Proverbs 7:6-23 says,...
Today's verses are Proverbs 7:6-23, which read,
v.6-9 - For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice, and I saw among the naive, and discerned among the youths a young man lacking sense, passing through the street near her corner; and he takes the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
Solomon uses this illustration to bring out a couple points. He is looking out his window down on the street. There are youth there but there are also some youth who are foolish. Those foolish youth are going near known danger. They are trying to hide their actions by the time of day it is and the cover of night but they are unsuccessful for someone sees what they are doing.
Sin is observable and sin is discernible. We think that we are being discreet and that no one will know but that is not true. God sees our actions. He sees our agenda. He sees our attention or lack of attention to the wisdom and instruction of Him. These young men who are lacking sense are going toward something that is wrong described in the next verses.
v.10-12 - And behold, a woman comes to meet him, dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. She is boisterous and rebellious, her feet do not remain at home; she is now in the streets, now in the squares, and lurks by every corner.
This woman that comes out to the foolish youth is just the opposite of godly wisdom. She is dressed in a way that shows an ungodly intent and reveals her selfish agenda. Her actions are focused on her abilities and what she will do no matter what anyone else thinks or says. She is unfaithful to what is right and seeks to be where she should not be.
What a picture of Satan. Satan is not passive but active to seek out those who are foolish. He is dressed for the part to entice us to something that seems to be more exciting. He speaks of what he has accomplished and his freedom to participate in whatever he wants and to invite us to do the same. He is unfaithful to the principles of God's Word and walks in that unfaithfulness seeking to lure others to follow likewise. The next verses give the intensity of lure of temptation.
v.13-21 - So she seizes him and kisses him and with a brazen face she says to him: "I was due to offer peace offerings; today I have paid my vows. Therefore I have come out to meet you, to seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you. I have spread my couch with coverings, with colored linens of Egypt. I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with caresses, for my husband is not at home, he has gone on a long journey; he has taken a bag of money with him, at the full moon he will come home." With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him.
Solomon is using the illustration of sexual sin that is outside of the only holy created sexual union of marriage. It takes advantage of others. It uses many persuasive allurements. The lady says she has done her religious requirements and so now it is time to not be so religious. She entices with things that would appeal to the senses of our bodies with linens and spices. She assures that they would not be caught doing wrong because her husband is away and gives reasons to comfort that fear with amounts taken for provisions and the time gone by the full moon. She uses her speech to draw him into a relationship that is not ordained by God.
Here are some common practices used by Satan to lure us from the path of godliness to the way of the destruction. He says, "You have done your religious duty, now it is time for some fun." He says, "Look how good this is and how it feels and how it smells. You need to experience this." He says, "Don't worry, I have all the bases covered and no one will ever know. God went away for awhile and He won't be back until next Sunday." Satan uses his tongue very effectively to seduce us to act on what is false. These last verses show the result.
v.22, 23 - Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life.
The foolish youth falls for the trap as an oxen doesn't know it will be slaughtered but follows along with the rest of them and the prisoner thinks there is no end to his life of disobedience but an end will come. The liver cleanses your physical body, that is its function. If the liver goes bad then your life goes bad. An arrow to the liver would stop this function of filtration and your life would fill up with deadly poisons. The bird doesn't see the snare or better yet is not looking for the snare and therefore when caught struggles frantically to get free. The end result of all of these illustrations is death.
We have been taken in by Satan's schemes and all of his schemes end in death. It might be sudden or it might be a gradual filling up of poison that is not being filtered out. It will seem like a snare but the wise will see the snare and fly clear. The wise will know that this is a matter of life and death, something serious to attend to and not just a bump in the road that we can recover from in the future. The foolish are filled with Satan's excuses to do what is contrary to God's Word. The wise stick with His Word which is the liver; an organ to filter what has been consumed between what is good and what is bad. You lose that filter and it will be the end of you. Let's pray.
"Lord, I understand that foolishness to Your wisdom is observable and discernible. Satan will go to great lengths to damage the filter you have given me to keep out or dispense of what is not right. I ask for strength today through the disciplines of knowing You to stand firm against his schemes. May I participate in those practices that give honor and glory to You today and not those practices that entice to do wrong. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.6-9 - For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice, and I saw among the naive, and discerned among the youths a young man lacking sense, passing through the street near her corner; and he takes the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
Solomon uses this illustration to bring out a couple points. He is looking out his window down on the street. There are youth there but there are also some youth who are foolish. Those foolish youth are going near known danger. They are trying to hide their actions by the time of day it is and the cover of night but they are unsuccessful for someone sees what they are doing.
Sin is observable and sin is discernible. We think that we are being discreet and that no one will know but that is not true. God sees our actions. He sees our agenda. He sees our attention or lack of attention to the wisdom and instruction of Him. These young men who are lacking sense are going toward something that is wrong described in the next verses.
v.10-12 - And behold, a woman comes to meet him, dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. She is boisterous and rebellious, her feet do not remain at home; she is now in the streets, now in the squares, and lurks by every corner.
This woman that comes out to the foolish youth is just the opposite of godly wisdom. She is dressed in a way that shows an ungodly intent and reveals her selfish agenda. Her actions are focused on her abilities and what she will do no matter what anyone else thinks or says. She is unfaithful to what is right and seeks to be where she should not be.
What a picture of Satan. Satan is not passive but active to seek out those who are foolish. He is dressed for the part to entice us to something that seems to be more exciting. He speaks of what he has accomplished and his freedom to participate in whatever he wants and to invite us to do the same. He is unfaithful to the principles of God's Word and walks in that unfaithfulness seeking to lure others to follow likewise. The next verses give the intensity of lure of temptation.
v.13-21 - So she seizes him and kisses him and with a brazen face she says to him: "I was due to offer peace offerings; today I have paid my vows. Therefore I have come out to meet you, to seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you. I have spread my couch with coverings, with colored linens of Egypt. I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with caresses, for my husband is not at home, he has gone on a long journey; he has taken a bag of money with him, at the full moon he will come home." With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him.
Solomon is using the illustration of sexual sin that is outside of the only holy created sexual union of marriage. It takes advantage of others. It uses many persuasive allurements. The lady says she has done her religious requirements and so now it is time to not be so religious. She entices with things that would appeal to the senses of our bodies with linens and spices. She assures that they would not be caught doing wrong because her husband is away and gives reasons to comfort that fear with amounts taken for provisions and the time gone by the full moon. She uses her speech to draw him into a relationship that is not ordained by God.
Here are some common practices used by Satan to lure us from the path of godliness to the way of the destruction. He says, "You have done your religious duty, now it is time for some fun." He says, "Look how good this is and how it feels and how it smells. You need to experience this." He says, "Don't worry, I have all the bases covered and no one will ever know. God went away for awhile and He won't be back until next Sunday." Satan uses his tongue very effectively to seduce us to act on what is false. These last verses show the result.
v.22, 23 - Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life.
The foolish youth falls for the trap as an oxen doesn't know it will be slaughtered but follows along with the rest of them and the prisoner thinks there is no end to his life of disobedience but an end will come. The liver cleanses your physical body, that is its function. If the liver goes bad then your life goes bad. An arrow to the liver would stop this function of filtration and your life would fill up with deadly poisons. The bird doesn't see the snare or better yet is not looking for the snare and therefore when caught struggles frantically to get free. The end result of all of these illustrations is death.
We have been taken in by Satan's schemes and all of his schemes end in death. It might be sudden or it might be a gradual filling up of poison that is not being filtered out. It will seem like a snare but the wise will see the snare and fly clear. The wise will know that this is a matter of life and death, something serious to attend to and not just a bump in the road that we can recover from in the future. The foolish are filled with Satan's excuses to do what is contrary to God's Word. The wise stick with His Word which is the liver; an organ to filter what has been consumed between what is good and what is bad. You lose that filter and it will be the end of you. Let's pray.
"Lord, I understand that foolishness to Your wisdom is observable and discernible. Satan will go to great lengths to damage the filter you have given me to keep out or dispense of what is not right. I ask for strength today through the disciplines of knowing You to stand firm against his schemes. May I participate in those practices that give honor and glory to You today and not those practices that entice to do wrong. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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