Today in God's Word—July 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
July 17, Ecclesiastes 5
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. - Ecclesiastes 5:10
Solomon's experiments and experience had left him frustrated and empty. He did not find satisfaction or meaning in his quest to discover both. In Chapter 5, Solomon changed from the "I" narrative voice of the previous chapters to give "you," (the reader) advice. Many of the things he said in this chapter and the ones that follow remind us of the proverbs that Solomon spoke and wrote. In this book, they are like distilled conclusions Solomon reached in his experiment about "life under the sun."
Centuries after Solomon, Jesus would warn his followers that they could not serve God and riches. Those two, God and riches, are the focus of Solomon's advice in Chapter 5.
Solomon stressed the importance of reverence for God. Because God is in heaven and humans are on the earth below, the king advised us to show proper respect for God. When we go to worship God, we need to watch our step, open our ears and talk less. Solomon called acts of worship "the sacrifice of fools" when would-be worshipers live and talk carelessly.
Solemn vows are significant matters. God takes them seriously and we need to be serious when we make such vows. We do not make vows before God in the same way an ancient Israelite would have done. We don’t sacrifice or say our vows before a priest in a solemn ceremony. But we make our vows in the words of the songs we sing and in the prayers we pray. Even our baptism is a solemn vow to die to sin and live in newness of life with God. When we fail to live what we sing and pray, we make our songs and prayers into lies. We break our vows. When we do not forsake our old ways and surrender our lives and wills to God, we are making a mockery of the solemn vow depicted in baptism.
Reverence for God cannot be separated from obedience. Jesus said those who do the will of
the Father will enter the kingdom, not those who only say, "Lord, Lord." He asked some would-be disciples why they called him Lord, but did not do what he said. And as James counseled, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Solomon warned irreverent worshipers and flagrant vow-breakers about that very thing in this chapter.
Solomon also warned about the vanity or emptiness of worshiping money. The richest man of ancient times said that money cannot satisfy and fulfill the desires of our hearts. More is never enough. Higher income means higher expenses to acquire and maintain our higher standard of living.
Solomon acquired great wealth during his reign. God had given him riches when young Solomon humbly asked for wisdom. Through trade treaties and slave labor, Israel's third king had grown even richer. Solomon found another vanity (or emptiness) when the rich couldn't take their riches with them when they died. The dead, even dead kings, leave behind all they accumulated. The goal of wealth-building is not far-sighted enough.
Solomon said we came naked into the world and left the same way. Is there anything we can take with us when we go? He was right that we take no material wealth with us. But Jesus advised his disciples to lay up treasure in heaven instead of here on earth. He told his followers to use their wealth to make friends who would meet them in eternity. It's a picture of investing the material resources at your disposal to do good and bless people who will greet you in heaven. We can invest our resources so that they benefit us after death. But the hoarder's accumulated heaps will be of no value to him when he leaves this world.
The king and a poor hand-to-mouth day laborer do not seem to have very much in common. But Solomon noted that they both can only enjoy what they have in this day, and that neither of them have any assurance of being around to enjoy tomorrow.
Solomon closed this chapter with a wise observation. He said, "Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil — this is the gift of God." It is truly a gift from God to have and be able to enjoy material blessings, to be content with what we have and find satisfaction in our work. God's people have much more and better waiting for them in eternity. But we are also blessed to have and be able to enjoy what we have here and now. Let's not grumble about God's wise and gracious gifts of this day. Let's be grateful to have and enjoy our blessings today. Regardless of what we've stored in the pantry for the future, today is the only day we have for sure. What God gives us really is “our daily bread.”
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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