凡事都有定期、天下萬務都有定時（傳3章）

凡事都有定期、天下萬務都有定時．生有時、死有時．栽種有時、拔出所栽種的、也有時．（傳 3：1-2）

神在創造宇宙萬物之前，已經詳細計劃過整個歷史將有的演變過程，才著手創造宇宙萬物。神不做無聊、無意義的事。既然已經過計畫，一切早已預定好，凡事就都有定期，是計畫好的意思。在本章，傳道書作者提到的「凡事都有定期、天下萬物都有定時」，也就是天下萬物，早就「預定」好了，也包含神的預知。

神的預知，就是允許人的自由意識所做的自由選擇，但是神卻都知道人將會如何選擇。所以神的預定，與人的自由意識，這看似互相矛盾的存在，卻在神的全知、全能，預先知道一切，而巧妙地並存。

在創世紀一章一節，起初神創造萬物之前，神就預定了祂要做的事：

就如神從創立世界以前、在基督裏揀選了我們、使我們在他面前成為聖潔、無有瑕疵。（弗 1：4）

祂在創世之前，就揀選了將來必要得救的我們。這目的，就是為了藉由誠心敬拜祂的神的兒女、稱為祂名下的人，來榮耀祂的名。

就是凡稱為我名下的人、是我為自己的榮耀創造的、是我所作成、所造作的。（賽 43：7)

神創造世界，就是要從其中揀選出願意敬拜祂的人，因為這些人要榮耀祂的名。所以在創世之前，就將這些預定得救的人，也就是會頌讚祂一切美善的人，在基督裡面預先被揀選。但是，要直到這些人陸續出生之後，藉由祂美好的旨意、聽見福音、接受真理，並因相信，接受了合乎聖經、並藉著聖靈見證，在流動的活水中的浸禮，正式進入基督裡，成就祂創世之前的預定。

又因愛我們、就按着自己意旨所喜悅的、預定我們、藉着耶穌基督得兒子的名分、使他榮耀的恩典得着稱讚．這恩典是他在愛子裏所賜給我們的。我們藉這愛子的血、得蒙救贖、過犯得以赦免、乃是照他豐富的恩典。（弗 1：5-7）

主耶穌知道創造世界之後，因祂給了人類自由意識，讓人可以選擇是要敬拜神、還是要走自己的路不敬拜真神。而且神知道祂所創造的世界，人類必定會經歷犯罪，於是祂必須有周全的救贖計劃因應。也就是時候到了，祂要道成了肉身，流血、受苦，為世人的罪受死，且要死在十字架上。藉由祂的死，完成救恩之後，這些預定要得救的人，就要藉著祂所計畫的洗禮方式，洗去人的罪，藉此進入基督裡。而這一切，都在祂創造世界之前已經計劃好。

豈不知我們這受洗歸入基督耶穌的人、是受洗歸入他的死麼？所以我們藉着洗禮歸入死、和他一同埋葬．原是叫我們一舉一動有新生的樣式、像基督藉着父的榮耀、從死裏復活一樣。我們若在他死的形狀上與他聯合、也要在他復活的形狀上與他聯合。（羅 6：3-5）

因此受洗的方式，必須要合乎神創世之前的救贖計畫，而不是像一般基督教派所說的：有洗就好。受洗時要在「死的形狀上與祂聯合」、才能「在祂復活的形狀上與祂聯合」，末日才能死裡復活。

至於全世界的人，也就是除了被揀選必要得救的人以外，也都已經在創世之前被預定好，包含人一生的年限、和所住的疆界。也就是會活幾歲？會在哪些國的範圍內活動？所以沒有人有能力掌管生命，使壽命延長：

他從一本造出萬族的人、〔本有古卷作血脈〕住在全地上、並且預先定準他們的年限、和所住的疆界．要叫他們尋求神、或者可以揣摩而得、其實他離我們各人不遠．我們生活、動作、存留、都在乎他．就如你們作詩的、有人說、我們也是他所生的。（徒 17：26-28）

既然一切都已經被預定，是否我就不用再努力？錯！傳道書的作者提醒我們不可以這樣想：「這樣看來、作事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？（傳 3：9）」

傳道書作者提醒：神一切所做的，早就計畫好，所以沒有突發奇想，也沒有所謂的滾動修正。重要的是去認清神創造宇宙萬物的真正目的，還有我們在祂計畫中的定位：

我知道神一切所作的、都必永存、無所增添、無所減少．神這樣行、是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。現今的事早先就有了．將來的事早已也有了．並且神使已過的事重新再來．〔或作並且神再尋回已過的事〕（傳 3：14-15）

那該怎麼做？傳道書作者要我們懂得「終身喜樂行善」，也就是真認識神、明白真理，認真去做對的事情。

我知道世人、莫強如終身喜樂行善。並且人人喫喝、在他一切勞碌中享福．這也是神的恩賜。（傳 3：12-13)

什麼是「對」的事情？也就是與永生有關的一切作為，即遵守神的真理，然後切實去行、終身行善，並因此得到神所賜的福氣，享受為主勞碌所得來的福氣。在神的計畫中，凡願意盡本分，去做該做的事的人，就會是祂在亙古之先，預定要得救進永生天國、也是主耶穌所說的主的羊；若我們閒懶不結果，不願聽聖經真理，或是有聽了福音，卻不在意這份信仰，那麼我們就不會是主的羊。主的羊必聽主的聲音，主的羊都必得救；不是主的羊的人，屬靈的DNA也不會因為某位佈道家就改變成為主的羊，因為是就是、不是就是不是。主耶穌說：

只是你們不信、因為你們不是我的羊。我的羊聽我的聲音、我也認識他們、他們也跟着我。我又賜給他們永生．他們永不滅亡、誰也不能從我手裏把他們奪去。我父把羊賜給我、他比萬有都大．誰也不能從我父手裏把他們奪去。（約 10：26-29）

當效法保羅的人生態度，向標竿直跑，努力不懈，才能不負亙古之前被天父預先揀選為主的羊的寶貴身份。

弟兄們、我不是以為自己已經得着了．我只有一件事、就是忘記背後努力面前的、向着標竿直跑、要得神在基督耶穌裏從上面召我來得的獎賞。（腓 3：13-14)

By Isaiah Kao

here Is An   Appointed Time for Everything, And There Is A Time for  Every Matter Under Heaven

(Ecclesiastes 3)

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven:

A time to give birth and a time to die;

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1–2, NASB 2020)

Before God created the universe, He had already carefully planned the entire course of history. God does nothing meaningless or without purpose. Since everything has been planned, all things have their appointed time—this means they were arranged in advance. In this chapter, the Preacher says that “there is a time for every matter under heaven,” meaning that all things have already been "predetermined", including God’s foreknowledge.

God’s foreknowledge means that He allows human beings to make choices through their free will, yet He already knows what choices they will make. Although God’s predestination and human free will may seem to contradict each other, they coexist perfectly within His omniscience and omnipotence.

As it is written:

In Genesis chapter 1, before God created all things, God determined what He was going to do :

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” (Ephesians 1:4, NASB 2020)

Before the foundation of the world, He chose those who would be saved. His purpose is that His children, who sincerely worship Him and are called by His name, would bring glory to Him.

“Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” (Isaiah 43:7, NASB 2020)

God created the world in order to choose those who are willing to worship Him, because they will glorify His name. Therefore, before creation, those who are predestined to be saved—those who will praise His goodness—were chosen in Christ. However, this is fulfilled only after they are born, hear the gospel, accept the truth, and through faith receive baptism according to the Bible, confirmed by the Holy Spirit, entering into Christ through the living water, officially enter Christ and fulfill His predestination before creation. 

“In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace… In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:5–7, NASB 2020)

The Lord Jesus knew that after creating the world, because He gave mankind free will, people would choose whether to worship God or to go their own way. He also knew that humanity would fall into sin. Therefore, a complete plan of redemption was necessary. When the time came, He would become flesh, suffer, shed His blood, and die on the cross for the sins of the world. Through His death, salvation would be accomplished. Then those who are predestined for salvation would receive baptism according to His plan, have their sins washed away, and enter into Christ. All of this had already been planned before the creation of the world.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection. (Romans 6:3–5, NASB 2020)

Therefore, the way of baptism must conform to God’s plan of redemption established before the foundation of the world. It is not as many Christian denominations say, “any form of baptism is fine.” In baptism, we must be united with Him “in the likeness of His death” so that we may also be united with Him “in the likeness of His resurrection,” and thus be raised from the dead on the last day.

As for all people in the world—apart from those who are chosen and destined for salvation—everything has already been predetermined before the foundation of the world, including the length of each person’s life and the boundaries of where they live. That is, how many years one will live and in which regions one will dwell are all set. Therefore, no one has the power to control life or extend their lifespan:

And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, “For we also are His descendants.” (Acts 17:26–28, NASB 2020)

Since everything has already been predetermined, does that mean we no longer need to make an effort? No. The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us not to think this way:

What profit is there to the worker from that in which he labors? (Ecclesiastes 3:9, NASB 2020)

The writer reminds us that everything God does has already been planned. There are no sudden ideas, nor any so-called as scrolling  correction. What matters is to recognize the true purpose of God in creating all things and to understand our place in His plan:

I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that people will fear Him. That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by. (Ecclesiastes 3:14–15, NASB 2020)

So what should we do? The writer of Ecclesiastes teaches us to “rejoice and do good throughout our lives,” that is, to truly know God, understand the truth, and diligently do what is right.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3:12–13, NASB 2020)

What are the “right” things? They are all actions related to eternal life. By doing these right things, keeping God’s truth, practicing it faithfully, and doing good throughout life, we receive the blessings given by God and enjoy the fruit of our labor for the Lord.

In God’s plan, those who are willing to fulfill their duties and do what they ought to do are the ones whom He predestined before eternity to be saved into the kingdom of eternal life. These are the Lord’s sheep, as Jesus said. But if we are lazy and unfruitful, unwilling to listen to the truth of the Bible, or if we hear the gospel yet do not value this faith, then we are not the Lord’s sheep. The Lord’s sheep listen to His voice, and they will surely be saved. Those who are not His sheep cannot have their spiritual identity changed into His sheep by any preacher—what they are is what they are. The Lord Jesus said:

But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. (John 10:26–29, NASB 2020)

We should imitate Paul’s attitude in life—pressing on toward the goal and persevering—so that we do not fail the precious identity of being chosen beforehand by the Heavenly Father as the Lord’s sheep:

Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13–14, NASB 2020)