Ecc 3 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Eccl 3:1-8: 3:1-8 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven: Wisdom recognizes that everything has its own season—in human activities as in the realm of nature (see 1:3-7 ). A wise person will determine the appropriate time to pursue any activity (8:5 ). The opportunity is fleeting (Eph 5:16 ; Col 4:5 ).

Summary for Eccl 3:1-8: 3:1-8 ^a For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven: Wisdom recognizes that everything has its own season—in human activities as in the realm of nature (see 1:3-7 ^b). A wise person will determine the appropriate time to pursue any activity (8:5 ^c). The opportunity is fleeting (Eph 5:16 ^d; Col 4:5 ^e).
Summary for Eccl 3:2-8: 3:2-8 ^f We have no control over when we are born or when we die (8:8 ^g), but it is our responsibility to live wisely between those events.

• plant and ... harvest: Wise agricultural decisions must be made in the natural seasons.

• In ancient Israel, the times to kill included capital punishment and war.

• In times of mourning, people in the Near East would often tear their clothes.

• There is a time to hate, even for God (Pss 5:5 ^h; 11:5 ⁱ).
Summary for Eccl 3:9-14: 3:9-14 ^j Even though every activity has an appropriate occasion (3:1-8 ^k), only God can truly know what that occasion is (3:9-11 ^l). Mortals must be content with uncertainty and trust the sovereign God who gives enjoyment to those who work wisely and righteously. 3:9 ^m get for ... hard work? See 3:12-13 ⁿ.
3:10 ^o the burden God has placed on us all: God intensified the severity of our labor following humankind’s rebellion against him (Gen 3:17-19 ^p). This burden is not so great that we cannot enjoy our work and its fruits (Eccl 3:11-13 ^q).
3:11 ^r God has made everything beautiful for its own time: We can sometimes see this beauty in our work and in the world, but many times people cannot see: God reserves for himself the understanding of how everything fits together (cp. Rom 8:22-28 ^s).

• God has planted eternity, an awareness of the infinite, within each of us—enough for us to be in awe of him who is infinite and eternal, and enough to hope for eternal life after death.
Summary for Eccl 3:12-13: 3:12-13 ^t be happy and enjoy: Though life and work can be burdensome, the Teacher’s conclusion (repeated from 2:24 ^u) can still hold true.
3:14 ^v Knowing that whatever God does is final is a reason to fear him—to trust and revere God and respect all that he does.
3:15 ^w The same things happen over and over again: The repetitiveness of history (1:9-10 ^x) is part of God’s sovereign plan.
Summary for Eccl 3:16-5:7: 3:16–5:7 ^y This section comments on a variety of topics, including justice, humans and animals, oppression, moderation, companionship, politics, and worship. 3:16 ^z courtroom (literally the place of justice): In Israel, local court proceedings were held at the city gates, where the city’s elders sat to hear and adjudicate legal matters (e.g., see Ruth 4:1-12 ^aa).
3:17 ^ab In due season God will judge: Human injustices (3:16 ^ac) are temporary and will be righted by God’s justice. The narrator repeats this point to close the entire book (12:14 ^ad).
3:19 ^ae With respect to breathing and dying, people have no real advantage over the animals, but we have other advantages (e.g., see Gen 1:26-28 ^af).
3:20 ^ag from dust ... to dust: The Teacher refers to God’s judgment against human rebellion in Eden (see Gen 3:19 ^ah).
3:21 ^ai the human spirit goes up: Cp. 12:7 ^aj.
3:22 ^ak happy in their work: Work now stands alone as a source of enjoyment, apart from food and drink (cp. 2:24-25 ^al; 3:12-13 ^am).