Ecclesiastes 5: Approaching God

We are told to guard our steps when we go to the house of God, which means 'to consider our approach' - we are to notice that the fools rush in and we are to approach different. We learn three things about approaching rightly.

(1) Come with humility and teach-ability – ready to listen and not offer sacrifices (vs1)

Offering sacrifices was at the heart of Old Testament Worship, but these sacrifices had lost their meaning. They were empty rituals without any reality, the worshipper was doing it out of habit or peer pressure or ritual, they didn’t even ‘know what they do wrong’ - there is no examining of the heart. Entering the presence of God is no easy thing and if you got your approach wrong it meant death (as numerous OT stories show us). He is a holy God and a consuming fire, not to be treated lightly. David sums up what approach we should take in Psalm 51.16-17 and Isaiah as well in Isaiah 66.2. We need to get a vision for the holiness of God to make sure we don’t approach with empty rituals and no heart change. God wants us to come humbly, ready to listen and to learn before we offer any sacrifices.

(2) Come with silence and restraint – ready to stand in awe and not speak (vs2-3)

A quick mouth reflects a hasty heart. Job gets a vision of God’s greatness (Job 38-42) and it leaves him in silence - Job 40.3-5. Iain Proven tells us why silence is so important…

      “Noise deafens us to reality. Silent reflection – deliberate inactivity – is necessary
        if we are to regain perspective and remember who God really is…we need to
        hear again the words “do not come any closer…take off your sandals, for the
        place where you are standing is holy ground (Ex 3.5), and to hear it,
        we need to stop talking”

(3) Come with Integrity and Sincerity – ready to live a consistent life and not make foolish vows (vs4-6)

The writer moves from sacrifices to words to vows (the three main forms of worship in the Old Testament). He echos the words of Jesus in Matthew 5.33-37 & Matthew 5.8-9. Hypocrisy stinks. God doesn’t want rash promises but he wants us to quietly align our hearts and our lives with his purpose and plans. He takes no pleasure in fools who rush in and then back-track. What God really wants is not your empty words and vows, but for you to quietly and respectfully decide in your heart to change the course of your life to one of integrity and sincerity and consistency RECOGNISING that won’t happen overnight with some rash promises but come through prayer, conversation, consideration and deliberate changes in life-choices and life-values!

CONCLUSION - STAND IN AWE OF GOD! (vs7)

Stop talking. Stop dreaming. Stop making sacrifices. Stop making Vows. STAND IN AWE OF GOD! You know worship has reached a climax when there is silence and awe before God!

QUESTION - but because of Jesus we can now approach God boldy and call him Father? Correct, Hallelujah, Yes and Amen. See Hebrews 10.19-25. But notice verse 26-30 and ore importantly notice Hebrews 12.28-29

      Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
      let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
      for our “God is a consuming fire.”

God hasn’t changed, he is still a consuming fire. However our mediator changed (Heberws 12.24) and he pays the price for our sin so we can enter boldly. HOWEVER, that should only imspire more reverence and awe, as well as thanksgiving. Yes we can call God Abba Father but in John 17 Jesus calls him Holy Father and Righteous Father (vs11 and vs25). We must hold the tension of both the holiness of God and the love of God, the wrath of God and the tenderness of God, the transcendence of God and closeness of God. Tim Keller wrote an interesting book review of The Shack (http://redeemercitytocity.com/blog/view.jsp?Blog_param=114) which highlights the importance of this tension and how CS Lewis captured it brilliantly in the character Aslan who “was not safe but he was good.”

Application and Reflection

(1) From Ecclesiastes 5.1-7, in what ways does the writer reflect on fake, false or empty worship? How can we approach wrongly?

(2) Why does getting a right vision of God help us approach God rightly? Which aspects of God’s character do we find we ignore and why?

(3) What were the 3 ways OT people worshipped God? How do we worship him today (privately and corporately) and how can we fall into the same dangers? In what ways is it easy for our worship to be empty or hypocritical?

(4) How can we make sure we keep a correct vision of who God is and therefore relate to him rightly?

(5) How do we hold the tension of God being a loving father and a consuming fire? How do we do both Hebrews 10.19 and Hebrews 12.28-29?

(6) Which aspect of God do you need to re-discover?

(7) What questions are you left with?

(8) Use Job 38-42 or Isaiah 40.13ff to worship God and stand in awe of his holiness and greatness whilst thanking him that he is close and intimate.

(9) Use Psalm 51.17-18 and Isaiah 66.2 to respond in prayer