Series: Ecclesiastes
Sermon #6: To Everything There Is A Season
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
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.
Introduction:
Reminders:
1) the unique aspects of Ecclesiastes that must be
observed to appreciate what the author has done
2) the inspired and inerrant nature of Ecclesiastes as
the Word of God
3) the impact of Ecclesiastes on proud unregenerate
philosophers and mankind in general
Where we have been, and where we have come to in our
study of this book
What we have learned along the way so far
Outline:
I. The Prologue to the Poem (3:1)
II. The Body of the Poem (3:2-7)
III. The Conclusion of the Poem (3:8)
The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! Lyrics
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap.
A time to kill, a time to heal.
A time to laugh, a time to weep.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to build up, a time to break down.
A time to dance, a time to mourn.
A time to cast away stones.
A time to gather stones together.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time of love, a time of hate.
A time of war, a time of peace.
A time you may embrace.
A time to refrain from embracing.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to gain, a time to lose.
A time to rend, a time to sew.
A time for love, a time for hate.
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap.
A time to kill, a time to heal.
A time to laugh, a time to weep.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to build up, a time to break down.
A time to dance, a time to mourn.
A time to cast away stones.
A time to gather stones together.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time of love, a time of hate.
A time of war, a time of peace.
A time you may embrace.
A time to refrain from embracing.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to gain, a time to lose.
A time to rend, a time to sew.
A time for love, a time for hate.
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late.
Songwriters:
Words from the book of Ecclesiastes (French, George Aber adaptation), and Pete
Seeger. Turn! Turn! Turn! lyrics © T.R.O. Inc.
Source: LyricsFreak at http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/byrds/turn+turn+turn_20026419.html
[accessed 14 NOV 2015].
I. The Prologue to the Poem (3:1)
To every thing there is
a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
What I am calling
the prologue to the poem Glenn refers to as the “thesis.”
— Donald R.
Glenn, “Ecclesiastes,” in The Bible
Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. J. F. Walvoord,
and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1985), pg. 983.
1. What is the difference between “season” and “time”?
What is the point?
Note: the translation of these two words is generally observed in
most other translations besides the KJV, but is reversed inexplicably in the
NIV. In the NASB and the HCSB “season” is rendered differently as “appointed
time” and “occasion” respectively. While there may be an understood difference
between “appointed time” and “time” it seems that the NASB has dropped the ball
in distinguishing these synonyms in its translation of them.
“The Greeks were guided by the right feeling
when they rendered זְמָן by χρόνος,
and עֵת by καιρὸς….the state of the matter is this, that by χρόνος the
idea comprehends the termini a quo
and ad quem, while by καιρὸς it
is limited to the terminus a quo.”
— F. Delitzsch, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, trans. M. G. Easton, Vol.
VI in C. F. Kiel and F. Delitzsch, Commentary
on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, trans. James Martin (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, n.d., 1975 reprint), 3:255.
2. How might “purpose” be translated?
“Delight.” See the literal marginal reading in the NASB, and Young’s Literal Translation.
“Delight.” See the literal marginal reading in the NASB, and Young’s Literal Translation.
What is the point?
3. What is the point of this verse, and indeed of the entire poem of
which this is the prologue?
Perhaps, what has been referred to as the “interpretive section”
will shed some light on it!
Cp. 3:11-17 — 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. 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.
“The author means to say….— (1) that everything has its
fore-determined time, in which there lies both a determined point of time when
it happens, and a determined period of time during which it shall continue; and
(2) that every matter has a time appointed for it, or one appropriate, suitable
for it.”
— Delitzsch, op. cit., 3:255.
“The endless cycle of human experience is not accidental or even
dependent upon humankind. On the contrary, it is planned and executed by God
Himself (v. 11).”
— C. Hassell Bullock, An
Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books: The Wisdom and Songs of Israel
(Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), pg. 208.
4. We must remember to observe this entire section in the light of
the ad interim conclusion associated
with it:
5:18-20 — 18 Behold that which I have seen: it
is good and comely for one to eat
and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the
sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath
given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take
his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember
the days of his life; because God answereth
him in the joy of his heart.
The three ad interim conclusions are 2:24-26; 5:18-20; and 8:15; followed by
that of the fourth and final section which also serves as the conclusion of the
book, 12:8-14.
Note: As indicated in the previous
sermon on Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 it was J. Sidlow Baxter who referred to the first
three as ad interim conclusions. See his Explore The
Book: A Basic and Broadly Interpretive Course of Bible Study from Genesis to
Revelation, 6 vols. in 1 ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d., 1960
printing), 3:148.
II. The Body of the Poem (3:2-7)
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;
“Solomon followed his general statement with a poem on 14
opposites, each of which happens in its time. The fact that Solomon utilized
polar opposites in a multiple of seven and began his list with birth and death
is highly significant. The number seven suggests the idea of completeness and
the use of polar opposites—a well-known poetical device called merism—suggests
totality (cf. Ps. 139:2–3).”
— Glenn, op. cit., pg. 983.
The flow of the 14 couplets in the poem:
14 couplets
|
Delightful[1]
|
Undesirable
|
Remarks
|
2 A time to be born,
and a time to die;
|
born
|
die
|
|
a time to plant,
and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
|
plant
|
pluck up
|
|
3 A time to kill,
and a time to heal;
|
heal
|
kill
|
order reversed
|
a time to break down,
and a time to build up;
|
build up
|
break down
|
order reversed
|
4 A time to weep,
and a time to laugh;
|
laugh
|
weep
|
order reversed
|
a time to mourn,
and a time to dance;
|
dance
|
mourn
|
order reversed
|
5 A time to cast away stones,
and a time to gather stones
together;
|
gather stones together
|
cast away stones
|
order reversed
|
a time to embrace,
and a time to refrain from embracing;
|
embrace
|
refrain from embracing
|
|
6 A time to get,
and a time to lose;
|
get
|
lose
|
|
a time to keep,
and a time to cast away;
|
keep
|
cast away
|
|
7 A time to rend,
and a time to sew;
|
sew
|
rend
|
order reversed
|
a time to keep silence,
and a time to speak;
|
speak
|
silence
|
order reversed
|
8 A time to love,
and a time to hate;
|
love
|
hate
|
|
a time of war,
and a time of peace.
|
peace
|
war
|
order reversed
|
III. The Conclusion of the Poem (3:8)
8 A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
What sets the last half of this verse apart from all of
the 13 other couplets in this poem?
“…the author has made the termination emphatic by this,
that here “instead of infinitives, he introduces proper nouns” (Hitz.).”
— Delitzsch, op. cit., 3:259.
Conclusion:
What does a materialistic, humanistic, mechanistic,
atheistic world do with the wisdom literature of Qoheleth?
“"Turn!
Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" — often abbreviated to
"Turn! Turn! Turn!" — is a song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s. The lyrics, except for the title which is
repeated throughout the song, and the final verse of the song, are adapted
word-for-word from Chapter 3 of the Book of Ecclesiastes, set to music and recorded in 1962. The song
was originally released as "To Everything There Is a Season" on The
Limeliters' album Folk Matinee and then some months later on Seeger's own The Bitter and the Sweet.
The song became
an international hit in late 1965 when it was covered by the American folk rock band The Byrds, bowing at #80 on October 23, 1965,
before reaching #1 on the Hot 100 chart on December 4, 1965, #3 in Canada (Nov.
29, 1965), and also peaking at #26 on the UK Singles Chart. In the U.S., the song holds distinction as the
#1 hit with the oldest lyrics (Book of Ecclesiastes),
theoretically authored by King Solomon.”
“The lyrics are
taken almost verbatim from the Book of Ecclesiastes (late 3rd century BC), as found in the King James Version (1611) of the Bible (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), though the sequence
of the words was rearranged for the song.”
“The Biblical
text posits there being a time and place for all things: laughter and sorrow,
healing and killing, war and peace, and so on. The lines are open to myriad interpretations,
but as a song they are commonly performed as a plea for world peace, with an emphasis on the closing line: "a
time for peace, I swear it's not too late." This line and the
title phrase "Turn! Turn! Turn!" are the only parts of the lyric
written by Seeger himself.
The song is notable for being one
of a few instances in popular music in which a large portion of scripture is set to music, other
examples being The Melodians' "Rivers of Babylon", Sister Janet Mead's "The Lord's Prayer",
and U2's
"40".”
“Handwritten
lyrics to the song were among the documents donated to New York University by the Communist Party USA in March 2007.”
“The
Byrds' version distinguishes the song as the #1 pop hit with the oldest lyrics, dating back to the Book of
Ecclesiastes. Many biblical scholars believe Ecclesiastes 1:1 implies King
Solomon as the book's author; thus, if true, giving Solomon (born c. 1011 BC) lyrical credit
for a number one hit.”
Bold
red font for emphasis mine.
The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! Lyrics
Byrds’ version
|
Scriptures
|
Remarks
|
To everything, turn,
turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, a
time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap. A time to kill, a time to heal. A time to laugh, a time to weep. |
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;
|
2nd half of vs. 3 held off until 2nd stanza
where it is inserted between the halves of vs. 4
1st half of vs. 4 inverted
|
To everything, turn,
turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to build up, a
time to break down.
A time to dance, a time to mourn. A time to cast away stones. A time to gather stones together. |
1 To every thing there is
a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
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;
|
2nd half of vs. 3 inserted between halves
of vs. 4
2nd half of vs. 3 inverted
2nd half of vs. 4 inverted
|
To everything, turn,
turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time of love, a time
of hate.
A time of war, a time of peace. A time you may embrace. A time to refrain from embracing. |
1 To every thing there is
a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
a time to embrace, and a time to
refrain from embracing;….
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of
peace.
|
Vs. 8 inserted between halves of vs. 5
(this vs. is then repeated at the end of the 4th stanza with the omission of
the 3rd phrase, “a time of war”)
|
To everything, turn,
turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to gain, a time
to lose.
A time to rend, a time to sew. A time for love, a time for hate. A time for peace, I swear it's not too late. |
1 To every thing there is
a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
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.
|
2nd half of vs. 6 omitted
2nd half of vs. 7 omitted
1st phrase in 2nd half of vs. 8 omitted
|
Songwriters:
Words from the book of Ecclesiastes (French, George Aber adaptation), and Pete
Seeger
Turn! Turn! Turn!
lyrics © T.R.O. Inc.
Source: LyricsFreak at http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/byrds/turn+turn+turn_20026419.html
[accessed 14 NOV 2015].
“Turn, turn, turn”?
Meaning what, exactly?
Conversion?
I didn’t think so!
A cyclical and fatalistic view of history?
A humanistic notion that we can turn events to our
bidding?
“I swear it’s not too late”?
You do?
Really?
And you know this how?
Not too late for what?
Peace?
Really?
What happened to “a time of war”?
Or is it too late for that because you said so and that
makes it so?
Let’s get the words of the Preacher, Qoheleth right.
Let us not twist them, take away from them, invert them,
or pervert them.
Let us not be guilty of attempting to bend the wisdom of
the Word of God to our own ignorance!
Let us remember that there is a time of judgment, and
that now is the day of salvation!
There is never a time to tear down, or rend the Word of
God.
There is a time to die, and after this the judgment.
[Sermon preached 15 NOV 2015 by Pastor John T. “Jack”
Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]
Complete Outline:
I. The Prologue to the Poem (3:1)
II. The Body of the Poem (3:2-7)
III. The Conclusion of the Poem (3:8)
Select Sources on Ecclesiastes:
J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore The Book: A Basic and Broadly
Interpretive Course of Bible Study from Genesis to Revelation, 6 vols. in 1
ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d., 1960 printing).
William D. Barrick, Ecclesiastes:
The Philippians of the Old Testament, Focus on the Bible series
(Fearn, Ross-Shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2012).
C. Hassell Bullock, An
Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books: The Wisdom and Songs of Israel
(Chicago: Moody Press, 1979)/
Michael A. Eaton, Ecclesiastes:
An Introduction and Commentary, Vol.
16, Tyndale Old
Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity, 1983).
F. Delitzsch, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, trans. M. G. Easton, Vol.
VI in C. F. Kiel and F. Delitzsch, Commentary
on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, trans. James Martin (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, n.d., 1975 reprint).
Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Vol. 14, New American Commentary
(Nashville: Broadman, 1993).
Donald R. Glenn,
“Ecclesiastes,” in The Bible Knowledge
Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. J. F. Walvoord, and R. B.
Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1985).
William Henry
Green, “Scope and Plan of the Book of Ecclesiastes,” Biblical Reparatory and Princeton Review 29 (1857), pp. 419-40; on Gordon Faculty Online at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/21-Ecclesiastes/Text/Articles/Green-ScopeofEccl-1857.pdf [accessed 7 NOV 2015].
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes:
Total Life, in Everyman’s
Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979).
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Coping With Change: Ecclesiastes (Fearn,
Roth-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2013).
H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Ecclesiastes (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1952).
Tremper Longman III, The Book of Ecclesiastes, New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
John MacArthur, MacArthur Study Bible, rev. ed.
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997).
Roland Edmund
Murphy, Ecclesiastes, Vol. 23A, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas:
Word, 1992).
Philip Graham Ryken, Ecclesiastes:
Why Everything Matters, in Preaching the Word, gen. ed. R. Kent Hughes
(Wheaton: Crossway, 2010).
Philip
G. Ryken, Why Everything Matters: The
Gospel in Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus
Publications, Ltd., 2015).
J. Stafford
Wright, “Ecclesiastes,” in Psalms-Song of Songs, Vol. 5, Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed.
Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991).
[1]
Based on the literal marginal reading in the NASB, and Young’s Literal
Translation of the Hebrew word rendered “purpose” in the KJV, i.e. “delight.”
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