Pt.5 Live Wisely
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE
“Live Wisely”
Ecclesiastes 10:1-15
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
WISDOM vs. FOOLISHNESS – v.1-3
Wisdom is something we should pray and ask God for.
James 1:5, Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.
Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have preferred to talk.
Doug Larson.
Solomon already compared a good name to fragrant perfume (7:1), so he used the image again.
When flies get caught in the perfumer’s oil and die, they cause it to stink.
A man may build up a reputation for wisdom and honor, yet he can ruin it all by a single misstep.
People will remember one little indiscretion and forget years of worthy achievements.
Even a little bit of foolishness, if it remains in a life of dignity and honor, will cast a dark shadow over all the honor of what once characterized that life.
Why is one person foolish and another wise?
It all depends on the inclinations of the heart (v. 2).
Prov. 4:23 – Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.
In the ancient world, the right hand was the place of power and honor, while the left hand represented weakness and rejection.
Matt. 25:33, He will put sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
41, Then He will also say to those on the left, “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!”
Since the fool doesn’t have wisdom in his heart, he gravitates toward that which is wrong. (the left)
People try to correct him, but he refuses to listen, and this tells everybody that he is a fool (v. 3).
A wise man learns by the experience of others. An ordinary man learns by his own experience. A fool learns by nobody’s experience.
WISDOM IN LEADERSHIP – v.4-7
Lyndon B. Johnson said, “A president’s hardest task is not to do what’s right, but to know what’s right.”
That requires wisdom.
Wisdom from God helps us avoid foolish acts.
Foolish pride
If a ruler is proud, he may say and do foolish things that cause him to lose the respect of his associates (v. 4).
Foolish anger
If a ruler explodes in anger at you, it is best not to quit in a huff.
Prov. 25:15, NIV “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone”.
If a man has no control over himself, how can he hope to have control over his people?
Prov. 16:32, NKJV “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city”.
Foolish decisions
If he lacks character and courage, he will put fools in the high offices and qualified people in the low offices.
If a ruler has incompetent people advising him, he is almost certain to govern the nation unwisely.
General Eisenhower would demonstrate the art of wise leadership with a simple piece of string. He’d put it on a table and say: “Pull it and it will follow wherever you wish. Push it and it will go nowhere at all. It’s just that way when it comes to leading people. They need to follow a person who is leading by example.”
WISDOM IN OUR WORK – v.8-11
v.8a - Foolishness says that we can climb over others to get to the top.
Wisdom says that you will get stepped on the same way you plan for others.
v.8b - Foolishness says to take all the shortcuts and risks to achieve your goal.
Wisdom says to count the cost, plan and step out in confidence.
v.9-10 - Foolishness says to just wing-it.
Wisdom says to be prepared and you will be more productive.
v.11 - Foolishness says not to think about results of your actions.
Wisdom says think about each step and understand the immediate and long term consequence.
The immediate consequence is dealing with the snake bite and the long term is the loss of income for the snake charmer.
Solomon was describing people who attempted to do their work and suffered because they were foolish.
A student staying in the home of an elderly couple greatly admired their fine antique pendulum clock, which had been handed down from one generation to the next in the husband’s family. One day the old man said, “That clock has a message to tell.” Puzzled, the student asked, “What message?” The old man replied, “Look at the pendulum going back and forth, as if to say, ‘Slow-down-do-it-right.’ But then listen to the electric clock: ‘Hurry-up-get-it-done. Who-cares-how-it’s-done.’ ”
Even though we life in a high paced computer age, we cannot loose pride in how we do our work.
We need to use wisdom in every step.
WISDOM IN OUR WORDS – v.12-15
Four characteristics of wise words:
1. They are life giving. (v. 12).
The wise person will speak gracious words that are suited to the listeners and the occasion.
Prov. 10:32 – The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate, but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.;
But the fool blurts out whatever is on his mind and doesn’t stop to consider who might be hurt by it.
In the end, it is the fool himself who is hurt the most: “a fool is consumed by his own lips” (Ecc. 10:12, NIV).
2. They are reasonable (v. 13).
A person who is speaking wisely makes sense in what he is saying. A person who is speaking foolishly doesn’t make sense.
It is better to keep your mouth closed and appear foolish than to open it and remove all doubt.
Paul called these people “unruly and vain talkers” (Titus 1:10), which J.B. Phillips translates “who will not recognize authority, who talk nonsense” (PH).
Have you ever met someone who will talk about anything anybody brings up, as though they were the greatest living experts on that subject?
3. They are controlled (v. 14a).
Proverbs 10:19 - “In the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise”
4. They are humble (14b-15).
The wise person understands that their future is in the hands of God.
The fool thinks they know everything there is about the future, and are in complete control.
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:1, NKJV).
The fool boasts about his future plans and wearies people with his talk, but he can’t even find the way to the city.
In Bible times, the roads to the cities were well-marked so that any traveler could find his way, but the fool is so busy talking about the future that he loses his way in the present.
“He can’t find his way to the city” was probably an ancient proverb about stupidity, not unlike our “He’s so dumb; he couldn’t learn the route to run an elevator.”
10 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart ⌊goes⌋ to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.
3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart
lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool.
4 If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your place, for calmness puts great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler:
6 The fool is appointed to great heights, but the rich remain in lowly positions.
7 I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8 The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits trees may be endangered by them.
10 If the axe is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer.
12 The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness.
14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?
15 The struggles of fools weary them,
for they don’t know how to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a household servant, and your princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter.
Before he concluded his message, Solomon thought it wise to remind his congregation once again of the importance of wisdom and the danger of folly. (The word “folly” is used nine times in this chapter.) In verse 1, he laid down the basic principle that folly creates problems for those who commit it. He had already compared a good name to fragrant perfume (7:1), so he used the image again. What dead flies are to perfume, folly is to the reputation of the wise person. The conclusion is logical: Wise people will stay away from folly!
Why is one person foolish and another wise? It all depends on the inclinations of the heart (v. 2).
Solomon was not referring to the physical organ in the body, because everybody’s heart is in the same place, except for those who might have some birth defect.
Furthermore, the physical organ has nothing to do with wisdom or folly. Solomon was referring to the center of one’s life, the “master control” within us that governs “the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23).
In the ancient world, the right hand was the place of power and honor, while the left hand represented weakness and rejection (Matt. 25:33, 41).
Many people considered the left side to be “unlucky.” (The English word “sinister” comes from a Latin word that means “on the left hand.”)
Since the fool doesn’t have wisdom in his heart, he gravitates toward that which is wrong (the left) and gets into trouble (see 2:14). People try to correct him, but he refuses to listen, and this tells everybody that he is a fool (v. 3).
Having laid down the principle, Solomon then applied it to four different “fools.”
1. The foolish ruler (Ecc. 10:4–7)
If there is one person who needs wisdom, it is the ruler of a nation. When God asked Solomon what gift he especially wanted, the king asked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:3–28). Lyndon B. Johnson said, “A president’s hardest task is not to do what’s right, but to know what’s right.” That requires wisdom.
If a ruler is proud, he may say and do foolish things that cause him to lose the respect of his associates (v. 4). The picture here is of a proud ruler who easily becomes angry and takes out his anger on the attendants around him. Of course, if a man has no control over himself, how can he hope to have control over his people?
“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Prov. 16:32, NKJV).
“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Prov. 25:28, NKJV).
However, it isn’t necessary for his servants to act like fools! In fact, that’s the worse thing they can do (8:3). Far better that they control themselves, stay right where they are and seek to bring peace.
“Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone” (Prov. 25:15, NIV).
“A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it” (Prov. 16:14, NIV).
To be sure, there is a righteous anger that sometimes needs to be displayed (Eph. 4:26), but not everything we call “righteous indignation” is really “righteous.” It is so easy to give vent to jealousy and malice by disguising them as holy zeal for God. Not every religious crusader is motivated by love for God or obedience to the Word. His or her zeal could be a mask that is covering hidden anger or jealousy.
But if a ruler is too pliable, he is also a fool (vv. 5–7).
If he lacks character and courage, he will put fools in the high offices and qualified people in the low offices. The servants will ride on horses while the noblemen will walk (see Prov. 19:10 and 30:21–22).
If a ruler has incompetent people advising him, he is almost certain to govern the nation unwisely.
Solomon’s son Rehoboam was proud and unyielding, and this led to the division of the kingdom (1 Kings 12:1–24). Instead of following the advice of the wise counselors, he listened to his youthful friends. He made the elders walk and he put the young men on the horses. On the other hand, more than one king in Jewish history has been so pliable that he turned out to be nothing but a figurehead. The best rulers (and leaders) are men and women who are tough-minded but tenderhearted, who put the best people on the horses and don’t apologize for it.
2. Foolish workers (Ecc. 10:8–11)
Students are not agreed on what Solomon’s point is in this graphic section.
Was he saying that every job has its occupational hazards?
If so, what lesson was he teaching, and why did he take so much space to illustrate the obvious?
His theme is folly, and he certainly was not teaching that hard work is foolish because you might get injured!
Throughout the book, Solomon emphasized the importance of honest labor and the joys it can bring. Why would he contradict that message?
I believe Solomon was describing people who attempted to do their work and suffered because they were foolish.
One man dug a pit, perhaps a well or a place for storing grain, but fell into the pit himself. Why? Because he lacked wisdom and failed to take proper precautions.
Frequently Scripture uses this as a picture of just retribution, but that doesn’t seem to be the lesson here. (See Ps. 7:15; 9:15–16; 10:2; 35:8; 57:6; Prov. 26:27; 28:10.)
Another man broke through a hedge [wall, fence], perhaps while remodeling his house, and a serpent bit him. Serpents often found their way into hidden crevices and corners, and the man should have been more careful. He was overconfident and did not look ahead.
Verse 9 takes us to the quarries and the forests, where careless workers are injured cutting stones and splitting logs.
Verse 10 pictures a foolish worker par excellence: a man who tried to split wood with a dull ax. The wise worker will pause in his labors and sharpen it. As the popular slogan says, “Don’t work harder—work smarter!”
Snake charmers were common as entertainers in that day (v. 11, and see Ps. 58:4–5 and Jer. 8:17). Snakes have no external ears; they pick up sound waves primarily through the bone structure of the head. More than the music played by the charmer, it is the man’s disciplined actions (swaying and “staring”) that hold the snake’s attention and keep the serpent under control. It is indeed an art.
Solomon described a performer who was bitten by the snake before the man had opportunity to “charm” it. Beside risking his life, the charmer could not collect any money from the spectators (see v. 11, NIV). They would only laugh at him.
He was a fool because he rushed and acted as though the snake were charmed. He wanted to collect his money in a hurry and move to another location. The more “shows” he put on, the bigger his income. Instead, he made no money at all.
Some charmers had a mongoose available that “caught” the snake just at the right time and “saved” the man from being bitten. If for some reason the mongoose missed his cue, the serpent might attack the charmer, and that would be the end of the show. Either way, the man was foolish.
The common denominator among these “foolish workers” seems to be presumption. They were overconfident and ended up either hurting themselves or making their job harder.
3. Foolish talkers (Ecc. 10:12–15)
In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon had much to say about the speech of fools. In this paragraph, he pointed out four characteristics of their words.
First, they are destructive words (v. 12). The wise person will speak gracious words that are suited to the listeners and the occasion (Prov. 10:32; 25:11).
Whether in personal conversation or public ministry, our Lord always knew the right thing to say at the right time (Isa. 50:4).
We should try to emulate Him.
But the fool blurts out whatever is on his mind and doesn’t stop to consider who might be hurt by it.
In the end, it is the fool himself who is hurt the most: “a fool is consumed by his own lips” (Ecc. 10:12, NIV).
In Scripture, destructive words are compared to weapons of war (Prov. 25:18), a fire (James 3:5–6), and a poisonous beast (James 3:7–8).
We may try to hurt others with our lies, slander, and angry words, but we are really hurting ourselves the most.
“He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction” (Prov. 13:3, NKJV). “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Prov. 21:23, NKJV).
They are also unreasonable words (v. 13). What he says doesn’t make sense. And the longer he talks, the crazier it becomes. “The beginning of his talking is folly, and the end of it is wicked madness” (NASB).
He would be better off to keep quiet, because all that he says only lets everybody know that he is a fool (5:3). Paul called these people “unruly and vain talkers” (Titus 1:10), which J.B. Phillips translates “who will not recognize authority, who talk nonsense” (PH).
Occasionally in my travels, I meet people who will talk about anything anybody brings up, as though they were the greatest living experts on that subject. When the Bible or religion comes into the conversation, I quietly wait for them to hang themselves; and they rarely disappoint me. The Jewish writer Shalom Aleichem said, “You can tell when a fool speaks: he grinds much and produces little.”
Third, they are uncontrolled words (v. 14a).
The fool is “full of words” without realizing that he is saying nothing. “In the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Prov. 10:19, NKJV).
The person who can control his or her tongue is able to discipline the entire body (James 3:1–2). Jesus said, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ For whatever is more than this is from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37, NKJV).
Finally, they are boastful words (14b-15).
Foolish people talk about the future as though they either know all about it or are in control of what will happen. “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:1, NKJV).
Several times before, Solomon has emphasized man’s ignorance of the future (3:22; 6:12; 8:7; 9:12), a truth that wise people receive but fools reject. (See James 4:13–17.)
There is a bit of humor here. The fool boasts about his future plans and wearies people with his talk, but he can’t even find the way to the city.
In Bible times, the roads to the cities were well-marked so that any traveler could find his way, but the fool is so busy talking about the future that he loses his way in the present. “He can’t find his way to the city” was probably an ancient proverb about stupidity, not unlike our “He’s so dumb, he couldn’t learn the route to run an elevator.”
4. Foolish officers (Ecc. 10:16–20)
Solomon has already described foolish rulers. Now he exposes the folly of the officers who work under those rulers, the bureaucrats who were a part of the machinery of the kingdom. He gave four characteristics of these foolish men.
Indulgence (vv. 16–17). If the king is immature, the people he gathers around him will reflect that immaturity and take advantage of it. But if he is a true nobleman, he will surround himself with noble officers who will put the good of the country first.
Real leaders use their authority to build the nation, while mere officeholders use the nation to build their authority. They use public funds for their own selfish purposes, throwing parties and having a good time.
It is a judgment of God when a people are given immature leaders (Isa. 3:1–5).
This can happen to a nation or to a local church.
The term “elder” (Titus 1:5ff) implies maturity and experience in the Christian life, and it is wrong for a believer to be thrust into leadership too soon (1 Tim. 3:6).
Age is no guarantee of maturity (1 Cor. 3:1–4; Heb. 5:11–14), and youth sometimes outstrips its elders in spiritual zeal.
Oswald Chambers said, “Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of the years, but by obedience to the will of God.” The important thing is maturity, not just age.
The New International Version translates verse 16, “Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant.” The suggestion is that this servant became king with the help of his friends (cf. 4:13–14). Now he was obligated to give them all jobs so he could remain on the throne.
In spite of their selfish and expensive indulgence, these hirelings could not be dismissed, because the king’s security depended on them. To the victor belong the spoils!
Incompetence (v. 18). These foolish officers are so busy with enjoyment that they have no time for employment, and both the buildings and the organization start to fall apart.
“He also who is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster” (Prov. 18:9).
There is a difference between those who use an office and those who merely hold an office (1 Tim. 3:10).
Immature people enjoy the privileges and ignore the responsibilities, while mature people see the responsibilities as privileges and use them to help others.
Woodrow Wilson wrote, “A friend of mine says that every man who takes office in Washington either grows or swells; when I give a man an office, I watch him carefully to see whether he is swelling or growing.”
Indifference (v. 19). This verse declares the personal philosophy of the foolish officers: Eat all you can, enjoy all you can, and get all you can.
They are totally indifferent to the responsibilities of their office or the needs of the people.
In recent years, various developing nations have seen how easy it is for unscrupulous leaders to steal government funds in order to build their own kingdoms.
Unfortunately, it has also happened recently to some religious organizations.
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10, NKJV).
The prophet Amos cried out against the wicked rulers of his day who trampled on the heads of the poor and treated them like the dust of the earth (Amos 2:7, and see 4:1; 5:11–12).
The courts might not catch up with all the unscrupulous politicians, but God will eventually judge them, and His judgment will be just.
Indiscretion (v. 20). The familiar saying “A little bird told me” probably originated from this verse.
You can imagine a group of these officers having a party in one of their private rooms and, instead of toasting the king, they are cursing [“making light of”] him.
Of course, they wouldn’t do this if any of the king’s friends were present, but they were sure that the company would faithfully keep the secret. Alas, somebody told the king what was said, and this gave him reason to punish them or dismiss them from their offices.
Even if we can’t respect the person in the office, we must respect the office (Rom. 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–17).
“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people” (Ex. 22:28). These hirelings were certainly indiscreet when they cursed the king, for they should have known that one of their number would use this event either to intimidate his friends or to ingratiate himself with the ruler.
A statesman asks, “What is best for my country?”
A politician asks, “What is best for my party?”
But a mere officeholder, a hireling, asks, “What is safest and most profitable for me?”
This completes Solomon’s review of his fourth argument that life is not worth living, “the certainty of death” (2:12–23).
He has concluded that life is indeed worth living, even though death is unavoidable (9:1–10) and life is unpredictable (9:11–18).
What we must do is avoid folly (ch. 10) and live by the wisdom of God.
This also concludes the second part of his discourse.
He has reviewed the four arguments presented in chapters 1 and 2, and has decided that life was really worth living after all.
The best thing we can do is to trust God, do our work, accept what God sends us, and enjoy each day of our lives to the glory of God (3:12–15, 22; 5:18–20; 8:15; 9:7–10).
All that remains for the Preacher is to conclude his discourse with a practical application, and this he does in chapters 11 and 12. He will bring together all the various strands of truth that he has woven into his sermon, and he will show us what God expects us to do if we are to be satisfied.
[1]
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE
“Live Wisely”
Ecclesiastes 10:1-15
WISDOM vs. FOOLISHNESS – v.1-3
WISDOM IN LEADERSHIP – v.4-7
WISDOM IN OUR WORK – v.8-10
WISDOM IN OUR WORDS – v.11-15
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[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1990). Be satisfied (Ec 10:4). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.