35. Wise Up

Posted on Posted in Sermon Notes, Prayer Meeting, 2017 Tagged with , , , ,

Hymns: 339 When I Fear My Faith Will Fail 338 Show My Thy Way, O Lord 349 Surely Goodness and Mercy

 

Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes

(Remember Now Thy Creator)

Wise Up

Ecclesiastes 10:1-7

1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

 

OUTLINE

  • Folly Is Costly (v1)
  • Folly Is Clearly Seen (v2-3)
  • Folly In Contending with Superior (v4)
  • Folly In High Places (v5-7)

 

INTRODUCTION

There is clearly a way of life that Solomon defines as wise living. He exhorts us to take heed to these. He tells us to “Wise up”. At times, we need to be admonished so that we will be awakened to our weakedness and change for the better. This is the power of God’s Word. The Apostle Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Moses gave to the children of Israel in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

Likewise, Moses gave the same instruction for the leaders of Israel. The kings are commanded by God to write a copy of Scriptures for themselves and to study and to live by it all their lives. Turn with me to Deuteronomy 17:18-20, “18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.”

When the kings failed to study and abide by the safety of Scriptures, they fell. The kingdom and the entire nation fell. This can be attested in the divided kingdom when Solomon who lived a life disobedient to the Scriptures died. It is sad to realise that the good kings are few and far in between. Most abandon God’s law. Therefore, they paid a heavy price in their ruined lives.

 

  • (1) Folly Is Costly (v1)
  • (2) Folly Is Clearly Seen (v2-3)
  • (3) Folly In Contending with Superior (v4)
  • (4) Folly In High Places (v5-7)

 

(1) Folly Is Costly (v1)

1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

The lesson is that the dead fly, though a little creature, can render a bottle of costly perfume useless when it emits a stinky smell that competes with the good scent that the perfume is to give. The bottle of good perfume has to be thrown away.

1 Corinthians 5:6 …Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

The little lump, the small amount of yeast that is placed in a new loaf of bread that will permeate the entire loaf to cause the bread to rise.

“A little folly is enough to produce immense mischief.” [Bridges]

The unguarded moment – the hasty word – the irritable temper – the rudeness of manner – the occasional slip – spoil the fragrance of the ointment. [Bridges]

The sin of this one person, if not prompt dealt with, will bring a sense of moral corruption to the entire church. Because such a sin is tolerated, it is like a cancer that will eventually kill the diseased body. As such, he is urging that to take quick action to discipline the errant sinner in their midst.

In the history of Israel, the initial introduction of idolatry was not arrested so that with time, the entire nation went a whoring. This result in God’s judgment by the Babylonians where Israel was deported out of the land for 70 years.

Let God’s people be willing deal with sin as the psalmist cried in Psalm 51:7-8 “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” This is a prayer for the cleansing of sin that will bring rejoicing to the heart again. The church in Corinth is urged by the Apostle Paul not to take sin lightly but seriously to deal with sin for their spiritual wellbeing. Do not procrastinate but be willing to take action.

The church in Galatia was entangled with sin. The Apostle Paul similarly had to point out that they have been freed from the bondage of sin through the gospel and yet going back to the filth of sin –  Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.“

 

  • (2) Folly Is Clearly Seen (v2-3)

2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

Folly is usually self-evident. The “right” in the ancient world meany skilfulness and the word “left” connoted ineptness and climiness. Ancient societies made no provision for left-handers – all soldiers, for example, held their shield in their left hand and their swords in their right hand. [KJV Study Bible]

Here is contrast the wise man and his prudence and the foolish man with his rashness and want of thoughtfulness.

A person lacking wisdom will manifest that in daily conduct. [MacArthur Study Bible]

Jesus says Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

When Jesus contrasted the wide gate and the narrow gate, he had in mind the broad main gate at the entrance into a city and the small ones that allowed only pedestrians and single animals to pass through. The width of the principal gate was about 13-14 feet. The other gates were low and narrow, permitting the entrance only of pedestrians and a single ass. [Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopaedia] This is the first criteria that Jesus gave at the beginning of the sermon – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalm 34:8) A heart that recognizes its depravity will receive the blessings of entering the gate. This strait gate is the gate of new birth through Jesus Christ and it brings us into life with God. Therefore Jesus preached “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Life with God in the narrow way will cost us our sins. God is not only a God of love but also a holy and just God. He will deal with us after our sins because He is a just God. When we sin wilfully against Him, He will chastise us so that we can be brought back to love the beauty of holiness. This is a good price to pay that we may conform to the image of Christ. Our sins must be put to death. When we transgress God’s laws, we will be dealt with by the Lord for He knows and He sees our every sin – open or secret. The Bible says “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons” (Hebrews 12:6-8). He prunes and trims us so that we may bear forth more good fruit.

It leads to life – We do well to realise that this life of three score years and ten – 70 to 80 years is short compared to eternity, and we remember the regrets of the two men in Luke 12 and 16. Therefore, we are to take heed to God’s Word, be strong to make an entry and remain in the narrow way that leads us finally to heaven.

 

  • (3) Folly In Contending with Superior (v4)

4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

To be submissive to our superiors if at any time we have offended them. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, if upon some misinformation given him, or some mismanagement of thine, he is displeased at thee, and threaten thee, yet leave not thy place, forget not the duty of a subject, revolt not from thy allegiance, do not, in a passion, quit thy post in his service and throw up thy commission, as despairing ever to regain his favour. No, wait awhile, and thou wilt find he is not implacable, but that yielding pacifies great offences.” Solomon speaks for himself, and for every wise and good man that is a master, or a magistrate, that he could easily forgive those, upon their submission, whom yet, upon their provocation, he had been very angry with. It is safer and better to yield to an angry prince than to contend with him. [Matthew Henry]

This is good wisdom for the work place. Indeed, lots of patience and commitment to duty is virtue and a willingness to yield to the superior is wisdom.

 

  • (4) Folly in High Places (v5-7)

5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

We notice also how rulers appoint inept men to high office and let the competent languish in low place. This is folly. He tells us that common scene of misgovernment. Leaders making poor judgment causing great evil to perperuate. He tells us of the ironies in life, in this world, life is not always fair.

The people of Israel were subjected to great bondage in Egypt when a new ruler came who knew not Joseph.

8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

The new king that arose in Egypt fit into the invasion of a minority group called the Hyksos at 1730 B.C. They were a very barbaric people that overcame the Pharaoh and took power over Egypt. They begin to afflict the people of Israel. In fact, the pharaoh will inflict so much pain upon His people that God intervened to enact the Exodus out of Egypt. Israel will be a nation that will truly reflect the wisdom and glory of God.

King Solomon made a recount of the faithfulness of God in leading His people Israel at the dedication of the first temple in Jerusalem when he said in 1 Kings 8:56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

1 Kings 6:1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. [Solomon reigns in 967 – 966 B.C., the Exodus would be 1447 – 1446 B.C. and the Jews would have entered Egypt in 1875 B.C.

 It was on the 480th year of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt that the first Temple began construction. It took 7 years to build as was recorded here and so on the 487th year was the first Temple completed and dedicated.

1 Kings 6:37-38 In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif: And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

It provides us the chronological frame work of the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises that began with the first Hebrew – Abraham who was called to come to Canaan at the age of 75. Only at 100 years of age when his wife was past the age of woman that Isaac, the son promised by God, was miraculously given.

Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

 

Adam to Noah

Noah to 2nd Coming of Christ

Israel as the leading nation of the world in the millennium

God creates the New Heaven and the New Earth

The full glory of Israel as God’s chosen nation will be seen only in the Millennium.

Psalm 2:1-12 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

The Lord must return to set right this earth gone out of bearing. May He come quickly.

 

CONCLUSION

  • Folly Is Costly (v1)
  • Folly Is Clearly Seen (v2-3)
  • Folly In Contending with Superior (v4)
  • Folly In High Places (v5-7)

May God help His people to live in wisdom. Amen.