Paper Topic 3
There is a Time For Everything: An Exegetical Analysis of Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Timing is everything. This is a statement that holds a great deal of truth. The difference between a good joke and a bad one is a person’s sense of timing. An appropriate pause makes a joke, an inappropriate pause can kill the same joke. Timing is essential when dealing with people. One must pick the right time to approach a coworker or friend about a problem. Timing is important in cooking. The moist cake in the oven is still runny batter if baked for too little time and a clump of charcoal if it is baked too long. Timing is important in medicine. If you catch a problem early you will be able to treat it more effectively. Timing is important in taking medication. If you take your medicine as directed it will be helpful. If you skip doses it loses its effectiveness. If you take extra doses it can be deadly. Timing is important in finance. When you invest in a particular stock and when you sell the particular stock will make the difference between whether you make money or lose it. We, as a society have time indicators hanging on the walls, built into our cell phones, computers, and cars. Timing is everything in today’s world, and society as a whole is very time-oriented. Timing is important in spiritual life as well. It is critical to live life with an acute awareness of God’s predetermined timing for life. The importance of timing is portrayed throughout Ecclesiastes 3:1-15. The book of Ecclesiastes can be examined and interpreted using three different lenses: the world behind the text, the world of the text, and the world in front of the text. Research indicates that the book of Ecclesiastes dates somewhere between 332 BCE and 300 BCE. This particular passage is one that starts in poetry form and transforms into a prose reflection. The overall theme of the passage,