36. Living Wisely
Hymns: 559 Near the Cross 558 We Plough the Fields 400 Every Moment of Every Day
Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes
(Remember Now Thy Creator)
Living Wisely
Ecclesiastes 10:8-15
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
OUTLINE
- Avoid Foolish Vengeance (v8-9)
- Avoid Foolish Exertions (v10)
- Avoid Foolish Talking (v11-15)
INTRODUCTION
One anoyomous writer well concerning living wisely, “To wait on God, no time is lost – Wait on! To walk with God, no strength is lost – Walk on! To talk with God, no breath is lost – Talk on!” The order of his admonition has been arranged to bring forth the essence of our text.
Solomon is seeking God’s wisdom to provide good guidance to the pitfalls of a foolish life.
Three thoughts for your consideration:
(1) Avoid Foolish Vengeance (v8-9)
(2) Avoid Foolish Exertions (v10)
(3) Avoid Foolish Talking (v11-15)
(1) Avoid Foolish Vengeance (v8-9)
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
Bridges said well, “Evil shall fall upon the heads of its own authors. He that diggeth the pit may fall into it himself. As the breaking of an old hedge might hazard the serpent’s bite; so, the attempt to root up ancient fences of government may be an undoing project. The removal of stones from a building may bring them upon our head. Even the cleaving of wood may be a work of personal danger.”
Cutting up logs of wood, a man may hurt himself with axe or saw, or be injured by splinters, etc. If we take the idea to be the felling of trees, there is the danger of being crushed in their fall, or, according to the tenor of Deut. 19:5, of being killed inadvertently by a neighbor’s axe. [Pulpit]
Deuteronomy 19:5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
Bridges further exposited, “Let it be neither a secret conspiracy against the established order of things, nor a violent inroad on its fences and landmarks: else there may be a recoil on the perpetrators themselves; just as the renders and pullers down of things material are in danger of being hurt therewith. It is far more easy to blame than to mend; to pull down the house, than to build it up again. And yet such is the power of self-delusion, that if the mysterious finger could shew the handwriting upon the wall—onward men will go — so natural and easy is the downward path!”
Proverbs 26:27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
This is a very simple picture: A man digging a pit to catch someone else falls into it himself, or as he is trying to roll a stone onto someone else, it rolls back onto him.
The exiled Jews in the Persian Empire during the time of Esther were faced with imminent destruction by a decree that the evil Haman had crafted. The hatred was vehement. And time was ticking towards their ultimate destruction.
Just when we think all is lost as we read of the magnitude of the threat confronting His people and the thwarting of His will, we see a turn of events that tells us that is still on the throne.
In every trouble, may we remember that our God is very present with us. He is with us to hear our prayers, increase our strength and show us the way ahead, helping us to overcome yet again.
His grace is sufficient, His presence is sure and your deliverance, in His time and way, is certain. Therefore, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” (James Smith)
Israel is God’s chosen people. As a people, they were the apple of His eye as Moses puts it.
Deuteronomy 32:10-12 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12 So the LORD alone did lead him…
It is interesting to observe the king was plagued with insomnia. And how this royal insomnia led the king to review the historical records of his empire and how he discovered that he had been saved from assasination attempt by two of his courtiers – Bigthana and Teresh by this man Mordecai and the king had done nothing to honour his benefactor.
Just when the king had the thought to honour Mordecai that Haman came in to the king’s house.
Haman had intended to ask the king to pass the decree to hang Mordecai.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
Is life a lottery? Much of life sees to be a lottery to unbelievers. But you realize the very hairs of your head are all numbered!” (Matt. 10:30). Is life a mere chance? Is God or chance in charge?
You would see that this story was written to teach God’s people always to depend and trust in God’s will.
This is the irony of the story. Haman thought that the king is going to honour him and therefore gave all that the king could do to honour him thinking that he was heaping for himself great honour only we see how God overturned the events!
Here is a warning particularly against hidden malice. For all their efforts, those who oppose Christ are self-defeating. The greatest example of this is the cross itself. Do not oppose Christ; instead flee to Him. Otherwise, it will be your undoing. The picture of the rolling stone reminds …the ancient Kign of Corinth who was condemned to spend eternity rolling a stone to the top of a hill, only to have it roll down again. It is more reminiscent of those who thought of sealing and guarding a stone rolled into the groove of the entrance to a grave could prevent it from rolling back again to their hurt as it revealed the empty grave of the risen Christ.[1]
This morning, we studied how the Hebrew mid-wives feared God and spared the male babies borne by the Hebrew womenfolk.
Exodus 1:17-21 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
The Hebrew mid-wives would not go against their conscience (the law of God written in their hearts 1 Cor. 2:15). They trusted God to protect them as they maintain a good conscience by sparing the male babies.
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
We observed in our text that the midwives feared God. They feared the judgment of God when they would transgress the commandment of God.
Recall the words of Peter in Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Peter was imprisoned for preaching the gospel and healing the sick, but the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought Peter and his companions forth from prison so that they continue to preach in Jerusalem.
This is the mark of a true child of God. The fear of God characterises his actions. He fears to offend God. He would rather offend men and face their wrath than offend God and face His wrath.
Jesus said Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
In other words, God will take care of you as you obey Him.
Matthew 10:29-33 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
They had faith in God to protect and take care of them come what may! To fear God is to depart from evil.
Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
(2) Avoid Foolish Exertions (v10)
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Using a blunt axe will not cut a tree. The exertions made will be futile. The blade must be sharpened before the tree can be chopped down.
Have we been trying to live our lives without taking time to seek God’s wisdom through the careful study of His Word? Have we been neglecting prayer and acting on our own strength? Our exertions will see little or no fruit!
The powerhouse of the church is the prayer meeting. It is there at the throne of grace that we obtain mercy to help in times of need. Not just corporate prayer but private prayer. Prayer is power with God.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Give your worries and anxieties and burdens to the Lord and He has promised to take care of them.
In our study of the Book of Acts, the early church faced countless persecutions, violent opposition to her existence. If you are a Christian in the early days of the church, life indeed hang on the thread like the robin sitting in its nest at the edge of the waterfall.
But the church of God on earth is a supernatural body, endued and protected by the power of God from on high.
We see this enacted, dramatically portrayed as the power of God was unleashed to ensure the success of the church and its mission despite violent opposition.
Prayer was made intensely, earnestly for Peter and he may be protected from harm and danger. God directly intervenes by sending an angel to free the apostle Peter from his imprisonment and stems the persecution by striking down the king of the land.
The experience of the church and the last word from Jesus to His disciples before His ascension is that they are to wait upon God in prayer. And since the inception of the church, her powerhouse has been the upper room where the waits tarries at the mercy seat.
If only men and women would take time to pray, it is the surest cure for depression.
(3) Avoid Foolish Talking (v11-15)
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
The right use of the tongue is a good measure of Christian maturity, the unbridled tongue is sign of spiritual immaturity. The use of the tongue is a significant factor that measures a Christian’s spiritual maturity.
The Christian spends time to study God’s Word with prayer, receiving instruction so that he is able to put his body in subjection.
In fact, in the final analysis of life, God judges us by the things we say.
Matthew 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
The man’s words is precursor to his action. And God judges us after what we do in this life! We receive reward from God when we serve Him faithfully by a good conversation.
Dear brethren, cultivate your spiritual life that it may reach spiritual maturity, a consistency in walking with God.
James 3:5…Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell
James to describe the devastating effect of an evil tongue (1) a forest fire (v5b-6) and (2) tamed animals (7).
An unchecked tongue is “a world of iniquity”. The word “iniquity” means the outworking of sin in crooked life style. It defiles the entire body.
The effect of a forest fire is used to describe the grave damage of an uncontrolled tongue. We are familiar with forest fires in Indonesia. It is predicted that they are the worst on record.
There are widespread forest fires in Indonesia almost every year during the dry season, last year’s it was proving particularly devastating, destroying vast tracts of jungle and blanketing neighbouring countries in toxic smog. Nasa satellites have detected more than 117,000 forest fires in Indonesia this year, according to the global fire emissions database. Most are believed to have been started deliberately to clear land for farming. They have been raging for several months and have destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of forest. Most of the fires are on the islands of Sumatra and the Indondesian part of Borneo, known locally as Kalimantan. Smoke, smog and haze have also affected neighbouring countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, grounding flights and forcing schools to close. Visibility has been reduced in some areas to less than 50 metres (160 feet). The smog and haze have been particularly bad in Borneo, measuring 1,986 on the pollution index compiled by Indonesia’s meteorology agency. Values over 350 are considered hazardous. Conservationists also say the fires threaten nearly a third of the world’s orangutan population.[2]
So is the tongue, when it is not properly controlled can cause great harm.
According to one statistician, the average person spends at least 13 years of his life talking. On a normal day something like 18,000 words are likely to be used, roughly equivalent to a book of 54 pages. While in the course of a single year, his words would fill 66 books, each containing 800 pages.[3]
V15 Fools discover their folly, as by their words, of which he hath hitherto spoken, so also by their actions, and by their endless and fruitless endeavours after things which are too high and hard for them. For he is ignorant of those things which are most easy and most necessary for him, as of the way to the great city whither he is going, or obliged by his business to go, which being a great and beaten road, is known even to children and natural fools. [Poole]
CONCLUSION
- Avoid Foolish Vengeance (v8-9)
- Avoid Foolish Exertions (v10)
- Avoid Foolish Talking (v11-15)
Amen.
[1] Gary Brady, Heavenly Wisdom – Proverbs Simply Explained, Evangelical Press, 2003, 704-705.
[2] http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/oct/28/indonesia-burning-forest-fires-predicted-to-be-worst-on-record
[3] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (1408). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.