Single lesson
Ecclesiastes 5: Approaching God with Awe
Ecclesiastes 5:1–7; Ecclesiastes 5:8–20
Ecclesiastes 5 teaches two connected wisdom lessons. It first shows how to approach God carefully, with listening and truthful words. Then it shows why chasing wealth does not satisfy, and points to receiving daily work and enjoyment as God’s gift.
Before you teach
In Ecclesiastes 5:1–7, the writer speaks about going to God’s house, speaking carefully, and keeping vows. In Ecclesiastes 5:8–20, the writer observes oppression, wealth, labour, loss, and the limits of riches, then states what is good and proper in this passage.
Students will be able to compare the warning against careless words before God with the warning about loving wealth, and explain that this passage teaches fearing God and receiving one’s work and portion as God’s gift.
Welcome: Two Wisdom Warnings
4 minBriefly introduce that this chapter gives two examples of wise living. First, it warns about careless worship and too many words before God. Second, it warns that loving money does not bring satisfaction. Tell students they will listen for repeated ideas such as listening, few words, vanity, and gift from God.
Ecclesiastes 5:1, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Ecclesiastes 5:19
Read and Explain: Listen Carefully Before God
8 minRead Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 aloud. Explain that “guard your steps” means coming carefully, and “draw near to listen” is better than foolish sacrifice. Point out the contrast between many words and fearing God. A vow is a promise made to God, and the passage says it is better not to vow than to make one and not keep it.
Ecclesiastes 5:1, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Ecclesiastes 5:4, Ecclesiastes 5:5, Ecclesiastes 5:7
Discuss: What Wealth Can and Cannot Do
7 minRead Ecclesiastes 5:8–20 in smaller parts. List the observations from the passage: oppression exists, loving silver does not satisfy, more goods bring more consumers, rich abundance can disturb sleep, and wealth can be lost. Then note the positive conclusion: it is good to enjoy food, drink, labour, and one’s portion as gifts from God.
Ecclesiastes 5:8, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Ecclesiastes 5:11, Ecclesiastes 5:12, Ecclesiastes 5:14, Ecclesiastes 5:18, Ecclesiastes 5:19
Make and Respond: Key Verse Reminder Card
7 minInvite each student to choose one key verse or phrase from the chapter, such as “draw near to listen”, “let your words be few”, “you must fear God”, or “this is the gift of God”. Students make a small reminder card and add one realistic example, such as praying honestly or being thankful for today’s work and food.
Ecclesiastes 5:1, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Ecclesiastes 5:7, Ecclesiastes 5:19
Closing: Compare the Two Parts
4 minReview the chapter by asking students to compare the two voices or examples in the passage. In verses 1–7, the focus is careful worship before God. In verses 8–20, the focus is the limits of wealth and the goodness of receiving one’s portion. Finish by restating that both parts direct attention back to God.
Ecclesiastes 5:1, Ecclesiastes 5:7, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Ecclesiastes 5:18, Ecclesiastes 5:19
Questions to explore
According to Ecclesiastes 5:1–2, what is better than rushing to speak before God?
Look for the contrast in the text between listening, many words, and remembering who God is.
Ecclesiastes 5:1, Ecclesiastes 5:2
What does Ecclesiastes 5:4–6 teach about making a vow to God?
Notice the repeated instruction about paying what is vowed and the warning about saying it was a mistake.
Ecclesiastes 5:4, Ecclesiastes 5:5, Ecclesiastes 5:6
In Ecclesiastes 5:10–19, why does the passage say wealth is limited, and what good thing does it recommend instead?
Trace the observations about dissatisfaction, sleep, loss, and then the conclusion about enjoying labour as God’s gift.
Ecclesiastes 5:10, Ecclesiastes 5:12, Ecclesiastes 5:14, Ecclesiastes 5:18, Ecclesiastes 5:19
Make, think or respond
Key Verse Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- blank paper or card
- pencils or pens
- crayons or coloured pencils
- Bible text
Try it together
- Ask students to choose one short phrase from Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 or Ecclesiastes 5:18–19 that they want to remember.
- Have them write the phrase neatly on one side of a small card.
- On the other side, ask them to draw or write one realistic way to live it out, such as listening carefully when praying or thanking God for daily work and food.
- Invite students to share why they chose that verse and where they see its idea in the passage.
The card helps students hold together the chapter’s main teaching: fear God, speak carefully, and receive daily blessings as God’s gift.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-select two or three short phrases from the passage and let them copy one, then explain it aloud in simple words.
- For older or more confident readers, ask them to sort verse cards into two groups, verses about approaching God and verses about wealth, then explain how the two groups connect.
An optional closing prayer
‘God, help us draw near to listen, speak truthfully before you, fear you, and receive our daily work and blessings with thankfulness. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Ecclesiastes 5
1 Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.
2 Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
3 For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.
4 When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
5 It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
6 Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God.
8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.
9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.
10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
11 When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?
12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
14 Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
16 This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
17 All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.
18 Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.
19 Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
20 For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.