For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.
Dreams that come from the press of many concerns and much daily activity are ordinary dreams, and speaking at great length with excessive and careless words marks and reveals a fool. Such dreams from business are not divine revelation, but one possible source of dreams alongside deception from Satan and dreams given by God through angels and the Holy Spirit, in contrast to visions and night visions from God that carry the highest credit as messages from God. Before God the mouth must not be rash or hasty to speak thoughtlessly, for God is in heaven and man is on earth, so words are to be few and lips restrained to avoid sin and condemnation and to give place for prayer and communion. Vows to God are sacred and must be made carefully, remembered, kept and paid, for a vow made but not paid is a foolish act that brings the Lord's anger and ruin upon the work of the hands. Going to the house of God means being more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for in the multitude of dreams and many words there are vanities, so the duty is to fear God.
Dreams from Daily Business
A dream comes through a multitude of business, meaning that many concerns, much activity, and the press of ordinary daily life produce ordinary dreams. Such dreams arise from having many concerns or much to do, and from the press of daily concerns that fill the mind in ordinary life. They are common dreams of this kind, belonging to everyday experience rather than to any higher source.
Dreams of this kind are not necessarily revelations of duty from God and are not divine revelation. They are one of three possible sources of dreams, distinct from satanic deception on the one hand and from dreams that God gives through angels and the Holy Spirit on the other. They stand contrasted with visions and night visions from God, which are entitled to the highest credit as messages from God.
Eagerly reporting many dreams as revelations from God is rebuked by this teaching, since such multiplicity itself points to an ordinary origin rather than a divine commission. The verse has been used to dismiss a particular dream as merely arising from a multitude of activity or concerns. The dreamer in that case objected that it did not account for a dream like hers.
As a dream arises from many concerns, so worldly business can fill the mind with distractions that linger into worship. Continuing worldly conversation or thoughts until entering God's house makes it difficult to turn the heart at once toward God. Such concerns should therefore be set aside as far as possible, especially on the Sabbath.
Fool Known by Words
A fool's voice is known by multitude of words, for speaking at great length and with excessive, careless words marks and reveals a fool. Lengthy speech itself is the sign, so that to multiply words is to proclaim folly.
Men are proved by their speeches whether they are wise or foolish, as a vessel is known by its sound whether it is cracked or not. An open mouth signals an empty heart, and much talking proves cheap thinking and a small mind. Unkind, sour, and cheap words come from unkind, sour, and cheap thoughts in the heart, while wisdom thinks more than it talks, does not tell all it knows, and keeps the mouth as servant of the mind.
In its setting the verse cautions against being rash with the mouth and hasty to speak thoughtlessly and carelessly before God. Because God is in heaven and man is on earth, words must be few, especially before God. Restraining the lips is wise because many words bring sin, worry, and condemnation, and give place for prayer, rest, and communion with God.
In the chapter's teaching about vows, vows to God are sacred and must be made carefully, remembered, kept, and paid, and must not be forgotten or dismissed as mistakes. A vow made but not paid is a foolish act that brings the Lord's anger, can bring ruin to the work of one's hands, and damages a person's standing before God.
Going to the house of God means being more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools, and in the multitude of dreams and many words there are vanities, so the duty is to fear God. Applied to social meeting, prayer, exhortation, and testimony, this requires watching the spirit and progress of the meeting and building where the last speaker left off, pulling together without bringing in out-of-place matter that brings darkness and discord. It requires not crowding in new ideas the members are not prepared to appreciate except in meekness without urging. It requires maturing the subject beforehand by meditation with the Spirit's help, having through prayerful study and self-examination important matter on the mind before prayer and exhortation, and knowing one's wants before presenting them to the Lord, which saves time.
Dreams that come from the press of many concerns and much daily activity are ordinary dreams, and speaking at great length with excessive and careless words marks and reveals a fool. Such dreams from business are not divine revelation, but one possible source of dreams alongside deception from Satan and dreams given by God through angels and the Holy Spirit, in contrast to visions and night visions from God that carry the highest credit as messages from God. Before God the mouth must not be rash or hasty to speak thoughtlessly, for God is in heaven and man is on earth, so words are to be few and lips restrained to avoid sin and condemnation and to give place for prayer and communion. Vows to God are sacred and must be made carefully, remembered, kept and paid, for a vow made but not paid is a foolish act that brings the Lord's anger and ruin upon the work of the hands. Going to the house of God means being more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for in the multitude of dreams and many words there are vanities, so the duty is to fear God.
Dreams from Daily Business
A dream comes through a multitude of business, meaning that many concerns, much activity, and the press of ordinary daily life produce ordinary dreams. Such dreams arise from having many concerns or much to do, and from the press of daily concerns that fill the mind in ordinary life. They are common dreams of this kind, belonging to everyday experience rather than to any higher source.
Dreams of this kind are not necessarily revelations of duty from God and are not divine revelation. They are one of three possible sources of dreams, distinct from satanic deception on the one hand and from dreams that God gives through angels and the Holy Spirit on the other. They stand contrasted with visions and night visions from God, which are entitled to the highest credit as messages from God.
Eagerly reporting many dreams as revelations from God is rebuked by this teaching, since such multiplicity itself points to an ordinary origin rather than a divine commission. The verse has been used to dismiss a particular dream as merely arising from a multitude of activity or concerns. The dreamer in that case objected that it did not account for a dream like hers.
As a dream arises from many concerns, so worldly business can fill the mind with distractions that linger into worship. Continuing worldly conversation or thoughts until entering God's house makes it difficult to turn the heart at once toward God. Such concerns should therefore be set aside as far as possible, especially on the Sabbath.
Fool Known by Words
A fool's voice is known by multitude of words, for speaking at great length and with excessive, careless words marks and reveals a fool. Lengthy speech itself is the sign, so that to multiply words is to proclaim folly.
Men are proved by their speeches whether they are wise or foolish, as a vessel is known by its sound whether it is cracked or not. An open mouth signals an empty heart, and much talking proves cheap thinking and a small mind. Unkind, sour, and cheap words come from unkind, sour, and cheap thoughts in the heart, while wisdom thinks more than it talks, does not tell all it knows, and keeps the mouth as servant of the mind.
In its setting the verse cautions against being rash with the mouth and hasty to speak thoughtlessly and carelessly before God. Because God is in heaven and man is on earth, words must be few, especially before God. Restraining the lips is wise because many words bring sin, worry, and condemnation, and give place for prayer, rest, and communion with God.
In the chapter's teaching about vows, vows to God are sacred and must be made carefully, remembered, kept, and paid, and must not be forgotten or dismissed as mistakes. A vow made but not paid is a foolish act that brings the Lord's anger, can bring ruin to the work of one's hands, and damages a person's standing before God.
Going to the house of God means being more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools, and in the multitude of dreams and many words there are vanities, so the duty is to fear God. Applied to social meeting, prayer, exhortation, and testimony, this requires watching the spirit and progress of the meeting and building where the last speaker left off, pulling together without bringing in out-of-place matter that brings darkness and discord. It requires not crowding in new ideas the members are not prepared to appreciate except in meekness without urging. It requires maturing the subject beforehand by meditation with the Spirit's help, having through prayerful study and self-examination important matter on the mind before prayer and exhortation, and knowing one's wants before presenting them to the Lord, which saves time.