Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 5:1-7. In case you’re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the “Teacher” and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as King Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 (NIV)
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
On verses 1-3: Here Qohelet gives some advice on how to worship God in church: “go near to listen” (v1) and “do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God” (v2); rather, “let your words be few”. Does this mean that the quieter you are in church, the more spiritual you are? No, Qohelet’s talking about the attitude of your heart. When you go to worship God, go with a humble heart that’s eager to listen and learn, rather than to boast about yourself or make promises you can’t keep. Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14 is a good illustration of what Qohelet is talking about here. We need to watch the attitude of our heart when we go to worship God.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 (NIV)
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the [temple] messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.
On verses 4-7: God wants us to be people who keep our word and who make good on our promises (v4). He would rather that we not make a promise than to make a promise and not keep it (v5-6). So may we be careful not only in the words we say to people but to God as well, for God will hold us accountable to the words we say (Matthew 12:36).
Father, because my words matter to You, I pray that I would be thoughtful and careful in the words I speak. I pray that I would be one who keeps my word and delivers on my promises, because that’s how You are too. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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