Eclesiastes 5

Eclesiastes 5

THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES The Search for Significance The Quest for Contentment The Pursuit of Purpose Exploration Exhortation All is Vanity Vanity of Doing Vanity of Having Vanity of Being Using Life Well Source of True Living Eccl 1:1-18 Eccl 2:1-26 Eccl 3:1-6:12 Eccl 7:1-9:18 Eccl 10:1-11:10 Eccl 12:1-14 Declaration of Vanity Demonstration of Vanity Deliverance from Vanity Subject Sermons Summary Fickleness of Life Versus Fear of the Lord Place: "Under the Sun" Decades of Searching (in the days of King Solomon) circa 936BC King Solomon Author Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. KJV Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. NKJ Ecclesiastes 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. BGT Ecclesiastes 4:17 φύλαξον πόδα σου ἐν ᾧ ἐὰν πορεύῃ εἰς οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἀκούειν ὑπὲρ δόμα τῶν ἀφρόνων θυσία σου ὅτι οὔκ εἰσιν εἰδότες τοῦ ποιῆσαι κακόν LXE Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy foot, whensoever thou goest to the house of God; and when thou art near to hear, let thy sacrifice be better than the gift of fools: for they know not that they are doing evil. NET Ecclesiastes 5:1 Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong. CSB Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong. ESV Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. NIV Ecclesiastes 5:1 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. NLT Ecclesiastes 5:1 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. YLT Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil. NJB Ecclesiastes 4:17 Watch your step when you go to the House of God: drawing near to listen is better than the offering of a sacrifice by fools, though they do not know that they are doing wrong. NRS Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil. NAB Ecclesiastes 4:17 Guard your step when you go to the house of God. Let your approach be obedience, rather than the fools' offering of sacrifice; for they know not how to keep from doing evil. GWN Ecclesiastes 5:1 Watch your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are unaware that they are doing something evil. BBE Ecclesiastes 5:1 Put your feet down with care when you go to the house of God, for it is better to give ear than to make the burned offerings of the foolish, whose knowledge is only of doing evil. RSV Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. Guard your steps Ge 28:16,17 Ex 3:5 Lev 10:3 Jos 5:15 2Ch 26:16 Ps 89:7 Isa 1:12-20 1Co 11:22 Heb 12:28,29 ready: Ac 10:33 17:11 Jas 1:19 1Pe 2:1,2 give: Ge 4:3-5 1Sa 13:12,13 15:21,22 Ps 50:8-18 Pr 15:8 21:27 Isa 1:12-15 66:3 Jer 7:21-23 Ho 6:6,7 Mal 1:10,11 Heb 10:26 Related Passages: Exodus 3:5+ Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” NET NOTE - Even though the LORD was drawing near to Moses, Moses could not casually approach him. There still was a barrier between God and human, and God had to remind Moses of this with instructions. The removal of sandals was, and still is in the East, a sign of humility and reverence in the presence of the Holy One. It was a way of excluding the dust and dirt of the world. But it also took away personal comfort and convenience and brought the person more closely in contact with the earth. Psalms 51:16-17+ For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Proverbs 4:26-27+ Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil. Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. Hebrews 11:4+ By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. WALK WISELY IN GOD'S HOUSE AND LISTEN BEFORE YOU SPEAK William Barrick gives an excellent introduction to chapter 5 writing "Consumed by his search for meaning in life “under the sun,” Solomon first notes that God had “set eternity” in the human heart (Eccl 3:11). Then he indicates that God will right the wrongs and provide justice (Eccl 3:17). Throughout Eccl 4 the author focuses on the ongoing issues of everyday life which demonstrate that individually and corporately people cannot resolve their most persistent problems. Solomon’s investigations lead him to a consideration of mankind’s relationship to God. Swindoll (Borrow Living on the Ragged Edge page 144) opens his examination of Ecclesiastes 5 with the following thought: "So many of Solomon’s ideas and observations are horizontal musings . . . the bitter, barren, boring side of life seen through disillusioned eyes. But on a few, rare occasions the man breaks out of his cynical syndrome. At those times his comments contain a remarkable vertical perspective that scrapes away the veneer of empty religion and takes us back to the bedrock of a meaningful relationship with the living Lord." Each individual must realize that God’s involvement in his or her life consists of more than afflicting people with “a grievous task” (Eccl 1:13; cp. Eccl 3:10) and providing work, food, enjoyment, wisdom, and knowledge (Eccl 2:24–26). Therefore, each person “under the sun” must anticipate an encounter with the eternal God beyond the sun. What does that look like? How does one prepare for life beyond the sun? Solomon takes up the topics of worship (Eccl 5:1–3), vows (Eccl 5:4–6), the fear of God (Eccl 5:7), justice (Eccl 5:8), and money (Eccl 5:10–17). Each topic reveals something about one’s relationship to God, Who provides a greater companionship in life (cp. Eccl 4:7–12)."(Borrow Eaton Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary - page 97) John Butler adds "Much of this chapter of Ecclesiastes sounds like the book of Proverbs. It is good counsel that needs to be followed, but periodically in the chapter, Solomon reverts to the vanity attitude as he looks at matters from a human/horizontal view only. THE OUTLINE (Main points) OF THE CHAPTER: A. Worship (Ecclesiastes 5:1–7) B. Wayward (Ecclesiastes 5:8, 9) C. Wealth (Ecclesiastes 5:10–17) D. Warrant (Ecclesiastes 5:18–20) Guard (shamar - watch carefully, give heed; Lxx - phulasso) your steps (רֶגֶל – regel - figuratively your conduct) as you go to the house of God (Temple) and draw near (qarab - approaching God) to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools (kesil; Lxx - aphron) for (term of explanation) they do not know they are doing evil. This first section describes the perils of empty worship and the folly of thoughtless offerings. The sacrifice of fools refers to external religious acts done without inner reverence, humility, or repentance. Fools practice religion and ritual, without repentance. Approach God's house carefully, thoughtfully, and reverently, letting His Spirit speak to your heart. Listening precedes obedience. God doesn’t need our many words or empty offerings! He wants our attentive hearts (cf 1Sa 15:22-23+) 🙏 THOUGHT- Are you really listening to the sermon and tossing your coins in the offering box, going through the motions of form without engaging your heart with the eternal God? It's easy to fall into this trap. Ritual in worship can be beautiful, but can lull one into apathetic worship, form without substance, the rituals making you think you are truly worshipping the living God. Remember that worship is a "heart posture" not a performance. Ask yourself - am I truly seeking God’s will as I worship or am I simply going through religious motions, checking off the box "Go to Church on Sunday Morning"? It is so easy to fall into the trap of going to church and doing no more than go through the motions of form and yet our heart is not in the worship and our walk the rest of the week gives no evidence that we have met with the Holy God in worship on Sunday. Sadly, those who fall into this "religious rut" are not even aware of their evil in insincere worship. Bob Utley sets the context This is verse 17 of chapter 4 in the MT. This is an affirmation of the priority of attitude. Eccl. 5:1-7 deals with warnings associated with religious worship. William Barrick Solomon observes that too many of God’s covenant people approach worship with a lackadaisical attitude. He notes a lack of true reverence for the holy and for the Holy One Himself. Each act of superficial worship reveals this truth. According to Hubbard, “the Preacher wanted to remind his hearers of the greatness of God who could see through any extravagance in prayer. Wild promises, unguarded commitments, vain repetition were all to be avoided. Poise, control, measured speech and action were considered expressions of sound conduct by the wise.” Ec 5:1–3 contain a series of four commands: “Guard your steps” (Eccl 5:1a),4 “draw near to listen” (Eccl 5:1b), “Do not be hasty” in word or thought (v. Eccl 5:2a), and “let your words be few” (v. Eccl 5:2b). Obedience to the Word of God in private life prepares the believer for participation in public worship. What a sweet spirit of praise would prevail in our churches if we all arrived thus prepared. William Barrick on Guarding Our Steps (Eccl 5:1a) - “Guard your steps [lit., feet] as you go” might mean that the worshiper should prepare for worship by obeying God beforehand (Ps 17:4–5; Prov 4:20–27). Gathering for public worship must not be taken lightly. The saints must enter the Temple with reverence. (Borrow Duane Garrett page 310) Barton’s paraphrase warns, “Do not run to the place of worship thoughtlessly, or because it is the fashion to go frequently, but consider the nature of the place and thy purpose in going.” As in Christ’s statement in John 4:23–24+, we ought not approach worship lightly nor without intentional preparation in heart, head, and hand (or, foot!) we must worship in spirit and in truth. “The house of God” occurs throughout the Old Testament in reference to a place of worship. Jacob used the phrase to identify the site where he dreamed about a ladder to heaven (Ge 28:17). The Tabernacle was designated “the house of God” (Jdg 18:31; 1Chr 6:48) and the Temple of Solomon also bore this title (1Chr 22:2; 2Chr3:3). Any who are tempted to make the synagogue the reference must, of necessity, take the following reference to sacrifices as figurative, since the Jews did not offer sacrifices at synagogues. The gathering of the saints for public worship in our own day equates well with the setting in Ecclesiastes. Obedience to the Word of God in private life prepares the believer for participation in public worship. What a sweet spirit of praise would prevail in our churches if we all arrived thus prepared. William Barrick on Drawing Near to Listen (Eccl 5:1b) - Solomon instructs those who worship in the Temple to listen when they come for worship. Listening presupposes a spoken word. The worshiper comes to hear God’s Word from God Himself or from His chosen spokesman. Kelley points out that, “To listen is to obey. To state the matter thus is to specify Who is to have authority over man’s life. It is to be God, and God alone.” (Borrow The Burden of God page 94) Listening and obeying the Word of God take place only through submission to Him as Sovereign Lord of one’s life. “Draw near to listen” echoes “Go near and hear” in Deuteronomy 5:27+, which specifically identifies God as the speaker and the commitment of the hearer to do what God commands. In contrast, someone might offer “the sacrifice of fools” (Eccl 5:1). This might refer to bringing an unqualified sacrificial animal or to offering without the correct heart attitude (cp. 1Sa 15:22; Pr 15:8; 28:9; Heb 11:4). By context, it appears to depict someone going through the motions of offering a sacrifice while spewing a torrent of empty words, but not possessing any awareness of God. Matthew 6:7–8+ offers a similar critique of wordy worship. Kelley suggests that the reference is to an unruly, noisy, hasty, and self-centered irreverence that refuses to submit to God’s word. “Fool” occurs three times in this chapter (Eccl 5:1, 3, 4). In all three appearances, the Hebrew word is kesil, which denotes “one who is dull and obstinate” and normally refers to a person’s “chosen outlook, rather than his mental equipment.” (Borrow Kidner - Proverbs page 40) This “fool” (1) does not engage in a pursuit of wisdom (Prov 17:16), (2) manifests a spiritual, rather than mental, problem (Prov 1:29), (3) enjoys his folly (Prov 26:11), (4) has no reverence for truth (Prov 14:8), and (5) is a menace in society (Prov 13:20; 17:12; 18:6). (Kidner) One take on the final clause’s meaning is that the fools “go from their sacrifices with an easy conscience to plunge again into evil.” (Barton) “Who sin without a thought”12 represents yet another interpretation. Longman argues that it means “that they are so foolish that they are not even aware that their sacrifices are evil, an offense to God.”13 Thus, the best translation is the simplest: “they do not know that they are doing evil” (NAU, RSV, NKJV, ESV, NIV). In other words, they are so dull of spiritual understanding that they actually think that they are doing something good and acceptable. 12 Iain Provan, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001), 116 and NEB. 13 Tremper Longman III, The Book of Ecclesiastes, New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1998), 151. David Hubbard - Fake religion distressed him as much as proud wisdom, vain pleasure, abused justice, or hollow freedom. Apparently the people took a mechanical attitude toward the sacrifices which God had commanded. They were offering them in huge volume and with great attention to detail. But they were missing the deeper meaning, the key purpose, of those animal offerings. Listening to God is better than sacrifice was the Preacher’s word to them (in Ec 5:1). “The sacrifIce of fools” was empty sacrifice, going through the ritual but missing its meaning. What was the basic purpose of the offerings that God required? It was communion with God expressed by “hear,” which means virtually to obey, and “draw near,” which frequently describes the intimacy between God and those who go to him for worship and fellowship (Deut. 5:27; Pss. 34:18; 85:9; 1 Kin. 8:59). Therefore, the sacrifices dealt with the major human needs: They brought forgiveness, when accompanied by a contrite heart; they expressed thanksgiving, when the offerrer was truly grateful; they fulfilled vows, when God had brought unusual blessing. The sacrifices were the means by which God’s people were to declare their total dependence on God. Listening (“hear”)—paying attention to God—then, was an essential requirement, if the sacrifices were to have any meaning. The whole requirement of reverent obedience and humble penitence was captured in the clause, “walk prudently,” which is literally “watch (or guard) your feet.” Here as in Proverbs “feet” summed up a total way of life that could lead toward or away from God: Pr 4:26-27 What were the Preacher’s fellow citizens doing wrong? They were treating sacrifices like magic. They thought blood and smoke were what God wanted. They forgot that spirit and heart were essential ingredients of true sacrifice. (See The Preacher's Commentary - Ecclesiastes) Walter Kaiser - Above all else, do “go to the house of God” (5:1) with a receptive attitude and a readiness to listen rather than lecture God on what He ought to do. Worship is here called “sacrifice” because it is offering to God “the calves of our lips” (cf. Hos. 14:2; Heb. 13:15). (Borrow Quality Living page 90) Henry