Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Guard your stepsThe phrase "Guard your steps" is a call to mindfulness and reverence. The Hebrew word for "guard" is "shamar," which means to keep, watch, or preserve. This implies a conscious effort to approach God with respect and awareness. In ancient Israel, the temple was the physical manifestation of God's presence, and approaching it required a heart prepared for worship. This phrase reminds believers to approach God with intentionality, ensuring that their actions and thoughts align with His holiness. when you go to the house of God
The "house of God" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship for the Israelites. In the broader biblical context, it symbolizes any place where God's presence dwells. Historically, the temple was a place of sacrifice, prayer, and divine encounter. For Christians, this can also be seen as a metaphor for the church or any gathering of believers. The emphasis is on the sacredness of the space and the need for reverence when entering into God's presence. Draw near to listen
"Draw near to listen" highlights the importance of approaching God with a posture of humility and receptivity. The Hebrew word "shama" means to hear or listen, but it also implies obedience. Listening in this context is not passive but active, requiring a readiness to respond to God's voice. This phrase encourages believers to prioritize hearing God's word and wisdom over merely performing religious rituals. rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools
The "sacrifice of fools" refers to offerings made without understanding or sincerity. In ancient times, sacrifices were a central part of worship, but they were meaningless if not accompanied by genuine devotion. The "fools" are those who perform religious acts without true reverence or awareness of their significance. This serves as a warning against empty rituals and encourages believers to ensure their worship is heartfelt and informed by a true understanding of God's will. for they do not know that they do wrong
This phrase underscores the danger of ignorance in worship. The "fools" are unaware of their wrongdoing because they lack insight and discernment. In the biblical context, knowledge of God and His commandments is crucial for righteous living. This serves as a reminder that true worship requires both knowledge and sincerity. It calls believers to seek wisdom and understanding, ensuring that their actions align with God's truth and righteousness. Persons / Places / Events 1. Solomon- Traditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the king of Israel known for his wisdom, wealth, and building projects, including the temple in Jerusalem. 2. House of God- Refers to the temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship for the Israelites where sacrifices and offerings were made. 3. Sacrifice of Fools- This phrase refers to offerings made without genuine reverence or understanding, often out of ritualistic obligation rather than heartfelt devotion. Teaching Points Approach God with ReverenceWhen entering into worship or prayer, do so with a heart prepared to listen and learn, acknowledging the holiness of God. Value Listening Over SpeakingPrioritize listening to God's Word and His guidance over offering empty words or promises. This reflects a heart truly seeking to understand and obey. Avoid Empty RitualsEnsure that your acts of worship and service are genuine and not merely out of habit or obligation. True worship stems from a sincere relationship with God. Recognize the Consequences of FoolishnessUnderstand that offering the "sacrifice of fools" can lead to unintentional wrongdoing. Seek wisdom and discernment in your spiritual practices. Bible Study Questions 1. What does it mean to "guard your steps" when approaching the house of God, and how can this be applied in our modern context of worship? 2. How can we ensure that our worship and service to God are genuine and not just empty rituals? 3. In what ways can we cultivate a listening heart in our relationship with God, and how does this impact our spiritual growth? 4. How does the concept of the "sacrifice of fools" challenge us to examine our motives and actions in our spiritual lives? 5. How can the teachings in Ecclesiastes 5:1 be connected to the New Testament emphasis on faith and obedience over ritualistic practices? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Samuel 15:22- This verse emphasizes that obedience to God is more important than sacrifice, aligning with the idea in Ecclesiastes 5:1 that listening and obedience are more valuable than empty rituals. James 1:19-22- These verses encourage believers to be quick to listen and slow to speak, paralleling the call in Ecclesiastes to approach God with a listening heart rather than offering thoughtless words. Proverbs 15:8- Highlights that the Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked but delights in the prayers of the upright, reinforcing the importance of sincerity in worship. People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Better, Burned, Care, Consider, Draw, Ear, Evil, Foolish, Fools, Foot, God's, Goest, Guard, Hearken, Listen, Nigh, Offer, Offerings, Rather, Ready, Sacrifice, Sacrifices, Steps, WrongDictionary of Bible Themes Ecclesiastes 5:1 5330 guard
7382 house of God
8608 prayer, and worship
8627 worship, elements Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 5036 mind, of God
8470 respect, for God Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 8620 prayer, practicalities Ecclesiastes 5:1-4 8757 folly, effects of Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 5468 promises, human Library Naked or Clothed?
'As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.'--ECCLES. v. 15. '... Their works do follow them.'--REV. xiv. 13. It is to be observed that these two sharply contrasted texts do not refer to the same persons. The former is spoken of a rich worldling, the latter of 'the dead who die in the Lord.' The unrelieved gloom of the one is as a dark background against which the triumphant assurance of …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureLessons for Worship and for Work
'Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. 3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Things to be Meditated on as Thou Goest to the Church.
1. That thou art going to the court of the Lord, and to speak with the great God by prayer; and to hear his majesty speak unto thee by his word; and to receive his blessing on thy soul, and thy honest labour, in the six days past. 2. Say with thyself by the way--"As the hart brayeth for the rivers of water, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God: When shall I come and appear before the presence of God? For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Literature.
i. editions of chrysostom's works. S. Joannis Chrysostomi, archiepiscopi Constantinopolitani, Opera omnia quæ exstant vel quæ ejus nomine circumferuntur, ad mss. codices Gallicos, Vaticanos, Anglicos, Germanicosque castigata, etc. Opera et studio D.Bernardi de Montfaucon, monachi ordinis S. Benedicti e congregatione S. Mauri, opem ferentibus aliis ex codem sodalitio, monachis. Greek and Latin, Paris, 1718-'38, in 13 vols., fol. This is the best edition, and the result of about twenty …
St. Chrysostom—On the Priesthood Ninth Day for God's Spirit on Our Mission Work
WHAT TO PRAY.--For God's Spirit on our Mission Work "The evangelisation of the world depends first of all upon a revival of prayer. Deeper than the need for men--ay, deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life, is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing, world-wide prayer." "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul. Then when they had fasted and prayed, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed."--ACTS …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession Thoughts Upon Worldly-Riches. Sect. Ii.
TIMOTHY after his Conversion to the Christian Faith, being found to be a Man of great Parts, Learning, and Piety, and so every way qualified for the work of the Ministry, St. Paul who had planted a Church at Ephesus the Metropolis or chief City of all Asia, left him to dress and propagate it, after his departure from it, giving him Power to ordain Elders or Priests, and to visit and exercise Jurisdiction over them, to see they did not teach false Doctrines, 1 Tim. i. 3. That they be unblameable in …
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life There is a Blessedness in Reversion
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Having done with the occasion, I come now to the sermon itself. Blessed are the poor in spirit'. Christ does not begin his Sermon on the Mount as the Law was delivered on the mount, with commands and threatenings, the trumpet sounding, the fire flaming, the earth quaking, and the hearts of the Israelites too for fear; but our Saviour (whose lips dropped as the honeycomb') begins with promises and blessings. So sweet and ravishing was the doctrine of this …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 How to be Admonished are those who Give Away what is their Own, and those who Seize what Belongs to Others.
(Admonition 21.) Differently to be admonished are those who already give compassionately of their own, and those who still would fain seize even what belongs to others. For those who already give compassionately of their own are to be admonished not to lift themselves up in swelling thought above those to whom they impart earthly things; not to esteem themselves better than others because they see others to be supported by them. For the Lord of an earthly household, in distributing the ranks and …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Ecclesiastes
It is not surprising that the book of Ecclesiastes had a struggle to maintain its place in the canon, and it was probably only its reputed Solomonic authorship and the last two verses of the book that permanently secured its position at the synod of Jamnia in 90 A.D. The Jewish scholars of the first century A.D. were struck by the manner in which it contradicted itself: e.g., "I praised the dead more than the living," iv. 2, "A living dog is better than a dead lion," ix. 4; but they were still more …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ecclesiastes 5:1 NIVEcclesiastes 5:1 NLTEcclesiastes 5:1 ESVEcclesiastes 5:1 NASBEcclesiastes 5:1 KJV
Ecclesiastes 5:1 Commentaries
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