Ministries
Resources
1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.
4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
For the first time in Ecclesiastes, the author draws specific attention to religious ideas. The language of sacrifices, vows, and the Temple ("house of God") evoke thoughts of Israel's cult. In the final analysis, though, the passage's main concern is not about cultic rituals. It is about human speech and how it affects our relationship with the living God. That human speech assumes center stage here is evident from the text's vocabulary: The "mouth" (5:2, 6), "words" (5:2-3, 7), "vows" (5:4-5) all have to do with what we say before God. Therefore, when 5:1 speaks of the "sacrifice of fools" we are to think of indiscreet talk in the presence of God. We may call it "indiscreet prayer" in the most general sense.
Words are the product of the thoughts of the heart, for the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart. Content and manner of our words to God betray our image of the Lord. It is in this sense that the term "dream" (5:3, 7) should be read. 5:3 claims "a dream comes with much business," and 5:7 adds that "when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity." Particularly the latter statement indicates that dreams and words we utter before God are very closely related. "Dreams" refers to the way we think about God, and what we think about him will also be expressed in words. The term "dream"” may well include dream-like visions or something of this sort, but the meaning of the word here is better captured in the concept of an "idea." We have ideas of God; everyone draws a mental picture of God in terms of his character, and many even entertain sketches of his appearance. Our behavior, speech included, is informed by our ideas of God. Hence, as 5:3 points out, "a dream comes with much business."
Qohelelth's use of the word "dream" is negative. The text shows that our ideas about God more often than not are informed by our own imagination. We have a skewed picture (dream) of God. Why does a man think he can pay homage to God by periodically visiting a "sacred" place, be it a temple, church, or synagogue, in order to engage in religious performances? His heart entertains a picture of God according to which he is interested in such things. And when our idea of God is distorted, so will every work or "business" that flows from it.
With words it is the same. What we say before God is the expression of our image of God. Qoheleth's counsel, then, is to make sure that our image of God is informed by God’s revelation of himself: "To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil" (5:1).
Jesus spoke of this problem of our sinful hearts, namely, to think that we must impress God (and people) with words: "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them…" (Matt. 6:7-8). I have heard prayers, sometimes even my own, that sounded like preaching sermons to the Almighty, as though he needed someone to enlighten him. Such prayers are ultimately the product of our "dreams" (i.e., our skewed view) of God. Then, no matter how eloquent, how biblical, or how poetic the words may sound, they will amount to little more than verbal trash. Remember, "God is in heaven, and you on earth" (5:2). You will not be holier on account of the many words or the length, or the arrangement of the prayer. All depends on a broken and contrite heart, for God will always be pleased with such sacrifices. Honesty is a good virtue and a good beginning.
The author of these devotionals, the Rev. Martin Emmrich, is an ordained OPC minister (Westminster OPC, Corvallis, Oregon) as well as the author of Pneumatological Concepts in the Epistle to the Hebrews, a book on the teaching of Hebrews on the Holy Spirit. We are happy to make these devotionals on Ecclesiastes and other passages of Scripture available to you.
© 2025 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
