27. Rebuked!
Hymns: RHC 402 His Way with Thee 406 Who Is On the Lord’s Side? 409 Take Time to be Holy
Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes
(Remember Now Thy Creator)
– Rebuke!
Ecclesiastes 7:5-6
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
OUTLINE
- Hearkening (v5a)
- Spurning (v5b-6)
INTRODUCTION
The Apostle Paul gave these last words to Timothy at the close of his life. The book of 2 Timothy was the last letter that the Apostle Paul wrote. It was given to his disciple, one who was saved under his ministry, equipped and sent to serve God’s people. One whom he prayed would pass on the spiritual heritage to other faithful men.
2 Timothy 3:13-17 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
He tells him of the danger of evil men, those who would cause the faith of His people to be shipwrecked. They are on the prowl to deceive and harm. Their chief weapon to wreck havoc is deception. This was how Adam and Eve fell at the garden when they hearkened to the voice of the serpent over the counsel of God.
Solomon was making such a point to us when he began chapter 7. He brought us to the funeral and showed us the end of men. He tells us that this is a place where we should begin to find the bearing for life, at the end of life. That we may turn to faith in our Creator God. This is true wisdom.
He tells us to be willing to listen to words of rebuke. Be willing to hear unpleasant words of rebuke. Though it causeth some grief, yet frequently brings great benefit, even reformation and salvation, both from temporal and from eternal destruction, both which are the portion of impenitent sinners. [Poole]
Two thoughts:
- Hearkening (v5a)
- Spurning (v5b-6)
(1) Hearkening (v5a)
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise…
The word “better” is the word “good”. It means profitable or beneficial. He makes a contrast with the “fool” in the rest of the text. The word “fool” is a description of those denies and rejects God in their daily living. Such a life of wanton fun is precarious to the soul.
“Rebuke” refers grave admonition that heals and strengthens while it wounds. [Pulpit] The word means more than the dictionary meaning of simply “sharp disapproval and criticism”.
The Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy not to forget all that he has learned, the wisdom of God’s Word that has been imparted to him all these years. May he continue to search the Scriptures that are able to make him wise unto salvation through faith which in Jesus in Jesus Christ! Such powerful advice!
All Scripture is God-breathed. It is from the very breath of God that these words are given. It describes the divine origin and source of Scripture. It is the voice of God speaking through Scripture. The utterance of the Eternal God as if the heaven were to be opened and we heard God speaking to us with human voice! It carries with it the divine authority of God. Paul did not write “all the scripture” but “all scripture”. The absence of the definite article emphasize the quality and character of Scriptures. The Bible carries the credentials of the Almighty God. God’s Word is true wisdom.
Scripture is profitable, beneficial, valuable, help to you, the pearl of great price. It teaches us what doctrines or principles we must hold and what principles I should not hold, for The purpose of imparting knowledge concerning God’s revelation in all its facets. It is from the doctrines or principles that we derive our practice.
Our faith is an objective faith. Therefore the people who go wrong in practice are always those who are not sure of their principles. Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones made an insightful observation when he said, “We live in an age of specialist, and the specialist is almost invariably a man who is so lost in details that he often forgets principles. Most of the breakdown in life today is due to the fact that certain basic principles have been forgotten.” This word “doctrine” is first used in the book of Matthew where Jesus reproved the Pharisees for teaching doctrines of man or man’s traditions and putting aside the doctrines of God (Matthew 15:9). Paul said in verse 10, but thou hast fully known my doctrine, the principles that undergirded my action, why do I do what I do.
Secondly, it is profitable for reproof, as a warning. It shows us what is wrong with out life. It shows us that which is false, for pointing out our error.
The Apostle Paul began in 2 Timothy 3 by pointing out the imperfection, sin and depravity of man in the last days. The “last days” is the period of time between the first and second coming of Christ, after Christ’s ascension and before the rapture of the church. The Apostle Paul described as perilous times – difficult days, times hard to bear, fierce, harsh, savage where sin abounds. Very much like the times of Noah before God judged the world with a global flood – the heart of men were only evil continually. Paul, by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, describes for us the corruption of the human heart. He gave tell-tale behaviours that characterised the imperfection, inadequacy and depravity of men.
To help us see more clearly the burden in the heart of Paul, we shall examine verse 2-5 that tell us how imperfect man is. Verse 2 (1) Man will be lovers of themselves – selfish, self-centred and self-seeking or self-lovers (2) covetous – lover of money, (4) boasters – arrogant, (5) proud – haughty, (6) blasphemers – slanderers, speaking words against God, speaking evil of others (7) disobedient to parents – parental authority in the home breaks down, (8) unthankful, (9) unholy
Verse 3 (10) without natural affections – lacking normal human affections – homosexuals/lesbians, (11) trucebreakers – cannot keep promises, (12) false accusers, (13) incontinent – lack of self-control, (14) fierce – abusive, (15) despisers of those that are good.
Verse 4 (16) traitors – betrayers, (17) heady – rash, (18) high-minded – arrogant and proud, (19) lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God – pleasure-seekers
Verse 5 (20) having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof – seemed godly but it is not genuine.
God’s Word through the Apostle Paul reproofs us, convicts us of our sins, showing us the weakness of our flesh, how we cannot order our lives and how we need God’s mercy and grace to help us.
Thirdly, if I should go astray, it is profitable for correction, to set me right again, to set me on the right path again. Scripture teaches us how we must put away sin and put on holiness. It has the power to cleanse the heart of corrupt and depraved man to make him holy. It has the power to deal with the evil of the human heart.
It is Paul’s only secret of power to transform unholy men to make him holy. In fact, there is nothing more contrary to the corrupt nature of man than the Scriptures. There is nothing more contrary to the kingdom of Satan than the Scriptures. Truly, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” May we say like the psalmist in Psalm 119:9 “Wherewithal (with what) shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
Fourthly, it is profitable for practice, teaching me what is good and what is evil, Scripture instructs us fully, Paul therefore says, it instructs in righteousness. In the book of Galatians, Paul gave to us the Spirit’s fruit when we put sin to death and put on Christ, “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Against such blessed fruit of righteousness there is no law to judge us, there is no condemnation but commendation from God.
When David and his fugitive men helped to take care and protect of Nabal’s sheep, Nabal received their help and left them high and dry without providing for their needs. David was very upset and wanted to kill Nabal. Abigail stopped David with this rebuke.
1 Samuel 25:32-33 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.
David restrained himself. God’s judgment came upon Nabal.
1 Samuel 25:34-38 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. 35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person. 36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.
Receiving rebuke with humility, patience, and a willingness to change marks the wise. [William Barrick]
(2) Spurning (v5b-6)
… than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Indeed, the man Nabal with all his wanton pleasure saw a sad end. Choose your friends wisely. There are those who will do us no good with our association with them.
William Barrick explained well, “Solomon utilises a pun to drive the point home in
verses 5 and 6. He contrasts “the song [shir] of fools” with the “crackling of thorn bushes [sirah] under a pot [sir].”
Thorn bushes crackle pleasantly in the fire, but the flames quickly consume them without any enduring heat with which to heat a pot of water or food. The heat they produce is temporary. The humor and laughter of fools possesses an equally fleeting benefit. Indeed, their merriment is hebel, transitory and insubstantial. Hebel closes verse 6, reminding the reader that the previous uses of the word were at the close of the first half of the book (6:9, 11, 12).”
A good paraphrase of our text is given by Solomon in Proverbs 27:5-6 Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Bridges said well, “Rebuke, kindly, considerately and prayerfully administered, cements friendship, rather than loosens it”.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Literal Translation: Brethren, if also a man be overtaken in some trespass, you the spiritual ones restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness/humility/courtesy; looking at yourself, lest you also may be tempted.
(1) What to do? Restore – Means to “set right”. Help this person to be on the right path again. It is a command we do not have an option not to do it. We are to do so as long as the occasion arises each time.
(2) How? With Gentleness – It describes this trait as one that aids the sinner to repentance
(3) How not? In Self-Righteousness, think not ye stand lest ye fall.
The woman who was caught committing adultery by the scribes and Pharisees was brought to Jesus. Should she be stoned according to Mosaic Law, asked the scribes and Pharisees? Our Lord did not answer but wrote on the ground. When they pressed Him for an answer, He gave a most gracious answer, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Our Lord gave an opportunity for the woman to repent. She is not sentenced by our Lord immediately as advised by the scribes and Pharisees, condemned without recourse. Indeed our Lord, the Judge of judges, is gracious to her. Who are the scribes and Pharisees to condemn her when even God is gracious to give her an opportunity to repent! Truly, this woman was restored in a spirit of meekness by our Lord. The people who heard our Lord are made to realize their own sinfulness, “And they who heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last.” Praise the Lord!
CONCLUSION
May God grant to us a heart willing to hearken to His counsel! Amen.