How to Live (A Study in Ecclesiastes)
Lesson #9: Avoiding Anger (Ecclesiastes 7:9)
This lesson deals with the subject of anger. Everyone experiences anger the difference is how we handle anger. Even though most of the time anger does cause us to sin, anger itself is not sin. Note that God is angry with the wicked (Psalm 7:11), Jesus looked on the crowd with anger (Mark 3:5) and we are told to be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4:26). The sin comes from letting anger control us and how we respond to it.
In this lesson we will look at the characteristics of anger, results of anger, and benefits to being slow to anger in order to understand Solomon’s life lesson on anger in verse 9.
Solomon’s life lesson on anger:
Solomon says two things regarding the subject of anger in Ecclesiastes 7:9. First, do not be hasty in the spirit to be angry and secondly anger rests in the bosom of fools. The life lesson we will take from this is twofold:
1) We must do everything in our power to avoid becoming angry.
2) When anger takes hold within us we must avoid letting it stay there and fester.
Characteristics of anger:
1) Usually connected with words (Proverbs 15:1)
- There is an old saying, “the pen is mightier than the sword”. This is true because actions are most of the time more easy to forgive than words. Note Solomon’s comments in Ecclesiastes 7:21-22. Think about how mad we get for what we do to others ourselves with our own words. Therefore we must be very careful what we say.
2) It is outrageous (Proverbs 27:4)
- Outrages is defined as violent; furious; exorbitant; exceeding all bounds of moderation [American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828]
- Is any of this how we would want to be viewed? But it is when we are angry.
3) It is contagious (Proverbs 22:24)
- This passage gives us an excellent warning against being companions with angry people.
Results of anger:
1) Shows our foolishness (Proverbs 14:17)
- In this verse we see that many foolish dealing are the result of anger. It is really amazing sometimes how foolish people will act when they are angry. Solomon said anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
2) It causes us to sin (Proverbs 29:22)
- Note in the verse it says that a furious man aboundeth in transgression. Not only does anger cause us to sin but more times than not it causes us to have multiple sins.
- If showing our foolishness were all that happened when we got angry we might could live with the embarrassment, but not only does angry cause us to show our foolishness but most of the time it causes us to sin.
The Benefits of being slow to anger:
1) It is better than strength (Proverbs 16:32)
- In today’s society people are wowed by strength and athletic ability, but according to this verse the person who can keep his cool is better than the mighty.
- Think about it, in sports they call it getting into someone’s head. That means getting them mad so that they do not perform as well as they should or are capable of.
- This is a great verse for the young and old alike but especially for the teens, because many of them could do better in school, sports, home life, serving God etc. if they would simple learn to avoid getting angry.
2) It appeases strife (Proverbs 15:18)
- Remember in Proverbs 15:1 we saw that a soft answer turneth away wrath. Adults you could have less strife with your boss if you would just avoid anger and give a soft answer. Teens you could save yourself some extra punishment if you would just simply have a soft answer to your parents especially when being corrected about something that you have already done. Just think about how many marriage problems could be solved if this principle could be applied.
From this things it is easy to see why we must avoid anger at all cost and why we should not let us reside within us. Note that Solomon said hasty in spirit to be angry. We must realize the things that affect our spirit as well as learn to control our spirit. The key to this is focusing on the word of God. If it is our weapon against Satan, then it will also help us with the subject of anger.
How to Live (A Study in Ecclesiastes)
Lesson #9: Avoiding Anger (Ecclesiastes 7:9)
Handout
1) What is Solomon’s life lesson regarding anger from this passage?
2) List some characteristics of anger.
3) List some results of anger.
4) List some benefits of being slow to anger.
5) What the life lesson for us from this passage?