Going to Church
Part Three - The Sacrifice of Fools
Ecclesiastes 5v1c
27th February 2026
This is our third study in Ecclesiastes 5v1-7, which teaches us about temple worship in ancient Israel. Since the church is now the temple of God, it also teaches us modern church worship. So far, we've read:
Ecclesiastes 5v1a-b
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.
Go near to listen...
The writer continues:
Ecclesiastes 5v1c
... rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know
that they do wrong.
Some temple worship was, and some church worship is, foolish. We come together to worship the living God with proper reverence. In His presence it is foolish to utter an untrue, disrespectful or careless word.
Untruth in church
Those who teach the Bible have an awesome responsibility:
James 3v1
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you
know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
1 Peter 4v11
If anyone speaks, he should do so as one speaking the very
words of God.
Preachers must be careful to ensure that what they say is true. A sermon should teach the Bible and nothing else. When we expound scripture, we must explain what the scripture passage says, and not include ideas that come from our own hearts, or from the the society around us. To do otherwise would be foolish.
Similarly, whoever chooses the worship songs has a serious responsibility. However, it has always been true, and it seems more true at the moment, that some songs used in Christian worship contain ideas that are not true. A song being sung in many churches at this time contains the words, "My praise brings down the walls of Jericho". This is, of course, factually incorrect. The walls of Jericho fell long before I was born. One might be disposed to argue that these words are a metaphor, perhaps for the advance of the kingdom of God. But while it's true that the praises of Joshua and the people of Israel preceded the fall of Jericho, there is nothing to suggest that they caused the walls to fall. Surely that was an act of God, not of man.
Another recent song contains the line "Praise is the ocean my enemies drown in". It isn't! My enemies have not drowned yet. One day they will drown in the lake of fire (Revelation 20v20-21) but their end will not be the result of my praise. It will be the judgement of God. A song called "Reckless Love" sings about "the reckless love of God". How dare we describe any attribute of God as reckless? All His judgements and all His deeds are perfect.
A popular worship song says, "I can't help but sing". This is untrue. As the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet (1 Corinthians 14v32) so the spirit of the singer is subject to the singer. And in any church congregation on any Sunday, some people will find it difficult to sing at all.
A much loved hymn called "I surrender all" says, "All to Thee my blessed Saviour, I surrender all". I doubt if this is true of any Christian. I'm certain it's not true of many.
I expect you can think of other examples. Surely we should be careful to sing only that which is true.
Also, people who seek to bring a spiritual gift must do so responsibly but well-meaning but foolish people will sometimes claim to be uttering a prophecy, or repeating something that God told them, which is contrary to scripture and therefore untrue. To do this must involve breaking the third commandment:
Exodus 20v1
"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord
will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."
All this is foolishness, and it's sin. How dare we utter an untruth in the presence of almighty God?
Disrespect in church
The keynote of church worship meetings should be reverence for almighty God, the Creator of the universe and the Saviour of mankind. Nothing disrespectful to God should ever be spoken, sung or done ever in any circumstance, but it's most shocking when such things happen in church.
The situation above, when somebody claims to be speaking the word of God when he is not, whether attempting to prophesy or otherwise, is perhaps the most obvious example.
No song we can ever write can adequately extol God's greatness but some songs are so trite that they must be considered disrespectful to our Lord. Many years ago, a song was written called "Heavenly Father I Appreciate You". To tell God that we "appreciate" the One who formed us, sent His Son to die for us, gives us His Holy Spirit, and promises us eternal life, the One who rules and reigns on His heavenly throne, is so weak a statement as to be insulting. In church, we should only sing songs that glorify God.
And I've witnessed Christian people chatting to each other when a worship song is being sung by the rest of the congregation, or singing with their hands in their pockets, which (in England, at least) is a sign of disrespect.
Carelessness in church
It's a privilege to listen to the Bible being read. It's a privilege to listen to the Bible being expounded (I know some preachers are boring but they really shouldn't be preaching). We should pay proper attention to the word of God.
Also, particularly when a church is meeting for worship, we should not indulge in idle chatter, but be careful to say only that which is helpful and proper in the presence of God. Before and after the meeting, we should be careful not to say anything hurtful or discouraging to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Particularly while in God's house, let us speak to each other as Jesus would speak to us.
2 Timothy 2v16
Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will
become more and more ungodly.
Ephesians5v4
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking,
which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
Philippians 4v5
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
The Old Testament temple was the holiest place on earth. The local church is now the holiest place on earth. Let us behave accordingly. To do otherwise is to offer the sacrifice of fools. The Psalmist is generous enough to say that these fools do not know they do wrong. But they really should.