Proverbs 7:1-27
Living in a SeX-Rated World
My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," And call understanding your nearest kin, that they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words. For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding, Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night. And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious, her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner. So she caught him and kissed him; with an impudent face she said to him: "I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows. So I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you. I have spread my bed with tapestry, colored coverings of Egyptian linen. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; he has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home on the appointed day." With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, with her flattering lips she seduced him. Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, he did not know it would cost his life. Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; for she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death. Proverbs 7:1-27 NKJV
Illustration – Pompeii Destruction
The May 1984 National Geographic showed through color photos and drawings the swift and terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman Cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 A.D. The explosion of Mount Vesuvius was so sudden that the residents were killed while in their routine: men and women were at the market, the rich in their luxurious baths, and slaves at toil. They died amid volcanic ash and superheated gasses. Even family pets suffered the same quick and final fate. The saddest part is that these people did not have to die. Scientists confirm what ancient Roman writers record—weeks of rumblings and shakings preceded the actual explosion. Even an ominous plume of smoke was clearly visible from the mountain days before the eruption. If only they had been able to read and respond to Vesuvius’ warning. There are similar “rumblings” spiritually today: murder, hatred, sexual immorality, divorce, greed, bitterness, envy, jealousy, etc. You need not be unprepared concerning these things. God warns and provides an escape to those who will heed the rumblings.
The destruction of Pompeii was inevitable. The loss of life was not. More than 2000 people died because they would not heed the warnings.
God also provides warnings for us to consider. He has given us His Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 to separate His people from the non-believers. We are to obey them as commandments and not merely as suggestions. I find it interesting that the sixth commandment deals with premeditated murder. Then we discover that commandment number eight lists stealing as a sin which God hates. Squeezed in between is the seventh commandment concerning adultery. I suppose that adultery is listed there because it is combination of both murdering a relationship and stealing from someone else.
Today, we are going to examine Proverbs seven. In a call for wisdom, Solomon writes by inspiration of the Holy Spirit concerning one who disregards the wisdom God desires to give us as we seek for it. Let’s open the Word and our hearts and hear what God wants us discover today.
Solomon writes as a third party watching these events unfold. He is training his children to learn from these events. Notice that the first thing he does is give…
THE CALL FOR MATURITY in verses 1-5.
This maturity is really wisdom. Notice what Solomon says about it in these verses. First of all it starts in your HOME. A father should be training his children how to respond to God’s Spirit and leadership. His words, my son in verses one, are intended to display affection and intimacy to the child being taught. Some children can only learn what they see. They are visual learners and description of words only teaches so much. Parents need to model what they desire in their children. Second, Solomon states that it stays in your HEAD. In verses two, he instructs to his children that they are to place it in their head the lessons being taught. The word keep means to hear and obey. It is instruction with a promise. To live denotes an eternal promise of blessing. True living (zoē) is not what you get today but what is realized in the future. This is a indication not just to the length of life but the quality of life in Him for eternity. Then we find him referring to the law as the apple of your eye. This is a reference to the pupil of the eye. This is the most sensitive and important part of the eye. It is precious, priceless and must be protected. In the same way, we are God’s most treasured possessions. He protects us because we belong to Him. Then, in the first part of verse three, we find laws and commands are to be secured to your HANDS. Tying them to your fingers figuratively serves as a reminder of their importance to you. It moreover functions as a picture of the things you do and the places you go. Be careful with your hands! Fourth we find Solomon telling us in the last part of verse three that it’s sealed in your HEART. To write something in those days was expensive and time consuming. It was important and God desires for you to choose ahead of time the things He impresses you with through His instructions. It is to be permanently etched upon and in your heart because of your love for Him. And lastly, Solomon shares that it shows Him HONOR in verses four through five. These two verses refer to our sister, wisdom, and the kinsman, understanding, as those who share a deep intimacy and loving commitment. This reference to a kinsman-redeemer is also used in Ruth 2:1 which depicts a covenantal love which is known through God. Honoring God is restraining from committing sin because of our love for Him. We honor Him not because He will discipline us but we may disappoint the One who loves us so. What you really believe about God will ooze from your life. If you have a high view of God, you will have a high view of sin.
Illustration - Eagle’s Nest
Though many of us have seen pictures of a huge eagle’s nest high in the branches of a tree or in the crag of a cliff, few of us have gotten a glimpse inside. When a mother eagle builds her nest she starts with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks, and a number of other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project. But then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool, feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, the comfort of the nest and the luxury of free meals make them quite reluctant to leave. That’s when the mother eagle begins ’stirring up the nest. With her strong talons she begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks and branches to the surface. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. Eventually, this and other urgings prompt the growing eagles to leave their once-comfortable abode and move on to more mature behavior. Today in the Word, June 11, 1989
God desires spiritual maturity in you. He makes life uncomfortable so you might learn to trust and depend upon Him. Teach wisdom in your home, stick it in your head, secure it to your hands, seal it in your heart and show Him His honor in obedience.
Solomon then moves on to write verses six through nine. It is here he advises us about…
THE CHOICE OF DEPRAVITY.
There are five lessons Solomon points out in these verses. He comments first about the wrong PERCEPTION in verse six. Solomon is observing from a distance several people and notices one young man who lacks wisdom. This young man evidently had not been taught wisdom. While we may wonder why Solomon did not warn this young man, it is noteworthy to notice that someone is always watching. You may think it won’t be noticed, know this, our God is omniscient and omnipresent! He knows all and sees all! Nothing escapes His attention…not even your conversations! Don’t imagine that you will get away with it! We never do and never will hide our sin from God! Not only did the young man have the wrong perception, he ran with the wrong CROWD. Note in verse 7a that Solomon calls them simple. They were a naïve, unsuspecting group of young men. They were running the streets together in idleness. Young people, you will be known by the company you keep, the places you go and the things you do. Do what is right! Avoid hanging with the wrong crowd! Solomon then discerns that this young man had the wrong CONFIDENCE. He was deficient in wisdom and discernment. He trusted in his own wisdom. This young man relied upon his own wit and skills. Folks, establish early in your life what God’s standards of holiness are. Waiting until an event happens to choose how you will respond will surely lead to moral failure! Make up your mind today what is important in serving God faithfully. Solomon also conveys that this young man was at the wrong PLACE. He was strolling or meandering through her territory. He was walking on dangerous grounds. Unwittingly or unknowingly, he was headed to her house when he should have been headed home! And then we notice that it was the wrong TIME. Four times scripture gives us an indication that he should not have been there. The time was described as twilight or fading light in the afternoon. It was followed by the setting sun which resulted in the black of the night. This black of night expresses the cover of darkness when attempts to hide their sins. And finally, Solomon pens the dark night in a word which is used in Exodus 10:21-22 during the plague of darkness which describes a thick, gloomy darkness. His days were numbered. Disaster was about to fall.
Ill – The Myth of the Greener Grass
According to Dr. Lana Staneli, author of a book on marital triangles, “Of those who break up their marriage to marry someone else, eighty percent are sorry later. Of those who do marry their lover, which is only about ten percent, about seventy percent of them get a divorce. Of that twenty-five to thirty percent that stay married, only half of them are happy. Having an affair is an invitation to an awful lot of pain and tragedy.” Source: The Ten Commandments: The Significance of God’s Laws in Everyday Life (New York: HarperCollins, 1998), 223-224., 1998, Laura Schlessinger,
When you consider pursuing an adulterous relationship…don’t! The grass may seem greener on the other side of the fence; it is only because there is a seeping, stinking septic system there!
Because there are choices, we will additionally be confronted with…
THE CHALLENGES OF INIQUITY in 7:10-23.
If we saw what sin really looked like from God’s perspective we would never hesitate in running away from it! The problem is that sin is often disguised to look good! It is the bait which Satan uses to cause us to yield and fall. Notice four things regarding the challenges of iniquity or sin. First, there is the REPUTATION of sin in verses 10-12. Sin is appealing. Others seem to commit it and escape judgment. We are often tempted by our desires to satisfy and gratify the flesh! Young ladies, don’t be conformed by the world to dress in a provocative way. Stop revealing the cleavage and the flesh. If you want a young man to respect you in the morning, make him wait until you have been pronounced husband and wife! This ‘woman’ in verse 10 dressed and acted the part to entice him. Yes, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong desires. He was stupid but she was scandalous and scheming. She was searching for fresh meat and a new victim to destroy! Notice second the RESOUCEFULNESS of sin in verses 13-20. She strategized exactly what he needed…a kiss to inflame him. She lied to him by masquerading her words with religious insinuations. The term ‘with an impudent face’ meant she was bald-faced lying through her teeth. She then conveyed his importance by saying she was waiting for him and needed him. Why, she even had prepared bed with new, clean silk sheets. She had Bath and Body fragrances spread throughout the house and oh, yeah, a Victoria Secrets special waiting for him! She enchanted him with a ‘no one has to know” or ‘my husband is on a long business trip’! She was a very resourceful woman! Today, there are men who are allowing themselves to be tempted in sexual sin. It may not be a live, stimulating woman; it may simply be pornography. The truth is always revealed! Then we see in verses 21-22 the RULE of sin. She spoke ‘smooth’ words to arouse him. She flattered or buttered him up to seduce him. He didn’t sense the peril he was in! The late Adrian Rogers had saying about the rule of sin. He said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay.” Don’t yield to the attraction of sin! And finally, there is the RECKONING of sin. Look at verse 23. ‘An arrow struck his liver.’ This could be a disease that cost him his life or a husband who strikes him dead. There is a reckoning or judgment for sin.
Illustration - Asbestos
In its natural state, asbestos is a soft rock consisting of compressed fibers. Because of its fire-resistant qualities, it has had thousands of uses in home and industry over the years. Almost 30 million tons of the material have been used in the United states for insulation since 1900.
I remember being impressed as a boy with that amazing kind of cloth that doesn’t burn. My dad used it regularly when he was welding on specific jobs. But even though it has served a beneficial purpose, recent findings show it to be a severe health hazard. According to a Harvard Medical School report, more than 500,000 Americans will die from exposure to the air-borne particles of asbestos. It stated that just because there doesn’t appear to be an immediate problem, the public must not be fooled. Asbestos disease becomes a medical problem when it’s too late to cure it. The symptoms may not show up for 30 years or more. Our Daily Bread
So it is when we think we are fireproof. Exposure may not happen right away…but it will happen!
Solomon stops long enough in 7:24-25 to give
THE COUNSEL FOR SANCTITY
The first thing he wants you to know is how to PERCIEVE godly wisdom. Solomon says to listen and pay attention to his words. Sometimes it is not what is said but what you do that makes a difference! Solomon was a man who had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He wanted his children to hear what he was saying but not necessarily do what he had done. Often our actions speak louder than our words! Second he encourages you to PRESERVE your heart in verse 25. Don’t turn towards the immoral woman! Stay away from her. Preserve your soul by knowing wisdom! Then he states for you to PROTECT your life. Leaving the path of wisdom to pursue the path of the immoral woman results in destruction!
And finally Solomon reveals…
THE CONSEQUENCES OF IMMORALITY in 7:26-27.
There are four major consequences for immorality. First, it means DANGER! Repeatedly, Solomon warns about the immoral woman. He speaks of it in chapters two, five and six. He has seen its end. Second, it means DISEASE! Everyone thinks it will not happen to them. Just as our society thinks the rules are made for everyone else, so do people think it can’t happen to them.
Ill - STD’s Today
The Sexually transmitted diseases chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes are on the rise among 15-24 yr olds. A cursory look at the CDC reveals the increase of these diseases. In fact the latest report in 2006 says this,
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the United States. While substantial progress has been made in preventing, diagnosing, and treating certain STDs in recent years, CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year, almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24.1 In addition to the physical and psychological consequences of STDs, these diseases also exact a tremendous economic toll. Direct medical costs associated with STDs in the United States are estimated at up to $14.7 billion annually in 2006 dollars.2 Sexually Transmitted Diseases > Surveillance & Statistics > 2006 Reports > Trends in Reportable Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the United States, 2006 , CDC Report
Here are the disease we face that are rampantly on the rise: Chlamydia, Genital Herpes (HSV-2), Genital Warts, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis B (HBV), HIV and AIDS, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), Pubic Lice (Crabs), Syphilis, Trichomoniasis.
The sad thing is that professed Christians are also contracting these same diseases. Folks, sin is no respecter of persons. Start behaving like a believer in Jesus Christ. A friend of mine stated several years ago that, “Even in a sewer, cream will always rise to the top.” Well, start behaving like cream!
The third thing it means is DISGRACE. It brings disgrace to your friends, your family and your heavenly Father. Disgrace brings disappointment to those who love you. King David wrote in Psalm 51:3, “My sin is always before me.” We can be forgiven but it is a stench in the nostrils of our hearts that are hard to erase. Bringing disgrace to your spouse, children, relatives and church family can be forgiven but it takes time to rebuild trust and respect. Our heavenly Father can and will forgive you but you must seek Him and change your focus! Fourth and lastly, it means DEATH. Solomon reveals that a life that dismisses true wisdom and searches for the immoral woman ends in death. This death is ultimately physical, spiritual and eternal.
Let’s discuss one more thing. How can we escape or keep from immorality?
Let me encourage you to do these things.
First, stay in the Word! Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ.
Second, pray continuously for God to keep you from immorality.
Third, make a decision that you will avoid placing yourself in a compromising situation.
Fourth, decide NOW that you will remain faithful to your spouse, your family and God.
Fifth, decide to do right and stick to it! For those married, marriage is more than a contract! It is a covenant! It is a vow before man and God that is ratified in His sight.
And lastly, when tempted with sexual sin… RUN! Don’t test to see how close you can get without being burned. Stay away from it.
