Single lesson
Ecclesiastes 3: To Everything There Is a Season
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8; Ecclesiastes 3:9–15; Ecclesiastes 3:16–22
Ecclesiastes 3 helps children explore one wisdom chapter in three linked parts: a poem about many times in life, teaching about God’s enduring work, and reflections on injustice, death and what people can know.
Before you teach
The chapter begins by repeating that there is a time for many different things under heaven. It then asks what profit comes from labour, says God makes things beautiful in their time, and speaks about God’s work lasting forever. The chapter also observes wickedness where justice should be and reflects on dust, death and human limits.
Students will be able to identify the three parts of Ecclesiastes 3 and explain that the chapter describes life’s changing times, says God’s work lasts forever so people should fear before him, and concludes that there is nothing better than rejoicing in one’s works as one’s portion.
Welcome: Sorting different kinds of times
4 minWrite four pairs from the chapter on paper or a board: weep and laugh, keep and cast away, keep silence and speak, war and peace. Ask children what makes each pair different. Explain that the chapter begins by saying there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven, and today they will follow the chapter in order.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Ecclesiastes 3:6, Ecclesiastes 3:7, Ecclesiastes 3:8
Read and explain: A time for many things
7 minRead Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 aloud slowly. Point out that these verses are a poem made of contrasting pairs. They mention beginnings and endings, sorrow and joy, action and restraint, silence and speech. Explain that the passage describes the many kinds of times people meet in life under heaven. It is not a list of actions for children to copy.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 3:2, Ecclesiastes 3:3, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Ecclesiastes 3:7, Ecclesiastes 3:8
Discuss: What God does and what people can receive
7 minRead verses 9 to 15. Ask children to listen for what belongs to God and what is said about people. The writer says labour can feel burdensome, yet God has made everything beautiful in its time. People cannot find out all God has done from beginning to end, but they can rejoice, do good, and enjoy good in their labour as God’s gift.
Ecclesiastes 3:9, Ecclesiastes 3:10, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:12, Ecclesiastes 3:13, Ecclesiastes 3:14
Make and respond: A reminder from the chapter
8 minRead verses 16 to 22 simply and carefully. The writer sees wickedness where justice and righteousness should be, and says God will judge the righteous and the wicked. He also says all return to dust and asks who can know what comes after. Children then make a reminder card with one short line from the chapter and a drawing of a faithful daily task.
Ecclesiastes 3:16, Ecclesiastes 3:17, Ecclesiastes 3:20, Ecclesiastes 3:21, Ecclesiastes 3:22
Closing: One chapter in three parts
4 minReview the chapter in order: first a poem about times and seasons, then teaching about God’s work that lasts forever and his gifts, then observations about injustice, death and human limits. Invite each child to finish the sentence, ‘This chapter teaches me...’ End by repeating that whatever God does shall be forever, and that the writer saw there is nothing better than rejoicing in one’s works as one’s portion.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:14, Ecclesiastes 3:16, Ecclesiastes 3:20, Ecclesiastes 3:22
Questions to explore
Why does the chapter list opposite times such as weeping and laughing, and silence and speaking?
Look at the repeated words season and time in verses 1 to 8, which show that life includes different kinds of moments under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Ecclesiastes 3:7
What can people do even though they cannot find out all the work God has done?
Verses 11 to 13 say people cannot find out everything from beginning to end, yet they can rejoice, do good, and enjoy good in their labour as God’s gift.
Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:12, Ecclesiastes 3:13
What does the writer say after seeing wickedness where justice should be?
Verse 17 says God will judge the righteous and the wicked, and verses 20 to 22 add a sober reminder about dust, limits and rejoicing in one’s works as one’s portion.
Ecclesiastes 3:16, Ecclesiastes 3:17, Ecclesiastes 3:20, Ecclesiastes 3:22
Make, think or respond
Season Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- index cards or scrap paper
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or crayons
- a Bible
Try it together
- Ask each child to choose one short phrase from Ecclesiastes 3 that they understand, such as 'a time to keep silence' or 'rejoice in his works'.
- On one side of a card, help them write the chosen phrase neatly.
- On the other side, ask them to draw a realistic example of how that phrase could guide a normal day at home or school.
- Invite each child to explain why they chose that line and which part of the chapter it comes from.
This card helps children remember that Ecclesiastes 3 speaks about changing times, God’s work that lasts forever, and the writer’s conclusion about rejoicing in one’s works as one’s portion.
Adapt for your group
- For ages 6 to 7, pre-select three short phrases from the chapter so children can choose without searching the whole passage.
- For stronger readers, ask them to sort the chapter into three parts and label their card with one heading: seasons, God’s work, or human limits.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: 'God, thank you that you know every time and season. Help us to rejoice, do good while we live, and remember that whatever you do shall be forever. Amen.'
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.