5:1 Keep thy {m} foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of {n} fools: for they consider not that they do evil.(m) That is, with what affection you come to hear the word of God.(n) Meaning, of the wicked, who think to please God with common uses, and have neither faith nor repentance. read more
VARIETIES IN WORSHIP (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 ) On these verses the writer seems to muse on the relation of the unseen Being to the act of man in worship. Mindful of man’s jaunty liberalism and superstition, rash vows and wordy prayers, dreamy and unreal, because full of intruding vanities and worldly businesses, the preacher earnestly exhorts to few words and solemn steps. But even then it is the natural man only who is speaking in the exhortation, not the regenerate man, because he speaks only... read more
A Call to Reverence Ecclesiastes 5:0 The subject is now changed. Up to this time we have had Coheleth's view of life given with much graphic force and vividness. We have seen his world a mere card-house of a world, well painted and wonderfully gilded, yet cold and full of discontent, with "Vanity of vanities" written in boldest letters over its portals. Now Coheleth turns to a higher theme. Yet, though the subject has changed, there is no change in the main principle. Coheleth is still talking... read more
CONTENTS The Preacher here enters upon a view of sacred worship in the house of God. He shows that all service void of spiritual worship is vanity. This is followed with similar observations, tending to prove that whatever men place their confidence in the world, terminates in disappointment. read more
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. (2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. Perhaps Solomon had in view the situation of Moses at the bush, and of Joshua, before the captain of the Lord's host, by Jericho. Exodus 3:5 ; Joshua 5:13-15 . But keeping... read more
Few. As none can arrive at the perfect knowledge of God, they should be reserved in speaking of Him. (Worthington) --- De Deo etiam vera loqui periculosum. (Cicero, de Nat.) --- In prayer, (Calmet) we must not pretend to give him any information, like the heathens, Matthew vi. 7. (Haydock) read more
1-3 Address thyself to the worship of God, and take time to compose thyself for it. Keep thy thoughts from roving and wandering: keep thy affections from running out toward wrong objects. We should avoid vain repetitions; copious prayers are not here condemned, but those that are unmeaning. How often our wandering thoughts render attendance on Divine ordinances little better than the sacrifice of fools! Many words and hasty ones, used in prayer, show folly in the heart, low thoughts of God, and... read more
Proper Worship of God v. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, carefully watching lest it stray aside from the path leading to the Lord's Temple and such a person's heart be affected with thoughts which interfere with true devotion, and be more ready to hear, rather, "approach to hear," to listen to and to heed the Word of God, than to give the sacrifice of fools, as is done in thoughtless and hypocritical worship; for they consider not that they do evil, they do not realize... read more
C. Means for the Advancement of Earthly HappinessEcclesiastes 5:1-201. First means: Conscientious devotion in the worship of God, in prayer and vows(Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.)1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that they do evil. 2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3for... read more
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Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20
3. Exhortations on Different Vanities CHAPTER 5 1. Concerning worship and vows (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 ) 2. Concerning extortions (Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 ) 3. The vanities of wealth (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17 ) 4. The conclusion (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 ) Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 . The writer, King Solomon, seems to have been exhausted in his descriptions as to the things under the sun. He pauseth and turns to something different. He meditates on worship, that man aims to get in touch with the unseen God.... read more