Jun 8, 1997 9 min read Ecclesiastes

Daylight Robbery (Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12)

well, they were just making a quick trip to the store, so they never bothered to arm the security system
in all likelihood, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, since the alarm was simply a buzzer and was not hooked up to any security company or the police
immediately upon their return, though, they knew something was wrong
the mat at the front door was out of place, and they could somehow sense that someone had been in the house while they were away
gone: thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, as well as some home electronics
daylight robbery is what they call it
you might have had a similar experience, or have had friends or family who have experienced such a break-in
but most robberies aren’t this obvious
many robberies are every bit as significant as the one I described, but we are less aware of what is being robbed
just because the mat isn’t out of place, the windows are not broken, and jewelry is still there, doesn’t mean that something wasn’t stolen!
as we look at Ecclesiastes, Solomon observes three things that are easily stolen but not always detected
and Solomon issues three warnings
please open your Bibles to Ecclesiastes 5
it might surprise you that the one doing the robbing in this passage is you!
I’m issuing a warning to you this morning: stop!
stop robbing the Lord!
stop robbing others!
and stop robbing yourself!
now, if you’re smart, you’re asking yourself, “How am I robbing God, others, and myself?”
I’m glad you asked
let’s look at the passage this morning
ONE: DON’T ROB GOD
(Ecclesiastes 5:1) Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
(Ecclesiastes 5:2) Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
(Ecclesiastes 5:3) As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
(Ecclesiastes 5:4) When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
(Ecclesiastes 5:5) It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
(Ecclesiastes 5:6) Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
(Ecclesiastes 5:7) Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.
it’s an amazing thing
as the writer observes the scene at the temple, he sees people robbing God – it’s daylight robbery
they’re robbing God by coming to his house carelessly
as they come, they’re not thinking about what they’re doing
they’re worshipping God outwardly out of tradition or habit, but their heart is not in it
furthermore, they’re careless in their words to God
they’re hasty and verbose, making rash promises to God and then trying to get out of it
you get the impression that the whole thing is a bit of a game; it’s an afterthought
and no-one is really stopping to think that the people were robbing God
as I prepared my message, I wondered what would happen if Solomon observed our church today?
would he see anyone robbing God?
are we giving our worship the priority that it deserves? or are we worshiping God?
let me be honest
some people go to church out of habit
they don’t put any thought into it
they enter God’s house flippantly
they don’t think when prayers are being offered and hymns are being sung
and they leave no better for having worshiped God
what a tragedy that people in Solomon’s time went to the temple and brazenly robbed God!
I think Solomon would say we’re robbing God when we’re habitually late for the worship service
when we fight with our families on the way to church
when we enter quickly and flippantly without preparing our hearts
when we sing songs of praise without thinking about what we’re singing
when we let our minds wander as we hear God’s Word
when we pray and don’t mean it, or back it up with action
I think we’re robbing God when our heart doesn’t enter into worship
David Allan Hubbard writes:

Babbling, rambling, wild words may be all right in dreams, but they do not belong in worship. Our relationship with God is one of sober, respectful, reverent awe…False worship is as much an affront to him as obscene insults are to a wife or husband. Better to bribe a judge than to ply God with hollow words; better to slap a policeman than to seek God’s influence by meaningless gestures; better to perjure yourself in court than harry God with promises you can’t keep. The full adoration of our spirit, the true obedience of our heart – these are his demands and his delights.

Solomon says, don’t rob God!
I think we should pause and pray
it’s possible that you came to church in a hurry this morning without thinking about what you were doing
it’s possible that you’ve been singing the songs and experiencing the service without giving God the adoration of your spirit
we’re going to pause and ask God for forgiveness, and make things right
God is looking for people who worship him in spirit and in truth
let’s pray right now
TWO: THE SECOND THING SOLOMON SAYS IS THIS: DON’T ROB OTHERS
(Ecclesiastes 5:8) If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
(Ecclesiastes 5:9) The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
Solomon sees corrupt possessions oppressing the poor
he sees officials using their rights to oppress others
and even the king appears to be in the act
it should be no surprise that when people rob God, they end up robbing others
if we don’t show proper deference and respect to God, why should we mind when we end up oppressing others?
it’s unfortunate that “the rich tend to take charge and their power intimidates and offends the poor”
eventually the rich and powerful can’t even hear those who are poor and oppressed
Solomon’s words are not a command, but an observation
but in Scripture, we are commanded to care for those who are being oppressed
(James 1:27) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Solomon says, don’t rob God; don’t rob others; and thirdly:
THREE: DON’T ROB YOURSELF
a lot of people look to money for answers
do you ever dream about winning the lottery?
or coming home to find a big check waiting for you in the mailbox that you weren’t expecting
we sometimes think that wealth brings satisfaction and security, and that wealth solves every problem
Solomon warns us that we’re robbing ourselves if we look to money or wealth for the answers in life
and I’m here to tell you three things about money this morning:
money doesn’t satisfy, money doesn’t bring security, and money can’t solve every problem
MONEY DOESN’T SATISFY
(Ecclesiastes 5:10) Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
(Ecclesiastes 5:11) As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are the y to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?
Warren Wiersbe says that some people treat money as though it were a god
they love it, make sacrifices for it, and think that it can do anything
their minds are filled with thoughts of it; their lives are controlled by getting it and guarding it; and when they have it, they experience a great sense of security
but the person who loves money cannot be satisfied no matter how much money he has in his bank account
the person who is greedy for money will never have enough
the more he has, the more he wants
as somebody has said, “Greed and materialism have no built-in safeguards or satisfying limits”
you see, there’s nothing wrong with having money
the problem is in loving money
Jesus went so far as to say we can’t love both God and money; it’s going to be one or the other
this is an attack on greed and clutching
because the person who loves money is ultimately robbing themselves; they’re not going to be satisfied no matter how much money they get
Solomon points out that money doesn’t satisfy
and he also points out that
MONEY DOESN’T BRING SECURITY
(Ecclesiastes 5:12) The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.
(Ecclesiastes 5:13) I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
(Ecclesiastes 5:14) or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him.
(Ecclesiastes 5:15) Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.
(Ecclesiastes 5:16) This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind?
(Ecclesiastes 5:17) All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
Solomon reminds us of two “grievous evils”
(verses 13 and 14) that riches have to be guarded by a person and thus give them worry, and ultimately the riches can be lost
I’ve never once sat up in bed at night worried about my wealth and stocks disappearing
but rich people do
I’ve never jumped out of a helicopter or bank building
but rich people have
riches bring worry, because riches can be lost
(Proverbs 23:4 NCV) Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich; be wise enough to control yourself.
(Proverbs 23:5 NCV) Wealth can vanish in the wink of an eye. It can seem to grow wings and fly away like an eagle.
there’s another grievous evil in verse 16-17
that the rich person dies as empty-handed as he is born
one is naked at birth and at death; you can’t take it with you
money doesn’t satisfy; it doesn’t bring security; and also:
MONEY CAN’T SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM
one problem with wealth is the responsibility that comes with it:
(Ecclesiastes 5:11) As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?
money is relative: the more money, the more relatives
all of a sudden people show up we didn’t even know before
furthermore, not all who have wealth are able to enjoy it
some people have all their desires fulfilled but are unable to enjoy their riches
(Ecclesiastes 6:1) I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:
(Ecclesiastes 6:2) God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
Solomon gives two examples of people who apparently have everything they ever wanted, and yet have nothing
they have all the resources necessary for a satisfying life and yet they are unable to enjoy them for one reason or another
perhaps due to trouble in the home, or illness, or death
verse 2 says that the man who had all these things had no heir, and so when he died a stranger enjoyed all his wealth
I heard of one person who could afford to eat out at the finest restaurants, yet his taste buds didn’t work so he couldn’t really taste the food
we’ve all heard of rich people who lived eccentric and unhappy lives despite their wealth
money can be an illusion
if we love money, we’re robbing ourselves
money doesn’t bring satisfaction; it doesn’t bring security; it doesn’t solve all of our problems
tucked away in this passage is a hint on how to overcome the deception of wealth
(Ecclesiastes 5:18) Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him–for this is his lot.
(Ecclesiastes 5:19) Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God.
(Ecclesiastes 5:20) He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.
Solomon reminds us that the real answer isn’t the love of money, but simply in accepting our station in life and enjoying all the blessings God has given us
it is good for us to eat and drink and find pleasure in our labors
the ability to enjoy life’s blessings is in itself a gift from God
verse 20 tells us that the person who rejoices in God’s blessings will never have regrets
(Ecclesiastes 5:20) He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.
God blesses us and gives us the ability to enjoy our lives
this morning, are you robbing yourself?
are you knocking yourself out to get more money than you really need?
are you worshipping money and materialism instead of God?
if you are, you’re robbing yourself
are you robbing others?
are you insensitive to the needs of others?
are you oppressing them or unjustly using them?
are you robbing God?
are you worshiping him carelessly by rote?
are you rushing into God’s presence and making rash vows?
or are you guarding your steps as you come into God’s house?
it’s a terrifying thing to come home and find out you’ve been burgled
but it’s even worse if you find out that the burglar has been you

Darryl Dash

I'm a grateful husband, father, oupa, and pastor of Grace Fellowship Church Don Mills. I love learning, writing, and encouraging. I'm on a lifelong quest to become a humble, gracious old man.

Toronto, Canada

Darryl Dash

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