PM Home Bible Study Group; July 14, 2010

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Theme: Solomon, in this chapter, offers insights into the kind of wisdom that is better than strength—but despised by the strong.

In this section of his book, Solomon has been dealing with a matter that was a great frustration to him. The ways of humble wisdom are truly excellent; but its excellencies are despised in a world that seems to exalt in foolishness. In treating this matter, he offers a series of short, wise, ‘proverbial’ statements that show how wisdom—excellent and mighty as it is—is nevertheless despised “under the sun”.

We began, last time, by looking at the first seven statements found 10:1-10. And now, we look consider the remaining statements in the latter half of the chapter.

VIII. THE DANGERS OF FLATTERY (v. 11).

“A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; the babbler is no different.”

That, anyway, is how Solomon’s words are translated in the New King James Version. The King James Version translates it in a similar way; “Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.” Both of these translations interpret this verse with pretty much the same sense—that unless the serpent is charmed, it will bite; and that the “babbler”—literally, “the master of tongues”—is the same. Unless the “flatterer” is charmed—told what it is that he wants to hear, or made to feel honored and respected, he will turn on you and “bite” you. In this case, these words underscore the dangerous road one goes down once he associates with a flatterer. God once spoke to Israel, through the prophet Jeremiah, about the false prophets the people would prefer over hearing the truth; “‘For behold, I will send serpents among you, vipers which cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 8:17).

But this same verse is translated quite differently in the New International Version. There, we read, “If a snake bites before it is charmed, there’s no profit for the charmer”. And this, actually, better represents the reading of the original Hebrew. This points the “danger” in the other direction—suggesting that unless the “master of the tongue” does his job well, he will eventually be bitten. And all his prepared words of flattery will do him no good if he is bitten before he can utter them—just as all the snake-charmers’ skill does him no good as he lays dying from a snake-bite. As King David wrote in Psalm 58:3-5; “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, which will not heed the voice of the charmers, charming ever so skillfully.”

The better course of wisdom is to stay away from the wicked in any case—whether it be from the wicked “charmer” or from the one being “charmed” in his or her wickedness. You’ll eventually get bitten either way! Let the people of this world, who fancy themselves “a master of the tongue” be warned!

IX. THE SELF-DESTRUCTIVENESS OF FOOLISH WORDS (vv. 12-13).

“The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; the words of his mouth begin with foolishness, and the end of his talk is raving madness.”

“The lips of the righteous”, Solomon wrote elsewhere, “know what is acceptable . . .” (Proverbs 10:32a). He or she knows when it is proper to speak, and when it is not. He or she knows how to craft words in such a way as to suit the occasion. And this, by the way, is to be the characteristic of the follower of Christ. As Paul wrote, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearer” (Ephesians 4:29). Very often, one of the greatest means of manifesting to others our obedience to Jesus is through what we say and the way we say it.

But what a different story is told with regard to the fool. As Solomon’s proverb went on to say, “. . . But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse” (Proverbs 10:32b). It may be that his mouth only seems to “know”—and only seems bent on saying—what is perverse; or it may be that his mouth “knows”—that is, by relational experience—the perverse outcome of his words. That certainly seems to be what is implied in verse 13. His words begin with foolishness—that is, with such things as slander, or gossip, or insult, or crudity, or irreverence; and the end of his talk demonstrates a continual downward spiral until the end product is “raving madness”.

In this fallen world “under the sun”, few people even bother to listen to the gracious words of a righteous man who says, “I really think I ought to keep out of this.”. Rather, it’s the mouth of the fool that is often most esteemed. Everyone likes the cunning reviler. Everyone admires the salty wit. And yet, look at where it ends up! The better part of wisdom is to detect when the madness is beginning—and to get out while you can!

X. THE SELF-DECEPTION OF FOOLISH BOASTING (v. 14).

“A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; who can tell him what will be after him?”

Perhaps this reference to the multiplication of the fool’s words is an outflow of the thought of the previous verse. But no one really needs to have read the previous verse to know the truth of this one. As Proverbs 15:2 says, “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” As Solomon pointed out earlier in this book, “a fool’s voice is known by his many words” (5:3).

But it seems that Solomon is, here, highlighting a particular expression of that outpouring of foolishness. Here, he seems to be speaking of the fool who boasts as if he could tell the future—the braggart who tells everyone what he will do if this or that happens, or who boasts in his plans as if he had control over his own destiny. The New Testament treats such a thing very seriously when it says, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:13-17).

Plans made without a reverent recognition of our dependency upon God’s will—and upon His gracious help—aren’t just arrogant. They’re foolish—as ample, real-life evidence ought to sufficiently demonstrate! And yet, just think of how often the world esteems the arrogant boaster who has a “plan”—and despises the humble man who admits he ‘just doesn’t know’, and trusts himself to God’s guidance!

XI. THE WASTEFULNESS OF ARROGANT LIVING (v. 15).

“The labor of fools wearies them, for they do not even know how to go to the city!”

Perhaps every passenger/wife wishes this verse was etched on every car dashboard—where every ‘too-proud-to-ask-directions’ husband/driver could see it! Many a tanker-truck of gas has been burned-up into the ozone layer by drivers “trying to find it my own way without your help—thank you very much, dear”.

But this verse speaks to something far bigger than just the need for a good GPS in the car. A fool is someone who can clearly see that other people know the direction of life, but who refuses to humble himself enough to listen to advice. He’s a fool precisely because he won’t seek wisdom. Many a man or woman has wasted-away their precious youth by saying, “I know that the way I’m going may be wrong, but I want to make my OWN way in life”—as going down the wrong road becomes a virtue if it’s your “own” wrong road. And it’s not just young people who do this. Many an older person continues to make the same mistakes over and over in life, because they won’t finally break down and heed the counsel of wisdom. So many people labor hard to climb the ladder of success—only to find that they never even bothered to ask anyone which wall it ought to be leaning on! All their “labor” was for naught—and was, in the end, nothing but “weariness”.

As Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.” But how sadly few there are who seek such counsel. Those who do are easy to spot—they’re the one’s who aren’t wearily “wandering”.

XII. THE WOEFULNESS OF SELF-INDULGENCE (vv. 16-17).

“Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness!”

Clearly, as a monarch, Solomon knew that there was value in feasting. He himself was an expert in the practice! But the two qualifiers that he places on feasting were with regard to its timing and its purpose. It must be at the “proper time”—not at a time when work was to be done. And it must be for “strength and not for drunkenness”. Solomon goes so far as to say that the land is blessed who has a king who knows this. He is a true “son of nobles”; and thus demonstrates himself to be a wise monarch. But by contrast, how woeful it is when a ruler is self-indulgent—never regarding either “time” or “purpose” to his passion for leisure and entertainment! He feasts “in the morning”—when, instead, he was needed to deal with matters of state; and he feasts “for drunkenness”—clouding his head and impairing his judgment! Such a monarch is, as Solomon describes it, is no “son of nobles”, but is instead “a child”. His immaturity brings ruin to the land!

This is not true only of monarchs, but also of all men who live—as we do—in an age that glories in self-indulgence. “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them! The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands” (Isaiah 5:11-12). It’s a mark of immaturity—of “childishness” if we may say so—to neglect one’s duties in preference for self-indulgent pleasure. Just as a monarch hurts his people, those who do so hurt those who depend on them. And yet, in this “under the sun” world, how many exalt “childishness” and despise “nobility”!

XIII. THE LOSSES OF FOOLISH NEGLIGENCE (vv. 18-19).

“Because of laziness the building decays, and through idleness of hands the house leaks. A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money answers everything.”

Again, this may be an outflow of the previous verse. The words in verse 19 may be the way a self-indulgent king might have rationalized his actions: “Well; after all a feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry. That’s what such things are for; and since I have them, why shouldn’t I enjoy them? And besides, if there’s any trouble afterwards, ‘money’ is the answer!” The whole time long, though, “the building decays” and “the house leaks”. Let’s face it–many an increase of taxes throughout history of human government could trace their immediate causes to the profligacy of the kings! Those words could, though, be an expression of the results of the neglect of the important foundations and frameworks of a society; showing that, as a culture declines, its people begin to revel in their longing for entertainment, love for intoxication, and lust after money.

And once again, this speaks not just to monarchs to but all men. “I went by the field of the lazy man,” Solomon wrote elsewhere, “and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man” (Proverbs 24:30-34).

XIV. THE HAZARD OF CURSING THE KING (v. 20).

“Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter.”

Before someone became tempted, by all that Solomon had said so far, to rise up and speak against the king—calling him a lazy child!—he warns that wisdom does not do this. Nor should one do so with regard to men of power and influence “under the sun”. He even warns that this shouldn’t be done in the most secret places of one’s own home. “For a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter.” Word will surely get out—and the consequences will follow!

Exodus 22:28 contains a warning from God Himself; “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.” As James MacDonald once wisely wrote, the meaning of this verse—and perhaps of the whole passage—is “that instead of uttering maledictions against rulers or the abuses of government, when it can do no good but only evil, it is better to suffer in silence, and quietly to seek, like the poor unrewarded wise man [see Ecclesiastes 9:13-18], to promote the public good, assured that for our sufferings and labours we shall in the end, not fail of our reward” (The Book of Ecclesiastes Explained, 1856).

And yet, what rare counsel this word of wisdom is “under the sun”!