Ladies Corner
The Sacrifice of Fools
“Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil” (Ecclesiastes 5:1).
Approaching God is no small thing. He is the Creator of the universe, with all power and knowledge. Worshiping God is not a casual occasion. We should show reverence for Him as we approach Him in worship or in prayer.
Our attitude should also be that we are ready to listen to Him. The one who comes to God simply to go through a process of offering a sacrifice, with no intent of listening to Him, is called a fool. People who give sacrifices may think that they are pleasing God, but it takes more than a physical act to show God our devotion. Consider some other passages that also make this point.
In Isaiah 1:4, God calls the nation of Judah a sinful nation, “laden with iniquity.” In verses 10-20, He says that their sacrifices to Him serve no purpose and that He is tired of them! He does not tell them to stop offering sacrifices, but He tells them that they need to clean up their lives! God was willing to accept them again if they were “willing and obedient,” but in their sinful condition their sacrifices were wearisome to Him.
In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus clearly states that just calling out to God is not enough to be accepted by Him, nor is claiming to be doing things for God enough to be accepted by Him. He says that the wise person is the one who hears His sayings and does them. We will not be able to convince God that we are his servants if we do not obey His word.
Attending assemblies of the church and performing acts of worship is commanded by God, just as sacrifices were commanded by God under the old law. But just as God wanted His people to live righteous lives and obey His commandments from their hearts, He wants the same things of us today. We need to really listen to Him, and we need to offer worship that is genuine and reflects a life devoted to His service (Romans 12:1-2). We should be like Cornelius in Acts 10:33 who told Peter that they were ready to “hear all the things commanded you by God.”
Besides listening to God, we must be careful about what we say to God. The writer of Ecclesiastes goes on to say:
Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.
For a dream comes through much activity,
And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
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. (Ecclesiastes 5:2-5)
Making a commitment to God is not something to be taken lightly. Speaking about Him, or repeating phrases during worship such as songs and prayers, can turn into vain babbling if we are not thinking about what we are doing. If we make a vow to God, we must be prepared to keep it. If we say things to or about God, we must believe them and follow through with a righteous life.
In Matthew 6:5, Jesus spoke of those who prayed so that men could see them: “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”
Our purpose in praying should be to talk to God, and our demeanor should be one of humility and reverence for Him. Our prayers should also be thoughtful and sincere, not empty words that we repeat only out of habit.
Does God ever become wearied by our worship? Do we utter things hastily before God? When we sing songs in our worship services, are we making promises to God that we have no intention of keeping? When we pray to God and ask for things, do we commit to follow Him, then forget about our commitment later? When we attend assemblies on Sundays, do we determine to improve in our obedience to God, only to return to sinful or lax ways when we are away from our fellow Christians on Monday? We need to seriously consider the words we say, and make sure we are not offering the sacrifice of fools.
It is easy to get flustered with getting children ready for worship services, or to get into a routine of participating in the same things week after week. We can let our focus be drawn away by physical concerns and distractions, and fail to give God the attention He deserves. Let us fight against those temptations.
As we approach God in worship and prayer, we should do so with prudence and reverence. As we approach God’s revealed word, we should do so with a readiness to hear and obey. We need to teach our children that we do not just go through a process called “worship” because we have to, then ignore God when we are finished. We need to express to our families and friends that our attendance at worship services, our prayers before meals, and our reading of God’s word are not just rites to be completed. If we are truly servants of God, we will do all that He has told us to do, and we will do it in awe of His power and goodness.
