Ecclesiastes 5:2-7

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Ecclesiastes 5:2 “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.”

Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”

Murphy’s Law: “It is better to remain silent and be though a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”

Before we open our mouths and talk, not only in general, but especially when we talk to God in prayer, we do not need to just let it rip and say anything and everything that comes off the top of our heads. Think before we speak and before we pray, gather our thoughts and use the wisdom that God has given us before we open our mouths.

Matthew 6:7 ““And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

Also Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Luke 18:10–13 ““Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’”

Martin Luther said that prayer should be “brief, frequent, and intense” because “God has no need of such everlasting twaddle”

Carefully consider all that we say before we say it, ask the Holy Spirit for help in collecting, organizing, and conveying all our thanks, praises, and requests in our prayers. Remember that God is in heaven and has all knowledge and is the creator of all things, and we are here on earth and are the created beings. God is not our peer we are not on the same level as God. Hosea 11:9 “I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.”

Another fitting quote from Martin Luther:

“Remember your situation: God is such a great majesty in heaven, and you are a worm upon earth. You cannot speak about the works of God on the basis of your own judgment. Let God rather do the speaking; do not dispute about the counsels of God and do not try to control things by your own counsels. It is God who can arrange things and perfect them, for He Himself is in heaven. We express all of this in German by saying: “Don’t use many words, but: keep your mouth shut!”

Psalm 22:22 “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:”

Look up more verses on praying

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Ecclesiastes 5:3 “For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.”

There can be a few interpretations on the first part of this verse, first a more literal interpretation that with much work, or a busy day, implying more work and less talk, you will be tired and have a sound nights sleep and good dreams and conversely someone, a fool, who spends all day talking and not doing will be troubled in his sleep. Secondly it could also be interpreted that with an excess of aspirations, business, and being foolish in your speech, you will be troubled and have troubled dreams.

I think either way you take to interpret this verse the overall emphasis remains inline with the preceding verse, be not rash with your mouth, do not fill your day and your voice with many words spoken without thought or intent. Rather our words be few and in line with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and his examples

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Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 “When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.”

The issue is not making a vow, but doing what you say

All of Leviticus 27 is laws about vows to God

Leviticus 27:1–2 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, If anyone makes a special vow to the Lord involving the valuation of persons,”

Hannah’s vow to God for a son 1 Samuel 1:11 “And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.””

Deuteronomy 23:21 ““If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.”

Acts when the couple vowed to give all the proceeds to the church but lied about it and God took their lives. Acts 5

Vow in salvation when you vowed to obey Christ.

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Ecclesiastes 5:6 “Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

Do not treat as cheap the grace of God. Through grace we still owe God our obedience.

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Ecclesiastes 5:7 “For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.”

Fear is not just reverence, there is a chasm of difference between the creator and the created. Fear is also fearing disappointing God in our disobedience