ec 1:13".
{l} wb twnel "ad affligendum se in ea", Montanus; "ut eos adfligat in ea, sc. per eam", Rambachius; "ut ea redderet humiles", Tigurine version.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Ver. 11. He hath made every [thing] beautiful in his time,.... That is, God has made everything; as all things in creation are made by him, for his pleasure and glory, and all well and wisely, there is a beauty in them all: so all things in providence; he upholds all things; he governs and orders all things according to the counsel of his will; some things are done immediately by him, others by instruments, and some are only permitted by him; some he does himself, some he wills to be done by others, and some he suffers to be done; but in all there is a beauty and harmony; and all are ordered, disposed, and overruled, to answer the wisest and greatest purposes; everything is done in the time in which he wills it shall; be done, and done in the time most fit and suitable for it to be done; all things before mentioned, for which there is a time, and all others: all natural things are beautiful in their season; things in summer, winter, spring, and autumn; frost and snow in winter, and heat in summer; darkness and dews in the night, and light and brightness in the day; and so in ten thousand other things: all afflictive dispensations of Providence; times of plucking up and breaking down of weeping and mourning, of losing and casting away are all necessary, and seasonable and beautiful, in their issue and consequences: prosperity and adversity, in their turns, make a beautiful checker work, and work together for good; are like Joseph's coat, of many colours, which was an emblem of those various providences which attended that good man; and were extremely beautiful, as are all the providences of God to men: and all his judgments will be, when made manifest; when he shall have performed his whole work, and the mystery of God in providence will be finished; which is like a piece of tapestry; when only viewed in parts no beauty appears in it, scarce any thing to be made of it but when all is put together, it is most beautiful and harmonious. The words may be rendered, "the beautiful One hath made all things in his time" {m}; the Messiah; who, as a divine Person, is the brightness of his Father's glory; as man, is fairer than the sons, of Adam; as Mediator, is full of grace and truth; is white and ruddy, altogether lovely, exceeding precious to his people: this fair and lovely One has made all things in creation; works with his Father in the affairs of providence; and has done all things well in grace and redemption, Joh 1:2;
also he hath set the world in their heart; so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end; not a sinful love of the world, and the things of it; not a criminal desire after them, and a carking care for them, whereby persons have no heart and inclination, time and leisure, to search into and find out the works of God; for though all this is in the heart of the sons of men, yet, not placed, there by the Lord: nor an opinion of living for ever; of a long time in this world, the word for "world" having the signification of perpetuity in it; so that they regard not, the work of the Lord, nor the operations of his hands, tomorrow being with them as this day, and much more abundant; but this sense meets with the same difficulty as the former. Rather the meaning is, that God hath set before the minds of men, and in them, the whole world of creatures, the whole book of nature, in which they may see and read much of the wisdom power, and goodness of God in his works; and to some he gives an inclination and desire hereunto; but yet the subject before them is so copious, there is such a world of matter presented to them, and their capacity so small, and life so short, that they cannot all their days find out the works of God, either of creation or providence, to perfection; or find out what God works, from the beginning of the world to the end of it; for, of what he has wrought, but a small portion is known by them, and they know less still what shall be done hereafter: some of God's works of providence are set on foot and but begun in the life of some men; they do not live to see them finished, and therefore cannot find them out; and others are so dark and obscure, that they are obliged to say, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" see Ro 1:19; and though everything is beautiful in its time, yet till they are made manifest, and all viewed together; they will not be perfectly understood, or the beauty of them seen, Re 15:4. For God has put something "hidden", or "sealed up", in the midst of them, as it may be rendered {n}, so that they cannot be perfectly known.
{m} wteb hpy hve lkh ta "haec omnia facit pulcher in tempore suo, i.e. Messias"; so some in Rambachius. {n} Vid. Schultens de Defect. Hod. Ling. Heb. s. 180.
Ecclesiastes 3:12
Ver. 12. I know that [there is] no good in them,.... In these things; as the Arabic version; in the creatures, as Jarchi; in all sublunary enjoyments; in everything the wise man had made a trial of before, as natural Wisdom and knowledge, worldly pleasure, riches, and wealth; the "summun bonum", or happiness of men, did not lie in these things; this he knew by experience, and had the strongest assurance of it: or in them, that is, the children of men, as the Targum: there is no real good thing in them, nor comes out of them, nor is done by them; they cannot think a good thought, nor do a good action, of themselves. Or rather the sense is, I know there is nothing better for them than what follows:
but for [a man] to rejoice; not in sin and sinful pleasures, in a riotous, voluptuous, and epicurean manner; but to be cheerful, and enjoy the blessings of life in a comfortable way, and with a thankful heart; and especially to rejoice in spiritual things, and above all in Christ; and not in any self-boastings or carnal confidences, all such rejoicing is evil; see Ec 9:7. The Targum is,
"but that they rejoice in the joy of the law;''
but it is much better to rejoice in the things of the Gospel, which is indeed a joyful sound;
and to do good in his life: to himself and family, by making use of the good things of life, and not withholding and hoarding them up; and to others, to all men, as opportunity offers, and especially to the household of faith; and not only by liberality and alms deeds, but by doing all good works, from right principles and to right ends, and that always, as long as he lives, Ga 6:9.
Ecclesiastes 3:13
Ver. 13. And also that every man should eat and drink,.... Not to excess, but in moderation; and yet freely, plentifully, and cheerfully; and not alone, but giving the poor a portion with him; and in all having in view the glory of God, 1Co 10:31;
and enjoy the good of all his labour; take the comfort of what he has been labouring for, and not lay it up for, and leave it to, he knows not who: the Targum is,
"and see good in his days, and cause his children, at the time of his death, to inherit all his labour;''
it [is] the gift of God; not only to have, but to enjoy, and make a proper use of the mercies of life. This is the same doctrine which is delivered Ec 2:24.
Ecclesiastes 3:14
Ver. 14. I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever,.... Which some, as Jarchi, understand of the works of creation, the heavens and the earth, which are however of long standing and duration; and though they shall be dissolved and perish, as to their form and quality, yet not as to the substance of them: the earth particularly is said to abide for ever, Ec 1:4; the sun and moon, and stars, keep their course or station; and the several seasons of the year have their constant revolution, and shall as long as the earth endures; see Ge 8:22; the several kinds of creatures God has made, in the earth, air, and sea, though the individuals die, their species remain; and man, the chief of creatures, though he dies, shall live again, and live for ever; so the Arabic version,
"I have learned that all the creatures which God hath made shall perpetually remain in the same order and condition:''
though Abarbinel {o} interprets this of the continuance of the world for a certain time, and then of the destruction of it; which he thinks is supported by Ec 3:15, and which is to be understood of the creation of one world after another; and that which is past he explains of the world that is destroyed. But rather this is to be understood of the decrees of God, which are his works "ad intra"; the thoughts of his heart, that are to all generations; the counsel of his will, which always stands, and is performed; his mind, which is one, the same always, and invariable, and which he never changes; his pleasure he always does; his purposes and appointments, which are always accomplished, never frustrated and made void: for he is all wise in forming them, all knowing, and sees the end from the beginning, so that nothing unforeseen can turn up to hinder the execution of them; he is unchangeable, and never alters his will; and all powerful, able to effect his great designs; and faithful and true, cannot deny himself, nor ever lie nor repent. To this sense is the Targum,
"I know, by a spirit of prophecy, that all which the Lord does in the world, whether good or evil, after it is decreed from his mouth, it shall be for ever.''
This holds good of all his works, and acts of grace; election of persons to eternal life stands firm, not on the foot of works, but of grace, and has its certain effect; it can never be made void, nor be surer than it is; it will ever take place, and continue in its fruit and consequences: the covenant of grace, as it is made from everlasting, continues to everlasting; its promises never, fail, its blessings are the sure mercies of David: redemption by Christ is eternal; such as are redeemed from sin, Satan, and the law, are ever so, and shall never be brought into bondage to either again: the work of grace upon the heart being begun, shall be performed and perfected; the graces wrought in the soul, as faith, hope, and love, ever remain; the blessings of grace bestowed, as pardon, justification, adoption, and salvation, are never reversed, but ever continue; such as are regenerated, pardoned, justified, adopted, and saved, shall be ever so; and the work of God, as it is durable, so perfect;
nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; the works of nature have been finished and perfected from the foundation of the world; the decrees of God are a complete system of his will, according to which he does all things invariably, in providence and grace; the covenant of grace is ordered in all things, and nothing wanting in it; the work of redemption is completely done by Christ, who is a rock, and his work is perfect; and the work of grace on the heart, though at present imperfect, shall be perfected; nor is it in the power of men to add anything to it, nor take anything from it;
and God doth [it], that [men] should fear before him; his works of creation being done in so much wisdom, and giving such a display of his power and goodness, command art awe of him in his creatures,
Ps 33:6; his works of providence, being all according to his wise purposes and decrees, should be patiently and quietly submitted to; and men should be still, and know that he is God, and humble themselves under his mighty hand: his decrees, respecting the present or future state of men, do not lead to despair, nor to a neglect of means, nor to a dissolute life, but tend to promote the fear of God and true holiness, which they are the source of; and the blessings of grace have a kind influence on the same; particularly the blessing of pardoning grace, which is with God, that he may be feared, Ps 130:4; and one principal part of the work of grace on the heart is the fear of God; and nothing more strongly engages to the whole worship of God, which is often meant by the fear of him, than his grace vouchsafed to men; see Heb 12:28. The Targum refers this to the vengeance of God in the world: and Jarchi, to the unusual phenomena in it; as the flood, the sun's standing still and going backward, and the like.
{o} Miphalot Elohim Tract. 8. c. 7. fol. 57. 4.
Ecclesiastes 3:15
Ver. 15. That which hath seen is now; and that which is to be hath already been,.... That which has been from the beginning now is; that which cometh, and what shall be in the end of days, has been already, as the Targum. Jarchi interprets this of God and his attributes, which are always the same; he is the "I am that I am", Ex 3:14; the immutable and eternal Jehovah, which is, and was, and is to come, invariably the same. Or rather it designs his decrees and purposes; what has been decreed in his eternal mind is now accomplished; and what is future has been already in his decrees; nor does anything come to pass but what he has appointed. So it is interpreted, in an ancient tract {p} of the Jews, of
"what was before it came into the world, so that there is nothing new under the sun; now it is obliged to come into this world, as it is said, "before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee", Jer 1:5.''
This will also hold true of natural things, and of the identity of them; of some individuals, as the sun, moon, and stars, which are as they always were, and will be; the sun rises and sets as it used to do; and the moon increases and decreases, as it always has done; and the stars keep the same station or course, and so they ever will, as they have: the same seasons are now in their turn as heretofore, and such as will be have been already; as summer, winter, spring, autumn, seedtime, harvest, cold, heat, night, and day: the same kinds and species of creatures, that have been, are; and what will be have been already; so that there is no new thing under the sun; the same thing is here expressed as in Ec 1:9;
and God requireth that which is past; his decrees and purposes to be fulfilled, which are past in his mind; the same seasons to return which have been; and the same kinds and species of creatures to exist which have already. The words may be rendered, "and God seeketh that which is pursued", or "persecuted" {q}: and accordingly the whole will bear a different sense; and the preacher may be thought to have entered upon a new subject, which he continues in some following verses, the abuse of power and authority: and the meaning then is, the same acts of injustice, violence, and persecution, have been done formerly as now, and now as formerly; and what hereafter of this kind may be, will be no other than what has been; from the beginning persecution was; Cain hated and slew his brother, because of his superior goodness; and so it always has been, is, and will be, that such who are after the flesh persecute those who are after the spirit; but God will make inquisition for blood, and require it at the hands of those that shed it; he will seek out the persecuted, and vindicate him, and, avenge his persecutor. This way the Midrash, Jarchi, and Alshech, and the Septuagint version, render the words; and so the Syriac version, "God seeketh him that is afflicted, who is driven away"; and to this agrees the Targum,
"and in the great day which shall be, the Lord will require the mean and poor man of the hands of the wicked that persecute him.''
And what follows seems to confirm this sense.
{p} Tikkune Zohar Correct. 69. fol. 104. 2. {q} Pdrn ta vqby Myhlaw "Deus quaerit propulsum, seu quod persecutionem veluti passum est", Gejerus, Schmidt.
Ecclesiastes 3:16
Ver. 16. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment,.... Courts of judicature, where judges sit, and, causes are brought before them, and are heard and tried; such as were the Jewish sanhedrim, of which the Midrash and Jarchi interpret it;
[that] wickedness [was] there, wicked judges sat there, and wickedness was committed by them; instead of doing justice they perverted it; condemned the righteous, and acquitted the wicked; and oppressed the widow, fatherless, and stranger, whose cause, being just, they should have defended. So the Targum,
"in which lying judges condemn the innocent.''
Well does the wise man say he saw this "under the sun", for there is nothing of this kind above it; nor approved of by him that is above it;
and the place of righteousness, [that] iniquity [was] there; this signifies the same as before, only it is expressed in different words. The Midrash and Jarchi interpret this of the middle gate in Jerusalem, where Nergal Sharezer, and other princes of the king of Babylon, sat, and which Solomon foresaw by a spirit of prophecy; but the better sense is, that Solomon had observed a great deal of this kind in reading the histories and annals of nations; knew that much of this sort was practised in other countries, and had seen a great deal of it in his own, done in inferior courts, and by subordinate officers; and though he was a wise and righteous prince, yet was not able to rectify all these abuses, for want of sufficient proof, which yet he lamented, and it gave him a concern; compare with this Isa 1:21.
Ecclesiastes 3:17
Ver. 17. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,.... This he considered in his mind, and set it down for a certain truth, and which relieved him under the consideration of the sad perversion of justice; and made him easy under it, and willing to leave things to him that judgeth righteously, and wait his time when everything that was now wrong would be set right: he knew from reason, from tradition, and from the word of God, that there was a judgment to come, a general, righteous, and eternal one; that this judicial process would be carried on by God himself, who is holy, righteous, just, and true, omniscient, and omnipotent; and, being the Judge of all the earth, would do right; when he would vindicate the righteous, and clear them from all calumnies and charges; acquit and justify them, and condemn the wicked, pass a just sentence on them, and execute it;
for [there is] a time there for every purpose, and for every work; or "then", as Noldius; in the day of the great judgment, as the Targum adds; and which continues to paraphrase the words thus,
"for a time is appointed for every business, and for every work which they do in this world they shall be judged there;''
there is a time fixed, a day appointed, for the judgment of the world; though of that day and hour knows no man; yet, it is settled, and will certainly come, Ac 17:31; and when it is come, every purpose, counsel, and thought of men's hearts, will be made manifest, as well as every work, good or bad, open or secret, yea, every idle word, and men will be judged according to these; see 1Co 4:5
Mt 12:36.
Ecclesiastes 3:18
Ver. 18. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men,.... He thought of the condition of the children of men, their sinful and polluted state; he weighed and considered in his mind their actions, conversation, and course of life; and was concerned how it would go with them at the day of judgment on account of the same. Some render it, "I said in mine heart after the speech of the children of men" {r}; speaking in their language, and representing the atheist and the epicure, as some think the wise man does in the following verses; though he rather speaks his own real sentiments concerning men, as they are in their present state, and as they will appear in the day of judgment;
that God might manifest them; or "separate them" {s}; as the chaff from the wheat, and as goats from the sheep; as will be done at the day of judgment, Mt 3:10; or "that they might clear God" {t}; as they will, when he shall judge and condemn them;
and that they might see that they themselves are beasts; as they are through the fall, and the corruption of nature, being born like the wild ass's colt, stupid, senseless, and without understanding of spiritual things; nay, more brutish than the beasts themselves, than the horse and the mule that have no understanding, Ps 32:9; "mulo inscitior", as is Plautus's {u} phrase; see Ps 49:12 Isa 1:3; this is now made manifest to the people of God by the word and Spirit; is seen, known, and acknowledged by them,
Ps 73:21; and the wicked themselves will see, know, and own what beasts they are and have been, at the day of judgment; how they have lived and died like beasts; how like brute beasts they have corrupted themselves in things they knew naturally; and that as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, spoke evil of things they understood not, and perished in their own corruption, Jude 1:10 2Pe 2:12; and that they have been beasts to themselves, as Jarchi renders and interprets it; made beasts of themselves by their brutish gratifications; have been cruel to themselves, ruining and destroying their own souls; or among themselves, and to one another, "homo lupus homini"; hence wicked men are compared to lions, foxes, evening wolves, vipers, and the like. So Mr. Broughton renders it, "how they are beasts, they to themselves."
{r} Mdah ynb trbd le "super verbum filiorum Adam", Montanus; "verbis hominum", Arabic and Syriac versions. {s} Mrbl oti diakrinei autouv "ut discernat illos", Cocceius; "quia delegit eos", some in Vatablus; so Aben Ezra and Ben Melech. {t} "Ut ipsi expurgent Deum", Anglic. in Reinbeck; some in Rambachius render it thus, "ut seligant ipsi (homines) Deum"; so Varenius. {u} Cisteilaria, Act. 4.
Ecclesiastes 3:19
Ver. 19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts,.... Aben Ezra says this verse is according to the thoughts of the children of men that are not wise; but rather the wise man says what he does according to his own thoughts, and proceeds to prove the likeness and equality of men and beasts;
even one thing befalleth them; the same events belong to one as to another; the same diseases and disasters, calamities and distresses: Noah's flood carried away one as well as another; they both perished in it; several of the plagues of Egypt were inflicted on both; and both are beholden to God for their health, preservation, and safety; see Ge 7:21;
as the one dieth, so dieth the other; the Targum compares a wicked man and an unclean beast together, in the former clause; and paraphrases this after this manner,
"as an unclean beast dies, so dies he who is not turned to repentance before his death:''
he dies unclean in his sins, stupid, senseless; no more thoughtful of his future state, and of what will become of his precious and immortal soul, than a beast that has none; see Ps 49:14; perhaps unjust judges, persecuting tyrants, may particularly be regarded: who, though princes, shall not only die like men, but even like beasts, Ps 82:7;
yea, they have all one breath; the same vital breath, or breath of life, which is in the nostrils of the one as of the other; they breathe and draw in the same air, and have the same animal and vegetative life, and equally liable to lose it, Ge 2:7;
so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: he has reason and speech, which a beast has not; which gives him a preference to them, did he make a right use of them; but, as an animal, he has no preeminence, being liable to the same accidents, and to death itself: the Targum excepts the house of the grave, man being usually buried when he dies, but a beast is not: yea, in some things a beast has the preeminence of a man; at least some have, in strength, agility, quickness of the senses, &c.
for all [is] vanity; all the gratifications of the senses; all riches, honours, pleasures, power, and authority, especially when abused.
Ecclesiastes 3:20
Ver. 20. All go unto one place,.... The earth {w} from whence they came;
all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again; Adam's body was made of the dust of the earth, and so all his posterity, all of them; in which they agree with beasts, who are made of the dust also; and, when they die, return to it; see Ge 2:7.
{w} "Magna parens terra est", Ovid. Metamorph. l. 1. Fab. 7.
Ecclesiastes 3:21
Ver. 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward?.... There is indeed a difference between a man and a beast; though they have one breath, they have not one spirit or soul; man has a rational and immortal soul, which, when he dies, goes upwards to God that gave it; to be judged by him, and disposed of by him, in its proper apartment, until the day of the resurrection of the body;
and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? when the beast dies, its spirit goes down to the earth, from whence it came, and is resolved into it, and is no more. But who is it that sees, or can see and know with the eyes of his body, the difference of these two spirits, or the ascent of the one, and the descent of the other?, Or who knows by the dint of reason, by the strength of his own understanding, without a divine revelation, that man has an immortal soul which goes upwards at death, when that of a beast goes downwards? No man, clearly and fully, as appears from the doubts and half faith of the wisest Heathens concerning it: or rather who knows and considers this difference between the spirit of a man and the spirit of a beast, and thinks within himself what a precious and immortal soul he has, and is concerned for the salvation of it? Very few; and hence it is they live and die like beasts, as they do. The Midrash interprets this of the souls of the righteous that go up to heaven, and of the souls of the wicked that go down to hell.
Ecclesiastes 3:22
Ver. 22. Wherefore I perceive that [there is] nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works,.... The Targum is, "in his good works"; not as justifying him before God, but as vindicating him before men, from unjust censures and charges: rather the sense is, that this is the wise man's conclusion, and this his sentiment, upon the whole; that there is nothing better for a man, than cheerfully to enjoy the fruit of his labours; to eat and drink in moderation, freely, joyfully, and thankfully; and make use of his riches, power, and authority, for his own good, the good of his family for the present, and the good of his fellow creatures; see Ec 2:21;
for that [is] his portion; what is allotted to him, and thus enjoyed, is a very good one, and for which he has reason to be thankful;
for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? to see who shall succeed him, and what use they will make of what he leaves them; he shall never return after death to see anything of this kind, nor shall any acquaint him with it; he shall not be able to know when he is dead what shall befall his sons, whether they will prosper or rio, so Jarchi; wherefore it is best for him to enjoy his substance himself in a comfortable way, and be beneficial to others, and not oppressive to them. The Midrash illustrates it thus,
"who shall bring David to see what Solomon did? and who shall bring Solomon to see what Rehoboam did?''
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
To expect unchanging happiness in a changing
world, must end in disappointment. To bring ourselves to our state
in life, is our duty and wisdom in this world. God's whole plan for the
government of the world will be found altogether wise, just, and
good. Then let us seize the favourable opportunity for every good
purpose and work. The time to die is fast approaching. Thus labour
and sorrow fill the world. This is given us, that we may always have
something to do; none were sent into the world to be idle. W
To expect unchanging happiness in a changing
world, must end in disappointment. To bring ourselves to our state
in life, is our duty and wisdom in this world.
This is given us, that we may always have
something to do; none were sent into the world to be idle. W
Sources: Matthew Henry; Gill's Exposition; Matthew Henry Concise
Commentary
Commentary