“A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.” Ecclesiastes 3:3 (KJV)
‘… break down’ or ‘to dismantle,’ as in re-building stone fences. (Seow, 161) The word for ‘kill’ could most likely be translated as ‘to destroy.’ (H2026)[1] The verse continues on the topic of God’s sovereignty over the ‘longevity’ of things.
Comments: In the previous verse, Qoheleth positions God’s sovereignty over the ‘end’ of things. This verse picks up the theme on a hopeful note: that God is sovereign over ‘re-building’ things. Bartholomew illustrates it using the dichotomy of favourable (F) and unfavourable (U).
v2
(F) birth (U) die
(F) plant (U) uproot
v3
(U) kill (F) heal
(U) break down (F) build
Overall, it takes us back to the point that – all that exist has a purpose and a very specific time appointed to it. Most importantly, things come and go out of existence according the will of God; to search for solace in the impermanence of things over the permanent God is in itself an exercise in futility.
[1] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2026/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Semper Reformanda 