Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it;
For He has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed—Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

Be careful of your promises

We have all been there: something bad happens, and we start negotiating with God. This is very common for us when we hit a hard spot. How many times, after making these “deals,” do we actually keep our end of the bargain? Solomon warns us to be very careful when we make these deals with God. If we do, then we better make sure that we keep our promise. If we fail to keep our word, then we are called fools. Understand that, in these times, a fool was someone in danger of hellfire.

What lesson is Solomon trying to teach us? Do not make vows to God without first contemplating what you are vowing. God has no interest in foolishness. It is better to bring it to God and ask for His help. He does not want us bargaining with Him! Do you like it when your children try to bargain with you? Be wise, avoid bargaining, and ask from a place of grace.

The power of the tongue

Ecclesiastes 5:6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?

Words are very powerful. With them, we can make pledges, uplift people, or hurt people for a lifetime. “Our word is our bond” is a concept we have left behind in modern culture. But God is unchanging. What we speak carries weight with Him. Lies, gossip, and hurtful words are all sin. Where do words form? They come from a place we call our hearts. This is a place inside of us that expresses our thoughts and opinions.

God hates sin. Sin can’t be in His presence because of His holiness. What excuse do you give Him for the sin that is in your life? You should know that excuses never work. They don’t work with the people we try to give them to, but they especially don’t work on an all-knowing God.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.

Our dreams and words that ignore that God is holy and real are vanity. Sometimes the word “fear” is translated from Greek and Hebrew as “respect.” But here it means to be afraid of an angry God. Luke 1:50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him, from generation to generation.