“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:” [Ecclesiastes 3:1]
Now look at how this is stated in 2 other versions.
“There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:” [Message]
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven” [NASB]
All saying the same thing… or??? The NASB uses the word ‘appointed’ time for everything and the Message uses the word ‘opportune’ time to do things. Also, the word ‘time’ is defined in the Message as ‘right’. Do the words qualify and define the message?
“There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven— A time to be born and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to keep silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.”
[Ecclesiastes 3:1-9]
This is a listing of opposites but also each has a ‘time’. I suspect that most people, believers and unbelievers alike, are aware of this scripture in Ecclesiastes. I also would suspect that it is the first part of verse 1 that is emphasized. But… do we understand the second part of this sentence – a time for every purpose under heaven? What does it mean ‘every purpose’ and whose purpose? What is the message? Yes, I know that we can get caught up in the minutia and entirely miss the message. So, do you know the message?
Why am I withering on about time? Timing is always an issue. We need to be sensitive to knowing if/when to (fill in the blank) which is ordered by time. Doesn’t help? Probably not. Different example: we all tend to speak ‘out of turn’ and this we can control. If the message is important, if we want others to understand… then we need to be sensitive to the issue of timing. Remember… to EVERYTHING there is a right time…
