A Life Wholly Devoted

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 A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one 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 fear God.

a. Worship begins with listening (Ecc 5:1)

Ecclesiastes 5:1 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.

i. Worship out of habit, obligation, etc is foolish

b. Worship requires bringing our whole selves before God

i. John 4:24, in spirit and truth

ii. Deut 6:4-5

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 NIV

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

c. Subdivided lives are not biblical

i. Personal, work, church, family, etc

ii. Biblical view is a holistic life

iii. Worship from a non-holistic self is the essence of the white washed tombs of Matt 23.

d. Full devotion to Jesus changes everything. It is the foundation of the rest of this passage

e. God is Holy (Ecc 5:2) (preparation for vows)

Ecclesiastes 5:2 NIV

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.

i. The fool does not recognize their own sin whereas the wise are cognizant of who God is and who we are.

ii. The holiness of God is a major theme of the OT (Mt Sinai, tabernacle/temple, ark of the covenant, etc)

iii. God’s holiness should influence our worship. Spirit and Truth again.

iv. Holistic worship, the recognition of God’s holiness, is the fear of God

f. Vows are real (Ecc 5:4)

Ecclesiastes 5:4 NIV

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.

i. A vow must be kept. It is better to not vow than to break a vow

ii. Think before you speak, Proverbs 10:19

Proverbs 10:19 NLT

19 Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

iii. There are consequences for not guarding our words. Acts 5 and Ananias and Sapphira illustrate God’s holiness and our lack of fear/not watching words.

2. Greed results in oppression, injustice, and misery (Ecc 5:8-6:9)

Ecclesiastes 5:8–6:9 NIV

8 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. 9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. 10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? 12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. 13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, 14 or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. 15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. 16 This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? 17 All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. 18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. 20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. 1 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. 3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man—6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? 7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. 8 What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? 9 Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

a. Jesus clearly tells us we cannot love money and serve Him.

b. The root of the oppression and injustice of Ecc 5:8-9 is greed.

Ecclesiastes 5:8–9 NIV

c. Those who love money never have enough. Ecc 5:10

Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV

10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

i. The lack of true worship and fear of the Lord allow greed to grow

ii. If we take our eyes off Jesus, we can easily fall into the trap of greed

d. Hoarding of wealth ultimately harms its owner (Ecc 5:13)

Ecclesiastes 5:13 NIV

13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

i. It is not looking out for others’ needs but only one’s own

ii. Hoarding wealth is neglecting others

e. Wealth has no eternal value Ecc 5:15

Ecclesiastes 5:15 NIV

15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.

f. The Biblical call is contentment Ecc 5:18

Ecclesiastes 5:18 NIV

18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.

i. We should seek contentment rather than wealth

ii. Focusing on Jesus brings the joyful state of contentment

iii. A life wholly devoted to Jesus is the answer.

1. It brings peace

2. It brings eternal security

3. Living the life Jesus has called us to is a gift (Ecc 5:12)

Ecclesiastes 5:12 NIV

12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.

g. Wealth is not in itself evil but can be a gift from God. (Ecc 5:19)

Ecclesiastes 5:19 NIV

19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

3. Conclusion

a. For the author, a life lived in rebellion, that is a life not devoted to Jesus is as foolish as can possibly be. Isa 1:3 – “Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—but Israel doesn’t know its master. [1]” Wisdom is living a life devoted to Jesus. Wisdom is recognizing who we are and who God is. Wisdom watches its words. Wisdom worships God fully, whole heartedly. Wisdom finds contentment and needs not lust for more.