God Rules Over the Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is a very familiar passage, that makes a very powerful point: God rules over all the times and seasons. That seems to be the main point of this passage: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven...", and then the list of "times" in verses 2-8 capture the full range of human activities, experiences and emotions, from birth to death (v.2) and then everything in between.

Though God isn't mentioned in the poem itself, the verses that follow show God is the Overseer and Governor of all these various seasons: "I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with" (3:10). What business? It seems like he's talking about the business of verses 2-8, that is, of every matter under heaven.

Who sets the time of one's birth, or one's death? God does. So the list of verses 2-8 isn't just a list of things that happen in life, but it's a list of things that God sends, because He rules over all the times and seasons. This is the consistent teaching of Scripture:

"Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps." Psalm 135:6

"I am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand." Deuteronomy 32:39

"I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things." Isaiah 45:6-7

From the rolling of dice (Proverbs 16:32) to the falling of a sparrow to the number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:29-30) to your travel or business plans (James 4), God rules over all! His control is not partial, and His plans are not vague (3:14).

Now let's consider two ways we can apply this truth. First, your life is going to have hard seasons, and those hard seasons are by God's design every bit as much as the comfortable seasons. We don't necessarily like that...we'd prefer to treat this list like a buffet, right? Birth, yes please; death, no thanks! Mourning, no I'm not interested in that...but yes, I'd like a little dancing. But it doesn't work that way: "In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other" (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

This isn't always a popular teaching, but ultimately there's no way of having any hope in this world without it. We need to know more than this to have hope, but we do need this. We love Romans 8:28, but you can't have a God who is able to work all things for your good unless He's in control of "every matter under heaven."

Second, as a congregation, let's foster an environment where it's safe to walk through the different seasons of life, a church where people who are experiencing any of these items on the list can feel at home. I think we tend to equate being spiritually mature with having no problems, but that doesn't seem to square with this list. This text teaches that God sends both pleasant and painful things in our lives. So we'll never be a church full of people who have no problems.

Let's prayerfully pursue being a church where it's ok to not be ok, so we can stop being fake with one another and start really coming alongside of one another, carrying burdens, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. Because our God – the One who delivered up His beloved Son on our behalf – rules over all the times and seasons.

Taken from the sermon, “Mixing Up Something Beautiful” preached on June 26th, 2011.