I Praise God for allowing me to be inspired comforted and encouraged today. He had a dear sister request that I share my thoughts on Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 to help her understand their meaning. I Praise God that He deem me worthy to be blessed to try and explain anything to anyone.
Ecclesiastes 7:16
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
To me this verse 16 is speaking to self righteousness, as in (like) -the Scribes Pharisees, the religiously wise, those wise in their own eyes, the self righteous ones.
Ecclesiastes 7:16
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
To me this verse 16 is speaking to self righteousness, as in (like) -the Scribes Pharisees, the religiously wise, those wise in their own eyes, the self righteous ones.
The ones who seemed righteous to the people, yet God said, “With your lips you do honor me but your hearts are far from me.”
These are those who sought to display their righteousness, those who loved to appear righteous to the masses. When they were actually spiritually bankrupt and full of dead men’s bones.
These are those who sought to display their righteousness, those who loved to appear righteous to the masses. When they were actually spiritually bankrupt and full of dead men’s bones.
These were those who were puffed up with their own importance, and were self sufficient, not God sufficent. They were laying heavy burdens on people because of their obsession with this false righteousness, and they were not willing to help bear the burdens of the people in any way. They had no Charity what so ever. They thought themselves to be approved of God, but they were in danger of hell.
As in Matthew 23:27-28
27. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
And in Matthew 15:8-9
8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
And in Matthew 23: 2-5
2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
These types of people were knowledgeable of some of the things of God, and became overly impressed with themselves, when they didn’t know God at all as they should. They demanded more out of others than they required of themselves. That is how the Scribes and Pharisees were. God wanted them to remember that they were no better than the one who was struggling along faithfully with an honest heart, to be pleasing to God.
As in Matthew 23:27-28
27. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
And in Matthew 15:8-9
8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
And in Matthew 23: 2-5
2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
3. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
These types of people were knowledgeable of some of the things of God, and became overly impressed with themselves, when they didn’t know God at all as they should. They demanded more out of others than they required of themselves. That is how the Scribes and Pharisees were. God wanted them to remember that they were no better than the one who was struggling along faithfully with an honest heart, to be pleasing to God.
We as the saints of God are admonished "Not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought."
The scribes and the Pharisees were merciless and cruel; they were oppressors of those whom they didn’t perceive as great as themselves. They held themselves up above the people of God.
These self righteous people were full of man’s wisdom, not God’s wisdom, and that is why the admonition from God, not to be-over wise -as in “be not wise in your own eyes”
As in Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
And As in Romans 12:16
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits
The lord promises to protect and deliver his people from such as these self righteous Pharisees. These types of people are amongst us today and "They forget that they were purged from their own sins."
Psalm 12:5
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
2 Peter 1:5-11
5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 7:17
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
The scribes and the Pharisees were merciless and cruel; they were oppressors of those whom they didn’t perceive as great as themselves. They held themselves up above the people of God.
These self righteous people were full of man’s wisdom, not God’s wisdom, and that is why the admonition from God, not to be-over wise -as in “be not wise in your own eyes”
As in Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
And As in Romans 12:16
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits
The lord promises to protect and deliver his people from such as these self righteous Pharisees. These types of people are amongst us today and "They forget that they were purged from their own sins."
Psalm 12:5
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
2 Peter 1:5-11
5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 7:17
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Verse 17 is self explanatory to me- it is an admonition to depart from wickedness and the foolishness that says -“God does not see nor hear nor observe our ways”. God is not mocked, what so ever we sow that we also reap. It is a warning of judgment upon those who do not heed the commandments and admonitions of Almighty God.
Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
This verse is also easily understood, God is saying “Listen to me and do what I say, commit yourself to doing good and fear me, and I shall deliver you from your sins. Repent of your ways and I shall show Mercy to you I shall make you fruitful."
This is how Godly wisdom and righteousness is revealed and known to be true:
James 3: 13-18
13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
God bless you saints, I hope you are encouraged and moved in your Spirit by "The Word of God."
1 comment:
Your thoughts made me think of King Solomon; the wisest man of his time. Even with all of his wisdom, the foreign wives he took to himself drew him away from intimate fellowship with God.
Before I am critical of Solomon, I must examine my own heart. Although I may not have 600 wives (thank God!) I have had dozens of other things that have kept me seperate from Him.
In our past age of prosperity it was thought a wise thing to have as much "stuff" and investments as one could afford, and some that we could not afford. This was thought to be wisdom. How deceived we were!
Wisdom is drawing as close to God as possible and never withdrawing an inch!!
This brings us great peace of soul and spirit and I know He is well pleased with the intimacy.
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