Paths and Seasons

 

Solomon was wise alright.  He knew and he understood about the paths and the seasons of the One True God; and due to just a single passage that he one day penned, many topics can be cleared up for we who believe in the scriptures.  The passage that I speak of begins with one of the most popular verses in all of the Bible.  Found in the book of Ecclesiastes it reads, “ To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

 Solomon starts out by telling us that there is a time for a man to be born.  However, we most certainly know that it doesn’t end there.  For just as the God of all the heavens and the earth appoints a time for a man to be born, He appoints also a day for that same man to return back to his Maker.  What we need to see in the writings of Solomon, in the third chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes, is that no one thing placed into existence by the spoken Word was ever meant to stand alone.  In other words, everything that has ever been ordained of God, was also designed to be a counterpart of something totally opposite of itself. 

 Think about it.  After he writes about there being a time for a man to be born, he then speaks of there being a time for that same man to die – one matter completely contrary to the other.  He continues on, telling us that there is a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.  In this passage of Ecclesiastes Solomon goes on to tell of twelve more like things; in each and every case there is the counterpart of the thing he starts out with.  What we are speaking of here, no doubt goes all the way back to the creation story.  Do these words sound familiar?  God said, “Let there be light.”  But it was not very long after that we read of the darkness.  “The light He then called Day.”  “The darkness He called Night.”

 We may not realize it, but the great numbers of angels in our Heavenly Father’s infinite universe are no doubt incalculable; they are not as the number of we humans who have lived our lives upon the earth.  Nevertheless, the God of all creation can number all their hosts in the blink of an eye – those who are of the night as well as those who are of the day – one group the counterpart of the other.

Well, we can go on and on concerning the matter of counterparts.  Solomon only brought to our attention a small few, just to illuminate to us the ways of our most Holy God.  But if David’s greatest and most outstanding son wished to, he could have no doubt written a book the size of a dictionary on the subject of counterparts.

 When we read the scriptures we ought not to just read them without seriously dwelling on the meaning of what we have just read.  After all, there is all sorts of treasure under that there ground, just like the early settlers of our country spoke of to one another.  But they sought after that which perishes.  We seek after the imperishable.  And depending on how much our hearts are set upon the discovery of all sorts of spiritual riches – to that same degree our God will open wide our eyes to the meaning of His Holy Word.  The conclusion will be that we will prosper before Him always.

 Do you know why I believe that the church of Jesus Christ on earth is split into different mind – sets on some issues?  For the most part this is because we do not read what is right before our eyes – through hearts bursting to know truth.  Instead, we would just rather go along with whatever our denominations tell us. Sad.  Our Lord and Redeemer would have us to get a grip on our shovels and dig and dig until our eyes are opened.  Then one day we may even discover the riches of this jewel: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven,”

 What I mean to say is this:  Some matters are not always going to be about what is right and what is wrong.  Instead, it may be a matter of a new season that has come our way, coming into our lives and capturing our hearts.

 Just to give an example, go to Philippians 3:10-11. There it reads, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  Let’s say that these two verses trigger a new season in our lives.  First, we will dwell on the suffering portion.  Now how about if all of we believers, who daily walk this planet earth, open wide our eyes for a bit.  This I say because many of us – believe it or not – are afraid to.  Many believe that as a Christian you should never have to go through sufferings; however, they say that you need to have faith for this to occur.  Beyond all doubt, it is these who need to implore their God to open up their eyes to truth – to open their eyes to Philippians 3:10-11, along with other such verses on this matter.

 When you think about it, Philippians 3:10-11 speaks of seasons.  What it is saying to us is that there is a time to experience the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit; yet also there is a time to come to know the beloved Saviour in his sufferings – one a counterpart of the other.  Our Father in heaven, you see, has designed for all of His sons and His daughters – His soldiers of the Kingdom – a balanced life in this world in which we now sojourn.  To know great joy and blessings, and the Light and Love of the Spirit, is a most glorious thing.  Yet if this was all we ever knew, then we would become as spoiled children, whose parents continually grant them all that their selfish hearts desire.  But to live in and experience all that the Spirit has to offer is no doubt something quite special.  However, to come to know the Christian life in this fullness, then a counterpart by the Spirit would be needed.  Yes, and that counterpart would be crucifixion with our Lord.  You can believe that Jesus meant what he said, when he spoke to us these words: “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

 Such words do not speak of Resurrection Life, do they?  In fact, the very opposite is true, since the Son of the Living God speaks to us of taking up a cross in the appointed season, thus coming to know Him – now not in resurrection, but in crucifixion.  Such is the warfare that the Spirit leads us into on planet earth, even as He led our Saviour into his testing by Satan in the wilderness.  But the Lord defeated him with the power of the Word.  In the same way does the Spirit lead us in the battle, that we may become the victors by the infallible Word, while kept every moment by the whole armor of God.  And even when we find ourselves crucified with Christ upon the cross, yes even then while we share in His sufferings, do we descend upon our cross as victors.

 Is there a time for crucifixion?  You can believe there is.  But if there is a time for crucifixion, then also is there a time for resurrection.  Crucifixion, you see, was never meant to stand alone, just as is true with a great multitude of matters.

Many are the seasons that our Heavenly Father will bring our way.  Yet, never did He mean for us to choose one, though make every effort to escape its counterpart when suddenly the time seems right for it.  It is He and no other who has formed for us our paths in a world that we but for a brief time sojourn.  Some paths will be beautifully filled with His Light, while others are darkened by storms in the Night.

 

There is going to come a Day however, when a single matter will stand alone.  Surely will there come a time when the Light will not have the Darkness following behind; when what has been built up will never be broken down; when what has been forever healed will never see death; when what has become to us gain will never become loss; when what we speak will never need to be silenced; when the great peace that we come to know will never be turned to war and hatred; and when the love that we become filled with will reign throughout a new universe – forever and ever.  All Glory be to the One and the Only God!

 

J. Pecoraro