Reflections On Ecclesiastes Three

Key Verse: A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; Ecclesiastes 3:3

One of the commandments God gave Moses on Mount Sinai says, “Thou shall not kill,” yet there are things we must kill if we must stay alive. How do we discern what and when it is right to kill?

From the beginning, God gave the man a vegetarian diet, but later God permitted him to kill animals for meat. Abel was the first man to offer animals for sacrifices to God, and God approved. Later in the wilderness, God instructed Moses on the types of animals acceptable for different offerings in the tabernacle. Never did God command Men to kill each other except in battle.

But Abel brought [an offering of] the [finest] firstborn of his flock and the fat portions. And the Lord had respect (regard) for Abel and for his offering; Genesis 4:4(AMP)

God said to Noah and his sons:

I am giving you my blessing. Have a lot of children and grandchildren, so people will live everywhere on this earth. All animals, birds, reptiles, and fish will be afraid of you. I have placed them under your control, and I have given them to you for food. From now on, you may eat them, as well as the green plants that you have always eaten. But life is in the blood, and you must not eat any meat that still has blood in it. I created humans to be like me, and I will punish any animal or person that takes a human life. If an animal kills someone, that animal must die. And if a person takes the life of another, that person must be put to death. Genesis 9:1-6(CEV) 

The Lord called to Moses out of the Tent of Meeting, and said to him, Say to the Israelites, When any man of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of [domestic] animals from the herd or from the flock.

 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord.

And he shall lay [both] his hands upon the head of the burnt offering [transferring symbolically his guilt to the victim], and it shall be an acceptable atonement for him. Leviticus 1:1-4

God set the approved time to kill according to the instruction He gave Noah and Moses. The sacrifice of animals did not deal with the problem of sin, so God had to send his son Jesus as a sacrifice for man’s sins. It is no longer time to kill for atonement.

But Christ, having come a High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands (that is to say, not of this building), neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if sprinkling the unclean with the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh,how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:11-14

Apostle Paul points our attention to a time to kill that is often ignored by many believers. In many of our prayers, we ask God to do what we ought to do ourselves.

So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that, is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God). Colossians 3:5(AMPC)

We live in a time when the culture encourages you to give in to every desire; even if that desire hurts others, your pleasure and satisfaction are your guides. As children of God, we are different; we live according to the principles and values of God\’s kingdom, not our pleasures.

 Let us examine ourselves and identify any foreign traits and behavior contrary to the life of Christ; today is the right time to kill them.

Diseases kill both man and beast today; During the days of Jesus on earth, God anointed him to heal the sick; Jesus also paid for our healing by the stripes he took. Now is the time to heal the sick and the broken-hearted, be bold and pray for the sick.

You know about Jesus of Nazareth and how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and power. He went everywhere, doing good and healing all who were under the power of the Devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38(GNT)

 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark 16:17-18(KJV)

We should be bold to lay hands on the sick and pray for their healing and recovery because we have been empowered to do so.

We need healing from physical, emotional, and psychological diseases. The physical wounds attract more attention, while the emotional hurts that are not visible go unnoticed until they cause fatal damage. Absalom was deeply hurt when Ammon raped his sister Tamar; their father failed to notice Absalom’s pain and need for healing; the wound festered and led to Ammon\’s brutal murder. Families will stay stronger and united if hurt and emotional wounds heal promptly. 

Even in organizations and ministries, offenses are inevitable, but taking appropriate action to meet those needs provides healing, as we see in the crisis in the early church over the food given to the Grecian widows. Acts 6:1-7

Our words have the potential to cut, kill and hurt others. We must be careful and choose them well before we release them. 

Are you hurting from wounds inflicted by a friend, spouse, child, or minister? Now is the time to get healed. 

Sharp words cut like a sword, but words of wisdom heal. Proverbs 12:18(CEV)

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose. Proverbs 18:21(MSG)

And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself. James 3:6

Take that pain to Jesus; He understands how it feels because he suffered the same. Lay it at his feet, and receive his love and comfort in exchange. To your benefit, you give forgiveness to those who caused you pain. That is the key to full recovery. 

I struggled with emotional hurts for a long time until l discovered that healing is available in Christ. That healing produced a better version of me and gave me a sense of purpose, giving birth to the Closing Gaps ministry. 

Trauma Healing is a ministry that helps with emotional hurts and wounds; it combines scientific knowledge, psychology, and biblical principles to provide professional help; seek help today if you are hurt because it is time to heal!

Prayer

Father, thank you for your word and its revelations. Teach me to discern the time to kill and heal in Jesus’ name, amen. 

Pastor Ada

Photo by Sonja Langford on Unsplash