There is a time…And there is NOT a time

Shabbat shalom to all my friends in Yeshua around the world!

May Yeshua the Messiah bless you all as you seek to serve, love and abide in him every day more and more. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. —Natan

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, There is a season.   

There is a time and season for everything. That sounds like an innocuously bland and self-evident statement, but not really.

There is a time to do things, as the wise preacher informs us in his famous Ecclesiastes three passage, which begins with the famous words, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a  time to die…” and so on.

But the more the years and decades slide past me and as I reach the grandparenting season of my life, the more I realize that there is, perhaps, more importantly, a time not to do a lot of things that I might have done at an earlier time in my life. There are battles not to fight, words not speak, things not to do. There are several reasons that immediately come to mind for this.

First, and, perhaps, most importantly, it’s about priorities. As one reaches the top of the hill of one’s life and begins the descent on the other side toward death, one can see more circumspectly one’s past life as well as that which remains whether it be a long or a short time. With the stark reality of one’s life in full view and idealized youthful unfulfilled expectations gone like dust in the wind, that which one has suddenly becomes more like valued treasure. Add to this the unexpected deaths of loved ones and friends around you, which, to any young people reading this, occurs more frequently the older one gets, suddenly, every breath and heartbeat becomes a cherished gift from the Creator.

The second reason for not doing or saying many things that I might have in earlier years has to do with following the leading of the Set-Apart Spirit of Elohim more precisely instead of jumping unquestioningly to the demanding impulses of my impatient, impetuous and sin-oriented flesh. This too has to do with priorities—desiring to be in the perfect will of the Almighty by seeking first the kingdom of Elohim as Yeshua instructed his disciples to do instead of seeking all those other carnal and earthly things.

The third reason for adding the negative adverb to the statements in Solomon’s famous Ecclesiastes three passage is that the older one gets, one starts getting a little more tired if not physically, at least emotionally from chasing the wind and ending up with little or nothing for the effort. Suddenly one wakes up and discovers the wisdom of working smarter, instead of harder. This is wisdom, which only comes with age and perspective. It’s wise to conserve energy and to save it for those things that are worth the time and effort, and for which there is a payoff—especially in the next life.

Fourth, so much of what we do and say is an expression of human pride and vanity. We are all guilty, so raise your hand. I’ve got mine up! As I get older, I agree with the preacher’s words in Ecclesiastes verse two of chapter one, “‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher; ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” When one gets brutally honest with oneself and analyses most of one’s words and actions, human pride and vanity is the pathetic label that can be applied to most of it. So what does the Almighty have to say about this? What reasons will we give to him on judgment day as to the motives behind most of what we said and did? What legacy of value are we really leaving to the next generation? Will we be leaving behind a grandiose frozen-in-time, stone cold and lifeless monument to ourselves, or will we have sown seeds into the fertile ground of the lives of those around us that will hopefully bring forth fruit that will not only make the world a better place, but that will also serve to expand the kingdom of Elohim at the expense of the kingdom of darkness?

Make no mistake, every one of our thoughts, words and deeds is a pebble dropped into a vast lake; the ripples go forth and touch many lives for good and for bad. We have no idea of this! The ripples travel beyond the horizon. So act and speak wisely on the front end. This is another good reason not to do and say a lot of things.

Another reason to say less is this: Did you every wonder why we have two ears and two eyes but only one mouth? One learns more by listening and observing than by talking. Some people never stop talking! You ask them a simple yes or no or a one sentence question expecting an equally short answer and you get an epistle. I’ve been guilty of this on more than one occasion! A mark of wisdom is to speak volumes with few words. Yeshua the Messiah was the master of this approach. His longest sermon was only three chapters long and only takes a few minutes to read, yet these few words have turned the world on its head!

Add to all these reasons why there is a time not to speak and to not do this reason: The older I get, the more I realize that most people don’t care what you have to say or think anyway. They’re too preoccupied with their own stuff and too self-absorbed to care beyond that. So why waste the time, energy and breath saying it if only to hear yourself talk? This too is vanity of vanities and life is too short—especially the older you get! Those who do care—who have ears to hear—will seek you out. You don’t have to have to go after them. I found this out the frustrating way after 18 years of pastoring and 27 years in continuous ministry.

Finally, you learn more by being a receiver than a transmitter. Currently, my receiver is pointed heavenward. This means waiting patiently on Yehovah to transmit.

The older I get, the more I realize how much I don’t know. To be sure, this is humbling. At the same time, the more I realize that others don’t know as well. Those who act like they have all the answers and know it all usually have something to sell you. Follow the money! Most of them, too, are fools (like the rest of us), but they’re too proud to admit it. This too is vanity of vanities.

Now that you’ve read this far, do you really want to know what’s going on in my mind? It’s this. The world is currently in a state of hyper confusion induced by godless men under the spell of secular humanism and demonic antichrist concepts and agendas, which the Bible prophesied would occur prior to the second coming. We live in gross darkness, the a vast tidal wave of evil is bearing down on us hard, and there are no human spiritual leaders to guide us through this Satanic black hole cesspool. Where are they? Most are too busy making money and building their empires, and they’re clueless. It’s business as usual. That leaves the rest of us searching for answers and direction. We’ve never been this way before; it’s the last days after all! There’s only one direction to look for guidance, and that’s up. We  have only the Word of Elohim and his Set-Apart Spirit to guide us at this point, since we’re in uncharted territory. That means shutting up and listening. You can’t receive if you’re transmitting!

Let me leave you with these words of David,

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from YHVH, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.  YHVH is your keeper; YHVH is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. YHVH shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. YHVH shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. (Psalm 121:1–8)

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to YHVH our Elohim, Until He has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O YHVH, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scorn of those who are at ease, With the contempt of the proud. (Psalm 123:1–4)

 

7 thoughts on “There is a time…And there is NOT a time

  1. This is so beautifully written it was no doubt inspired! and so very true…thanks Natan…I really appreciated this…some teachers are so proud of their “humility” but not so with you..I appreciate a teacher like you who is so real to us..may we all be ever learning and willing to learn..”Call unto Me, and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” Jer 33:3 (lovin it!) “the fear of the Lord is the beginning if wisdom and the knowledge off the holy is understanding” Prov 9:10 …So we get wisdom, knowledge (gotta know where that ledge is!) holiness and understanding!!! Bring it on!

  2. Yes Natan words of Wisdom….much written here to contemplate & pray on etc I can so appreciate the sentence re a “time to be born & a time to die.” .. Boy ! That has resonated with myself.It is late Sunday afternoon or more correctly 1 st day of the week..it’s quiet for me ; my husband & sons went for a drive ..I’m having a quiet time here @ home in prayer, reflection etc & reading this article. 4:17 pm in afternoon..

    My dear 90 yr old mother passed away on Wednesday evening 12th ..into 13 th July…we were all @ the hospital. She had taken ill in mid/ to late June as far as we can trace back on the time line…so it was a bad infection Drs told us in the emergency department Sunday night 9th July.

    From the time they diagnosed the infection ( which was resistant to some antibiotics 5th July we only had 4 days & boom she was very ill. It was such a shock to us because she had been commenced on antibiotics …so we thought she would be okay, little did we know what mum would suffer & consequently what we would go thru…in that particular week.

    Enough to say death, sickness, etc is such a process ..my only strength & comfort thru that time was Elohim & the RUACH ha KODESH ..I’m reminded of that verse 2 Corinthians verse 3 Father of mercies, & the Elohim of all comfort. Down to verse 5 . The Comforter.

    When death hits family members it can feel like being hit with a sledge hammer…it can come from left field… Or we may be aware that our parents are getting older & one day death is inevitable…so we try & prepare in our hearts & minds how we will deal with that …when the time comes.

    ..some one said to me ” the cycle of life” ..birth, life & then death…but we are reminded ..Yeshua has overcome sin which meant spiritual death for all of us , but we have a choice to choose life in Yeshua by the power of his shed blood so It is such a wake up call ; that only Yeshua overcame the power of death & rose again that we as believers may have eternal life thru him & in him.

    So much to think about shalom from CC.

    • For all these reasons——everything involved in the cycle of life——we must be pressed into and abiding in Yeshua. Now if we could just get the young people in our lives who are so naive on these issues to understand and to seek Yeshua with more fervor!

      • So true Natan … They need prayer ..may the RUACH ..draw them closer to him in this urgent hr.. Some I do agree need a wake up call.. Including older adults as well… There are so many wrong twisted secular .& non secular belief systems out there ; we r in a spiritual battle for sure.

  3. yes, Amein! “Judgement begins in the house of Elohim” 1 Peter 4:17

    “work out your salvation every day with fear and trembling”

    “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against……”

    “not by earthly power not by might but by my Spirit says YHVH”.

    “My preaching comes not by the enticing words of men’s wisdom but by a demonstration of power in the Spirit”

    “those who exalt themselves will humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted”

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