Times and seasons

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break 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 cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.” Ecclesiastes 3,1(NKJV)

We’ll take a look at the original words translated to “season” and “time” so to have an elaborated insight into their meaning. The word “season” is translated from the Hebrew word “Zeman” which means designated time, appointed time. Therefore, a season is an appointed time. The equivalent in Greek is the word “Kairos”. If we can put this definition in Ecclesiastes 3,1 it would be ‘To everything there is an appointed time’.

The second word “time” is translated from the word “eth” which signifies a specific time or a specific season. Going back to Ecclesiastes 3,1, it would be like this ‘there is a specific time to every purpose under heaven’.

A specific time may be quantifiable or unquantifiable(purpose-gauged).

From these truths, we recognize that some things don’t just happen randomly. 

“Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is.  And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?” Luke 12,54-57(NKJV)

In the Scriptures, we see God appointing time according to chronological time (e.g. Genesis 18,10) or according to revelation (e.g. Genesis 17,1-8).

Chronological time hear refers to the clock, if I may say so. Chronological timing is also cyclical. It’s the days, the weeks, months, years that we count on our calendars. This 'time' is called “Chronos” in Greek language.

The other factor of appointment is revelation; revelational insight or knowledge. It is when someone’s eyes are open and what they saw cannot leave them the same; they have entered a new season.

Today’s message is an exhortation to seek God in order to understand the specific times we are living in and God's appointed times for our own lives, for the lives of those around us, etc.

There is wisdom in this. There is strength in this.

“of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command” 1Chronicles 12,32(NKJV)

Knowledge, as given by God, is a key