Ecclesiastes 5 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Ecclesiastes 5 Short Summary:

Solomon continues his discussion on vanity, bringing up at least 3 areas of life where vanity is observable. Solomon saw vanity in the way some people worshipped, when they offered empty words and promises to God. He goes on to describe the vanity of greed and the vanity of wealth.

Ecclesiastes 5 Bible Study

ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER SUMMARIES

• Ecclesiastes 1 - Solomon declares that life on earth is vanity. Earthly pursuits are largely meaningless. Men are born and men die in the endless cycle of the earth’s spinning. History is forgotten and repeated generation after generation.

• Ecclesiastes 2 - Solomon tested the offerings of the world and found them empty. Physical pleasure, wine, laughter, entertainment, accomplishing things, riches, making a name for himself, they were all vanity. Solomon discussed the fate of the wicked vs. the foolish, and lamented the short-term value of hard work.

• Ecclesiastes 3 - The cycle of the earth repeats continually, and everything happens at its appointed time according to God’s design. God created mankind with knowledge of eternity, although much of His work is still hidden from them. Injustice is prevalent on the earth, but a time for judgment is approaching.

• Ecclesiastes 4 - In Ecclesiastes 4, Solomon expands on his reasons for calling all of life “vanity.” Life is oppressive, and the weak are victims of the powerful. There is vanity in hard work and in laziness. Companionship is preferable to solitude, even high-achieving solitude. Fame and power are fleeting.

• Ecclesiastes 5 - Solomon continues his discussion on vanity, bringing up at least 3 areas of life where vanity is observable. Solomon saw vanity in the way some people worshipped, when they offered empty words and promises to God. He goes on to describe the vanity of greed and the vanity of wealth.

AUTHOR:

• Ecclesiastes was almost certainly written by Solomon (Ecc 1:1), the son of David, the 3rd king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah.

• His palace and the Temple of God were located in Jerusalem.

• Solomon became king in approximately 1015 B.C and reigned for 40 years.

OUTLINE:

• VANITY IN WORSHIP (5:1-7):

  • In Ecclesiastes 5, Solomon offers some sage advice to worshippers and warned that vanity even appears at the sacred sites.

  • Some men went to offer their worship to God but, while worshipping, they weren’t respectful, they spoke rashly, made vows they didn’t intend to keep, and they revealed their foolishness by talking too much and listening too little.  

  • Solomon pointed out that their empty promises and abundant words were another form of vanity.

  • He advised worshippers to be quick to listen, to be slow to speak, to make their vows carefully, and to guard their mouths from leading them into sin.

• THE VANITY OF GREED (5:8-9):

  • Solomon returned to the theme of oppression and discussed how it is not uncommon for the elites to oppress the poor.

  • The tiered bureaucracy of elites all participate in the corruption.  

  • The irony is that the elites rely on the fields that the poor cultivate for income and tax money, so the more they oppress the poor, the more they threaten their own pocketbooks… vanity indeed.

• THE VANITY OF WEALTH (5:10-20):

  • A man who loves money won’t be satisfied with it, no matter how much he gets. The pursuit of money as a means of satisfaction is vanity.

  • Solomon described a man who horded his money for himself and then eventually lost it all in a bad business venture. He had nothing left to leave to his son.

  • Bad business ventures can take your money, but even if you find success in business, Solomon reminds us that the grave will take everything we have.

  • We came into the world with no possessions, and we will leave with no possessions. All our things will be given away.

  • Solomon encouraged his readers to work hard, to find joy in their work, to be content, and to enjoy the blessings God gave them. Contentment is superior to lusting after wealth.

APPLICATION

• Is vanity in worship ever a problem today?

• Many of us are in the “routine” of going to worship on Sunday morning.

• It’s our routine to sing, pray, take the Lord’s supper, etc.

• Do we ever do those things without thinking about them? Do we ever go through the motions when our mind is somewhere else? Sing without thinking about the words? Pray the same prayers? Not pay attention to the person leading the prayer? Take the Lord’s Supper while thinking about everything but the sacrifice of Jesus?

• I’ve done that in the past.

• Many Christians are going through motions, pretending to worship, but their disengaged hearts render their worship vain. If your heart isn’t in it, you’re just pretending, and you showing up at a church building is just an exercise in vanity.

• So, let’s do our best to worship with our words, our actions, our minds, and our hearts. That’s the worship that God loves, that’s real worship!