When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.
Message: Timely payment of vows
Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.
What the Lord is Saying:
The first 3 verses of this chapter were very good as they spoke of being careful with our words and it reminded me of the song, "let the words of my mouth" and the line, "be pleasing to you." I am not to be hasty with my words and it is better that my words are few rather than plentiful.
These next 4 verses continue to expand on that thought and idea. More specifically, this passage is focused on vows or oaths that we make before God. I am reminded of the foxhole confessions that have been made, "God, get me out of this moment and I will serve you all the days of my life" or "I will become a priest." Those confessions I always found interesting because when you are at the end of your rope you then realize that it is only God that can save and the thought that God wants everyone to be a priest or always faithful before he will intervene and rescue a person.
I think the vow word means different words today: promise, contract, legal tender. We must be careful in what we say we are going to provide. This chapter started off by saying I need to be careful with the words I say; I need to also be careful about the promises I make for I am to be faithful in carrying out those promises. And do i ever try to deviate from a promise?
[I have been working on this lesson for 2 days now. I guess I am struggling with the word vow and what that means to me. It just seems like a word that we do not use much and yet it is a word I hear from religious people when I watch historical religious movies.]
It seems like verses 1-3 of this chapter were about keeping your words few and not saying more than you should. It was about being careful with your speech. And this one is still speaking of being careful, but it is also about being a man of your word. It reminds me of the DeGarmo and Key song called just that:
He that obeys will be holyI just remember that simple song and that simple reminder.
He that believes will obey
Say what you mean but remember
To do what you say
So be a man of your word
This passage ends with the phrase that in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.
Promise: Lean on God rather than leaning on our words.
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