Lesson 6

Thou Shalt Not Steal

Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

In Ecclesiastes 5, Solomon has some things to say about money. I think that wealthy King Solomon probably knew something about money. Money is an essential part of life. You cannot comment on the real meaning of life and ignore the subject of money.

But chapter 5 is not limited to the subject of mere money. It also deals with the values of life, the things that really count. There is more than one way to be rich and more than one way to be poor. This chapter is very direct as Solomon issues 3 warnings that relate to the values of life.

Don't Rob God, 5:1-7.

In chapter 4, Solomon had visited the courtroom, the marketplace, the highway and the palace. As chapter 5 opens, it would seem that Solomon is paying a visit to the Temple. At the Temple, Solomon no doubt observes worshipers - praying, sacrificing, making vows to God. In these verses, the king has some wise counsel for worshipers.

He begins by warning worshipers to "Watch your step when you of into the house of God." The idea is of alertness. It is possible to go through all the motions of worship and never really be alert as to what you are doing. Worship is really a matter of the heart. The things that we do when worshiping are intended really just prompt our heart to worship. We sing to prompt our heart to praise God. We pray to prompt our heart to confess our sins and stay in touch with God. It is possible to leave the house of God in worse spiritual condition than when you came. It is possible to sin even at church! How? By failing to truly worship God from a sincere hear, we rob God of the reverence and honor He deserves.

Though we may not worship just like the Old Testament Jew with animal sacrifices, there are a number of things that Solomon can teach us about worship.

What is worship? Worship is listening well because God is speaking, v.1. We should be "ready to hear." Sacrificial giving is no substitute for listening to God. "It is better to obey than to sacrifice" Samuel told Saul. How is God going to speak to us in worship? God speaks to us primarily in two ways. First, He speaks through the inspired scriptures. The Bible is the very word of God so when we read the Bible we are hearing what God has to say to us. God had us in mind when He inspired and preserved this blessed book. We then must "ready to hear" God's Word. Second, God speaks to us through the indwelling Spirit. The work of the Spirit of God is not in so much in signs and wonders and miracles and healing as it is in that "still small voice", that voice of conscience that we hear from within convicting and guiding and urging us to decision for Christ.

What is worship? Worship is careful praying because God is listening, vs. 2-3. Watch out for speaking too hastily (v. 2a-b) and saying too much (v. 2c-3). Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. The secret of acceptable praying is a prepared heart because the mouth speaks what the heart contains. Mat 12:34-37 ...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. "In praying it is better to have heart without words than words without heart" (John Bunyon). "It is not the length of our prayers but the strength of our prayers that matters" (Charles H. Spurgeon).

What is worship? Worship involves keeping your promises because God remembers, vs. 4-6. Do what you said (4b,5,6) and do it when you said (4). Your worship is not sincere if your words are not dependable. It isn't wrong to make promises to God any more than it is wrong to make promises to your partner, your creditor, your boss. We should make promises and we should keep those promises in a timely way. Psalm 66:13-14 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken..

The point of this passage then is that we are to "fear God". Don't rob God of the reverence He deserves.

Don't Rob Others, 5:8-9.

Solomon has already mention the injustice in the judicial system. In verse 8, he tells us not to be surprised by injustices to the poor. Our depraved hearts and our doomed world make it evident that evil is everywhere. That statement is easy to interpret. But the rest of verse 8 and all of verse 9 are more difficult to understand. It seems to me to be saying that although those who are in authority are often the very perpetrators of injustice to the poor and lowly, one day their case will be heard before the highest authority. Don't forget that God is watching it all! The Supreme Court may be the highest court in the land, but there is still a higher court in which some day absolute justice will be rendered. We get frustrated when we see wrongs that are not made right. But we must remember, some day every wrong will be punished and every right will be rewarded. This is a good reason to be careful not to exploit the poor now.

It is wrong for us to be prejudice against the poor. I think that verse 9 tells us not to belittle the field hand. Why? Because, in truth, all of us live off the earth just like that field hand. Even the king! Don't exploit the lowly nor rob them of their dignity. Treat all people with respect.

Don't Rob Yourself, 5:10-17.

Beginning in verse 10, Solomon concentrates his comments on myths about money. Verse 13 indicates that we can hurt ourselves, rob ourselves, by having the wrong perspective of wealth.

Myth #1 - Money Bring Satisfaction, v.10. Someone has said, "Money may not buy happiness but it sure makes misery a lot more tolerable." Is their enough money to satisfy that vacuum in our heart? No. "The love of money is the root of all evil" (I Tim. 6:10). Money itself is not the problem. It is our attitude toward money, the love of money, silver, abundance that is the problem.

Myth #2 - Money Will Solve Most Of My Problems, v.11. Someone has said, "Money may not be the number one thing in life, but it's way ahead of whatever is number two." Actually, money is more like to cause problems than to solve them. Isn't it amazing how the amount of money you have is directly connected to the number of mouths you have to feed. Elvis Presley was a dirt poor kid from Mississippi. After he got popular