THOUGHTS FROM ECCLESIASTES 7

Posted on by BETH

Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools (Eccl. 7:5).

The human heart should be sad when it finds that it has made a mistake.

  • “The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding” (Prov. 15:31-33). 

Note the pathway to understanding is through being rebuked. Thus sadness is the pathway to gaining understanding. The proud will not listen to a rebuke and therefore the proud cannot grow in understanding.

  • “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools” (Eccl. 7:9).

Note that Jesus was angry at the ones who were looking for an excuse to accuse him, but did he respond in anger?

And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other (Mark 3:2-5).

The wrath of man and the wrath of God are different.

  • “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

God’s wrath or anger will work for the good of man and not any harm at all. We are supposed to put away anger as well as wrath.

  • “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:” (Eph. 4:31).

Many will say that anger is not a sin, which is true, but keep in mind that verse 31 tells us to get rid of it.

  • “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” (Eph. 4:26).
  • “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated” (Prov. 14:17).
  •  “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife” (Prov. 15:18 18).
  • “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Prov. 16:32 32).
  • “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression” (Prov. 19:11 11). 

Go back and re-read Mark 3:2-5 and notice what Jesus did when the Pharisees tried to catch him in something wrong.  He looked on them with anger, but he responded with a good work for the man with the withered hand.  Did he scream or yell at the wicked men who wanted to do evil to him?  Did he slap them around or throw things at them?  Did he even respond to them?  No.  He simply healed the man’s withered hand.

  • “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Prov. 22:24-25).

Beth Johnson May 2003

ANGER

Posted on by BETH

“Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back—in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.” Frederick Buechner

Likely we all have harbored feelings of anger against someone else because of wrongs we perceive they have done, but when their anger is turned toward us our perception of it is totally different. We may fear or we may think about how foolish they appear. Why is anger such a delicious feeling in ourselves and yet so odious coming from others? Solomon, the wisest man on earth said, “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools” (Eccl. 7:9).

Solomon also told us how to defer someone’s anger and turn away the wrath that is causing carnage in our lives. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Prov. 15:1). We know that tempers only escalate when we answer an angry man the same way he has spoken to us. But what if we are right and he is wrong? Does it really matter that we have our way or prove our point if we lose a friend or drive a permanent wedge in family relationships? Can we not rather take wrong in order to make peace and thus please God (1 Cor. 6:7)?

“The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression” (Prov. 19:11).

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city (Prov. 16:32).

In defense of their anger, many will quote Ephesians 4:26-27 and they will say, “See anger is not a sin, as long as I do not let the sun go down on it.” But these people fail to notice that five verses later, we are told to get rid of anger just like we are told to get rid of other evil qualities in our lives. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” (Eph. 4:31). Would anyone deny that these are all evil qualities?

Later, in his letter to the church at Colossi, Paul wrote, “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him (Col. 3:8-10).

Let’s all work to rid ourselves of this very deceitful, sinful emotion which men have taught us to use to get our way.

PUT OFF ANGER

Posted on by BETH

“Put off Anger”

When it comes to anger, we sometimes let our “what-can-we-get-away-with” attitude show through.   The most popular scripture dealing with anger is, “Be ye angry, and sin not” (Eph. 4:26).  Even though it is absolutely true that anger is not necessarily sin in itself, it is not something that can be used with impunity.

Consider these:
1. Anger can put our souls in danger. “But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matt. 5:22).  Everyone thinks he has a cause.  Be careful.

2. It never works the righteousness of God. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:   For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

3. A wise man is slow to anger (Prov. 16:32). Are you wise? There are many other scriptures which teach about being slow to anger: Neh. 9:17; Psa. 103:8; Psa. 145:8; Prov. 15:18; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nah. 1:3.

4. It is a glory to pass over a transgression (Prov. 19:11). Is that how you feel about overlooking things done against you?  Remember the many good discussions and studies about forgiving others.

5. He that rules his own spirit is better than a man who takes a city (Prov. 16:32: Prov. 25:28). How strong are you?  If you cannot control your own spirit, do you need to seek help?

6. Just because anger itself is not a sin does not mean it is OK to use it to control people and situations.  God says to put off anger. ” Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” (Eph. 4:31). “But now ye also put off all these: anger”¦” (Col. 3:8).