Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Ecclesiastes 5:1
Let Thy Words Be Few
The Teacher has faced man’s ultimate insignificance. His reasoning leads to an awareness of God’s awesome powers. It is only wise that a vulnerable human being show respect for God, for He holds a life in His hands.
It is folly to merely go through the motions of religion if God is real (5:1-7). It is also folly to love money, which is more likely to harm than help and surely cannot provide life with meaning (vv. 8-17). One may as well enjoy life and avoid reflecting on its meaning as long as possible (vv. 18-29).
Religion is mystery: 5:1-7. The existence of God is evident to Solomon from the creation. But beyond that, little can be said by those limited to earth of a God who is in heaven. Standing in awe of Mystery cannot provide life with a sense of meaning.
1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. 2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed– 5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
Riches are meaningless: 5:8-6:2. However rich a person may be, he never seems to have enough, even though one can only consume a little, however much he has. Possessions cannot make life meaningful.
5:9 for all… king: All people live by God’s grace in His provision for the earth.
Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
5:12 There are few things so satisfying in life as sleep following a hard day’s work; but the greedy rarely enjoy decent rest.
The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
“Stand in awe of God” (5:4-7). Nature reveals enough about God to cause humans to hold Him in awe. Whatever one promises God had best be performed, for He has the power to punish.
The point is valid, yet it serves to establish Solomon’s present estrangement form the Lord. Love, not fear, is the motivating force in the believer’s desire to serve God. Knowing only enough about God to fear Him never frees a person from a sense of life’s meaninglessness. We must know enough about God to love Him. Then we will see in His love the guarantee of eternal life that gives meaning to our existence, beyond time and throughout eternity.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed– Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
The Folly of Rash Vows
5 1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. 2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed– 5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
The Vanity of Life
8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field. 10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes? 12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. 13 There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt. 14 But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a severe evil– Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? 17 All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor–this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
