GO NEAR TO LISTEN TO GOD

Passage: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Key verse: 1b

NIV

Fulfill Your Vow to God

5 [a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.(A)
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.(B)
3 A dream(C) comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool.(D)

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.(E) He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.(F) 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.(G) 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.(H)

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Footnotes
  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:17, and 5:2-20 is numbered 5:1-19.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Fear God

5 [a] (A)Guard your steps when you go to (B)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to (C)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 [b] 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 (D)let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with (E)many words.

4 When (F)you vow a vow to God, (G)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. (H)Pay what you vow. 5 (I)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you[c] into sin, and do not say before (J)the messenger[d] that it was (K)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;[e] but[f] (L)God is the one you must fear.

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Footnotes
  1. Ecclesiastes 5:1 Ch 4:17 in Hebrew
  2. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Hebrew
  3. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Hebrew your flesh
  4. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Or angel
  5. Ecclesiastes 5:7 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verse 10 (see note on 1:2)
  6. Ecclesiastes 5:7 Or For when dreams and vanities increase, words also grow many; but
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Guard your steps (1-3) To guard your steps means to be careful in what you do. When we go to God, we should be careful that we are not just going through the motions. When we do this it is like making foolish offerings. It is useless. Rather, when we go to God, we should listen carefully to God's word. There is no need to speak many foolish words to God. He knows our hearts. We should be quiet and listen to God. 2. Fulfill your vow (4-7) When we do speak words to God, we should be careful. We should not make vows to God that we have no intention to fulfill, or that we cannot fulfill. When we make a vow, we should do everything we need to do to fulfill our vows. The Teacher calls an unfulfilled vow "your mouth leading you into sin." (6) This makes God angry. Fulfilling our vows pleases God.

Prayer: Lord, when I come to you, help me to be silent and listen to your word. But when I do speak, help me to be a person of my word.

One Word: Listen to God and fulfill your vows to Him