Take Worship Seriously

Scripture Reading

Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 NKJV

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words. 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.

In the age in which we live God is sometimes treated with too much familiarity. God does love you, and he is your friend. However, we must never forget that God isn’t like your imaginary friend you had when you were a kid. He is the creator of the universe, and he is absolutely just and so cannot tolerate sin forever. Therefore in remembering that God is near we must not forget that he is a majestic God, high and lifted up.

Solomon knows that people tend to forget that God is great, for he cautions us to “walk prudently when you go to the house of God.” That is, you need to realize that the words you say to God matter, that God will take what you say seriously and hold you accountable for those words. He gives us three kinds of words that we need to be careful about, when we enter to worship God.

Now we must remember that the church is not a temple. God’s temple was made holy by the presence of the Lord. A church building is made holy purely by the people who attend there. Accordingly, we must first find out what Solomon meant in his own time, but when we’ve done that we have another step - figuring out how that applies to the era of the church age.

I. It’s better to listen than to offer a Fool’s Sacrifice.

Now make no mistake. Israelites were commanded to offer sacrifices. They needed to bring a sin offering when they broke the law. They needed to bring sacrifices at the major feasts, especially Passover. They had to offer a sacrifice after certain things that made them unclean, like after being healed from leprousy or after childbirth. These were not optional extras but commanded for all Israelites.

However, God had no patience for people simply going through the motions. He demanded that people come with the right attitude. Mic 6:6-8; Prov 21:27; Isa 1:10-15

Micah 6:6–8 NKJV

With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Proverbs 21:27 NKJV

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

Isaiah 1:10–15 NKJV

Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

Now coming to the temple without a sacrifice would have been a bit weird. People would have wondered what you were doing there. But if you at least prayed out loud, or made a vow, then people would understand. But coming and just listening? it just wasn’t done.

Now since there were sacrifices and procedures for coming before God when you had sinned, to come with “hands full of blood” could only be because you didn’t care about your sin, and just came to appear good to everyone else. In fact, Jesus himself ratchets up the tension by declaring that Matt 5:23-24.

Matthew 5:23–24 NKJV

Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Now, since sacrifices were commanded, offering the righteous man’s sacrifice is, of course, the best option. But if you can’t do that, then you must choose between offering the fool’s sacrifice - doing what everyone expects though you yourself don’t really take it seriously - and just coming and observing. Solomon says that if you aren’t prepared to take God’s name seriously in his house by getting right with God, then at least don’t compound your guilt by putting on a plastic face and looking more spiritual than you really are.

The fool, because they don’t take God’s holiness seriously, doesn’t realize that his sacrifice is evil because it is a mere sham. Thus, they will eventually be in for a rude and tragic shock, when they find out what God really thinks of their hypocritical behavior.

Today, we have the full revelation of God’s own son, telling us that God is great and holy. If God expected people who came into his presence in the OT to take his holiness seriously, how much more do you think that Jesus expects you to do the same? Now the temple wasn’t for perfect people - that’s why sin offerings existed. And today the church isn’t for perfect people either. Far too many people skip church because they feel unworthy, then, because they didn’t get the edification they sorely needed, they are still unspiritual, they keep staying away and before you know it they don’t go at all. No, the church is for imperfect people. But it is not for people who want to simply put on a plastic face and just want other people to think they are the perfect Christian. The church is for people who realize that to worship is to come into the presence of a holy God, and who therefore want to be truly right with one who sees their heart.

II. Do not speak rashly

Now a want to first focus on the reason Solomon declares we shouldn’t speak rashly - God is in heaven and you on earth. I don’t think that Solomon wants you to think that God is distant, far away, and uncaring. Rather, he wants you to realize that God is great and majestic, so when you speak in his presence, he’ll take your words seriously. So careless speech can get you in way more trouble than you may have thought.

Now there’s quite a few proverbs about the fact that the fool is someone who suffers from diarrhea of the mouth - he can’t stop talking. Prov 29:20; Prov 10:19. The first part of that, is a bit more obscure. the “much activity” seems to imply a burden or care, so he’s saying that you are likely to dream about what you’re bothered by, so be careful about simply running off at the mouth about what you dreamed, without thinking about it.

Proverbs 29:20 NKJV

Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 10:19 NKJV

In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

An example of someone who neglected this principle? Moses. Num 20:10; Ps 106:32-33

Numbers 20:10 NKJV

And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”

Psalm 106:32–33 NKJV

They angered Him also at the waters of strife, So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; Because they rebelled against His Spirit, So that he spoke rashly with his lips.

III. Pay your Vows Promptly.

The need to do whatever you vow to the Lord wasn’t new Deut 23:21-23.

Deuteronomy 23:21–23 NKJV

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you. But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you. That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.

Only a fool thinks he can vow and break it with no consequences. God destroys fools, so maybe don’t be one.

Solomon is imagining someone promising to give a sacrifice of some kind or to donate something to the temple, while in the temple. Since the animal is still at home, the priest sends a “messenger” over to collect the vow. If you spoke hastily, and then once you get home realize just how expensive a gift you just committed yourself to, then when the messenger gets there, you say “it was a mistake. sorry, I can’t give it.” and the messenger has to return empty handed.

Because you failed to pay your vows, you may suffer consequences - you promised a gift of some animals or some property, so don’t be surprised if some tragedy or other causes you to lose significantly more than you originally promised. God takes your vows seriously.

Jesus puts the matter even more strongly - don’t even take an oath to prove you’re telling the truth, instead, be so truthful that your word is your bond. Matt 5:33-37

Matthew 5:33–37 NKJV

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

There are many reasons to take a vow.

Solomon is imagining someone promising something to God as a declaration of worship.

Jesus points out the practice of taking an oath to prove you’re telling the truth.

Saul took a vow to get his men to keep fighting. 1 Sam 14:24

1 Samuel 14:24 NKJV

And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.

Jephthah took a vow to get God on his side. Judges 11:29-31

Judges 11:29–31 NKJV

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Thus, it’s wise to only make a vow when it involves doing something you have to do anyway. Swear to tell the truth in a courtroom - God expects you to tell the truth anyway, so you might as well. Swear an oath of office - God expects you to perform your duties responsibly anyways, so you might as well. Take marriage vows - God will hold you accountable to keep your marriage anyways, so the vow simply makes explicit what you’ve got to do anyway. So take the vow. Otherwise, it’s foolish to make a vow. don’t add to the things God expects you to do.