Ecclesiastes chapter 3 to 5

 Dead Sea Scolls 

Nicole Smith 🌸 🌸 🌸 

Ecclesiastes chapter 3 to 5

A Time for Everything 3 for every matter under heave a time to be bom, and a time to the a time to plant, and a time to phich what is planted. a time to kill, and a time to hea a time to break down, and a time br up a time to weep, and a time to laugh a time to mourn, and a time to une a time to cast away stones, and ann gather stones together a time to embrace, and a time to re from embracing a time to seek, and a time to lose a time to keep, and a time to cast a a time to tear, and a time to sew a time to keep silence, and a time ne speak: *a time to love, and a time whare a time for war, and a time for pe The God-Given Task *What gain has the worker from his have seen the business that God has given the children of man to be busy with "Hel made everything beautiful in its time Also br has put eternity into man's heart, yet so thinke cannot find out what God has done fin de beginning to the end. perceived the terms nothing better for them than to be joyfuland Ho good as long as they live, Palso that es hould eat and drink and take pleasum in all the oil-this is God's gift to man "I perceived that whatever God d ndures forever, nothing can be added toit sor anything taken from it God has te so that people fear bekur him. The which is, already has been that which is to be ready has been, and God seeks what has bee riven away rom Dust to Dust Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the lace of justice even there was wicked and in the place of rip and the wichand, for as wickedness said in the heart God will adge the righteous an a time for every matter and every I said in my heart with regard to the dre man that God is testing them that they to me that they themselves are but bea 555 ECCLESIASTES 5:16 en to the children of man and what the other They all have the same breath, to the beasts is the same as one dies de has no advantage over the beasts for All go to one place All are from and to dust all return. #Who knows the spirit of man goes upward and the of the beast goes down into the gw that there is nothing better than seaman should rejoice in his work, for that Meter Who can bring him to see what will Under the Sun Apin i saw all the oppressions that are are under the sun. And behold, the tears the oppressed, and they had no one to com-dem On the side of their oppressors there and there was no one to comfort And I thought the dead who are already mme fortunate than the living who are alive. But better than both is he who has theen and has not seen the evil deeds that name under the sun. Then i saw that all toil and all skill in work from a man's envy of his neighbor. This atity and a striving after wind. The folds his hands and eats his own Beers a handful of quietness than two of sell and a striving wind and string after one per mam tolling and depriving myself of to bus no other, either son or brother, yet nond to all his soil and his eyes are statiol with riches, so that he never asks This ise is vanity and an unhappy anbetter than one, because they have dard for their toil. For if they fall phis fellow. But woe to him who falls and has not another to Arain if two lie together they but how can one keep warm alone? M Buchman much pervail rainstone wm quiddy broken will withstand him a three was a poor and wise youth than an Wahab king who no longer knew how For the went from prison to the town kingdom he had been all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those to stand in the king's place. There was no end who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind Fear God earthGuard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools for they do not know that they are doing evil Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business and a fool's voice with many words *When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you yow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger" that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity, but God is the one you must fear. The Vanity of Wealth and Honor is gain for a land in every way, a king commit ted to cultivated fields" If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righ teousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and He who loves money will not be satistied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity: "When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eves Sweet is the sleep of a laborEE whether the cats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun riches were kept by their owner his hurt and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand Ashe came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand This aho is a grievous evil just as he came so shall he go.

The text provided is from the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, specifically verses 1-8 and parts of later verses, famous for the phrase, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven," detailing opposite pairs like birth/death, weeping/laughing, war/peace, emphasizing life's cyclical nature and God's divine, unchangeable timing, encouraging joy in simple acts (eating, drinking) as God's gift despite life's mysteries. It's a wisdom passage often used at funerals, highlighting God's control and the human inability to grasp everything, leading to finding contentment in His plan. 

Key Themes & Verses

Divine Order: God sets a specific time for every event, creating balance (e.g., build/break down, love/hate).

Human Limitation: People toil, but cannot fully comprehend God's eternal work, which is beautiful in its time.

God's Gift: The best response is to find joy, eat, drink, and find pleasure in one's work, as these are gifts from God.

Eternity: Everything God does endures; nothing can be added or taken away. He works so people fear Him.

Cyclical Nature: What happens now has happened before, and God orchestrates repetition, all leading to His purpose. 

What it Means (Interpretation)

Acceptance: Life involves opposites, and we must accept the different seasons (joy/sorrow, peace/war) as part of a larger divine plan.

Contentment: Rather than trying to understand everything or despair over life's unfairness (evil in justice's place), find satisfaction in the present, God-given moments.

Reverence: This structured, seemingly random life is designed to inspire reverence and trust in God's perfect, albeit mysterious, timing.