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A couple of key reminders before we dig in today.

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Solomon wrote this work as a reflection in repentance.

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And he has that repeating motto and phrase,

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vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

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And that phrase, it confronts people

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who are too focused on this life under the sun.

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Throughout the chapters one and two,

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Solomon gives numerous examples from his own life experience

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and from the natural world to prove

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that our life, our experience under this sun,

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this mortal life, this side of glory is just a vapor.

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Soap bubbles.

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Now we've seen this harshness of life.

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And last time we were drawn to the throne of grace,

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remembering that for those who are in Christ,

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death is actually an advantage.

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It's the reality of death that helps us

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to cherish life properly.

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We also spoke on the rat race of life.

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That never ending hamster wheel.

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But the encouragement was to change our thinking

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from me to we.

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Now here's the outline up on the screen for you

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that we've been following along.

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We're still in that second section of the book,

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this overarching theme, the proof that all is vanity.

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We're getting very close to the turning point

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of the book in chapter seven.

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We have maybe two more sermons after this week.

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And we'll see a sharp turn there in a good way.

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But we're continuing and today the title for this section

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in Ecclesiastes chapter five is the sacrifice of fools.

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Now many of you are familiar with this saying,

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better to remain silent and be thought a fool than what?

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There's a bunch of different ways you can say it.

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Then to open your mouth and remove all doubt

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or to show that you are anyways.

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There's a lot of different ways.

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But we've learned that saying, have we not?

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Growing up you've heard it.

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If you're in American context, you've heard it.

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The thought is that people may not think that you're wise

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if you're silent.

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They may not think it, but they don't know.

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It's up in the air.

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But if you speak up, then they'll figure it out.

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They'll know that you are not wise.

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Now that saying, that worldly saying does have an element

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of truth to it within the context of scripture.

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Proverbs 17, 28 says, even an ignorant fool

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when he keeps silent is considered wise.

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When he closes his lips, he is considered understanding.

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Doesn't mean he is wise.

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It doesn't mean he is understanding.

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It means he at least casts a little bit of doubt

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as to whether he's an actual fool or not.

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Proverbs 18, 13, he who responds with a word

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before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

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Speaking up shows folly oftentimes.

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Now that secular quote, it pokes at a person's love

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for the approval of others.

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How other people think about you.

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Does any of us want, do any of us want

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to be thought of as a fool?

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You wake up this morning and say, that's me.

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I want to be a fool.

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I'm gonna say a bunch of foolish things today.

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No, and so this quote encourages people to remain silent.

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And even God's word there says, hey,

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if you don't know, then don't say it.

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Now have you ever felt that way, inclined to be quiet

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simply because you didn't want to appear foolish?

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Now maybe you were in class, students.

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Maybe you're in class and your professor asks a question

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and you didn't want to get it wrong.

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You don't do the hand raise.

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Maybe it's an open-ended question here in church

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about the Bible.

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Ah, you don't want to get that wrong.

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You'd be a terrible Christian, right?

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You should laugh at that.

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What about when you're at work

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and your boss wants to know something

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and you don't want to speak up

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because it may not look favorably upon you

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or your team members?

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Now this quote, this secular quote,

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it could be helpful for the person

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that is prone to just blurt things out.

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I think of Peter in God's word in the gospels.

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But I think that the secular quote really misses the mark

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when it comes to promoting godliness

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because we know we're not supposed to care more

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about what other people think than what God thinks.

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Amen?

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And see, that's where Solomon picks up in chapter five,

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truly considering who we ought to please.

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In this section, we're gonna see the first of many times

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that Solomon is gonna call the reader to fear God.

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Throughout chapter four, we witness the devastation

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that can be brought about when a person only focuses

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on their own advancement, their own wealth,

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when a person is focused on worshiping self.

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And Solomon was faithful to remind us

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that that rat race of self can be fought.

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We can combat that by focusing on others,

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seeking the good of others,

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and working together with others for common and good goals.

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And that's why the encouragement was change our thinking

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from me to we.

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Now I want you to turn in your Bibles

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to Ecclesiastes chapter five.

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And in a moment, we're gonna see that God has a lot to say

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through Solomon about true worship,

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authentic worship of God, and the dangers

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of inauthentic worship.

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Let's go ahead and stand as we read God's word here

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out of Ecclesiastes five.

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If you don't have a Bible, it's on the screen as well.

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But Ecclesiastes five, beginning in verse one,

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we'll go through verse seven.

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Guard your steps as you go to the house of God

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and draw near to listen,

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rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools,

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for they do not know that they are doing evil.

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Do not be hasty with your mouth or impulsive in your heart

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to bring up a matter in the presence of God,

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for God is in heaven, but you are on earth.

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Therefore, let your words be few,

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for the dream comes through abundant endeavor

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in the voice of a fool through abundant words.

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When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it,

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for he takes no delight in fools.

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Pay what you vow.

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It is better that you should not vow

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than that you should vow and not pay.

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Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin,

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and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God

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that it was a mistake.

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Why should God be angry on account of your voice

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and wreak destruction on the work of your hands?

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For in many dreams and vanities are many words.

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Rather fear God.

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You can take a seat.

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Now, as we dig into this passage,

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I have to give a notice and a disclaimer on the front end.

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This passage is incredibly difficult linguistically

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to decipher, and I'm talking about the original Hebrew.

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Now, your English Bibles are still good translations.

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I'm not knocking those.

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The issue is not as much the translation,

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but it's the manner in which the Hebrew is used.

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Even as we read this portion of the passage,

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we're not talking about the original Hebrew.

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Even as we read this portion right here,

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it's likely you heard this part about dreams and vows,

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and you said, huh?

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What is going on here?

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What are we talking about?

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The words and the concepts require explanation,

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but also the grammar and the syntax require study.

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And so I've labored and endeavored to help in that,

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but this is not a seminary class.

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You didn't show up to church today to do sentence diagrams

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and to study roots and lemma and meaning.

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That's not the purpose.

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So the disclaimer is this.

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I'm going to present to you what I have learned,

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and I will provide what I pray is

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a clear and actionable understanding of this passage,

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but I'm not going to get bogged down in all the exegesis.

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And if you want to nerd out later with me, you can.

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But wisdom literature, it requires

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this kind of consideration, careful consideration,

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because it often does not make sense at first glance.

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This passage is an example of that.

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So now as you look at verse 1, you see a command.

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And this should get your attention,

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because if anyone has ever approached Ecclesiastes and said,

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eh, you know, this is just a guy who

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is upset at the end of his life and just discouraged.

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He gives you a command.

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So you should pay attention.

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He says, guard your steps.

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Now that word for guard emphasizes keeping watch.

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And it is the same term that is used in Psalm 127.

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Pastor Jeff explained this a few weeks ago.

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Unless Yahweh guards the city, then the guard's work

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is pointless and empty.

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You remember that?

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Now here, the emphasis for guarding

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is that a person would pay special attention.

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I'm sorry, I clicked through.

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Disregard the slide for a second.

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You're like, what does that have to do with this?

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Guard your steps.

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You'll see in a moment that if somebody needs to do something

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here, it's guarding their steps.

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You need to keep careful attention to your walk.

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It's the steps that you take.

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We were on a family road trip this past summer.

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We made it to Zion National Park.

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How many of you have been there?

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Show of hands?

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That is more than I expected.

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That's cool.

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At the end of that bus loop, you know where you arrive.

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You get to that beautiful slot canyon called the Narrows.

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Some of you have even seen it on whether you watch YouTube

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or people's social media, whatever.

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But those of you who have been there, you know it's important.

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If you get into that river, you have

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to pay attention to where you step.

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Even if you have walking poles through the water,

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when you're going through that river,

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your feet are sliding all over the rocks.

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And you need to be careful.

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Now also, here's where the picture is.

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Also, at Zion National Park is a place called Angels Landing.

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If you've walked through the cliffs,

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you know that there are a lot of dangerous spots.

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The pictures don't do it justice.

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You're up several hundred feet.

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It is scary if you're up there.

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You need to watch your steps.

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So scary that we couldn't take our kids,

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because I didn't trust our youngest

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to be able to walk through there.

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Now we had a lot of moments as a family this past summer

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where we needed to guard and keep watch over our steps

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at Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon,

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all those places.

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And it makes sense practically.

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If you're on a dangerous path, don't you

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need to watch your steps?

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Doesn't that make sense?

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So Solomon says, guard your step.

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Imagine if your whole life was like walking

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on a narrow tightrope along the cliffs.

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What if every moment of every day

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needed to be kept watch over so that you don't stumble?

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Imagine if there was some dynamic where every step you

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take could be either a great blessing

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or a catastrophic failure, surviving the narrow path

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or falling to certain doom.

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That's the concept here in verse 1.

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And in Hebrew, that word for steps

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carries this connotation of a journey or a pace of life.

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It has more to do with a person's whole habit of life

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than it does just that moment of approaching the house of God

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or the temple really here.

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Similarly, in the New Testament, Paul often

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uses a Greek term to describe how a person lives,

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their habit of life.

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And the most common contrast being

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either you walk in the newness of life

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or you walk according to the flesh.

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That is a consistent theme in God's word.

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So when you see Solomon's emphasis of guarding

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your steps into the house of God,

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remember he's talking also about a person's whole life,

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not just when they go to a special place,

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but all their life.

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It is an emphasis, though, on their spiritual worship.

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Now, he gives a special emphasis to the house of God.

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This seems to be intentional really

267
00:11:45,140 --> 00:11:48,140
to consider life beyond yourself, life

268
00:11:48,140 --> 00:11:51,060
beyond just the mundane moments.

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The very next verse makes that clear

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because he reminds us of our position compared to God's.

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I find it striking.

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Now, I've seen so many worship services

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across multiple continents.

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I have seen genuine Christians worshiping the one true God.

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And I have seen idolatrous love and false worship

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00:12:09,220 --> 00:12:11,380
and false religions.

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I have seen the saddest of them all, though.

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Those who think that they are worshiping God, but in fact,

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00:12:18,340 --> 00:12:22,420
are focusing their worship on self.

280
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Now, I'm not speaking about judging

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00:12:24,380 --> 00:12:26,220
a person's heart and intent.

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I am speaking about those professing believers

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00:12:29,260 --> 00:12:32,380
who put together a worship service or a way of life that

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seems so close and yet we know is so far.

285
00:12:36,940 --> 00:12:39,100
And if it helps to give an example, let me give this one.

286
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Consider Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church.

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Jesus is mentioned there, even in his mouth.

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God is spoken well of.

289
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But the gospel?

290
00:12:53,380 --> 00:12:54,420
Gospel is not the focus.

291
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Taking up one's cross?

292
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Don't talk about suffering there.

293
00:13:00,180 --> 00:13:02,440
Now, see, people across time and history,

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00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:06,260
they desire to create a religious system in which they

295
00:13:06,260 --> 00:13:09,180
can easily do what they want and get what they want

296
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without having to submit to an all-powerful creator.

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Even today, we see it in those evangelical approaches

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00:13:18,140 --> 00:13:21,100
with the LGBTQ movement and policies that are supported

299
00:13:21,100 --> 00:13:22,500
by professing Christians.

300
00:13:26,140 --> 00:13:28,580
See, believers, even professing believers,

301
00:13:28,580 --> 00:13:33,900
want to tell God what is good and holy rather than listen

302
00:13:33,900 --> 00:13:37,980
to him on matters of life.

303
00:13:37,980 --> 00:13:40,260
Solomon here in Ecclesiastes 5, he's

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00:13:40,260 --> 00:13:47,740
using a scalpel to confront half-hearted worshipers.

305
00:13:47,740 --> 00:13:49,860
Listen.

306
00:13:49,860 --> 00:13:55,380
Here, he is speaking to the person who loves a good song,

307
00:13:55,380 --> 00:14:00,500
who shows up to the worship service cheerfully enough,

308
00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:05,740
but who listens with ears half open.

309
00:14:05,740 --> 00:14:09,060
Look at the next phrase in verse 1.

310
00:14:09,060 --> 00:14:14,180
He says, draw near to listen rather than to offer

311
00:14:14,180 --> 00:14:17,620
the sacrifice of fools.

312
00:14:17,620 --> 00:14:19,380
Now, the comparison is fierce.

313
00:14:19,380 --> 00:14:20,300
And it is to the point.

314
00:14:20,300 --> 00:14:22,700
Do you want to be a fool?

315
00:14:22,700 --> 00:14:24,020
We joked about it on the front end.

316
00:14:24,020 --> 00:14:25,060
No.

317
00:14:25,060 --> 00:14:27,580
No one woke up and said, I want to be a fool.

318
00:14:27,580 --> 00:14:31,700
Well, do you want to offer the sacrifice of fools?

319
00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:35,700
If not, Solomon says, listen.

320
00:14:35,700 --> 00:14:37,500
Listen.

321
00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:40,340
Now, without needing a lot of explanation in the passage,

322
00:14:40,340 --> 00:14:43,300
Solomon points to this great disconnect

323
00:14:43,300 --> 00:14:46,620
that people have in their lives.

324
00:14:46,620 --> 00:14:51,540
People are driven by vanities, chasing the wind.

325
00:14:51,540 --> 00:14:54,220
Yet they show up to the church service week after week

326
00:14:54,220 --> 00:14:58,540
and give lip service to God.

327
00:14:58,540 --> 00:15:02,900
They offer some sacrifice, but they don't truly honor him

328
00:15:02,900 --> 00:15:07,020
as king in their life.

329
00:15:07,020 --> 00:15:09,020
Now, in focusing on listening, Solomon

330
00:15:09,020 --> 00:15:12,620
forces the reader, the listener, to consider

331
00:15:12,620 --> 00:15:18,020
if they are characterized by such a posture.

332
00:15:18,020 --> 00:15:21,580
Come near to the house of God to listen and to learn

333
00:15:21,580 --> 00:15:25,300
and to obey, rather than coming to the house of God

334
00:15:25,300 --> 00:15:29,220
to bring half your heart.

335
00:15:29,220 --> 00:15:35,940
Now, in contrast, this listening of fools,

336
00:15:35,940 --> 00:15:39,460
or the contrast of listening and the contrast of fools,

337
00:15:39,460 --> 00:15:42,940
there's many words that we can use,

338
00:15:42,940 --> 00:15:46,420
or many phrases we use to talk about foolishness.

339
00:15:46,420 --> 00:15:48,540
And it's all throughout God's word here.

340
00:15:48,540 --> 00:15:50,660
Now, Solomon is rebuking those who

341
00:15:50,660 --> 00:15:54,180
think that they can use their abundance of language,

342
00:15:54,180 --> 00:15:57,540
their abundance of thoughts, their abundance of education,

343
00:15:57,540 --> 00:15:59,060
their abundance of understanding,

344
00:15:59,060 --> 00:16:01,540
their abundance of knowledge to think that they can bring

345
00:16:01,540 --> 00:16:02,660
something helpful to God.

346
00:16:02,660 --> 00:16:05,740
That is a pointed conviction for us.

347
00:16:08,380 --> 00:16:10,900
If you've been following along with our study in Ecclesiastes,

348
00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:12,780
you've seen many issues.

349
00:16:12,780 --> 00:16:14,200
You've been confronted with trying

350
00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,500
to explain this world, this world that is confusing,

351
00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:18,580
this world that is upside down.

352
00:16:18,580 --> 00:16:21,020
You've wrestled with the nature of injustice,

353
00:16:21,020 --> 00:16:23,300
the nature of God's sovereignty.

354
00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:25,140
And in all of your thinking or considering,

355
00:16:25,140 --> 00:16:28,660
you will only get so far without God.

356
00:16:28,660 --> 00:16:31,340
Your human mind can only go so far

357
00:16:31,340 --> 00:16:38,500
without God declaring to you how to think, how to respond.

358
00:16:38,500 --> 00:16:41,500
So for that person who is focused on life here, then,

359
00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:43,260
yes, their life is doomed.

360
00:16:43,260 --> 00:16:44,740
Vanity of vanities.

361
00:16:44,740 --> 00:16:46,260
All is lost.

362
00:16:46,260 --> 00:16:48,700
And Solomon says that consistently,

363
00:16:48,700 --> 00:16:51,460
to wake you up, to make sure that you're not

364
00:16:51,460 --> 00:16:53,420
that half-hearted worshiper, because he's not

365
00:16:53,420 --> 00:16:55,060
writing to unbelievers.

366
00:16:55,060 --> 00:16:57,460
He's not writing to those people who are far off.

367
00:16:57,460 --> 00:16:59,580
He's writing to the people who are right there.

368
00:17:03,660 --> 00:17:06,900
This materialistic mind that we're prone to have,

369
00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:08,660
we focus on what we see.

370
00:17:08,660 --> 00:17:12,300
We focus on what's in front of us.

371
00:17:12,300 --> 00:17:15,900
We want the best life now.

372
00:17:15,900 --> 00:17:18,060
How many of us really want to wait?

373
00:17:18,060 --> 00:17:21,300
If you had an option, now or later,

374
00:17:21,300 --> 00:17:24,460
wouldn't we all choose now?

375
00:17:24,460 --> 00:17:27,540
Yet, has God promised that?

376
00:17:27,540 --> 00:17:30,140
No, the best life for the believer is the one to come.

377
00:17:30,140 --> 00:17:32,860
So Solomon uses words purposefully

378
00:17:32,860 --> 00:17:36,700
to jab at our kidneys, to poke us in the back,

379
00:17:36,700 --> 00:17:39,020
to wake us up from this vain life

380
00:17:39,020 --> 00:17:43,060
so that we don't just look at what's in front of us.

381
00:17:43,060 --> 00:17:46,220
To interpret this life, you need the author,

382
00:17:46,220 --> 00:17:47,580
the author of all life.

383
00:17:47,580 --> 00:17:48,460
You need the Bible.

384
00:17:48,460 --> 00:17:50,380
You need his words.

385
00:17:50,380 --> 00:17:52,900
And when you see his words, you need to remember,

386
00:17:52,900 --> 00:17:56,140
that is God speaking.

387
00:17:56,140 --> 00:17:59,660
You don't draw near to the house of God to listen to man.

388
00:17:59,660 --> 00:18:02,500
You draw near to the house of God to hear God,

389
00:18:02,500 --> 00:18:07,620
to learn about who he is and who we ought to be with his help.

390
00:18:07,620 --> 00:18:09,780
So listen.

391
00:18:09,780 --> 00:18:12,140
How many of you remember Saul?

392
00:18:12,140 --> 00:18:13,700
Foolish Saul.

393
00:18:13,700 --> 00:18:17,620
He wanted always to bring something to God, did he not?

394
00:18:17,620 --> 00:18:19,980
Especially when he made a mistake.

395
00:18:19,980 --> 00:18:21,220
You remember this?

396
00:18:21,220 --> 00:18:22,980
1 Samuel 15.

397
00:18:22,980 --> 00:18:25,060
But what can you offer the one who has all things?

398
00:18:25,060 --> 00:18:26,740
Can you really bring him something?

399
00:18:26,740 --> 00:18:28,700
He gets rebuked by Samuel.

400
00:18:28,700 --> 00:18:32,180
Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

401
00:18:32,180 --> 00:18:35,140
as in obeying the voice of Yahweh?

402
00:18:35,140 --> 00:18:39,260
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.

403
00:18:39,260 --> 00:18:42,300
So come near to listen to his voice.

404
00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:45,180
Come near to obey him.

405
00:18:45,180 --> 00:18:48,900
It's a tragic thing when a person is being foolish

406
00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:51,380
and they think they're doing something to please God,

407
00:18:51,380 --> 00:18:55,220
but in fact, they're doing something evil.

408
00:18:55,220 --> 00:18:57,740
That's why I mentioned Joel Osteen.

409
00:18:57,740 --> 00:19:00,540
That's why I mentioned false gospel productions

410
00:19:00,540 --> 00:19:02,020
like in Lakewood Church.

411
00:19:02,020 --> 00:19:04,100
I'm not picking on them.

412
00:19:04,100 --> 00:19:08,580
I'm saying this is tragic that fools are offering sacrifices

413
00:19:08,580 --> 00:19:11,860
that do not please God.

414
00:19:11,860 --> 00:19:14,540
May that not be true of us.

415
00:19:14,540 --> 00:19:16,040
But there are further instructions here

416
00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,460
for the true worshiper in Ecclesiastes 5.

417
00:19:19,460 --> 00:19:22,180
Verse 2 says, do not be hasty with your mouth.

418
00:19:22,180 --> 00:19:25,740
Don't be impulsive in your heart to bring things up to God

419
00:19:25,740 --> 00:19:27,700
because he's in heaven and you're on earth,

420
00:19:27,700 --> 00:19:30,100
so let your words be few.

421
00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:32,420
Now I want you to see some similar language here.

422
00:19:32,420 --> 00:19:36,780
Right out of Ecclesiastes 5, Jesus in Matthew chapter 6

423
00:19:36,780 --> 00:19:38,300
says some very similar things.

424
00:19:38,300 --> 00:19:39,700
I'm going to read it for you here.

425
00:19:39,700 --> 00:19:40,900
I'll put it up on the screen.

426
00:19:40,900 --> 00:19:43,780
I've highlighted or underlined those comparison points.

427
00:19:43,780 --> 00:19:45,380
Jesus said, when you're praying, do not

428
00:19:45,380 --> 00:19:49,220
use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do,

429
00:19:49,220 --> 00:19:53,140
for they suppose that they'll be heard for their many words.

430
00:19:53,140 --> 00:19:55,340
Therefore, do not be like them, for your Father

431
00:19:55,340 --> 00:19:58,300
knows what you need before you ask to pray in this way.

432
00:19:58,300 --> 00:20:02,040
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name.

433
00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:03,060
Your kingdom come.

434
00:20:03,060 --> 00:20:06,540
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

435
00:20:06,540 --> 00:20:08,940
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts

436
00:20:08,940 --> 00:20:10,940
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

437
00:20:10,940 --> 00:20:12,740
And do not lead us into temptation,

438
00:20:12,740 --> 00:20:14,220
but deliver us from the evil one,

439
00:20:14,220 --> 00:20:17,460
for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

440
00:20:17,460 --> 00:20:18,380
Amen.

441
00:20:18,380 --> 00:20:21,100
Do you notice Jesus is pointing his listeners

442
00:20:21,100 --> 00:20:24,380
to the same truths that Solomon was speaking of?

443
00:20:24,380 --> 00:20:28,300
In verse 7, you have this meaningless repetition

444
00:20:28,300 --> 00:20:29,180
and these many words.

445
00:20:29,180 --> 00:20:31,140
And Solomon said, don't be hasty.

446
00:20:31,140 --> 00:20:32,460
Don't be impulsive.

447
00:20:32,460 --> 00:20:35,500
And he even said, let your words be few.

448
00:20:35,500 --> 00:20:38,780
And then in verse 9 here in Matthew 6, our Father in heaven.

449
00:20:38,780 --> 00:20:41,540
And then what do you see in Ecclesiastes 5, 2?

450
00:20:41,540 --> 00:20:44,180
God who is in heaven.

451
00:20:44,180 --> 00:20:45,340
The comparison is clear.

452
00:20:45,340 --> 00:20:46,800
There are more, but I want to focus

453
00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:48,380
on what Solomon is teaching.

454
00:20:48,380 --> 00:20:53,380
He's teaching us to take the right posture before God.

455
00:20:53,380 --> 00:20:56,840
Now, in taking a right posture before authority in general,

456
00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,260
we have a lot of good examples in scripture.

457
00:20:59,260 --> 00:21:01,060
You think of Esther and Mordecai,

458
00:21:01,060 --> 00:21:04,020
who chose their words very carefully to the king.

459
00:21:04,020 --> 00:21:06,220
You think of Daniel and his friends as Jeff,

460
00:21:06,220 --> 00:21:07,980
like to call them Shadrach, Meshach, and Benny.

461
00:21:07,980 --> 00:21:09,480
Shadrach?

462
00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:10,340
Rakhshach and Benny.

463
00:21:10,340 --> 00:21:10,820
There we go.

464
00:21:10,820 --> 00:21:11,940
I knew I'd get it wrong.

465
00:21:11,940 --> 00:21:13,740
I didn't write it down.

466
00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:15,780
Purposefully disobeying their rulers,

467
00:21:15,780 --> 00:21:17,500
but using their words wisely.

468
00:21:17,500 --> 00:21:19,660
Or how about Nehemiah, who carefully

469
00:21:19,660 --> 00:21:22,220
requests a privilege from the king.

470
00:21:22,220 --> 00:21:24,860
And he gets granted and his role is cut bare.

471
00:21:24,860 --> 00:21:30,500
Now, if humans respond in such a way to human rulers,

472
00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:33,580
human people, human rulers, how much

473
00:21:33,580 --> 00:21:38,260
more should we approach the ruler of all the rulers?

474
00:21:38,260 --> 00:21:42,940
The king over all the kings.

475
00:21:42,940 --> 00:21:46,060
And I think in our day and age, we need that reminder.

476
00:21:46,060 --> 00:21:49,340
There are some wild mottos out there today.

477
00:21:49,340 --> 00:21:51,100
Jesus is my homeboy.

478
00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:52,460
You've heard that one.

479
00:21:52,460 --> 00:21:54,580
I'm going to pick on it.

480
00:21:54,580 --> 00:21:56,380
I'll pick on another one.

481
00:21:56,380 --> 00:21:59,340
This thought that, hey, God is strong enough

482
00:21:59,340 --> 00:22:00,700
for all of your criticisms.

483
00:22:00,700 --> 00:22:02,980
God is strong enough for all of your anger.

484
00:22:02,980 --> 00:22:05,940
Just let it out.

485
00:22:05,940 --> 00:22:08,540
Now, here's my issue in this.

486
00:22:08,540 --> 00:22:10,300
In such a thing like that, we take

487
00:22:10,300 --> 00:22:15,500
a posture that makes it seem like God owes us something.

488
00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:16,860
There is a place for lament.

489
00:22:16,860 --> 00:22:17,820
Don't get me wrong.

490
00:22:17,820 --> 00:22:19,180
There is a place for crying out.

491
00:22:19,180 --> 00:22:21,060
There's a place for supplication.

492
00:22:21,060 --> 00:22:23,180
There's a place for appeals.

493
00:22:23,180 --> 00:22:25,700
But always with humility.

494
00:22:25,700 --> 00:22:26,820
Always.

495
00:22:26,820 --> 00:22:29,940
We should not be so cavalier with our words.

496
00:22:29,940 --> 00:22:32,740
So Solomon says, let your words be few.

497
00:22:32,740 --> 00:22:34,700
Be reverent in your approach to God.

498
00:22:34,700 --> 00:22:36,060
Why?

499
00:22:36,060 --> 00:22:38,460
Because he is in heaven.

500
00:22:38,460 --> 00:22:39,980
He sits enthroned above.

501
00:22:39,980 --> 00:22:41,380
And you?

502
00:22:41,380 --> 00:22:42,660
You and I?

503
00:22:42,660 --> 00:22:44,380
We're just creatures.

504
00:22:44,380 --> 00:22:46,620
We are not the creator.

505
00:22:46,620 --> 00:22:48,620
Solomon's rationale for the worshiper is this.

506
00:22:48,620 --> 00:22:50,820
He says, remember your station.

507
00:22:50,820 --> 00:22:53,020
Be reverent in your worship.

508
00:22:53,020 --> 00:22:55,500
Focus more on listening and obeying

509
00:22:55,500 --> 00:22:57,940
than making brash and hasty statements.

510
00:22:57,940 --> 00:22:59,860
Learn from the Almighty through his word

511
00:22:59,860 --> 00:23:05,460
and choose your words carefully with him.

512
00:23:05,460 --> 00:23:08,660
In Ecclesiastes 5, verse 3, Solomon

513
00:23:08,660 --> 00:23:11,100
makes a statement that has puzzled scholars for centuries.

514
00:23:11,100 --> 00:23:11,660
Still does.

515
00:23:11,660 --> 00:23:12,940
It's a very troublesome passage.

516
00:23:12,940 --> 00:23:14,660
And I'm no closer to understanding it

517
00:23:14,660 --> 00:23:15,380
than anyone else.

518
00:23:15,380 --> 00:23:19,340
But I think we have enough context clues to understand

519
00:23:19,340 --> 00:23:21,220
what verse 3 means.

520
00:23:21,220 --> 00:23:25,820
Of the difficulty in verse 3 is that this word dream

521
00:23:25,820 --> 00:23:28,660
and then this phrase abundant endeavor or much business

522
00:23:28,660 --> 00:23:31,380
and effort, those things are not clear.

523
00:23:31,380 --> 00:23:35,100
They're not clear concepts in the text on its own.

524
00:23:35,100 --> 00:23:38,460
But we have to remember the poetic nature of wisdom

525
00:23:38,460 --> 00:23:39,020
literature.

526
00:23:39,020 --> 00:23:41,180
We need to bear in mind all those normative principles

527
00:23:41,180 --> 00:23:42,580
that we laid out on the front end,

528
00:23:42,580 --> 00:23:45,540
a biblical interpretation of wisdom literature.

529
00:23:45,540 --> 00:23:48,780
And that involves context and theme as well.

530
00:23:48,780 --> 00:23:50,860
So we're going to look at synonymous parallelism.

531
00:23:50,860 --> 00:23:51,980
I said we're not going to do a lot.

532
00:23:51,980 --> 00:23:53,860
This is like the one nerdy thing we're going to do for you.

533
00:23:53,860 --> 00:23:54,460
OK?

534
00:23:54,460 --> 00:23:55,740
And you're just going to see, I just

535
00:23:55,740 --> 00:23:58,020
delineated it real briefly to show you a comparison so

536
00:23:58,020 --> 00:24:00,540
that we can understand this portion better.

537
00:24:00,540 --> 00:24:02,820
The two concepts are on the top and the bottom.

538
00:24:02,820 --> 00:24:05,260
I gave you some of the grammar in the middle.

539
00:24:05,260 --> 00:24:07,300
But there's this dream that happens

540
00:24:07,300 --> 00:24:12,460
through abundant endeavor compared with the fool's voice

541
00:24:12,460 --> 00:24:15,220
through abundant words.

542
00:24:15,220 --> 00:24:17,820
That's the flow that you see there.

543
00:24:17,820 --> 00:24:22,060
This is a sorry, synonymous parallelism.

544
00:24:22,060 --> 00:24:24,340
There's too many parallelisms I had in my brain.

545
00:24:24,340 --> 00:24:25,700
Synonymous parallelism.

546
00:24:25,700 --> 00:24:26,980
So you have a comparison.

547
00:24:26,980 --> 00:24:29,780
Dream is in a negative context because a fool's voice

548
00:24:29,780 --> 00:24:31,220
is in a negative context.

549
00:24:31,220 --> 00:24:33,180
It's not a contrastive statement where

550
00:24:33,180 --> 00:24:34,700
one is better than the other.

551
00:24:34,700 --> 00:24:36,580
This is a similarity here.

552
00:24:36,580 --> 00:24:38,620
So the dream is not good.

553
00:24:38,620 --> 00:24:40,420
The dream in question is not a good thing.

554
00:24:40,420 --> 00:24:41,820
It's not a prophetic dream.

555
00:24:41,820 --> 00:24:44,060
It's not a good thing from God.

556
00:24:44,060 --> 00:24:45,460
This is something that you should not

557
00:24:45,460 --> 00:24:50,180
desire, something that is created in the mind of men.

558
00:24:50,180 --> 00:24:51,620
We're going to come back to that.

559
00:24:51,620 --> 00:24:53,820
So how do the dream and the fool's voice,

560
00:24:53,820 --> 00:24:55,740
that one's more obvious, come about?

561
00:24:55,740 --> 00:24:59,860
Well, each comes about through an abundance of something.

562
00:24:59,860 --> 00:25:02,940
Now, that word abundant or many is repeated on purpose

563
00:25:02,940 --> 00:25:04,900
to make this comparison.

564
00:25:04,900 --> 00:25:08,580
So those negative things, the dreams and the fool's voice,

565
00:25:08,580 --> 00:25:12,580
they happen after something, after a lot of something,

566
00:25:12,580 --> 00:25:13,340
actually.

567
00:25:13,340 --> 00:25:15,420
So what are those abundant things

568
00:25:15,420 --> 00:25:18,740
that bring about each negative connotation?

569
00:25:18,740 --> 00:25:23,860
Now, for dreams, the abundance is an endeavor or a business,

570
00:25:23,860 --> 00:25:25,900
a specific task or job.

571
00:25:25,900 --> 00:25:28,780
And though Solomon did not provide a lot of context

572
00:25:28,780 --> 00:25:32,500
right there, I think the whole letter provides the context

573
00:25:32,500 --> 00:25:33,180
that we need.

574
00:25:33,180 --> 00:25:36,540
Just take a look at these verses right out of Ecclesiastes.

575
00:25:36,540 --> 00:25:39,500
In chapter 1, in chapter 2, in chapter 3, in chapter 4,

576
00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:42,940
Solomon describes this endeavor given to the sons of men.

577
00:25:42,940 --> 00:25:45,780
Grievous work, he says.

578
00:25:45,780 --> 00:25:48,100
He repeats the same thing in chapter 2,

579
00:25:48,100 --> 00:25:51,820
that man's endeavor is painful and vexing.

580
00:25:51,820 --> 00:25:54,620
He mentions the same in chapter 3 and chapter 4.

581
00:25:54,620 --> 00:25:57,460
So in this context, in chapter 5,

582
00:25:57,460 --> 00:26:00,220
this is what I think Solomon is saying.

583
00:26:00,220 --> 00:26:04,380
Dreams, specifically the kind of day dreams,

584
00:26:04,380 --> 00:26:08,820
the false realities that we hope for in our vapid moments,

585
00:26:08,820 --> 00:26:12,940
they're brought about because we get distracted in all

586
00:26:12,940 --> 00:26:16,460
of our chasing of soap bubbles.

587
00:26:16,460 --> 00:26:18,580
We escape our reality.

588
00:26:18,580 --> 00:26:20,460
We enter into this foolish pattern

589
00:26:20,460 --> 00:26:23,340
of hoping for things that God has not promised.

590
00:26:23,340 --> 00:26:25,100
We believe that we can be the authors

591
00:26:25,100 --> 00:26:27,300
of our own circumstances.

592
00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:30,620
And we make plans to do what we want to do,

593
00:26:30,620 --> 00:26:34,860
not necessarily what God wants us to do.

594
00:26:34,860 --> 00:26:37,580
James gives us a caution about this.

595
00:26:37,580 --> 00:26:40,060
In James chapter 4, he says, come now,

596
00:26:40,060 --> 00:26:42,540
you who say today or tomorrow will go to such and such

597
00:26:42,540 --> 00:26:45,140
a city and spend a year there and engage in business

598
00:26:45,140 --> 00:26:47,900
or endeavor and make a profit.

599
00:26:47,900 --> 00:26:51,620
Yet you don't know what your life will be like tomorrow.

600
00:26:51,620 --> 00:26:55,180
You are a vapor that appears for a little while

601
00:26:55,180 --> 00:26:57,060
and then vanishes away.

602
00:26:57,060 --> 00:27:00,620
And instead, you want to say, if the Lord wills,

603
00:27:00,620 --> 00:27:02,620
we will live and also do this or that.

604
00:27:02,620 --> 00:27:05,820
But as it is, you boast in your arrogance.

605
00:27:05,820 --> 00:27:08,820
And all such boasting is evil.

606
00:27:08,820 --> 00:27:13,420
I hope you see the comparison with Solomon's wisdom here.

607
00:27:13,420 --> 00:27:17,660
In busying ourselves, in chasing soap bubbles,

608
00:27:17,660 --> 00:27:20,180
we dream of foolish things, things that

609
00:27:20,180 --> 00:27:23,060
don't lead us to worship God.

610
00:27:23,060 --> 00:27:26,180
Now, the fool's voice, this one is easier to understand.

611
00:27:26,180 --> 00:27:27,740
There's just a few proverbs I'm going

612
00:27:27,740 --> 00:27:28,740
to put on the screen for you.

613
00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:30,700
You can take a picture if you want to remember,

614
00:27:30,700 --> 00:27:32,500
write down the references.

615
00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:34,900
But constantly, God's word speaks

616
00:27:34,900 --> 00:27:38,860
about the abundant words and the fool going hand in hand.

617
00:27:38,860 --> 00:27:42,980
The mouth of fools pours out folly, gushes forward.

618
00:27:42,980 --> 00:27:46,740
The heart of fools proclaims, yells it out of folly.

619
00:27:46,740 --> 00:27:50,620
A fool spreads out folly just indiscriminately.

620
00:27:50,620 --> 00:27:54,980
The mouth of the wicked pours forth evil things.

621
00:27:54,980 --> 00:27:57,940
Do you see the pattern of the fool?

622
00:27:57,940 --> 00:28:01,540
Literally, the evil things, the evil words, all of those things

623
00:28:01,540 --> 00:28:04,740
just gush from the mouth of the fool.

624
00:28:04,740 --> 00:28:09,140
The fool is seen in his abundant words.

625
00:28:09,140 --> 00:28:11,700
So we contrast the fool with the wise man.

626
00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:14,020
There is encouragement for how to be wise.

627
00:28:14,020 --> 00:28:17,020
Proverbs 10, when there are many words, transgression

628
00:28:17,020 --> 00:28:18,060
is unavoidable.

629
00:28:18,060 --> 00:28:22,580
But he who holds back his lips has insight.

630
00:28:22,580 --> 00:28:25,620
He who has a cool spirit is a man of discernment.

631
00:28:25,620 --> 00:28:30,260
He who holds back his words has knowledge.

632
00:28:30,260 --> 00:28:32,820
I love Proverbs 18, 21 here because it reminds us

633
00:28:32,820 --> 00:28:34,020
of how powerful words are.

634
00:28:34,020 --> 00:28:39,020
Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

635
00:28:39,020 --> 00:28:44,300
Now wisdom, contrasted with folly, seeks to live carefully.

636
00:28:44,300 --> 00:28:46,260
To use the mouth or to use the tongue,

637
00:28:46,260 --> 00:28:50,020
to use words to give life.

638
00:28:50,020 --> 00:28:52,260
So Ecclesiastes 3 is highlighting

639
00:28:52,260 --> 00:28:57,380
this abundant busyness, these abundant words that people use.

640
00:28:57,380 --> 00:29:00,620
And they just show their folly on display

641
00:29:00,620 --> 00:29:03,060
with all the things they busy themselves with

642
00:29:03,060 --> 00:29:06,140
and all the words that they surround themselves with.

643
00:29:06,140 --> 00:29:07,460
And it's seen.

644
00:29:07,460 --> 00:29:09,820
It's obvious.

645
00:29:09,820 --> 00:29:12,620
Now when a person has much to say to God,

646
00:29:12,620 --> 00:29:16,380
it's likely that they've heard little from God.

647
00:29:16,380 --> 00:29:19,460
Think about that.

648
00:29:19,460 --> 00:29:21,660
Even if they think their dreams for the future

649
00:29:21,660 --> 00:29:25,020
involve honoring him in some way,

650
00:29:25,020 --> 00:29:27,740
the reality is that many professing believers

651
00:29:27,740 --> 00:29:30,140
give their dreams to God, and they expect

652
00:29:30,140 --> 00:29:33,900
him to fulfill their plans.

653
00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:38,540
They often explain to God why their thoughts are so good,

654
00:29:38,540 --> 00:29:41,540
and they don't focus on listening to him at his word

655
00:29:41,540 --> 00:29:45,460
and seeking to obey him.

656
00:29:45,460 --> 00:29:48,740
Now the next section here, verses 4 through 7,

657
00:29:48,740 --> 00:29:52,140
they really need to be taken as a whole unit of thought

658
00:29:52,140 --> 00:29:54,620
because there's a consistency of concepts here.

659
00:29:54,620 --> 00:29:55,900
So we're going to dig in.

660
00:29:55,900 --> 00:29:57,460
But you see it up on the screen.

661
00:29:57,460 --> 00:30:01,180
We're going to highlight the first theme, vows.

662
00:30:01,180 --> 00:30:01,660
Vows.

663
00:30:01,660 --> 00:30:03,180
So what's a vow?

664
00:30:03,180 --> 00:30:06,220
And do believers still make vows today?

665
00:30:06,220 --> 00:30:08,140
Now first, a vow on the day of Solomon

666
00:30:08,140 --> 00:30:10,980
during the days of the temple, it wasn't uncommon.

667
00:30:10,980 --> 00:30:12,620
In fact, the idea of a vow actually

668
00:30:12,620 --> 00:30:15,580
goes back to Israelite worship in the days of Moses.

669
00:30:15,580 --> 00:30:19,260
In Deuteronomy 23, Moses taught God's people the same thing

670
00:30:19,260 --> 00:30:20,300
that Solomon says here.

671
00:30:20,300 --> 00:30:21,740
Look at the similarities.

672
00:30:21,740 --> 00:30:23,260
I put it on the screen for you.

673
00:30:23,260 --> 00:30:25,900
The similarities with Deuteronomy 23 on the left

674
00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:27,980
and Ecclesiastes 5 on the right.

675
00:30:27,980 --> 00:30:30,060
When you make a vow to Yahweh your God,

676
00:30:30,060 --> 00:30:31,300
you shall not delay to pay it.

677
00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:34,820
That's not exactly what Solomon said.

678
00:30:34,820 --> 00:30:36,900
If you refrain from vowing, it will not be a sin.

679
00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:38,100
Isn't that what Solomon said?

680
00:30:38,100 --> 00:30:41,380
It's better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

681
00:30:41,380 --> 00:30:45,300
You shall be careful to do what goes out from your lips.

682
00:30:45,300 --> 00:30:46,420
Same.

683
00:30:46,420 --> 00:30:47,700
Same encouragement.

684
00:30:47,700 --> 00:30:49,820
This is not a new concept in Solomon's day.

685
00:30:49,820 --> 00:30:51,940
This is consistent for God's people.

686
00:30:51,940 --> 00:30:53,860
They need this reminder.

687
00:30:53,860 --> 00:30:55,660
What would be another good example of a vow?

688
00:30:55,660 --> 00:30:58,860
How many of you are familiar with Judges chapter 11?

689
00:30:58,860 --> 00:31:00,780
Now don't say it because you open your mouth,

690
00:31:00,780 --> 00:31:01,860
you might be a fool, right?

691
00:31:01,860 --> 00:31:04,060
Just test there for the joke.

692
00:31:04,060 --> 00:31:06,340
Judges 11, Jephthah.

693
00:31:06,340 --> 00:31:07,540
You remember him?

694
00:31:07,540 --> 00:31:11,180
He vowed to God that if God would give him a victory

695
00:31:11,180 --> 00:31:14,420
against the sons of Ammon, that he would sacrifice

696
00:31:14,420 --> 00:31:18,620
whatever and really whoever came out of his home

697
00:31:18,620 --> 00:31:21,900
to meet him in his return from battle.

698
00:31:23,180 --> 00:31:25,020
Some of you know the story.

699
00:31:25,020 --> 00:31:27,340
The first thing to come out of his house

700
00:31:27,340 --> 00:31:32,340
after God gave him victory was his one and only child,

701
00:31:33,820 --> 00:31:38,820
his daughter, and he had to sacrifice her to not disobey.

702
00:31:41,020 --> 00:31:44,820
Now this daughter had great faith to willingly follow

703
00:31:44,820 --> 00:31:49,580
through with her father's vow, but what a tragic outcome.

704
00:31:49,580 --> 00:31:52,740
Jephthah opened his mouth with hasty words

705
00:31:52,740 --> 00:31:53,900
and look at the consequence.

706
00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:57,540
God did not demand the life of his daughter.

707
00:31:57,540 --> 00:31:59,580
It was Jephthah's carelessness

708
00:31:59,580 --> 00:32:03,020
that brought about his daughter's demise.

709
00:32:03,020 --> 00:32:06,180
Don't let unbelievers try to twist God's word there.

710
00:32:07,140 --> 00:32:08,460
Now I think this is a great example

711
00:32:08,460 --> 00:32:09,900
of being careful with what you vow

712
00:32:09,900 --> 00:32:13,340
because that same word is used in Hebrew in Judges 11

713
00:32:13,340 --> 00:32:15,620
as it is here in Ecclesiastes 5,

714
00:32:15,620 --> 00:32:17,140
but you may say, well, I don't make vows,

715
00:32:17,140 --> 00:32:19,740
you know, apart from the wedding people, right?

716
00:32:19,740 --> 00:32:21,500
I don't make vows.

717
00:32:21,500 --> 00:32:25,100
Well, maybe, I've heard a lot of professing believers though,

718
00:32:25,100 --> 00:32:26,900
more than I care to mention,

719
00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:30,420
say they've done an if-then promise with God.

720
00:32:31,500 --> 00:32:34,700
God, if you get me into the school or program I've wanted,

721
00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:37,100
I'll serve you, I'll honor you with everything.

722
00:32:38,220 --> 00:32:40,180
God, if you let me marry this person,

723
00:32:40,180 --> 00:32:41,500
I promise we'll serve you.

724
00:32:43,620 --> 00:32:46,460
God, if you let me have that dream job with all the perks,

725
00:32:46,460 --> 00:32:47,860
I'll give more to the church.

726
00:32:47,860 --> 00:32:51,180
God, if you rescue me from this really difficult situation,

727
00:32:51,180 --> 00:32:52,780
I promise I'll do better next time.

728
00:32:54,540 --> 00:32:56,620
God, if you give me what I want,

729
00:32:56,620 --> 00:32:59,900
I'll do what you want me to do and live faithfully.

730
00:33:01,900 --> 00:33:03,460
Do you hear the wickedness?

731
00:33:04,460 --> 00:33:06,700
Do you hear the wickedness and promises like that?

732
00:33:07,580 --> 00:33:10,580
Those vows, they focus on what someone wants,

733
00:33:10,580 --> 00:33:12,100
not what pleases God.

734
00:33:13,060 --> 00:33:15,820
And that's often the basis of such vows.

735
00:33:15,820 --> 00:33:18,620
Not every vow would be blatantly selfish.

736
00:33:18,620 --> 00:33:21,340
You think about Jephthah, though his words were hasty,

737
00:33:21,340 --> 00:33:24,060
his intent was for the protection of others as well.

738
00:33:24,060 --> 00:33:26,020
There was a decent element to it,

739
00:33:26,020 --> 00:33:28,220
but he used his vow poorly.

740
00:33:28,220 --> 00:33:30,140
Now, so much of the time, people make vows,

741
00:33:30,140 --> 00:33:34,140
they make these promises that they never intend to keep.

742
00:33:35,340 --> 00:33:37,420
That intense moment passes away

743
00:33:37,420 --> 00:33:40,180
and they never give God a second thought.

744
00:33:40,180 --> 00:33:43,740
As we heard last week, every time a mouth is open,

745
00:33:43,740 --> 00:33:46,420
a heart is on display.

746
00:33:47,780 --> 00:33:50,900
And that's why Ecclesiastes 5 and Deuteronomy 23

747
00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:54,900
caution the listener against hasty vows with God.

748
00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:58,580
Now, have you thought about the nature of a vow even?

749
00:33:58,580 --> 00:34:00,580
I mean, seriously, think about it.

750
00:34:00,580 --> 00:34:04,380
Why would someone need to make an extra serious statement

751
00:34:05,540 --> 00:34:07,060
to make a promise, to make a vow?

752
00:34:07,060 --> 00:34:11,060
The only reason would be that we don't tell the truth.

753
00:34:11,060 --> 00:34:14,420
We're not trustworthy, therefore we need a special term

754
00:34:14,420 --> 00:34:16,300
for when we actually mean it.

755
00:34:17,180 --> 00:34:18,020
Wow.

756
00:34:19,420 --> 00:34:21,820
So we emphasize when we're telling the truth.

757
00:34:21,820 --> 00:34:25,100
This is gonna hurt some of you just for how we talk.

758
00:34:25,100 --> 00:34:27,460
I'm not saying it's always sin, but it's how we talk.

759
00:34:27,460 --> 00:34:29,660
Honestly, I'm telling you the truth right now.

760
00:34:31,820 --> 00:34:33,900
Shouldn't you always tell the truth?

761
00:34:33,900 --> 00:34:34,860
Why are you pointing it out now?

762
00:34:34,860 --> 00:34:36,940
Should I have not been believing the previous things

763
00:34:36,940 --> 00:34:38,260
that you said, but now I'm gonna believe you

764
00:34:38,260 --> 00:34:39,580
because you're honest about it?

765
00:34:39,580 --> 00:34:41,260
Should I have not been believing the previous things

766
00:34:41,260 --> 00:34:42,660
that you said, but now I'm gonna believe you

767
00:34:42,660 --> 00:34:44,700
because you're honestly telling it to me?

768
00:34:44,700 --> 00:34:45,620
How about this one?

769
00:34:45,620 --> 00:34:47,500
Well, to be totally honest,

770
00:34:47,500 --> 00:34:50,660
does that mean the other times you weren't totally honest?

771
00:34:50,660 --> 00:34:51,980
This time you really mean it.

772
00:34:51,980 --> 00:34:55,260
The other times, should I not believe you?

773
00:34:55,260 --> 00:35:00,260
I swear, I promise, hey, you young ones over here, no cap.

774
00:35:02,260 --> 00:35:03,940
You're laughing because it's true,

775
00:35:03,940 --> 00:35:05,780
because you know you do it.

776
00:35:05,780 --> 00:35:06,620
One hundred.

777
00:35:06,620 --> 00:35:07,940
Yeah, I know you don't like hearing me say it.

778
00:35:07,940 --> 00:35:08,940
I don't like saying it either,

779
00:35:08,940 --> 00:35:11,180
but these are things that people say.

780
00:35:11,180 --> 00:35:12,740
Are they not?

781
00:35:12,740 --> 00:35:16,140
These are the modern equivalents of making a promise

782
00:35:16,140 --> 00:35:20,180
or a vow saying you really mean it now,

783
00:35:20,180 --> 00:35:22,060
but what did you mean before?

784
00:35:24,100 --> 00:35:28,380
How bad is it that we frequent such sayings?

785
00:35:28,380 --> 00:35:30,980
And it's because we're untrustworthy people.

786
00:35:30,980 --> 00:35:35,980
Vows exist precisely because we don't tell the truth.

787
00:35:35,980 --> 00:35:37,580
That's why they exist.

788
00:35:37,580 --> 00:35:39,420
Now, how much worse would it be

789
00:35:39,420 --> 00:35:42,900
to preface telling a lie saying this?

790
00:35:42,900 --> 00:35:45,180
Well, I really promise, this time,

791
00:35:45,180 --> 00:35:49,180
I'm totally telling the truth when it's actually a lie.

792
00:35:50,180 --> 00:35:51,020
Is that worse?

793
00:35:52,220 --> 00:35:53,060
I think it's worse.

794
00:35:53,060 --> 00:35:55,180
I think God thinks it's worse.

795
00:35:55,180 --> 00:35:57,620
One scholar said that such vows are like wrapping up

796
00:35:57,620 --> 00:36:00,940
your untruthfulness inside a false promise

797
00:36:00,940 --> 00:36:03,260
and a pledge of truthfulness.

798
00:36:03,260 --> 00:36:05,780
You wrap it up, you put it in a bow real nicely,

799
00:36:05,780 --> 00:36:08,540
but you have no intention of keeping it.

800
00:36:10,300 --> 00:36:13,540
Now, how does such a vow look to God?

801
00:36:13,540 --> 00:36:16,060
He sits enthroned above.

802
00:36:17,420 --> 00:36:19,740
He sees our hearts.

803
00:36:19,740 --> 00:36:22,300
He sees our motives.

804
00:36:22,300 --> 00:36:24,220
He knows our intentions.

805
00:36:24,220 --> 00:36:28,140
And that is why verse five says, it is better not to vow

806
00:36:28,140 --> 00:36:31,140
than to vow and not pay it.

807
00:36:31,140 --> 00:36:34,020
Don't make promises you can't keep,

808
00:36:34,020 --> 00:36:37,620
and especially do not do that with God.

809
00:36:37,620 --> 00:36:40,260
And verse six explains the principle.

810
00:36:40,260 --> 00:36:42,540
In an abundance of words and promises,

811
00:36:42,540 --> 00:36:44,740
a person may end up sinning

812
00:36:44,740 --> 00:36:47,340
even if that wasn't their initial intention.

813
00:36:47,340 --> 00:36:51,100
I would argue, though, that not intending to sin

814
00:36:51,100 --> 00:36:52,500
is still correct.

815
00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:55,820
Not intending to sin is still quite different

816
00:36:55,820 --> 00:36:59,180
from intending to do righteousness.

817
00:36:59,180 --> 00:37:00,860
Let me say that again.

818
00:37:00,860 --> 00:37:04,860
Not intending to sin is quite different

819
00:37:04,860 --> 00:37:08,180
than intending to do righteousness.

820
00:37:09,620 --> 00:37:13,620
Now, in verse one, we were cautioned to guard our steps.

821
00:37:13,620 --> 00:37:16,420
Now, here in verses five and six,

822
00:37:16,420 --> 00:37:19,100
we're cautioned to guard our mouths.

823
00:37:20,380 --> 00:37:22,220
And the words matter here.

824
00:37:22,220 --> 00:37:24,660
And it makes reference of a messenger,

825
00:37:24,660 --> 00:37:25,700
this messenger of God.

826
00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:27,420
And here's the scenario.

827
00:37:27,420 --> 00:37:30,300
A person goes into the temple.

828
00:37:30,300 --> 00:37:31,980
They're in public.

829
00:37:31,980 --> 00:37:34,020
They make this vow to God.

830
00:37:34,020 --> 00:37:34,940
It's seen.

831
00:37:34,940 --> 00:37:35,860
Others see it.

832
00:37:35,860 --> 00:37:38,700
And they intend that God should keep his end of the deal.

833
00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:41,180
God, if you do this, then I will do this.

834
00:37:41,180 --> 00:37:42,260
And it's public.

835
00:37:42,260 --> 00:37:45,300
Now, those temple authorities who are there, they see it.

836
00:37:45,300 --> 00:37:47,980
And they send a messenger to collect what is due

837
00:37:47,980 --> 00:37:51,340
when God follows through with his end of the bargain.

838
00:37:51,340 --> 00:37:52,580
So here's an example.

839
00:37:52,580 --> 00:37:54,620
Maybe the man said something like this.

840
00:37:54,620 --> 00:37:58,860
God, I vow to give you 10% of everything that I acquire

841
00:37:58,860 --> 00:38:01,100
if you give me favor in my next business deal.

842
00:38:02,180 --> 00:38:05,540
And you think, okay, giving more money to the temple,

843
00:38:05,540 --> 00:38:08,780
more money to God's ministry, amen.

844
00:38:08,780 --> 00:38:11,460
So the temple authorities, when they hear that that man

845
00:38:11,460 --> 00:38:13,980
has indeed made quite a sum of money

846
00:38:13,980 --> 00:38:15,540
off his latest business deal,

847
00:38:15,540 --> 00:38:18,380
meaning that God was honorable, God honored his end,

848
00:38:18,380 --> 00:38:21,700
then this man now owes his 10%, correct?

849
00:38:21,700 --> 00:38:24,420
Just like Jephthah owed his daughter.

850
00:38:26,340 --> 00:38:28,220
Solomon says that in such a moment,

851
00:38:28,220 --> 00:38:31,700
when that collection is due, don't say it was a mistake.

852
00:38:33,140 --> 00:38:36,860
Don't say, I meant to say 5%.

853
00:38:36,860 --> 00:38:38,100
Don't say, well, you know,

854
00:38:38,100 --> 00:38:40,060
I meant to give God what he's due

855
00:38:40,060 --> 00:38:41,340
after I earned some interest.

856
00:38:41,340 --> 00:38:42,340
Let me earn some interest first.

857
00:38:42,340 --> 00:38:43,820
Then I'll give him the 10.

858
00:38:43,820 --> 00:38:45,860
Don't say, well, actually, it'd be better.

859
00:38:45,860 --> 00:38:48,020
It would be better if I gave God 10% of my next deal

860
00:38:48,020 --> 00:38:50,660
because that one's gonna be even bigger than this last one.

861
00:38:50,660 --> 00:38:52,940
So let's go to that next one.

862
00:38:52,940 --> 00:38:56,980
No, the word for mistake here, it's very harsh.

863
00:38:56,980 --> 00:38:58,500
You know, Jephthah didn't say it was a mistake,

864
00:38:58,500 --> 00:39:03,060
painful as it was, painful as his vow was.

865
00:39:03,060 --> 00:39:06,380
This word for mistake that you see here in the text,

866
00:39:06,380 --> 00:39:08,900
it hearkens back to Leviticus 2 and Numbers 15.

867
00:39:08,900 --> 00:39:11,140
I'm not gonna go through the passages, too much there,

868
00:39:11,140 --> 00:39:16,140
but it speaks about an unintentional sin, unintentional,

869
00:39:16,140 --> 00:39:19,460
something done without a purpose of disobedience.

870
00:39:19,460 --> 00:39:22,820
It's still sin, but you didn't try to do it.

871
00:39:22,820 --> 00:39:25,460
And Solomon says, don't say it was that.

872
00:39:27,260 --> 00:39:30,900
Solomon says, if you fail to pay your vow,

873
00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:34,380
do not say that it was unintentional.

874
00:39:34,380 --> 00:39:36,620
Don't tell God that you made a mistake.

875
00:39:36,620 --> 00:39:39,940
Don't say it was a misunderstanding.

876
00:39:39,940 --> 00:39:42,940
In fact, Numbers 15 gives this contrast.

877
00:39:42,940 --> 00:39:45,580
Their first is described as an unintentional sin

878
00:39:45,580 --> 00:39:50,580
and the second is this high-handed sin of rebellion,

879
00:39:51,020 --> 00:39:55,260
egregious, blatant, arrogant disobedience to God.

880
00:39:55,260 --> 00:39:58,180
High-handed sin that's seen in the fallen angel,

881
00:39:58,180 --> 00:40:01,780
in the serpent, and in all of his dominion.

882
00:40:02,780 --> 00:40:06,860
Such high-handed sin is even in reference in Deuteronomy 17.

883
00:40:06,860 --> 00:40:09,380
God is instructing Moses that any man

884
00:40:09,380 --> 00:40:11,460
who doesn't listen to the priest,

885
00:40:11,460 --> 00:40:13,900
who's ministering on behalf of God, shall die.

886
00:40:13,900 --> 00:40:15,500
Take a look, this is what God's word says.

887
00:40:15,500 --> 00:40:17,460
The man who acts presumptuously

888
00:40:17,460 --> 00:40:19,780
by not listening to the priest who stands there

889
00:40:19,780 --> 00:40:21,980
to minister to Yahweh your God or to the judge,

890
00:40:21,980 --> 00:40:24,380
that man shall die.

891
00:40:24,380 --> 00:40:27,700
Thus you shall purge the evil from Israel

892
00:40:27,700 --> 00:40:29,700
and all the people will hear and be afraid

893
00:40:29,700 --> 00:40:33,220
and will not act presumptuously again.

894
00:40:33,220 --> 00:40:35,260
For this one here, the Christian nationalist

895
00:40:35,260 --> 00:40:36,900
has a lot to think about

896
00:40:36,900 --> 00:40:39,180
if they wanna usher in this again.

897
00:40:39,180 --> 00:40:41,820
I mean, could you imagine if you had to listen to Jeff

898
00:40:41,820 --> 00:40:46,220
or myself or any other elder here or you deserve death?

899
00:40:46,220 --> 00:40:49,100
We're not advocating that, let me be very clear.

900
00:40:49,100 --> 00:40:50,680
Would that be wild?

901
00:40:51,780 --> 00:40:54,860
If you didn't listen, then you would deserve death.

902
00:40:54,860 --> 00:40:58,060
That's what God said in Deuteronomy 17.

903
00:40:58,060 --> 00:41:00,700
Now he's not saying listen to the man.

904
00:41:00,700 --> 00:41:03,660
He's not putting the authority in the hands of the priest.

905
00:41:03,660 --> 00:41:06,500
He's saying this is my authority

906
00:41:06,500 --> 00:41:10,660
and the priest and the people will carry out my ways

907
00:41:10,660 --> 00:41:15,660
and my intent to purge the evil presumptuous arrogant man.

908
00:41:18,540 --> 00:41:19,980
And that's what anger is God.

909
00:41:22,420 --> 00:41:24,220
Think about this.

910
00:41:24,220 --> 00:41:26,540
People who say that they're close to him,

911
00:41:27,620 --> 00:41:31,780
who want to follow him and yet give him half their ear,

912
00:41:33,100 --> 00:41:37,820
half their attention, that is more high-handed

913
00:41:37,820 --> 00:41:41,460
and arrogant than those who say I don't know God.

914
00:41:44,940 --> 00:41:47,540
People who speak well enough of him,

915
00:41:47,540 --> 00:41:49,960
but when it comes to giving him wholehearted worship,

916
00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:53,140
they deride even faithful people as fanatics

917
00:41:53,140 --> 00:41:54,820
or too intense.

918
00:41:54,820 --> 00:41:57,420
They make excuses for not serving the king.

919
00:41:57,420 --> 00:42:00,740
They always have something that took away from honoring,

920
00:42:00,740 --> 00:42:02,300
took them away from honoring God

921
00:42:02,300 --> 00:42:05,180
and they will always excuse their lack of faithfulness

922
00:42:05,180 --> 00:42:10,180
as a simple mistake, an unintentional sin.

923
00:42:11,500 --> 00:42:13,460
Now Solomon learned this.

924
00:42:13,460 --> 00:42:16,060
He knows all too well about paying lip service

925
00:42:16,060 --> 00:42:16,900
to the true king.

926
00:42:16,900 --> 00:42:19,700
I just gave you this warning in Deuteronomy 17.

927
00:42:19,700 --> 00:42:21,980
If you don't listen, then you deserve to die,

928
00:42:21,980 --> 00:42:26,020
but just a couple of verses later in Deuteronomy 17,

929
00:42:26,020 --> 00:42:30,500
we have the clearest foreshadowing of Solomon's failure

930
00:42:30,500 --> 00:42:35,500
of his half-hearted and high-handed sin against God.

931
00:42:36,100 --> 00:42:39,100
And it was written well before his reign.

932
00:42:39,100 --> 00:42:40,540
Take a look.

933
00:42:40,540 --> 00:42:43,940
It says this, he shall not multiply horses for himself

934
00:42:43,940 --> 00:42:47,540
nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt

935
00:42:47,540 --> 00:42:48,580
to multiply horses.

936
00:42:48,580 --> 00:42:51,420
He shall not multiply wives for himself

937
00:42:51,420 --> 00:42:53,140
or else his heart will turn away

938
00:42:53,140 --> 00:42:56,580
nor shall he greatly increase in silver.

939
00:42:57,580 --> 00:42:59,380
Now Solomon knew it because of verse 18.

940
00:42:59,380 --> 00:43:00,940
Now it will be when he, the king,

941
00:43:00,940 --> 00:43:02,420
sits on the throne of his kingdom

942
00:43:02,420 --> 00:43:07,140
that he shall write for himself a copy of this law

943
00:43:07,140 --> 00:43:10,860
on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.

944
00:43:10,860 --> 00:43:12,020
Solomon did that.

945
00:43:13,060 --> 00:43:14,860
He wrote it with his hand.

946
00:43:15,700 --> 00:43:18,580
He knows what God's word says.

947
00:43:18,580 --> 00:43:20,660
He knows that God's word commands him

948
00:43:20,660 --> 00:43:23,300
to read this all the days of his life,

949
00:43:23,300 --> 00:43:25,980
to learn to fear Yahweh, his God,

950
00:43:25,980 --> 00:43:28,820
and to carefully guard his steps

951
00:43:28,820 --> 00:43:30,940
and observe the words of this law.

952
00:43:32,100 --> 00:43:33,540
Solomon knew it.

953
00:43:33,540 --> 00:43:35,260
He had to write it.

954
00:43:35,260 --> 00:43:39,300
Not only that, Solomon had immense wisdom from God

955
00:43:39,300 --> 00:43:42,100
and Solomon knew what God required of a king.

956
00:43:42,100 --> 00:43:44,700
He knew what God required of his people.

957
00:43:44,700 --> 00:43:47,220
But Solomon was just as guilty as we can be today

958
00:43:47,220 --> 00:43:49,900
of giving lip service to the true king.

959
00:43:51,100 --> 00:43:55,420
We can hear God's instructions and not obey him.

960
00:43:55,420 --> 00:43:58,020
We can wax eloquently about theology,

961
00:43:58,020 --> 00:44:00,740
knowing more about the study of theos

962
00:44:00,740 --> 00:44:03,580
than knowing theos or God personally.

963
00:44:05,060 --> 00:44:06,900
Let me just read to you what Solomon did.

964
00:44:06,900 --> 00:44:08,620
You see on the screen the warning.

965
00:44:08,620 --> 00:44:10,500
Let me read to you what he did.

966
00:44:10,500 --> 00:44:13,380
And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen,

967
00:44:13,380 --> 00:44:15,020
1 Kings 10 says.

968
00:44:15,020 --> 00:44:19,780
He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen.

969
00:44:21,660 --> 00:44:25,660
The king also made silver as plentiful as stones

970
00:44:25,660 --> 00:44:28,300
in Jerusalem.

971
00:44:28,300 --> 00:44:33,300
Solomon's import of horses, 1 Kings says, was from Egypt.

972
00:44:35,700 --> 00:44:38,300
And a chariot was imported from Egypt

973
00:44:38,300 --> 00:44:43,140
for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150.

974
00:44:45,340 --> 00:44:47,940
I thought he wasn't supposed to have too many horses.

975
00:44:48,940 --> 00:44:51,540
Then he amassed 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen.

976
00:44:51,540 --> 00:44:53,980
I thought he wasn't supposed to go back to Egypt.

977
00:44:53,980 --> 00:44:56,700
Where were his horses and chariots from?

978
00:44:56,700 --> 00:44:57,540
Egypt.

979
00:44:58,620 --> 00:45:00,980
I thought he wasn't supposed to amass much silver.

980
00:45:00,980 --> 00:45:04,980
He made silver as plentiful as the stones.

981
00:45:06,580 --> 00:45:08,220
How about the wives?

982
00:45:08,220 --> 00:45:10,260
He wasn't supposed to multiply wives for himself.

983
00:45:10,260 --> 00:45:13,460
You know, you know, if you grew up in the church

984
00:45:13,460 --> 00:45:15,420
that he did this.

985
00:45:15,420 --> 00:45:16,700
And why was the warning here?

986
00:45:16,700 --> 00:45:18,780
Because they would turn his heart away.

987
00:45:19,740 --> 00:45:22,180
In the very next chapter of 1 Kings, chapter 11,

988
00:45:22,180 --> 00:45:26,340
it says this, now Solomon loved many foreign women

989
00:45:26,340 --> 00:45:29,940
along with the daughter of Pharaoh, Moabite, Ammonite,

990
00:45:29,940 --> 00:45:32,100
Edomite, Sidonian and Hittite woman

991
00:45:32,980 --> 00:45:35,740
from the nations concerning which Yahweh said,

992
00:45:35,740 --> 00:45:40,020
you shall not go along with them because they will surely

993
00:45:40,020 --> 00:45:45,020
turn your heart away after other gods.

994
00:45:45,140 --> 00:45:50,140
And the scripture says, Solomon clung to these in love.

995
00:45:50,140 --> 00:45:55,140
700 wives, 300 concubines, and his wives turned

996
00:45:55,700 --> 00:45:57,540
his heart away.

997
00:45:59,900 --> 00:46:04,900
He made idols of the goddesses of Ashtoreth, Sidonians.

998
00:46:08,660 --> 00:46:12,060
Solomon did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh

999
00:46:12,060 --> 00:46:15,500
and he did not follow Yahweh God fully

1000
00:46:15,500 --> 00:46:17,620
as his father had done.

1001
00:46:17,620 --> 00:46:20,140
You see the warning in chapter 17

1002
00:46:21,460 --> 00:46:23,980
and you hear the testimony of what he did.

1003
00:46:25,300 --> 00:46:27,700
Friends, we're learning from Solomon.

1004
00:46:27,700 --> 00:46:30,140
Chapter five is a reminder.

1005
00:46:31,300 --> 00:46:33,980
Now he lived in this time when there were sacrifices

1006
00:46:33,980 --> 00:46:37,300
and vows of the temple and today, praise God,

1007
00:46:37,300 --> 00:46:39,060
we don't have that system.

1008
00:46:39,060 --> 00:46:43,020
We have such immense blessed access and atonement

1009
00:46:43,020 --> 00:46:46,180
from the one true God, the one true God.

1010
00:46:46,180 --> 00:46:51,100
The one true God, but we have the same kind of hearts

1011
00:46:51,100 --> 00:46:53,660
as in Solomon's day.

1012
00:46:53,660 --> 00:46:55,980
Solomon knew God's word and yet he gave God

1013
00:46:55,980 --> 00:46:57,380
half-hearted worship.

1014
00:46:57,380 --> 00:46:58,900
Solomon knew what he was supposed to do

1015
00:46:58,900 --> 00:47:01,820
and yet he didn't do it.

1016
00:47:01,820 --> 00:47:03,540
When Solomon wanted to build the temple,

1017
00:47:03,540 --> 00:47:05,140
do you know what God said to him?

1018
00:47:06,100 --> 00:47:08,340
In first Kings chapter six,

1019
00:47:08,340 --> 00:47:10,280
God didn't focus on the building.

1020
00:47:11,260 --> 00:47:12,620
God didn't focus there.

1021
00:47:12,620 --> 00:47:15,340
He didn't focus on the gold and the adornment.

1022
00:47:15,340 --> 00:47:16,800
He focused on Solomon.

1023
00:47:17,940 --> 00:47:19,420
He said this in first Kings six.

1024
00:47:19,420 --> 00:47:21,700
He said, if you walk in my statutes,

1025
00:47:21,700 --> 00:47:24,740
if you do my judgments and keep my commandments

1026
00:47:24,740 --> 00:47:28,860
by walking in them, guarding your steps,

1027
00:47:28,860 --> 00:47:31,720
then I will establish my word with you.

1028
00:47:32,700 --> 00:47:35,740
God encouraged the same thing in Deuteronomy 17

1029
00:47:35,740 --> 00:47:39,540
that the king needed to not turn aside one way or the other

1030
00:47:39,540 --> 00:47:40,940
away from God's commands,

1031
00:47:40,940 --> 00:47:44,420
but he needed to walk in God's ways

1032
00:47:44,420 --> 00:47:47,340
and he needs to know God's word.

1033
00:47:47,340 --> 00:47:50,500
The emphasis for God was not on the temple,

1034
00:47:50,500 --> 00:47:54,300
but on the walk, the same steps that Solomon speaks of

1035
00:47:54,300 --> 00:47:56,500
in Ecclesiastes five, verse one.

1036
00:47:56,500 --> 00:47:59,460
Guard your steps as you go to the house of God

1037
00:47:59,460 --> 00:48:03,340
and draw near to listen rather than to offer

1038
00:48:03,340 --> 00:48:07,080
the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know

1039
00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:09,100
they are doing evil.

1040
00:48:09,100 --> 00:48:11,540
The passage is on the screen again.

1041
00:48:12,380 --> 00:48:14,620
I want God's word to seep in more than the words

1042
00:48:14,620 --> 00:48:16,180
that I've shared today,

1043
00:48:17,060 --> 00:48:19,620
that you would see that Solomon learned this lesson

1044
00:48:19,620 --> 00:48:22,780
very late in life and God was faithful

1045
00:48:22,780 --> 00:48:25,340
to rip the work of his hands away.

1046
00:48:25,340 --> 00:48:27,900
God ripped it away, ripped the kingdom, the temple,

1047
00:48:27,900 --> 00:48:30,780
his reputation, everything from his hands

1048
00:48:30,780 --> 00:48:33,140
because of his high-handed rebellion,

1049
00:48:33,140 --> 00:48:35,940
his arrogance towards God.

1050
00:48:35,940 --> 00:48:40,940
He thought he had it all and so do many of us.

1051
00:48:41,660 --> 00:48:44,100
Many of us are raised with good theology

1052
00:48:44,100 --> 00:48:46,780
or you're soaking it in right now.

1053
00:48:46,780 --> 00:48:50,380
First and biblical doxology surrounded

1054
00:48:50,380 --> 00:48:51,740
by faithful orthopraxies.

1055
00:48:51,740 --> 00:48:54,140
If you don't know that, don't worry, it's not for you.

1056
00:48:55,140 --> 00:48:57,100
Yet we must be discerning.

1057
00:48:57,100 --> 00:48:58,180
We must be humble.

1058
00:48:58,180 --> 00:49:01,260
We must consider if we're truly walking in step,

1059
00:49:01,260 --> 00:49:03,100
honoring the true King.

1060
00:49:03,100 --> 00:49:04,940
We must be humble.

1061
00:49:04,940 --> 00:49:05,780
The true King.

1062
00:49:05,780 --> 00:49:09,980
We must not pay God lip service.

1063
00:49:09,980 --> 00:49:12,940
So let us heed the warning in Ecclesiastes 5.7

1064
00:49:12,940 --> 00:49:16,700
to avoid the numerous vows, the numerous dreams,

1065
00:49:16,700 --> 00:49:19,620
the vain chases that we pursue in these mortal bodies

1066
00:49:19,620 --> 00:49:22,580
and instead, let us fear God.

1067
00:49:22,580 --> 00:49:24,460
Last week, Pastor Jeff encouraged us

1068
00:49:24,460 --> 00:49:26,860
about truly fearing and worshiping God

1069
00:49:26,860 --> 00:49:30,060
and here in Ecclesiastes 5, you see a similar theme

1070
00:49:30,060 --> 00:49:33,140
expressed slightly different but the same theme.

1071
00:49:33,140 --> 00:49:36,060
In both, you have a clear exhortation, a command

1072
00:49:36,060 --> 00:49:40,340
to fear God but don't misunderstand holy fear.

1073
00:49:40,340 --> 00:49:45,340
Yes, he is God in heaven and you are a human here on earth.

1074
00:49:45,940 --> 00:49:48,500
So bow before him, yes.

1075
00:49:48,500 --> 00:49:52,260
Yes, he is the only one who can forgive your iniquities,

1076
00:49:52,260 --> 00:49:56,660
your sin, so bow before him.

1077
00:49:56,660 --> 00:50:00,980
Yes, it is he working in the believer

1078
00:50:00,980 --> 00:50:05,620
to conform them to the image of his son.

1079
00:50:05,620 --> 00:50:07,700
So bow before him.

1080
00:50:08,940 --> 00:50:12,500
Posture yourself rightly before God.

1081
00:50:12,500 --> 00:50:16,180
As a believer right now today, I don't know hearts

1082
00:50:16,180 --> 00:50:17,820
but God does, he sees every heart.

1083
00:50:17,820 --> 00:50:19,140
Here's an encouragement.

1084
00:50:19,140 --> 00:50:21,540
If you're a believer who are currently,

1085
00:50:21,540 --> 00:50:24,700
you are in a sin of high-handed and arrogant nature,

1086
00:50:24,700 --> 00:50:29,700
then start with a proper cowering before the Almighty.

1087
00:50:29,700 --> 00:50:33,300
Start there and then when you confess and repent,

1088
00:50:34,700 --> 00:50:37,060
then you can be restored.

1089
00:50:37,060 --> 00:50:39,580
Then you can ask him for help.

1090
00:50:39,580 --> 00:50:43,580
Then you can stand up and walk in his ways.

1091
00:50:45,300 --> 00:50:47,860
If you're on the other side and as a believer,

1092
00:50:47,860 --> 00:50:51,580
your sin often seems to be unintentional.

1093
00:50:51,580 --> 00:50:53,820
You're not in this high-handed rebellion.

1094
00:50:53,820 --> 00:50:58,540
You still, you bow before the king.

1095
00:50:58,540 --> 00:51:01,420
You bow before him and you still can lament

1096
00:51:01,420 --> 00:51:04,420
and should lament that you don't want to sin

1097
00:51:04,420 --> 00:51:05,780
and yet sometimes you do.

1098
00:51:06,700 --> 00:51:10,220
Sometimes you do and you cannot conquer this flesh

1099
00:51:10,220 --> 00:51:11,980
without his grace.

1100
00:51:11,980 --> 00:51:15,380
So you bow, you bow before him.

1101
00:51:15,380 --> 00:51:18,940
Either case, you think about the promises of the king.

1102
00:51:18,940 --> 00:51:20,140
You talk about us making vows.

1103
00:51:20,140 --> 00:51:23,020
We have to make vows because we don't keep our promises.

1104
00:51:23,020 --> 00:51:27,260
God says his word and he always does it.

1105
00:51:27,260 --> 00:51:29,420
We don't have to highlight when God makes a vow

1106
00:51:29,420 --> 00:51:31,700
because his word is true.

1107
00:51:31,700 --> 00:51:34,660
When he says something, it is as good as a promise,

1108
00:51:34,660 --> 00:51:36,740
as good as a pledge.

1109
00:51:36,740 --> 00:51:39,580
Not with human effort, but by his divine purpose.

1110
00:51:39,580 --> 00:51:41,460
What are some of the things he said?

1111
00:51:41,460 --> 00:51:44,740
He said that he will never leave or forsake his own.

1112
00:51:44,740 --> 00:51:46,700
He said that he will never turn away

1113
00:51:46,700 --> 00:51:51,420
those who ask for his help in humility, independence.

1114
00:51:51,420 --> 00:51:53,620
He said that he will strengthen his own.

1115
00:51:53,620 --> 00:51:55,500
He said that he will not let anything

1116
00:51:55,500 --> 00:51:58,500
separate his children from him.

1117
00:51:58,500 --> 00:52:01,020
He said that he will work out all things

1118
00:52:01,020 --> 00:52:03,140
and yes, all things means all things

1119
00:52:03,140 --> 00:52:05,660
for our good and for his glory.

1120
00:52:06,780 --> 00:52:09,700
He said that he will preserve his own for eternity

1121
00:52:09,700 --> 00:52:10,700
and he will give them rest.

1122
00:52:10,700 --> 00:52:14,180
And these are just a few of the very clear promises of God

1123
00:52:14,180 --> 00:52:16,100
according to his word.

1124
00:52:16,100 --> 00:52:19,820
So draw near to listen, draw near to learn,

1125
00:52:19,820 --> 00:52:21,700
draw near to obey.

1126
00:52:21,700 --> 00:52:25,780
That is what will evidence a proper fear,

1127
00:52:25,780 --> 00:52:28,140
a proper worship of God.

1128
00:52:29,860 --> 00:52:32,860
Now the grace in learning from Solomon is this,

1129
00:52:32,860 --> 00:52:34,140
it's never too late.

1130
00:52:35,100 --> 00:52:37,540
It's never too late.

1131
00:52:37,540 --> 00:52:39,500
Some of us needed this reminder today

1132
00:52:39,500 --> 00:52:41,380
to draw near and to listen,

1133
00:52:41,380 --> 00:52:44,900
to use our words sparingly with the Almighty

1134
00:52:44,900 --> 00:52:47,580
to worship him in spirit and in truth.

1135
00:52:48,700 --> 00:52:51,300
If I were to sum up these encouragements in this section,

1136
00:52:51,300 --> 00:52:52,660
they would be the following.

1137
00:52:54,020 --> 00:52:56,460
In response to Ecclesiastes 5, 1 through 7,

1138
00:52:56,460 --> 00:53:01,300
you can honor God by listening to his word and by obeying,

1139
00:53:01,300 --> 00:53:04,380
not just paying him lip service.

1140
00:53:04,380 --> 00:53:08,580
You can honor God by simple words with a sincere heart.

1141
00:53:08,580 --> 00:53:11,140
No flowery pretense,

1142
00:53:11,140 --> 00:53:14,900
no excuses for good intentions unfulfilled.

1143
00:53:15,740 --> 00:53:18,100
Let your words be few.

1144
00:53:18,100 --> 00:53:20,580
Let your yes be yes.

1145
00:53:20,580 --> 00:53:22,140
Let your no be no.

1146
00:53:23,020 --> 00:53:25,980
Don't over promise and under deliver with God.

1147
00:53:27,420 --> 00:53:31,420
And you can honor God by remembering to walk in his ways.

1148
00:53:31,420 --> 00:53:33,980
Statutes, commandments,

1149
00:53:33,980 --> 00:53:36,100
you can go back and read Psalm 119,

1150
00:53:36,100 --> 00:53:38,260
listen to those sermons.

1151
00:53:38,260 --> 00:53:43,260
That is the evidence of true fear and true worship of God.

1152
00:53:43,500 --> 00:53:45,260
Listen and obey.

1153
00:53:45,260 --> 00:53:48,460
Your simplicity will safeguard your sincerity

1154
00:53:48,460 --> 00:53:51,620
and fear worship God.

1155
00:53:53,180 --> 00:53:56,420
I'm gonna put some questions up on the screen

1156
00:53:56,420 --> 00:53:57,620
as has been normal.

1157
00:53:57,620 --> 00:53:58,460
Take a moment.

1158
00:53:58,460 --> 00:54:00,020
I want you to think about those questions.

1159
00:54:00,020 --> 00:54:01,580
Think about true worship.

1160
00:54:01,580 --> 00:54:05,100
Think about listening to God and obeying him at his word.

1161
00:54:05,100 --> 00:54:07,220
Think about guarding your steps

1162
00:54:07,220 --> 00:54:09,660
and letting your words be few.

1163
00:54:10,900 --> 00:54:14,220
Here's my prayer before we take a moment

1164
00:54:14,220 --> 00:54:16,940
that this would encourage you to study more,

1165
00:54:16,940 --> 00:54:20,500
to dig into his word more, to listen to him more,

1166
00:54:20,500 --> 00:54:21,620
not to people.

1167
00:54:21,620 --> 00:54:25,060
We can help maybe, but listen to his word.

1168
00:54:25,060 --> 00:54:26,220
Learn from him.

1169
00:54:26,220 --> 00:54:27,340
So take a moment.

1170
00:54:27,340 --> 00:54:30,020
If you wanna write down these questions or take a picture,

1171
00:54:30,020 --> 00:54:32,780
consider them and you can have some private time.

1172
00:54:32,780 --> 00:54:33,820
And in just a moment,

1173
00:54:33,820 --> 00:54:36,980
I'll close our time with a corporate prayer.

1174
00:54:41,860 --> 00:54:42,700
Let's pray.

1175
00:54:43,540 --> 00:54:45,060
God, we ask this morning

1176
00:54:45,060 --> 00:54:47,060
that you would help us to think rightly about

1177
00:54:47,060 --> 00:54:49,300
our own intentions.

1178
00:54:49,300 --> 00:54:53,020
Help us to consider our proclivity to over-promise

1179
00:54:53,020 --> 00:54:54,060
and to under-deliver.

1180
00:54:55,060 --> 00:54:57,260
God, convict us of wrong thinking.

1181
00:54:57,260 --> 00:54:59,940
Help us to see when we're so focused on our own business,

1182
00:54:59,940 --> 00:55:02,220
on our dreams, on our thoughts,

1183
00:55:02,220 --> 00:55:03,620
when we forget your ways.

1184
00:55:04,700 --> 00:55:07,500
God, help us to not just listen to your word,

1185
00:55:07,500 --> 00:55:09,940
but to obey you at your word.

1186
00:55:11,380 --> 00:55:13,140
And God, please encourage our hearts this morning

1187
00:55:13,140 --> 00:55:15,540
about forgiveness in Christ.

1188
00:55:15,540 --> 00:55:18,220
May you remind us that not even Solomon in all his wisdom

1189
00:55:18,220 --> 00:55:20,500
could obey you without your help.

1190
00:55:20,500 --> 00:55:23,020
So may we remember the atonement.

1191
00:55:23,020 --> 00:55:25,220
May we remember the forgiveness to be had

1192
00:55:25,220 --> 00:55:28,220
and the blessings of Jesus slain for sinners like us.

1193
00:55:29,460 --> 00:55:32,540
God, help us to remember you are alone and thrown down high.

1194
00:55:33,540 --> 00:55:36,540
So help us to look up and away from these little kingdoms

1195
00:55:36,540 --> 00:55:37,660
that we like to build.

1196
00:55:38,940 --> 00:55:42,060
And finally, God, we ask, help us to be better listeners

1197
00:55:42,060 --> 00:55:43,980
and better doers of the word.

1198
00:55:43,980 --> 00:55:47,100
Equip us to grow in the likeness of your son, Jesus,

1199
00:55:47,980 --> 00:55:49,380
through the proclamation of your word,

1200
00:55:49,380 --> 00:55:52,660
the study of your word, and by the power of your spirit.

1201
00:55:52,660 --> 00:55:54,700
We pray this in your name.

1202
00:55:54,700 --> 00:56:15,220
Amen.