Ecclesiastes 3: 1-22 Solomon is looking for an answer, “What profit is there to life?” If life is to have any lasting meaning, it must have a purpose. If we leave God out of our lives, we have also left out ETERNITY and all we have left is TIME. 

THE TIME OF LIFE 

Time, that’s the stuff of which this life is made. Time is like a coin you can spend. But you only have one chance to spend it and once it is gone, you will never get it back again. It is gone forever. We all receive the same amount of time every day. Each of us receives 24 hours in a day, but it is what we do with them that will make a difference in our lives. 

Solomon lists 28 ordinary occurrences of daily living. These are things we do every day. We have no control over some of these but many others are things for which we choose to trade some of our time, which we have been given today.

• A time to be born – A time to die
• A time to kill – A time to heal
• A time to weep – A time to laugh
• A time to scatter – A time to gather
• A time to gain – A time to lose.
• A time to tear – A time to mend
• A time to love – A time to hate.
• A time to plant – A time to harvest
• A time to destroy – A time to build
• A time to mourn – A time to dance
• A time to embrace – A time to ignore
• A time to keep – A time to discard
• A time for silence – A time to speak
• A time of war – A time of peace. 

These are daily activities for which we are exchanging our time. We trade some of our lives to do each of these things. We manage to stay very busy but the question still remains, “What does it profit? What did you gain?” Ecclesiastes 3:9 

THE TEST OF LIFE 

When Solomon stops to consider all of this endless activity, he comes to five basic conclusions. 

• Everything is beautiful in its time. There is a right time, an appropriate time for everything. Wisdom is learning what time it is and acting appropriately. If we are to profit in life, we must learn the right time and the proper seasons and then respond accordingly with wisdom. Ecclesiastes 3: 11 
• He learns people have eternity iin their hearts that separates them from the rest of the animal kingdom. Both mankind and the animals live in the present, but we were made to live forever, for eternity. There is something in our hearts that makes us long for a better world than this one. The animals are happy and contented with their lives but we are always seeking something better. God made us for eternity, to live in a world without time! 
• In this present world of time, it is impossible for us to figure out every­thing that is being done eternally. We are so limited in our knowledge. There are so many things in this life that just don’t make sense. Since we struggle to understand our lives right now, only God can help us understand His eternal plan. 
• We should enjoy this day as a gift from God. Learn to find pleasure in the things that you have and you will find some of the simplest of things in life can give you the greatest of pleasures. Ecclesiastes 3: 12 
• One day this life will end and we will all give an account to God for the way we have used our lifetime. Death is the great equalizer. Ultimately all of us will finish this life and stand before God in judgment. 

THE TRIAL OF LIFE 

Solomon realizes in this life there are so many injustices. Even people we think are good, sometimes do terrible things and people who are in authority and should be protecting us are sometimes the very people who hurt us. Solomon asks, “If there is a God, why does He allow this?” The answer is, so we can see what we are like without God in our lives. A man without God is like a naked ape! Ecclesiastes 3:16 Psalm 49:20 and 73:22.

Men without God live like animals. And just like the animals die, so one day man will also die. And if there is no God, then death ends it all. But wait a minute! Solomon in his wisdom has some rare insight into the subject of death. The spirit of men goes upward toward God when they die but the spirit of beasts goes down to the earth. Ecclesiastes 3:21 So men don’t die like animals after all. Just like mankind is the only one in the animal world who stands upright, so mankind is the only one who will have to stand up before God in judgment. One day we will die and will face God to give an account of the way we have spent our time. Ecclesiastes 3:17.

We may choose to live like animals in this life but one day all of us will have to give an answer to God, “What did your life profit? Did you gain anything?” Only the person who is wise enough to ask God for wisdom will make a profit from their life. 

How Are You Wisely Investing Your Time For Eternity?