Ecclesiastes 18 Concerning Vows Ecclesiastes 5 1 7

Ecclesiastes (18) Concerning Vows Ecclesiastes 5: 1 -7

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • We are in the midst of observations about various aspects of life (similar to proverbs) where we can see: 1) The vanity of worldly pursuits 2) Our need to consider God as we live in this empty world • Understanding these helps us see the REAL meaning of life

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • Walk prudently in the house of God (5: 1) • These verses are about worshipping God (with outlying principles) • Solomon ought to understand the sacredness of Worshipping God – He built the temple – 1 Kings 5 -8, esp. 8: 10 -13

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • Walk prudently in the house of God (5: 1) • We need to take worshipping God seriously • Under the LOM, priests were to be clean, offer sacrifices in specified ways, apply and teach God’s law. Cf. Leviticus 10: 1 -3

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • Walk prudently in the house of God (5: 1) • John 4: 24 • The HEART in worship – Colossians 3: 16, 1 Corinthians 11: 23 -29, 14: 15, 2 Corinthians 9: 7, etc.

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • Walk prudently in the house of God (5: 1) • Are we prudent (“guard your steps” NASB)? • WHY am I here to worship? WHAT is my attitude? HOW prepared am I? Ezra 7: 10

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • Draw near to hear… (5: 1) • “Draw near to listen” NASB “Be more ready to hear” KJV • ARE we ready to listen? James 1: 19, Hosea 2: 20 cf. Acts 10: 33

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • … rather than to give the sacrifice of fools… (5: 1) • NEVER forget that worship is FIRST about God. BUT in the process of true worship, we are edified! • Our worship needs to be meaningful, appropriate, reverent, and truthful with humility

• • Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) … rather than to give the sacrifice of fools… (5: 1) Jesus warned about man centered worship – Matthew 6: 1, 5, 16; 23: 1 -12, etc. What is the sacrifice of fools? Going through the motions, hypocritical worship, man made rules and doctrines, giving God your leftovers, self-centered worship (e. g. Luke 10: 10 -12) 1 Samuel 15: 22 -23

Prudence in God’s House (5: 1 -7) • … for they do not know that they do evil (5: 1) • Many are deceived and think that they are acceptable (many false teachers believe they hold the truth – e. g. Apollos - 18: 24 -26, Paul prior to His conversion; Many think God will accept “the checklist” (i. e. meritorious salvation) • Matthew 15: 8 -9

Do not be rash with your mouth (5: 2 -3) • Do not be rash with your mouth (5: 23) • Be careful what you say! This includes the commitments and promises you make, including to God.

Do not be rash with your mouth (5: 2 -3) • Let not your heart utter anything hastily before God – when you hear a lesson that applies, to you superficially commit to change, only to revert to ungodly ways as soon as you leave? • IF worship is to help you draw near to God, we cannot just “go through the motions” or worship half heartedly

Do not be rash with your mouth (5: 2 -3) • • For our God is in heaven…(5: 2 -3) KNOW your place! Psalm 24: 3 -5 Matthew 6: 9, Hebrews 12: 8 -9 reverence

Do not be rash with your mouth (5: 2 -3) • Therefore, let your words be few (5: 2 -3) • Proverbs 10: 19, 17: 27 • We all need to listen! (Not just the audible sounds, but what is being said). EVEN if you lead, are you listening to what you say? • God doesn’t care how eloquent the speech is – He wants genuine!

Do not be rash with your mouth (5: 2 -3) • For a dream comes through much activity… (5: 2 -3) • Dreams are often the product of a busy or wandering mind. A dream can exhaust you, but it is NOT reality! • Likewise, rash words lack substance. This is Solomon’s point!

Pay your vows (5: 4 -7) • When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it… (5: 4) • Vows are serious! Deuteronomy 23: 2123, Numbers 30: 2 • Matthew 5: 33 -37, Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ be ‘no’ – PERIOD! • A society that takes vows lightly is doomed to trouble

Pay your vows (5: 4 -7) • When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it… Pay what you have vowed (5: 4) • Vows to God! Do you really men it? • We need to keep our vows, even if it hurts Psalm 15: 1 -5, esp. 4 • Matthew 23: 16 -22, Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of Jewish leaders in deceit with their promises!

Pay your vows (5: 4 -7) • Better not to vow, than to vow and not pay (5: 5) • There is no sin in NOT making a vow. The point of this is think before you make a commitment. • This is about integrity

Pay your vows (5: 4 -7) • Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin… (5: 6) • Don’t let God be angry at your excuses – when you start trying to get out of your commitments to Him! • Consider rash and hypocritical worship – cf. Isaiah 1: 10 -17, Revelation 3: 15 -16

Pay your vows (5: 4 -7) • In the multitude of dreams and many words is vanity (5: 7) • Both of these are empty and God takes note!

Pay your vows (5: 4 -7) • In the multitude of dreams and many words is vanity (5: 7) • But what if I cannot keep a vow? • Consider what God said! Is it really true or a realization it was more than you intended? • The lesson is to teach us to THINK before we make commitments!

Pay your vows (5: 4 -7) • In the multitude of dreams and many words is vanity (5: 7) • But what if I cannot keep a vow? • Perhaps there is a circumstance where things change or you realize the harm in keeping a vow. God knows your heart and motives (and so do you). Repent and pray forgiveness (that is what Israel was to do (Leviticus 5: 46 – the trespass offering)

Do you fear God? Ecclesiastes 12: 13 -14