The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 136

HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-7.-Vanities in worship. • I. IRREVERENCE. Specially exhibited in enter- ing upon Divine service. Discommended and rebuked as: 1. Inconsistent with the sanctity of the place of worship-the house of God. Wherever men convene to offer homnge to the Divine Being, in a magnificent cathedral or in a humble upper room, upon hillsides and moors, or in dens and caves of the earth, there is ·a dwelling-place of Jehovah no less than in the temple (Solomonic or post-exilic) or in the synagogue, of both which the l'reacher probably thought. What lends sanctity to the spot in which worshippers assemble is not its material surroundings, artificial or natural (architectaral elegance or cosmical ·beauty); it is not even the convening there of the worshippers themselves, however exalted their rank or sacred the character of the acts in which they engage. It' is the unseen and spiritual, but real and supernatural, presence of God in the midst of his assembled saints (Exod. xx. 24; Ps. xlvi. 4-7; Matt. xviii. 20; xxviii. 20); and the simple consideration of this fact, much more the realization of that nearr::ess of God to which it points, should awaken in the breast of every one proceeding towards and crossing the threshold of a Christian sanctuary the feeling of awe which inspired Jacob on the heights of Bethel (Gen. xxviii. 17), Ethan the Ezrahite (Ps. hxxix. 7), and Isaiah in the temple (vi. 1). The thought of God's immediate neighbourhood and of all that it implies, his observance of both the persons of his worshippers (Gen. xvi. 16), and the secrets of their hearts (Ps: cxxxix. 1), should put a hush on every spirit (Hab. ii,' 20; Zech. ii. 13), and· dispose each one to "keep his foot," metaphorically, to "put off his shoe," as Moses did at the bush (Exod. iii. 5), ac.d Joshua in presence of the Cap,tnin of Jehovah's host (Josh. v. 15). 2. Opposed to the true character of Divine worship. Whan congregations assemble in the house of God to do homage to him whoso preseace fills the house, this end cannot be attained by offering the sacrifice of fools, i.e. by rc11dering such service as proceeds from unbelieving, disobedient, and hypocritical hearts (Prov. xxi. 27), but only by assuming the attitude of one willing to hear (1 Sam. iii. 10; Ps. lxxxv. 8) and to obey not man but God (Ps. xl. 8). If unaccompanied by a disposition to do God's· will, mere external performances are of no value whatever, however imposing their magnificence or costly their product.ion. What God desires in his servants is not the outward offeriug of sacrifices or celebration of ceremonies, but the inward devotion of the spirit (1 Sam. xv. 22; Ps. Ii. 16, 17; Jer. vii. 21-23; Hos. vi. 6). The highest form of worship is not speaking of or giving to God, but hearing and receiv- ing from God. 3. Proceeding from ignorance both of the sanctity of the place and of the spirituality of its worship. However the final clause may be reuaered (see Exposition), its sense is the.t irreverence springs from ignorance-from failing properly to understand the character either of that God they pretend to worship, or of that worship they affect to render. Ignorance of God, of his nature as spiritual, of his character as holy, of his presence as near, of his knowledge as all-observant, of his majesty as awe-inspiring, of his power as im•sistible, is the prime root of all wrong worship, as Christ se.id of the Samaritans (John iv. 22), and as Paul told the Athenians (Acts xvii. 23). II. FortMALI1'Y. Manifested when engaged in Divine service and more particularly in prayer. 'fwo phascis of this evil commented on. 1. Rashness in prayer. (Ver. 2.) Hasty utterance of whatever comes uppermost, e.s if o.ny jangle of words might suffice for devotion-a manner of prayer totally inconsistent with the thought that one is stand- in" in the Divine presence. If o. petitioner would ho.rdly venture to lay his req nests beforo an° ear't)1ly sovereign, how much less should a supplio.nt draw near to He,wen's throllo  120 ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. [oli. v. 1-20.