It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise – Preaching
Preaching Outline on Ecclesiastes 7:5 – “It is better to hear the reproof of a wise man, than to hear the song of a fool”
Introduction to Ecclesiastes 7:5
The word “better” appears seven times in chapter seven, and makes seven distinctions. For example: a good name is better than ointment; the day of death is better than the day of birth; it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting…, the end of things is better than the beginning of things…
Among other distinctions that are made by Solomon throughout this chapter. What Solomon tells us was inspired by the Holy Spirit, as was everything written in God’s word.
Therefore, the understanding of these words will only occur through the operation and revelation of the Holy Spirit to the heart of man; otherwise, how will man understand what the text tells him: “It is better for one to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for one to listen to the song of the fool”?
To the natural man, it seems a contradiction to understand that listening to rebuke can be better than listening to song. However, there is a very important detail: the rebuke has the Wise Man as its agent, while the song has the fool as its agent.
Development
It’s better to listen to a reprimand
Reprimand represents correction. It only happens in a situation where there are mistakes or faults. We are fallible; we make countless mistakes, we incur faults, but as servants of God we know that he corrects us with love so that we don’t lose the salvation we were once given. Our God corrects us so that we don’t deviate from his plan.
How many times has the Lord spoken to us about something in us that was not pleasing to his name? How many times has the Lord spoken to us about attitudes and thoughts we had that were not in line with the Lord’s will for our lives?
There have certainly been many times when the Lord has revealed himself to us to correct the course of our lives, because the Lord rebukes the one he loves; we are loved by God.
Wise
The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts us of sin, who makes us see the things that still exist in us that don’t please our God and that need to be removed. The Holy Spirit works on the inside of our hearts, it’s a silent but effective operation, because it reveals a change that is taking place in the soul.
The Holy Spirit is wise and all the things he does are done wisely: he doesn’t wound, hurt, expose, ridicule or belittle anyone, because they are acts of love that God performs in man’s life through his Holy Spirit. Being rebuked (corrected) by man is something hard, even unbearable for many of us, but being rebuked (corrected) by the Holy Spirit is something light, since the correction that comes from him is good for our soul.
The fool’s song
A song is something that is pleasant to listen to, that satisfies the longings of the heart and stirs the emotions, but that doesn’t lead anyone to revise their way of life, in other words, a fool’s song is not capable of reaching the soul, it is not capable of speaking to the afflicted and embittered soul, bringing it the answers and solutions it needs.
Silly
He is someone who has no prudence, no wisdom. Therefore, to listen to a fool or to what comes from him is to stick to what is of no benefit to a man’s soul, since there is no instruction in his words.
We see the opposite of this in the invitation that the Lord Jesus made and continues to make to man in Matthew 11:28-30, which says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… learn from me that I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls”. Listening to the voice of Jesus, hearing what he has for our lives is wonderful, because his word is the word of life.
Conclusion of Ecclesiastes 7:5
Are your ears inclined to listen to the rebuke of the wise or the song of the fool? You have to make a decision, in other words, make a choice. We choose to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit who corrects us, who guides us on how to behave in the presence of the Lord. Eternity is for those who are listening to the unmistakable voice of the Holy Spirit (the rebuke of the wise).
But there are many who are listening to the song of the fool (of the sounds that echo in this world that speak to the flesh, but do not speak to the soul of man). Solomon’s advice to everyone here tonight is: “It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man than for someone to listen to the song of a fool”. Heed this advice and live a life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, allowing him to lead you into eternity with God.
Preaching Outline on Ecclesiastes 7:5 – “It is better to hear the reproof of a wise man, than to hear the song of a fool”
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