Ecclesiastes 7:9 – Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry:  for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

 

Thought:  All emotions serve a purpose in our lives.  Negative emotions, however, have to be kept in close check.  This is true of anger.  The inspired penman exhorts us, saying:  “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry.”  Dear reader, anger is something we can control.  We do not have to be short tempered.  We do not have to fly off the handle.  When anger gets out of control, we expose ourselves to be fools.  Our words and actions confirm our status as a fool.  Watch your anger.  Keep it in check.

 

Esther 3:4-5

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     This verse can be associated with the previous verse, but it has implications in all areas of our lives.

1.       Those who set goals and seek after them must be patient we learned previously, but some individuals are proud.  When their goals are not immediately realized they not only exhibit pride, but anger as well.

2.       Thus Solomon warns:  “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry…”

a.       Our spirit is the control center.  Each one of us is in charge of the knobs and buttons that are in the control center of our spirit.

b.      Two verses from Proverbs

1)      Proverbs 25:28

 

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

 

2)      Proverbs 16:32

 

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

 

B.      There is NO excuse for unseemly anger, that is, anger that acts inappropriately or that is out of control.  NOTE:  The Bible teaches that we can be angry and sin not (Eph. 4:26).

 

Be ye angry, and sin not:  let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

 

C.     Anger can be monitored.

1.       Is there a reason to be angry?

2.       Is my anger being directed toward the right thing?

3.       Is my anger being directed with the proper intensity?

4.       Is my anger being directed with the correct behaviors?

5.       NOTE:  When we ask these questions, we are running our anger through the command center of our mind.

 

D.     Solomon gives a good reason for us to control our anger:  “…for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”

1.       Anger, even when it is justified, is never to be held within our hearts.

a.  Ephesians 4:26b

 

…let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

 

b.  Ephesians 4:31

 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice.

 

2.       A fool allows anger to rest in his bosom.

a.   Definition

                        1)  Strong (5117):  to dwell, stay, let fall, let alone

                        2)  BDB:  to rest, to settle down

b.  Anger that is left within the heart of man is like a ticking time bomb.  Sooner or later it

      explodes.  The results of that explosion are horrible and can be devastating.

c.   Examples of hasty anger in Scripture

                        1)  Simeon and Levi against Hamor and Shechem (Gen. 34:25-26)

                        2)  David against Nabal (1 Sam. 25:13)

                        3)  Haman against Mordecai and the Jews (Esther 3:5-6)