Ecc. 10:1-20 - The Folly of Violating True Wisdom

Intro:

We’re getting really close to wrapping up this book of the Bible that is a good summation of the overall message of the Bible!

Tonight, we’re looking at chapter 10 - “The Folly of Violating True Wisdom.”

(Read the chapter in its entirety).

So what we are looking at in this chapter is a lot of practical examples of how people don’t practice wisdom in everyday life.

Text:

V. 1 - You can have the best smelling perfume in the world, but if you mix in a few dead flies, it will quickly be the worst smelling perfume in the world!

The metaphor is this — A man respected for much wisdom and honor will quickly become known as a fool if he allows just a little foolishness to set in.

Do you think Solomon is looking back on his own experience with dallying in foolishness, even though he had been a man renowned for his wisdom?

V. 2 - I’m not sure if this is just thinking about a cultural preference to the right hand instead of the left (probably just due to the prevalence of right handedness more so than lefthandedness) … (Sorry to any southpaws!)

But there are expressions like this like “the right arm of the law” or “right hand man.”

According to Patheos.com, the words “right hand” appear 166 times in the Bible.

What Does The Right Hand Symbolize or Mean In The Bible? | Jack Wellman (patheos.com)

Bible Examples:

Isa. 41:13 “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’”

Luke 20:42-43 “Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’”

Mark 16:19 “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.”

Gen. 48:14 “Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.”

The right hand symbolizes strength, authority, power, and blessing in the Bible.

So preference for the right hand in this verse over the left signifies on the right hand a heart of wisdom and on the left a heart of foolishness.

V. 3 - Even when a fool is just walking along the way off to himself (perhaps not really interacting with anybody, but people are viewing him from afar), he still acts like a fool and everyone knows it.

Our young people need to understand that it really is (generally) pretty easy to spot a fool from a mile away.

You can spot a fool just by simple observation — How does he interact with people? How does he speak to people? What kinds of words does he use? How does he present himself? (Like a slob, or wearing things that are totally inappropriate? Or tries to be neat and well-presented?) How does he spend his time? How are his manners? Is he rude or polite? Who are his friends? What kind of music does he listen to? Does he try in school, or is he a class clown and lazy? On the sports team, does he have any try in him, or does he act like he doesn’t care? When he works, does he actually work — Does he show the virtue of diligence? Or is he a sluggard?

And we could go on and on!

The Bible says in Prov. 13:20 “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.”

V. 4 - Sometimes conflict arises between rulers and their subjects, even loyal subjects who typically get along well with their ruler.

When this conflict arises, it is important that everyone maintains a level head, especially the ones under the ruler - Why might that be important? (Respect for the ruler, and also the ruler has power to punish!)

“Do not leave your post” — Don’t just throw your hands up and quit because a little conflict came.

Conflict is to be expected any time you get two or more people together in the same room!

(I think it would bode well for the church to do whole Bible classes on a topical discussion on conflict resolution in the church!)

“For conciliation pacifies great offenses” — Jesus said “blessed are the peacemakers.”

There are ways to smooth over situations in the right way/right attitude to resolve conflict and resolve any hurt feelings and make things right again.

But what does it take?

It takes a strong dose of humility on all sides, mainly!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about all of this, it’s that PRIDE is the ENEMY of conflict resolution!

That and GOSSIP.

Read Prov. 13:10 (KJV) and Prov. 26:20-22.

V. 5 - Rulers make bad decisions sometimes.

As Solomon has lamented many times in this book, rulers sometimes oppress men.

That doesn’t make it right, but it does happen.

We can take solace in the fact that God, the ultimate Ruler, will never make a bad decision.

VS. 6 - 7 - I think Solomon is juxtaposing those who are rich and powerful (but act like base fellows) with those who have nothing and no power (but are honorable and good).

Society often glorifies and encourages foolishness …

All the while those who are humble and righteous are looked down upon.

Solomon is saying that he has seen people that SHOULD BE servants sit on horses as leaders …

While he has seen people that SHOULD BE the leaders walk on the ground as servants.

He calls these servants “princes” because their attitude, their virtue, their honor SHOULD give to THEM the position of a prince, but life doesn’t always work that way!

V. 8 - General principle - A person who tries to build a trap may become a victim of his own devising!

Haman comes to mind who (in the book of Esther) was hanged on his own gallows!

“Whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent” - Same general idea — You might “break through someone’s wall” with bad intentions to harm them, only to be bitten by a snake and die.

V. 9 - I think this is just referencing the fact of life that sometimes people get hurt on the job.

It’s sad and an unfortunate thing.

But it does happen.

Certainly wisdom would say that one needs to be careful on the job. (Isn’t that right Greg?)

V. 10 - “But wisdom brings success” may also be translated “But wisdom is a succesful advantage.”

What will the wise individual do if his axe blade is dull? Keep chopping with a dull blade and have to waste a lot of his strength? (No!)

(He will sharpen the blade!)

“Work smarter, not harder!”

V. 11 - In other words, be extremely careful when dealing with snakes! You better charm it so you don’t get bitten!

And when dealing with a “babbler” - (a fool, literally in the Heb. “a master of the tongue,” maybe a “flatterer”) …

You have to be very careful so you don’t get bitten!

V. 12 - A wise man will choose his words carefully and use them for graciousness and building people up - Eph. 4:29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

A fools lips will swallow him up ...

(His words will trap him and get him into a whole lot of trouble!)

V. 13 - From beginning to end, his speech is filled with foolishness and madness.

Have you ever been around somebody like that?

You just can’t believe a word they say? They would lie when the truth sounds better?!

Or they just talk about a bunch of nonsense all the time?

No one wants to be associated with someone like that!

It’s certainly not wise to trust them!

V. 14 - Same idea.

A fool doesn’t know when to be quiet!

He just keeps speaking and digging himself into a bigger and bigger hole!

V. 15 - I think this honestly has to do with someone who has no common sense whatsover — Maybe hasn’t had to work a day in his life!

So he gets out into the workplace and doesn’t do anything right.

He has to be babysat by the higher ups all day just to make sure he doesn’t mess something up.

Maybe he’s the guy that everybody wishes the bosses would fire but they just don’t have the heart to do it, even though it really needs to be done!

V. 16 - In other words, when the leadership is young and inexperienced, when the princes are foolish and only concerned with feasting, watch out!

V. 17 - The land does well when it’s leadership exercises wisdom and knows the proper time and place for feasting.

V. 18 - We’ve all seen examples of dilapidated abandoned buildings that fell into disrepair because of their abandoment.

At the root of the problem is laziness.

Too much leisure, not enough work — “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop.”

What happens when the dilapidated house is the local congregation of the LORD’s house?

V. 19 - Many, many things in life come back to money.

Money (the love of it, specifically) can be found at the root of much corruption in life.

And money and what it can buy (i.e. the feasts in these verses) has much influence.

V. 20 - In other words, news travels fast!

“A little birdie told me ...” — This verse is where we get that expression!

Sometimes we say that people tend to “parrot” things they hear.

People repeat things they hear through gossip, just like parrots!

So we better be careful to watch what we say!

Conclusion:

We have looked at some practical examples of wisdom and lack thereof in this lesson.

Next time, we will look at chapter 11 - “Sowing unto righteousness.”

After that, we conclude with chapter 12 - “Man goeth to his everlasting home” & “The conclusion of the matter.”