Better Instructions Regarding folly
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Wise People stay away from folly
Wise People stay away from folly
There are things in this life that are inevitable, death, governments of men, and well, folly too. Tonight we are looking at why a little folly is dangerous and we need to watch out, protect ourselves from it.
Where a good name is a fragrant perfume (Ecc7:1); dead flies (folly) can ruin it (Ecc10:1)
1 A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
and then look now at
1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.
God is discerner of heart (Heb4:12) and folly/wisdom is a heart issue (Ecc10:2)
12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
and in our passage tonight
2 A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.
Koheleth considers the heart the center, mission control center of our being (Pro4:23)
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
So, wise people stay away from folly.
Interesting fact in the time of Solomon, and in the days of Jesus it was believed that the place of power, place of honor was on the right, while on the left it represented weakness and rejection (Mt25:33; Mt25:41; Ecc2:14; Ecc10:3) .
33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
Also check out
41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
The fool does not have wisdom in his heart, in the center of his being so he gravitates toward the left, the place of weakness and rejection that leads him into trouble
14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both.
People try to lead people who are fools out of foolishness, try to correct them, guide them, oftentimes they refuse to listen, further proving they are fools.
3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.
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Solomon having drawn the conclusion that wise people say away from folly, having given us this principle he then spends this chapter giving us a look at four different kinds of fools.
Foolish Ruler (Ecc10:4-7)
Foolish workers (Ecc10:8-11)
Foolish talkers (Ecc10:12-15)
Foolish officers (Ecc10:16-20)
Foolish rulers
Foolish rulers
I think we can agree that rulers of a nation, or kingdom, need wisdom. Solomon knew it and asked for it as he was to lead Israel (1Kng3:3-28). I think we can also agree that there are many a fool in leadership. Solomon gives some great insight regarding folly of rulers, or in other words foolish rulers.
4 If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. 5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler—
6 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. 7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. 9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Don’t give up your ground because of angry, foolish ruler (Ecc10:4; Pro16:32; Pro25:28)
If the ruler is proud there is a greater chance he will say and do things that are foolish. He may loose the respect of his people and become angry. To the wise may we know a man who cannot control himself, has no place in having control over people.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
May our rulers be slow to anger, patient in decisions
28 Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit.
May our rulers know and have control over themselves so as to lead by example.
Don’t rebel against the ruler (Ecc8:3) for he maybe persuaded (Pro25:15)
Even if the rulers get angry, we don’t need to act like fools, in fact it will just make it worse, here is something we can do
15 By forbearance a ruler may be persuaded, And a soft tongue breaks the bone.
Be patient, and be gentle, or soft as the passage says and it can break the anger, and can persuade the ruler.
Now, having said that, there is such thing as righteous anger that sometimes needs to be displayed (see Eph4:26), but we need to be careful even in that that it is truly righteoess and not jealousy and malice disguising it as zeal for God.
I better give you the passage though
26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
Foolish rulers oftentimes lack character and courage and make poor choices; So beware and watch out (Ecc10:5-7; 1Kn12:1-24)
In the story of Solomon’s son Rehoboam he was a fool, he proved himself a fool, and suffered the consequences of being a fool. He was proud and unyielding and it lead to the divided kingdom. You can read the entire passage on this in 1Kn12:1-24, but here is just a taste of it.
13 The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him, 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”
Foolish instructions from foolish people. The wise elders were consulted but they were made to walk and the foolish young people were exalted and riding.
1King12:13-14
This foolish ruler turned out to be nothing more than a figurehead, but to the wise, may we know the best rulers of men are the ones who are tough minded but tender hearted, who promote and exalt the best of the best and don’t waiver.
Foolish Workers
Foolish Workers
Foolish workers are not workers who do not work, but workers who do not take proper precautions for their work. There are occupational hazards in all jobs and we need to be ready for them so not caught by them and be a fool.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. 9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. 11 If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Here are some general observations we can get from the passage.
Don’t dig a pit and fall in
Don’t break down a wall and not watch for serpent
Be careful when cutting stones or splitting logs
Be sure, as a wise person, that your tools of your trade are sharpened.
Don’t work harder, work smarter!
Finally on this one
Don’t be in a hurry and presume everything is safe and secure (the charmer thought the snake was charmed and it cost him).
The common denominator of the foolish worker is they presumed they were overconfident and it ended up hurting them or costing them, or even making their job harder.
Foolish Talkers
Foolish Talkers
The words of the wise and the words of the fool, Solomon has much to say through Proverbs. In our passage now, he has some of the foolish talkers characteristics.
12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; 13 the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness.
Ecc10:14-15
14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? 15 The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
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Foolish talkers words - destructive (Ecc10:12)
Destructive words are compared to weapons of war (Pro25:18) fire (Jm3:5-6); even a poisonous beast (Jm3:7-8)
Foolish talkers words - unreasonable (Ecc10:13; Ecc5:3; Tit1:10)
Foolish talkers words -uncontrolled (Ecc10:14a; Pro10:19)
Foolish talkers words - boastful (Ecc10:14b-15; Pro27:1; Jm4:13-17)
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Foolish talkers words - destructive (Ecc10:12)
Destructive words are compared to weapons of war (Pro25:18) fire (Jm3:5-6); even a poisonous beast (Jm3:7-8)
Hurt others with lies, slander, angry words, but in reality we are hurting ourselves.
Foolish talkers words - unreasonable (Ecc10:13; Ecc5:3; Tit1:10)
3 For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.
Fools speak with many words but really say nothing and accomplish nothing.
Better to closer your mouth and have people think you are a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt
10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
There were many then, and are many today that not only avail nothing for the kingdom, but lead people, deceive people to giving up the kingdom
Foolish talkers words -uncontrolled (Ecc10:14a; Pro10:19)
With many words the fool does not have the wisdom to know they are saying nothing.
Foolish talkers words - boastful (Ecc10:14b-15; Pro27:1; Jm4:13-17)
19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
With many words sin is unavoidable
Foolish talkers words -uncontrolled (Ecc10:14a; Pro10:19)
Foolish talkers words - boastful (Ecc10:14b-15; Pro27:1; Jm4:13-17)
Foolish talkers boast about tomorrow as if it were, without even considering today and that tomorrow is not promised.
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
and then the N.T. admonishment and encouragement
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
The right thing to do, is to focus on today and pray for tomorrow that the Lord’s will be done
The fool wearies people with their talk, so many words, so little action, to the point they cannot even find way to the city (Ecc10:15) - which this is a hyperbole
This now leading to our next section for tonight.
Foolish Officers
Foolish Officers
We have seen, have discussed the foolish rulers, now we turn to those under the ruler, his offices that are fools due to being under a fool. Solomon points out the foolishness of the officers and some of their characteristics
16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. 19 Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.
20 Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
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Their indulgence (Ecc10:16-17; Isa3:1-5)
Their incompetence (Ecc10:18; Pro18:9)
Their indifference (Ecc10:19; Amo2:7; Amo4:1)
Their indiscretion (Ecc10:20)
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Their indulgence (Ecc10:16-17; Isa3:1-5)
The foolish ruler will surround himself with other foolish people. if the ruler is immature, the followers will reflect that immaturity and take advantage of it.
Real leaders use authority to build a nation, foolish leaders use nation to build their authority
Their indifference (Ecc10:19; Amo2:7)
God will bring upon nation with foolish leaders
Their indiscretion (Ecc10:20)
1 For behold, the Lord God of hosts is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah Both supply and support, the whole supply of bread And the whole supply of water; 2 The mighty man and the warrior, The judge and the prophet, The diviner and the elder,
3 The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the expert artisan, And the skillful enchanter. 4 And I will make mere lads their princes, And capricious children will rule over them,
5 And the people will be oppressed, Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor; The youth will storm against the elder And the inferior against the honorable.
Age is no guarantee if wisdom, have you not heard the expression “you old fool!”
Oswald Chambers says “Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of years, but by obedience of the will of God.”
Their indulgence (Ecc10:16-17; Isa3:1-5)
Their incompetence (Ecc10:18; Pro18:9)
So busy with enjoyment that they have no time for employment, to complete the task they were given to do in the first place.
9 He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys.
Their indiscretion (Ecc10:20)
It is just as bad not to but your hand to the plow as to be one who destroys!
Foolish officers enjoy privileges but ignore responsibilities
Their indulgence (Ecc10:16-17; Isa3:1-5)
Their incompetence (Ecc10:18; Pro18:9)
Their indifference (Ecc10:19; Amo2:7; Amo4:1)
Eat, drink, be merry , enjoy all you can,get all you can, and they are indifferent to the needs of the people or the responsibilities of the position in which they hold.
In the book of Amos the people round Israel needed help, Israel could have helped, but yet they did not and even treated them as the dust of the earth
7 “These who pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the helpless Also turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father resort to the same girl In order to profane My holy name.
1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!”
Finally we get to the last one
Their indulgence (Ecc10:16-17; Isa3:1-5)
Their incompetence (Ecc10:18; Pro18:9)
Their indifference (Ecc10:19; Amo2:7)
Their indiscretion (Ecc10:20)
Having a good time and enjoying self and instead of boasting the king in which you are able to have the good times, you are cursing him.
You know what goes around comes around; word will get back
Here is a quotable quote:
“A statesman asks, ‘What is est for my country?’ A politician asks, ‘What is best for my party?’ But a mere officeholder, a hireling, asks, ‘What is the safest and most profitable for me?’”
Solomon draws to close this discourse about the danger of folly.
A couple wise things to consider as we close.
Be wise, guard your mouth (Pro21:23a)
Be wise, restrain your lips (Pro10:19)
Be wise, mean what you say and say what you mean (Mt5:37)
(Encouragement slide) Encouragement (encouragement slide) prayer (Exit slide)