Daily Devotions
Ecclesiastes
"The end of his talk is raving madness"
Text: Ecclesiastes 10:13
WORDS REFLECT MUCH
Solomon had learned how to be sensitive even to the words that people employ. Words reflect wisdom on the one hand. They also reflect foolishness on the other.
“The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,
And the end of his talk is raving madness.”
Ecclesiastes 10:13
1. “The words of his mouth begin with foolishness”
a) “The words of his mouth”
i) In this context, it refers to the words that a fool employs.
ii) He is no writer.
iii) But speech is not denied him.
b) His opening words are noted.
i) Right from the beginning, his foolishness is noted.
ii) He begins with “foolishness”.
c) What is “foolishness”?
i) It has to do with a lack of knowledge (ignorance).
ii) It could be wrong or defective knowledge.
iii) It could also be very shallow knowledge.
Nevertheless, the fool speaks readily as if he knows a lot!
2. “And the end of his talk is raving madness”
a) The fool attempts to speak.
i) He may ramble on.
ii) But when he begins on a wrong note, he is already in trouble.
b) The end of his talk.
i) How should he conclude?
ii) The conclusion is even more appalling than the commencement.
iii) The conclusion is “raving madness”.
iv) The fool confirms his foolishness in his talk.