CHAPTER 5

 

Ecclesiastes 5:1 – Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give sacrifice of fools:  for they consider not that they do evil.

 

Thought:  There are some things that are to be done with great caution and in the right way.  Entering the house of God is one of them.  Solomon notes that one should enter the house of God with a readiness to hear.  One should be extremely attentive to hearing God’s instructions.  Sacrifice is good, but some believe that the motions of worship are what are most important.  Just going through the motions is evil.  God’s people should not just come to God just to complete a few rituals.  Men should come to God because of the serious relationship they share with Him.

 

Isaiah 1:11-15

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     LESSON:  There are some things that must be done with great caution and in the right way.  One of these things involves “how” we behave in “the house of God.”

 

B.      Solomon writes:  “Keep thy foot” when thou goes to the house of God.

 

C.     He exhorts them to do two things.

1.       And be more ready to hear (Eccl. 5:1a).

2.       Do not give the sacrifice of fools (Eccl. 5:1b).

a.  Worshipers do not come to the house of God to promote themselves.  Worshipers are

      supposed to be at the house of God to give reverence and honor to God. 

b.  Solomon says that is it possible to give “the sacrifice of fools.”

                              1)   If we do not give what God has authorized, it is the sacrifice of fools.

                              2)   If we do not offer what God has authorized in the proper manner, it is the

                                    sacrifice of fools.

                              3)   If we offer the right thing, believing we have a sincere heart, but really do it for

                                    the wrong reason, it is the sacrifice of fools.

                              4)   If the life of the worshiper is not right, he offers the sacrifice of fools.

                        c.  When people offer the sacrifice of fools, Solomon says that many of them “consider

                              not that they do evil.”

1)      Evil

a)      Strong (7451):  bad, evil

b)      BDB:  bad, evil, unpleasant, disagreeable, displeasing

2)      Just because something is offer to God does not make it good.

Just because we offer the right thing to God does not make it good.

Just because we offer something to God believing we are sincere does not make it good.

3)      Two verses:

a)      Isaiah 1:11-14

 

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me?  saith the Lord:  I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of the goats.  When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?  Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.  Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth:  they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

b)      Matthew 15:9

 

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 5:2 – Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God:  for God is in heaven and thou upon earth:  therefore let thy words be few.

 

Thought:  Before a person comes to God, he would be wise to stop and think first.  He should ask:  “What do I really want to say to God?”  His words should be well chosen.  His words should be few.  In haste, we can say things not really intended.  When there are a lot of words, we can forget the things that we have uttered.  We must remember that we are approaching God who resides in heaven.  Approaching Him should be a very serious matter to all of us.  Please, give thought to your prayers.

 

Mark 6:22-26

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     Solomon’s words:  “Be not rash with thy mouth…therefore let thy words be few” are good advice at any time and on any occasion.

1.       Verses:

a.  Ecclesiastes 10:14

 

A fool also is full of words…

 

                  b.  Proverbs 10:19

 

In a multitude of words there wanteth not sin:  but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

 

2.       It is better to be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and prove it.

 

B.      In the context, however, Solomon’s words apply to how we pray to God.

1.       Three instructions are given

a.  Be not rash with thy mouth (do not make haste, do not hurry)

b.  Let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God  (to be liquid, flow easily,

      hurry in a bad sense)

c.  Therefore let thy words be few.

2.       He reveals the reason man should be cautious when praying:  “…for God is in heaven and thou upon the earth…”

a.  The place wherein God resides reveals to us the power, magnitude, greatness, and

      authority of God.

b.  Man must remember who he is praying to.  He is all-wise and all-knowing.  We do not

      need to teach Him or inform Him of everything that is going on.

3.       Two comments:

a.  “Do not hasten with thy mouth; weigh thy words, feel deeply, think much, speak little”

                        (Clarke, e-sword).

b.  “Man, when he prays, should not give the reins to his tongue, and multiply words as one

      begins and repeats over a form which he has learnt, knowing certainly that it is God of

      whom and to whom he speaks, but without being conscious that God is an infinitely

      exalted Being, to whom one may not carelessly approach without collecting his

      thoughts, and irreverently, without lifting up his soul. As the heavens, God's throne, are

      exalted above the earth, the dwelling-place of man, so exalted is the heavenly God above

      earthly man, standing far beneath him; therefore ought the words of a man before God

      to be few, - few, well-chosen reverential words, in which one expresses his whole soul “

      (Keil & Delitzsch, e-sword).

 

 

Ecclesiastes 5:3 – For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by a multitude of words.

 

Thought:  Anything done in excess has consequences.  When we toil in our labors and it wearies both body and mind, it is not uncommon to dream.  The dreams are a consequence of “a multitude of business.”  There are also consequences in speaking too much.  Solomon tells us that in a multitude of words “a fool’s voice is known.”  At first the fool may appear to be wise and intelligent.  However, as he continues to speak his true colors are manifested.  He proves to be a fool for his much speaking.

 

Proverbs 15:2

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Anything done in excess can have consequences attached to it.

 

B.      Dreams are extremely complex when studied.

1.       However, Solomon reveals one of the causes of dreams. 

a.   “For a dream cometh through a multitude of business.”

b.   Many of us have had busy, difficult days.

1)  Long hours at a job

2)  Long, trying days with a sick loved one

3)  Maybe it was a day that was filled with many memories that brought a lot of

     emotions

4)  Maybe the day was filled with some anxious expectations.

c.   It is not uncommon to have difficulty sleeping after days like that.  Too, instead of

      sleeping deeply, our sleep is shallow, and filled with many dreams.

 

C.     Another thing that can be done in excess is speaking. 

1.       Solomon says:  “…and a fool’s voice is known by a multitude of words.”

2.       What do a fools words do?

a.    They repeat things over and over and over.

b.    They contradict themselves.

c.    They are not always rational in their affirmations.

d.   They are filled with untruths and half-truths.

e.   They can be nauseating because they are constantly stroking another’s ego.

f.    They anger and offend others by their rude conversation.

3.       Proverbs 15:2

 

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright:  but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.