#ecclesiastes5

Ecclesiastes 5:2 (NIV)

By David Guzik Keep your vows and fear God. Ecclesiastes 5:4-7: When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it;
For He has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed—
Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. a. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it: Even with an under the sun premise, it is both honorable and wise to honor God by keeping one’s word to Him. It would be better not to vow than to vow and not pay. i. “God does not take broken vows lightly. A broken vow may incur his judgment upon our endeavours. One who ‘swears to his own hurt and does not change’ pleases God (Psalm 15:4).” (Eaton) ii. A commonly overlooked and unappreciated sin among God’s people is the sin of broken vows – promising things to God and failing to live up to the vow. Those who honor God: · Will not be quick to make vows to God. · Will be serious about fulfilling vows made. · Will regard broken vows as sins to confessed and to be repented of. b. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say… that it was an error: The Preacher rightly observed that it was important for God’s people to regard their failure to keep vows as a serious matter, and that great effort should be put into keeping vows and not regarding the failure to keep them as simply an “error.” i. Say before the messenger of God that it was an error: “Hebrew draws no distinction between messenger and angel, so several interpretations are open to us here.” (Eaton) c. Fear God: Solomon counseled reverence and honor towards God, but in his under the sun perspective the value is found in the here-and-now, not unto eternity. i. “Most certainly, he that fears God need fear nothing else. Well may an upright soul say to Satan himself, I fear God; and because I fear him, l do not fear thee.” (Clarke) #Ecclesiastes5 #ServingJesusChrist #FearGod https://www.instagram.com/p/ByTvw2jlJPI/?igshid=xm3p0soto12a

The amazing gift of prayer is that we get to hear from God personally. Don't miss that opportunity by doing all the talking. #biblejournaling #ecclesiastes5

God doesn't want religious performance. He wants intimacy & submission. The ritual is irrelevant unless it ends in relationship. #biblejournaling #ecclesiastes5