Proverbs 5:15-23

Lest there were any doubts about whether this chapter is warning against adultery, the language in Pr. 5:15-20 should clear that up. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand the euphemisms: “springs“, “streams of water“, “fountain“… Then Pr. 5:19 dispenses with euphemism altogether: Let [your wife’s] breasts fill you at all times with delight… (As an aside, I suspect most young men are delighted to discover that verse in the Bible, until they realize it is talking about lifelong fidelity…)

Although it is quite useful (and valid) to treat the specific sin of adultery as a metaphor for any sin (as we mentioned previously), we should not lose sight of the unique character of sexual sin specifically. Let’s not forget what Paul says in I Corinthians 6:15-20. This is serious, deadly stuff.

Yet sin is sin, and it all enslaves: The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. (v. 22) That is a condition from which one cannot rescue oneself. One cannot simply untie those knots or break those chains. We need a Savior. And thanks be to God, we have One, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Proverbs 5:7-14

…and you say, “How I hated discipline,
and my heart despised reproof!
I did not listen to the voice of my teachers
or incline my ear to my instructors.
I am at the brink of utter ruin
in the assembled congregation.”

Proverbs 5:12-14

Ah, the voice of regret. Can any of us say that we have not uttered (or at least thought) something similar? Perhaps we have not quite been at the brink of utter ruin, but I daresay we have all at some point hated discipline and despised reproof and went on to suffer the negative consequences of failing to heed good counsel and teaching. How much better it is to accept godly wisdom from those who have gone before than to insist on learning from our own mistakes!

Proverbs 5:1-6

For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil,
but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.

Proverbs 5:3-4

All of Proverbs 5 serves as a warning against the particular sin of adultery, but as Fred pointed out, the specific temptation toward adultery can be seen as a metaphor for virtually any temptation to sin. If we are not on guard, we can be so easily enticed by what presents itself as pleasantness. But we all know that the end is not so pleasant. It is death itself. Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)

Proverbs 4:20-27

I am again struck by the full intensity of purpose called for here: Be attentive…Incline your ear…Let them not escape…Keep them… (vv. 20-21) Why such focus? For [my words] are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. (v. 22) And then further: Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. And so again I ask: Do I (and you) genuinely value wisdom so highly? Are we so focused? Do we indeed keep [our] heart[s] with all vigilance? (v. 23)

Yesterday Proverbs 4:18-19 spoke of light and dark paths. Today in Proverbs 4:24-27 we return to the notion of paths, but here the contrast is between straight and crooked. So the question remains: Which path are you on?

Proverbs 4:10-19

So, how are we doing? Are we beginning to listen, to pay attention? Do we accept these words of wisdom? Are we following in the paths of uprightness? Are we keeping hold of instruction? Are we guarding her? Do we consider her to be our life?

Or how about wickedness and evil? Do we utterly reject those paths? Or do we enter the path of the wicked and walk in the way of the evil?

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble.

Proverbs 4:18-19

Is the path you are on one of light or one of darkness?

Proverbs 4:1-9

Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction… (v. 1) It has been said that when the Bible repeats something two or three (or more) times, one should take note. Are you beginning to sense, then, that perhaps getting wisdom is important?

When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother… (v. 3) Note that we have here an illustration of two important principles:

1. The author is passing on to his sons (v. 1) what he himself learned from his parents (vv. 4-9), giving us an example of passing wisdom down from one generation to another, generation after generation.
2. The author learned his lessons at a young age, indicating the value of teaching children early.

Teach your children well…

We again see that wisdom is to be loved, prized, and embraced, and that she rewards those who seek her. But I especially like verse 7: The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. That goes to say that the first wise choice is to get wisdom. (That sounds a bit like wishing for more wishes — another wise choice.) No matter what you do, get wisdom!

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On another note…

Assuming that the author really is Solomon, then in verse 3 “my father” is David and “my mother” is Bathsheba. (II Samuel 12:24) Think about that for a minute. Solomon is the product of a relationship that started as the height of folly and sin for David (II Samuel 11). And ultimately Christ descended from that line. One of the strange things about how God works is that He has a way of turning things upside down (or should I say “downside up”?) and bringing good out of evil. (See Romans 8:28.) That is not to say that everything was just dandy for David; there were consequences for his sin, including both the death of the first child and the rebellion of Absalom. (See II Samuel 12:10-14.) And Solomon himself, though blessed with wisdom, failed to heed his own counsel and did not fully walk in the fear of the LORD. (See I Kings 11.) Nevertheless, the Lord turned a very bad scenario around for His own purposes. Were it not for His ability (and willingness) to do so, there would be no redemption for us at all.

Proverbs 3:27-35

Do not…

• Withhold good when you can do it (Pr. 3:27)
• Put off your neighbor when you can provide his due (Pr. 3:28)
• Plan evil against your neighbor (Pr. 3:29)
• Be contentious without cause (Pr. 3:30)
• Envy a man of violence (Pr. 3:31)
• Choose the ways of a man of violence (Pr. 3:31)

In other words, love your neighbor as yourself. (Lev. 19:18; Mt. 22:39; Mk. 12:31; Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8)

We can readily see in today’s passage that the way of wisdom is the way of righteousness. The two go hand in hand.

Proverbs 3:19-26

To Fred’s point yesterday, that knowing Jesus is wisdom:

• The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens. (v. 19)
• In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1,3)

Seeing as how the Word (Greek: “Logos”) is Jesus, and He was intimately involved in Creation, and the Lord founded the earth by wisdom, one might well say that there is at least a strong connection between Jesus and Wisdom. (You might also ponder Pr. 3:20 next to Heb. 1:3.)

In Pr. 3:21-26 we again read of the importance of Wisdom. And again we get a strong sense of protection, security, confidence. Yet the onus is on us: do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion. (v. 21)

Proverbs 3:13-18

Wisdom and understanding — what could be better? Not silver. Not gold. Not jewels. Nothing you desire. She offers long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, and peace. Seriously, what could be better? Only God Himself.

I am left having to ask myself some hard questions. How do I honestly regard wisdom? Do I really think she is worth pursuing? Do I actually seek her out? Do I spend more than a few minutes a day searching diligently for her? Really? Do I?

How about you?

Proverbs 3:9-12

Honor the LORD with your wealth… (v. 9) As I mentioned yesterday, I memorized Pr. 3:9-10 years ago. My guess is that Fred, our treasurer, may have memorized those verses, too. 🙂 While the immediate message may be that one should give financially to the church (and that reward will follow), I think the deeper message is an echo of Pr. 3:5-8; that is, trust in the LORD… without requiring an explanation of how everything will work out, no spreadsheet explaining the budget. (The same can be said for resting on the Sabbath, even when you have a thousand things to do — while our frenetic culture refuses.) Do we trust the Lord enough to part with the firstfruits, those dollars that come in before we see any surplus?

Trust is again hiding in the next two verses, Pr. 3:11-12. To not despise the LORD’s discipline requires that we recognize and trust that the LORD reproves him whom He loves. When we are in the midst of difficult circumstances or suffering, such trust can be a good deal more difficult than the trust it takes to tithe. I think I may need to add these last two verses to my memorization list, too. (And since they are quoted in Hebrews 12:5-6, that will be like a “two-for-one” deal! 🙂 )