Mr. Chirac, eminent French politician who passed away, was questioned one day by a journalist, and he answered him by the famous sentences of the book of Ecclesiastes:
" 1To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:....
7 A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecclesiastes 3: 1 and 7-8).
Statesmen are very rarely making use of the Bible and paying homage to it. So let us follow Presdient Chirac’s track trying to understand better the message behind these few sentences.
First let's read again what we have read but now with its the context to better grasp the meaning (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8):
" 1To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace."
The teaching here is that time is at our disposal to do whatever is coming to your mind and that exists under heaven, that is to say on earth. This is what Solomon, the author of this book of Ecclesiastes, tried to do: He wanted to try everything (Ecclesiastes 1: 1 and 14 to 2: 3):
" 1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.... 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Chapter 2.
1I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; [a]therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.".
We all have the FREEDOM TO MAKE CHOICES ; either we can chose what is good in the eyes of Elohim and put our pleasure in His way, or we can let ourselves be guided by our judgment and do what pleases our eyes. These two ways do not necessarily represent the same thing!
Like Solomon, the western world often lives in some form of wealthy abundance. The most expensive and the most delicate products are imported to Europe, to the United States of America and to some countries of the Far East. There is plenty of food and entertainment. The comfort and the equipment of the houses of our time would make dream all our ancestors! And if, like Solomon, towards the end of his life, we put value only to these things, we will only satisfy our carnal nature, that is guided by our physical senses. But beware of what will be our end (I Corinthians 6: 12-13):
" 12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but Elohim will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for Yehoah, and Yehoah for the body. "
Do you want your whole body to follow your belly? Do you want your whole body to be destroyed like your belly? Of course not and that is why Paul warns us several times in the Bible (Ephesians 5: 15-17):
" 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of Yehoah is. "
By the way, please note that the context of these warnings of Paul is often the same and he invites us to flee debauchery and not waste our time, this time Elohim entrusts us!
Remember that despite appearances, you are in charge of your time and it is you who decide what to do with it. Elohim has put this time at your disposal and not at the disposal of your neighbourhood! Make use of your time as you still have this freedom for the moment.
I therefore encourage you to learn how to optimize the value you put in your time and here are few suggestions to try to succeed.
First, take time for your Elohim and His Church whose head is occupied by the Messiah, Yeshuah; this time is the time that you can devote to prayer, fasting and humiliation, especially today when Yeshuah Christ is no longer among us (Matthew 9: 14-15):
" 14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Yeshuah said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."
We can also devote time to our family; on the one hand let's take time for our parents, if they are still alive to honor them having in mind that they fed us and educated us. On the other hand, if we have a wife and children, give them your time to love them as yourselves, to support them and to educate them.
Then there is time for our neighbor; for instance, if we take time to live out of every word that comes out of Elohim's mouth, without twisting it to our taste, we are automatically expected to become a light for our neighbor and to love him as well as ourselves.
Finally, let's take the time left for ourselves; but is it still necessary since all the time we have used for Elohim, His Church, our family and our neighbor, is the best time we can have at our disposal for ourselves!
But let Ecclesiastes give us the conclusion
(Ecclesiastes 11: 9-10: 1 and 13-14):
" 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these Elohim will bring you into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.
Chapter 12
1Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, …
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear Elohim and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. 14 For Elohim will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”