Introduction
In this chapter again, we have the advice of keeping God’s commands and we will live. It’s a continuation from the previous chapter concerning the warning against the wayward woman, Proverbs 5:1-4 / Proverbs 6:20-24.
Warning Against The Adulteress
‘My son keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings 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 to insight, ‘You are my relative.’ They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.’ Proverbs 7:1-5
Who’s the apple of your eye? For me, it’s my wife. What does the writer mean when he says to keep the commands as the apple of our eye? Did you know that we are the apples of God’s eye? Isn’t that great? Psalm 17:8.
Notice how personal wisdom is here, she’s ‘your sister.’ What is a relative or kinsman as other translations have it? A relative or kinsman is a person who redeems, delivers or avenges, Leviticus 25:25 / Ruth 4:6.
Solomon encourages his son to have a deep relationship with God’s Word. It’s deep in the sense that God’s Word needs to be in his heart and not just his mind. It should not be only on his mind but also in his heart. He should love God’s Word as his sister and relative.
The wisdom and power we receive from God’s Word will encourage us to stay away from the wayward woman and see through her seductive words.
‘At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.’ Proverbs 7:6-9
Do you think today’s youth lack judgement? Most of them always have, I know I did when I was younger. When I lived in Scotland a lot of us used to just hang around the street corners and do a lot of flirting with the younger women.
Notice that the youngster deliberately set out to meet a woman, maybe not to sleep with her but definitely to flirt with her, Proverbs 1:4 / Proverbs 1:22. He clearly has no idea what he is flirting with, but if he listens to wisdom he would fully understand the dangers which lay ahead for him, Psalm 119:9 / Proverbs 4:5-7.
‘Suddenly a woman came out to meet him! She was dressed like a prostitute and with secret intent. (She is loud and rebellious, she does not remain at home–at one time outside, at another in the wide plazas, and by every corner she lies in wait.) So, she grabbed him and kissed him, and with a bold expression she said to him, ‘I have fresh meat at home; today I have fulfilled my vows! That is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I found you! I have spread my bed with elegant coverings, with richly coloured fabric from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning, let’s delight ourselves with sexual intercourse. For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a journey of some distance. He has taken a bag of money with him; he will not return until the end of the month.’ Proverbs 7:10-20
In some countries today we still see women hanging out on the street corners for business, Matthew 6:13 /Hebrews 11:24-25. Do we know that pleasure is short but is it worth it? No. Many people have fallen because of a fleeting pleasure. Stupid one-night stands mistakes have caused the end of many marriages, 2 Timothy 2:22.
Do you know any chat up lines? We used to use them all the time when we were teenagers. ‘Here’s 10p, go call your mum and tell her you won’t be home tonight’. ‘You’re like a parking ticket, you’ve got fine written all over you’.
What’s the first thing you notice about her actions? The first thing I notice is that her actions are deliberate, she knows where to go, what to say and how to say it, and she knows how to hit all the right buttons, Proverbs 30:20. She even gives assurance that they won’t get caught because her husband is away for a while.
She uses the words ‘I have fresh meat’ which is a ‘peace offering’, Leviticus 3:1-2 / Leviticus 22:21, and she uses those words in terms of something personal. In other words, after they have sinned, she already has the peace offering ready.
This is an intentional sin, it’s like saying let’s go out and get drunk and we will ask God for forgiveness in the morning because we know He will.
Now notice what she does.
1. She dressed to impress. Dressed as a prostitute, Proverbs 7:10.
2. She left him no chance. She grabbed him and kissed him, Proverbs 7:13.
3. She’s prepared. She invites him back to hers, Proverbs 7:16-18.
4. She mind reads. Her husband is away for a while, Proverbs 7:19-20.
5. She persuades him. With smooth talk, Proverbs 7:21.
6. She has him where she wants him. Trapped, Proverbs 7:23.
It’s very clear that this isn’t the first time she has done this; she has become somewhat of an expert at this.
‘She persuaded him with persuasive words; with her smooth talk she compelled him. Suddenly he went after her like an ox that goes to the slaughter, like a stag prancing into a trapper’s snare till an arrow pierces his liver–like a bird hurrying into a trap, and he does not know that it will cost him his life.’ Proverbs 7:21-23
After some persuasion, the young man took the bait. Have you ever been fishing? We will never catch anything unless we take the time to lure the bait until the fish is caught. She lured the bait of sex in front of his eyes, and he took it hook, line and sinker, she got her man, Proverbs 3:25 / Proverbs 6:15.
Why does it say it will cost him his life and not hers? The man’s sinful actions will lead to his death but in the spiritual sense, he was like an ox to the slaughter, but woman was already dead, 1 John 5:16.
‘So now, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words I speak. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways–do not wander into her pathways; for she has brought down many fatally wounded, and all those she has slain are many. Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death.’ Proverbs 7:24-27
Once again, it’s clear that this woman has been doing this for a while, she’s has had so many victims, Proverbs 5:5 / Proverbs 9:18. She’s pictured as someone who brought the downfall of many a soldier.
Have you ever heard of Sweeny Todd? He was a fictional character who was a barber, he murdered the people who came into his shop for a haircut. The woman described in this is just like him.
