Ecclesiastes 3:2
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;
Solomon has laid down his general proposition. His illustrations he draws partly from the government of God, and partly as the result of man’s own thought and purpose. Yet the most contingent are under the same law of controul as the most determinate. (See 1 Kings 22:24, with Isaiah 10:5-7. Comp. Acts 4:27-28.) He begins with the life of man — his time of coming into the world, and his time of going out. Neither is in his own purpose or will. If it be the course of nature, it is the appointment of God. And could we see with the eyes of God, we should find these points to be the fittest times that Infinite Wisdom could ordain, connected with our present responsibilities and our hopes for eternity.
A time to be born! What a moment! A wondrous miracle is wrought! An heir of immortality brought into being, “fearfully and wonderfully made!” “The Spirit of the Lord hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” (Job 33:4) Can I forbear the question — ‘Why was I born?’ Shall I have cause to curse, or to bless, the day of my birth? — to say with Voltaire — ‘I wish I had never been born’ — or with dying Halyburton — ‘Blessed be God that ever I was born?’ Am I “working out” the great end of my birth with holy fear and diligence? (Philip. 2:12) What am I doing for God — for my soul — for my fellow-creatures? Let me remember that ‘a capacity to do good, not only gives a title to it, but also makes the doing of it a duty.’ * ‘Let us then love life, and feel the value of it, that we may fill it with Christ.’ (Adolph. Monod’s Farewell Addresses, II.) Oh! think of life — rising in the morning as one consecrated to God — making the world’s work the Lord’s work, because doing it to him, and feeling the littleness of everything that is not done for him. The men that we want are lively, warm, real men — men who have a daily contact with a personal living Saviour — men, whose religion is the element in which they breathe, the principle by which they work — men, who think of life, as the seedtime for eternity. What if we should come to the last stage — without even having learned how to live! with the great end of life yet accomplished!
This stirring exhortation reminds us of another appointment —
A time to die. How came this time? Immortality was our original being. (Gen. 1:26) “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.” (Rom. 5:12) Ever since “it is appointed unto men once to die.” (Gen. 3:19; Heb. 9:27) None can evade the law. Voltaire could not purchase a reprieve with half of his fortune. Our “days are determined; the number of our months is with God; he hath appointed our bounds, that we cannot pass.” (Job 14:5-6) The sentence of death may be revoked, but the time predetermined is unchanged. (Isaiah 38:1-5) The time to die can never be premature. God’s time must be right and best. God’s work must be done; and man is immortal, till it be done.
If “our steps are ordered by the Lord” (Ps. 37:23), much more is the last step of all — the step out of one world into another — out of time into eternity. But if that step were taken to-night, would it be a cheerful or a forced leaving of all? Oh! to realize our solemn concern with this great moment! Death the gate of heaven or of hell! — O my soul! — of which to thee? “Man giveth up the ghost — and” — awful question! — “where is he?” (Job, 14:10) We may leave all the circumstances of death to the Lord — whether we shall die in pain or in peace. But our safety — our readiness is everything. This readiness for death is the energy of life. Then comes the sunbeam upon the valley — ‘Is this dying?’ — said one — ‘How have I dreaded as an enemy this smiling friend!’ (Dr. Goodwin.) ‘O world! produce a good like this’ — we may boldly say; and then it shall have our best affections. ‘Till then — may we be only for the Lord!’ (Venn’s Life.) The time to die! what is it but the “entrance into the Kingdom?” (2 Pet. 1:11) There may be indeed a special purpose. It is the father caring for his delicate child — sending his messenger to bring him home, ere the threatening tempest rage. Thus is he “taken away from the evil to come. He enters into peace.” His Father “rests in his love, and joys over him with singing.” (Isaiah 57:1-2; Zeph. 3:17)
But not only the two great points, but every atom of life has its relative importance. To everything there is a season and a purpose. Within the boundary of life there is therefore a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. Planting had been to Solomon a matter of primary interest. (Eccl. 2:4-5) But how soon might the season come to undo his own work, and to pluck up that which was planted! Often is a garden or estate laid out with plantations — whether for present pleasure or future advantage. Yet change of mind or of taste — withering winds — over-luxuriant growth — pecuniary necessity or profit — may induce the owner to pluck up.** Thus does the most ordinary course of life exhibit a changing world — therefore no centre of rest.
— Charles Bridges (1794-1869)
* ‘A sentence’ — says Cotton Mather — ‘letters of gold were too mean to set out the preservers of it.’ — Essays to do Good.
** Some excellent expositors give a figurative application, e.g. Jer. 18:7-9. But all the other instances are literal. This — as Lord Bacon says — ‘has more of the eagle.’ But the other seems more natural as a part and parcel of common life.
