Daylight Robbery (Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12)

Big Idea: Empty worship, exploiting others, and chasing wealth rob both God and ourselves of the joy he intended.

They were just making a quick trip to the store, so they never bothered to arm the security system. The alarm was just a buzzer and wasn’t connected to any security company or police, so it probably wouldn't have made a difference.

Immediately upon their return, though, they knew something was wrong. The mat at the front door was out of place, and they could somehow sense that someone had been in the house while they were away. Gone: thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, as well as some home electronics. Daylight robbery is what they call it.

You might have had a similar experience, or have had friends or family who have experienced such a break-in. But most robberies aren't this obvious. Many robberies are significant, but we are less aware of what is being stolen.

Just because the mat isn't out of place, the windows are not broken, and the jewelry is still there, doesn't mean that something was not stolen!

Three Warnings

As we look at Ecclesiastes, Solomon observes three things that are easily stolen but not always detected. Solomon gives three warnings.

Please open your Bibles to Ecclesiastes 5. It might surprise you that the one doing the robbing in this passage is you! I'm issuing a warning to you this morning: Stop! Don't stealing from the Lord! Stop stealing from others! And stop robbing yourself!

Now, if you're smart, you're asking yourself, "How am I robbing God, others, and myself?" I'm glad you asked. Let's look at the passage this morning.

Don't rob God.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.

When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)

It's an amazing thing. As the writer observes the scene at the temple, he sees people robbing God. It's daylight robbery. They're robbing God by coming to his house carelessly.

As they come, they're not thinking about what they're doing. They're worshipping God outwardly out of tradition or habit, but their heart is not in it.

Furthermore, they're careless in their words to God. They're hasty and verbose, making rash promises to God and then trying to get out of it. You get the impression that the whole thing is a bit of a game; it's an afterthought. And no one is really stopping to think that the people were robbing God.

As I prepared my message, I wondered what would happen if Solomon observed our church today? Would he witness someone stealing from God? Are we giving our worship the priority that it deserves? Or are we worshiping God?

Let me be honest. Some people go to church out of habit. They don't put any thought into it. They enter God's house flippantly. They don't think when prayers are being offered and hymns are being sung. And they leave no better for having worshiped God.

What a tragedy that people in Solomon's time went to the temple and brazenly robbed God! I think Solomon would say we're robbing God when we're habitually late for the worship service. When we fight with our families on the way to church. When we enter quickly and flippantly without preparing our hearts.

When we sing songs of praise without thinking about what we're singing. When we let our minds wander as we hear God's Word. When we pray and don't mean it, or back it up with action. I think we're robbing God when our heart doesn't enter into worship.

David Allan Hubbard writes:

Babbling, rambling, wild words may be all right in dreams, but they do not belong in worship. Our relationship with God is one of sober, respectful, reverent awe…False worship is as much an affront to him as obscene insults are to a wife or husband. Better to bribe a judge than to ply God with hollow words; better to slap a policeman than to seek God's influence by meaningless gestures; better to perjure yourself in court than harry God with promises you can't keep. The full adoration of our spirit, the true obedience of our heart – these are his demands and his delights.

Solomon warns against robbing God. It's possible that you came to church in a hurry this morning without thinking about what you were doing.

It's possible that you've been singing the songs and experiencing the service without giving God the adoration of your spirit. We're going to pause and ask God for forgiveness, and make things right. God is looking for people who worship him in spirit and in truth.

Don't rob God. But then Solomon makes a second point:

Don't rob others.

If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. (Ecclesiastes 5:8-9)

Solomon sees corrupt people oppressing the poor. He observes officials abusing their power to oppress others. And even the king appears to be in the act.

It should be no surprise that when people rob God, they end up robbing others. If we don't show proper deference and respect to God, why should we mind when we end up oppressing others?

It's unfortunate that "the rich tend to take charge and their power intimidates and offends the poor." Eventually, the rich and powerful can't even hear those who are poor and oppressed.

Solomon's words are not a command, but an observation. But in Scripture, we are commanded to care for those who are being oppressed.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:27)

Solomon says, don't rob God; don't rob others; and thirdly:

Don't rob yourself.

A lot of people look to money for answers. Do you ever dream about winning the lottery? Or coming home to find a big check waiting for you in the mailbox that you weren't expecting?

We sometimes think that wealth brings satisfaction and security, and that wealth solves every problem. Solomon warns us that we are robbing ourselves if we look to money or wealth for the answers in life.

The Limits of Money

This morning, I want to share three key points about money: it doesn't satisfy, it doesn't provide security, and it can't solve all problems.

Money doesn't satisfy.

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?(Ecclesiastes 5:10-11)

Warren Wiersbe says that some people treat money as though it were a god. They love it, make sacrifices for it, and think that it can do anything.

Their thoughts are consumed by it, their lives revolve around obtaining and protecting it, and having it brings them a strong sense of security. But the person who loves money cannot be satisfied no matter how much money he has in his bank account.

The person who is greedy for money will never have enough. The more he has, the more he wants. As somebody has said, "Greed and materialism have no built-in safeguards or satisfying limits."

You see, there's nothing wrong with having money. The issue is when we love money. Jesus went so far as to say we can't love both God and money; it's going to be one or the other.

This is an attack on greed and clutching. Loving money leads to self-sabotage; no amount of wealth will bring true satisfaction.

Solomon points out that money doesn't satisfy. And he also points out that:

Money doesn't bring security.

Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. (Ecclesiastes 5:12-17)

Solomon reminds us of two "grievous evils." (verses 13 and 14) that riches have to be guarded by a person and thus give him worry, and ultimately the riches can be lost.

I've never once sat up in bed at night worried about my wealth and stocks disappearing. But rich people do. I've never jumped out of a helicopter or bank building. But rich people have. Riches bring worry, because riches can be lost.

Do not toil to acquire wealth;
be discerning enough to desist.
When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
for suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
(Proverbs 23:4-5)

There's another grievous evil in verses 16-17. That the rich person dies as empty-handed as when he was born. One is naked at birth and at death; you can't take it with you.

Money doesn't satisfy; it doesn't bring security; and also:

Money can't solve every problem.

One problem with wealth is the responsibility that comes with it.

When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? (Ecclesiastes 5:11)

Money is relative: the more money, the more relatives. All of a sudden people show up we didn't even know before.

Furthermore, not all who have wealth are able to enjoy it. Some people have all their desires fulfilled but are unable to enjoy their riches.

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. (Ecclesiastes 6:1-2)

Solomon gives two examples of people who apparently have everything they ever wanted, and yet have nothing. They have all the resources for a fulfilling life but are unable to enjoy them for various reasons.

Perhaps due to trouble in the home, or illness, or death. Verse 2 says that the man who had all these things had no heir, and so when he died, a stranger enjoyed all his wealth.

I heard about someone who could eat at the best restaurants but couldn't taste the food because his taste buds didn't work. We've all heard of rich people who lived eccentric and unhappy lives despite their wealth.

Money can be an illusion. If we love money, we're robbing ourselves. Money doesn't bring satisfaction; it doesn't bring security; it doesn't solve all our problems.

How to Overcome the Deception of Wealth

Tucked away in this passage is a hint on how to overcome the deception of wealth.

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)

Solomon teaches that the key is not loving money, but appreciating our place in life and enjoying the blessings from God. It is good for us to eat and drink and find pleasure in our labors.

The ability to enjoy life's blessings is in itself a gift from God. Verse 20 tells us that the person who rejoices in God's blessings will never have regrets. "For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."

God blesses us and gives us the ability to enjoy our lives. This morning, are you robbing yourself? Are you knocking yourself out to get more money than you really need? Are you worshipping money and materialism instead of God?

If you are, you're robbing yourself. Are you robbing others? Are you insensitive to the needs of others? Are you oppressing them or unjustly using them?

Are you robbing God? Are you worshiping him carelessly by rote? Are you rushing into God's presence and making rash vows? Or are you guarding your steps as you come into God's house?

It's a terrifying thing to come home and find out you've been burgled. But it's even worse if you find out that the burglar has been you.

The warnings of Ecclesiastes are sobering: don’t rob God, don’t rob others, and don’t rob yourself. But if we’re honest, we’ve all failed in these areas. We have taken God lightly, ignored others' needs, and trusted wealth and possessions instead of him. The truth is, we are all guilty of spiritual theft, and the consequences are far more severe than we realize. But here’s the good news: the gospel speaks directly to our failures and offers us hope.

Jesus came to rescue thieves like us. On the cross, he took the punishment for all the times we've failed to worship God, failed to show love and justice to others, and trusted temporary treasures instead of what truly matters. He paid the debt we could never repay and, in exchange, offers us the riches of his grace. In Christ, we are forgiven, restored, and freed to live differently.

The gospel doesn’t just expose our sin, it transforms our hearts. When we see the generosity of Jesus—how he gave up everything for us—it changes how we live. We no longer approach God carelessly but with reverence and gratitude. We no longer hoard what we have but share it freely, knowing that our true treasure is in heaven. And we no longer look to money or possessions for satisfaction, because we’ve found our ultimate joy in Christ.

So, if you’ve been robbing God, others, or yourself, the call today is to repent and turn to Jesus. He is the one who restores what’s been lost and gives us the gift of true, lasting joy. Trust in him, and let his grace reshape every part of your life. In him, you’ll find the freedom and fulfillment that nothing else can provide.