“Dreams or Duty?”

This is a Bible Study Message from Ecclesiastes 5:7 as it relates to today’s need for Christians to oppose the multitude of dreams and words which facilitate and engender vanity in our individual and national lives.

The discussing of the Fear of God (YHWH) will be at the core of our focus: what it looks like and the blessings of understand it in a world that seems to fear everything but HIM.

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Delivered on 7-29-2021 / grego. 12-03-2021

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Compiled by JS LOWTHER
renewedcovenantministry.com
servant@renewedcovenantministry.com

“Dreams or Duty?”

The Fear of God

Ecc_5:7  For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
&
Ecc_12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

In these 2 proverbs lay one common theme: The Fear of God

If we consider the former proverb, we see that the LORD here condemns the multitude of dreams and many words beside and in connection with vanity.

the Brenton LXX says: For there is evil in a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear thou God.

Easily said, this is summarized by saying that dreams are not only those visions we have in our head by night but are also those which we have in our heart here they originate in our imagination, or those thoughts which we have that are now in our imagination but have an origin from outside, the product of other men’s dreams.

We scarcely can control the amount of dream we have by night while asleep, this is not the ‘dreams’ in focus, but rather those imaginations which we muse upon-like a day dream.

These dreams in our day can be from the visions or imaginations from: tv, games, the internet, pictures from books or other media- all these can become our ‘dreams’, and the LORD says there is evil in the multitude of dreams… and rather than dreaming one should rather “Fear thou God.”
Words as well, which engender dreams and also vanity or emptiness, that is uselessness.

There are many books of words we may read or hear, songs of music, talk shows full of words that we may listen to… so many vain things are available today and, in this consumer, individual culture that it accommodates vanity so well, that it is like this proverb in the book of Ecclesiastes was made for 21st century.
And the alternative given to the multitude of dreams and vanities and many words, is ” but fear thou God.”

The fear of God is an amazing study:

Psa_111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Pro_1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro_1:29  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Pro_23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Pro_28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Just from this small set of verses, we can conclude that the fear of the Lord is:
Wisdom, and a good understanding which leads one to do his commandments:
Knowledge that loves wisdom and instruction adverse again to foolishness
is opposed to hating knowledge
should be so all day… does not envy sinners
makes a man happy, and the man who fears God always is NOT hard hearted and given to mischief
finally, Therefore we can conclude that the multitude of dreams and many words and also divers vanities lead one to all these things which oppose the fear of God always.

What does it mean to fear God or to Fear YHWH he LORD?

Here is something you can imagine and dream upon from the words of Christ himself:

Mat_10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

And another from David:

Psa_119:120  My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
LXX Penetrate my flesh with thy fear; for I am afraid of thy judgments.

Contrary to convoluted minds, the true fear of God as Jesus and Dave are here speaking is only able to be considered, imagined, known, understood and therefore truly feared as a reality by those whom God has blessed with such a faithful interpretation of what these words engender in our dreams.
That is this to kill the soul, to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Can you imagine that? Have you a dream of this vivid reality?

If so perhaps then the truth and fullness, as opposed to vanity, should at some point in our dream cause our flesh to truly tremble.

The consideration of the power of YHWH GOD, the Eternal and Almighty LORD and his Judgment upon our soul is penetrating to the mind ho can dream it, hear it, and be filled with its possibility.
It is an aweing thought to consider, that only those who will be saved from hell can truly fear God because of what he can do, and those who cannot have any fear of God are the ones who we pity from our human perspective, because we know and have trembled at the righteous judgment of God.
Worry not for them who have no fear of the eternal LORD GOD Almighty, they enjoy a multitude of dreams and they fear the lack of them, ther enjoy words and all forms of vanity which they are devoted to and fear to loose… they have their reward, and they are happy for it, and so shall be until the gnashing and wailing of teeth occurs for you to see to give glory to God that you have not been one of those fearless of GOD.
And what is the warning for the Christian? Those who do have a penetrating and flesh shaking fear of the LORD God Almighty?

It is this let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:1

And so what is it that we as Christians are to conclude is worth dreaming about ?

What words are worth hearing considering and meditating upon as we will act upon those word one way or the other, one way we will do what those words inspire in our mind for us to do and / or including doing nothing at all but taking more dreams and word and increasing more vanity in our lives.
So, what should direct or minds and hearts in the fear of the lord in order to oppose evil vanity that we might to our duty before God ?

Here is the answer

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

For the Christian, a saint who has right to consider the whole matter, we are commanded to by all these words to begin with Fear God, then to keep his commandments, and this alone constitutes the whole duty of man simply stated
Now, is this as simple as shivering in your boots at the thought of God?
no as the fear of God which is the very start of all wisdom, knowledge and truth must lead the Christian consider the whole matter to the Law of God, his commandments, and his justice hereby.

Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Do you know that God knows you better than you do?
Do you know that God’s judgment will be just based on his justice and righteousness and holiness?

God says in this text that a day is coming where every work, every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.                  He will judge.

Now I want you consider a secret thing?
And I want you to ask yourself if you believe it is just of God to judge you for the secret things in your heart, mind and soul?

Now we can take this two ways:
1. these are works you do in secret, that is only you know, so they are not truely in all senses secret

2. these are works that only God knows, that is God has accounted for your time and work in that time better than you have, and that he has taken note upon the tablets of heaven all you have done which you are ignorant of or have even forgotten.

This should lead you back to

Ecc 5:7  For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 

Psa_85:8  I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
Psa 85:9  Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
Psa 85:10  Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Psa 85:11  Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Do you notice that the psalmist and psalm singer of these words, say I will HEAR what YHWH God will speak?
And then he says he knows what he will speak to his people, and his saints… but let them not AGAIN turn to folly?
…

…

There are the dreams of one who muses upon the words of God… saved fear God, the saved, desires and dreams about the day the glory of YHWH dwells in the land. A day when mercy and truth are united, a day and time when the justice of God kisses peace.

IN THAT DAY shall Truth spring out of the earth and the righteousness of God in the face of Jesus Christ shall look down from heaven.

To have a multitude of dreams according to righteous, words of the Law of God and of the glorification of the Gospel of peace through Christ is not vain but is rather a faithful and full mind and heart and souls equipping the strength with holy spirit inspired energy to work through another day with hope, for that final day when Jesus Christ shall look down upon the sons of men from his holy throne and judge the earth in righteousness.

Turn to
Act_17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commanded all men everywhere to repent:
Act 17:31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Consider the commandments of God and pray as David had said:

Psa_119:116  Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
Psa 119:117  Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Psa 119:118  Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.
Psa 119:119  Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.
Psa 119:120  My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

Do you realize how much time we waste in life not fearing God?
…
Not trembling at his commandments of life?
Not applying our secret faults and works of heard, mind and flesh to the righteousness of the law of God?
Not taking the time to consider the grace, the mercy, and peace proclaimed in the oath of Jesus Christ accomplished in his blood for his people, his saints, his saved?

Why have I chosen this text today to elaborate upon?
I have done so because we live in a time with a culture of dreams and words, some we supose are the musings and words of God, but they do not provoke to action but to vanity and they like the wolve among the sheep pen come to steal, kill and destroy your fear of God, by replacing it with the fear of the wolves.

But Christ comes to give light more abundant life under his protection and guidance.

Eph_5:16 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Eph 5:21  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

If you would continue reading this epistle Paul offers some good commandment filled words, wholesome for the church families and every member:

1. Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
2. Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
3. Eph 6:1  Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
4. Eph 6:4  fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
5. Eph 6:5  Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6. Eph 6:9  masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
7. Eph 6:10  brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Every one has a place and a calling and the fear of the Lord is the begining of knowing how to be content with where you are and how to overcome by Christ’s life to not only affect his will on earth as it is in heaven, but to prepare for the righteous judment of God by Jesus Christ when he judges us:

Ecc 5:7  For the multitude of dreams and the many words and also divers vanities we have allowed our selves to be distracted with rather than more often hearing these word… but fear thou God.

and dreaming the dreams he causes us to consider by these words for our life.
_____________

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Let me end with these wise words of Paul:

Col_4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Col 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

As Christians we have a job to do on this earth and

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God 2Co 5:11

This starts with us and it moves out

Ohio Valley Called of Christ

Is a Christian Reformed Lunar Sabbath Church