PROVERBS
CHAPTER 7
Shun Adultery
My son, keep my words, and a treasure my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your nearest kin,
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who
flatters with her words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, a young man devoid of
understanding,
8 Passing along the street near her corner; and he took the path to her house.
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 She was loud and rebellious, her feet would not stay at home.
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him, with an impudent face she said to him
14 I have peace offerings with me, today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry, coloured coverings of Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
……
From the New KJV Study Bible
7:1-27 A continuation of the seductress theme begun in 6:20-35.
7:1 within you: Even in the OT God sought to have His people internalize His words
and commands.
7:4 Wisdom and understanding through obeying God's
words and commands are the keys to moral and spiritual success. We should cling to them as we do our nearest relatives.
7:6-23 The seductress at work.
7:7 The young man is a prey because he lacks understanding (see vv. 1-5).
7:14 peace offerings: See Lev. 7:15-18. Evidently a perfunctory payment of vows cleared her conscience. The seduction took place on a religious feast day.
7:22, 23 He is naive; like a senseless beast be walks into the trap unaware of his impending destruction.
7:24-27 How can a young man escape the snare? He must pay attention to the words of wisdom (v. 24) which warn him to keep his heart away from her paths (v. 25), and to observe the casualties of the past (v. 26).
Wisdom Cries Out (8:1)
Wisdom is personified in the Proverbs and acts as God’s dynamic Word. In the NT Jesus becomes the Wisdom and Word of God.
Origin of Wisdom
In God (v.22)
Before all things (vv. 23-30)
Teaching of Wisdom
Prudence (vv. 5, 12)
Understanding (v. 5)
Excellent things (v. 6)
Truth (v. 7)
Hatred of wickedness (v.7)
Righteousness (v. 8)
Knowledge (v. 12)
Discretion (v. 12)
Fear of the Lord (v. 13)
Value of Wisdom
Yields riches and honor (v. 18)
Greater than gold or silver (v. 19)
The wise are blessed (vv. 32, 34)
The wise find life (v. 35)
The foolish love death (v. 36).
……
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with
love.
19 For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey
20 He has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home on the appointed day.
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, with her flattering lips she
seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 Till an arrow struck his liver, as a bird hastens to the snare, he did not know it would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children; pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell; descending to the chambers of death.
THE PLAIN OPEN TALK FROM GOD THAT ADULTERY [AND FORNICATION] DO NOT PAY GOOD REWARDS. IT IS A FACT THAT THE MALE [WITH 10 TIMES THE SEX HORMONE THAN FEMALES] HAS TO GUARD HIS MIND AGAINST THE TEMPTATION TO HAVE SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE AND INSIDE OF MARRIAGE THROUGH ADULTERY. SOME MEN SEEM TO BE MORE PRONE THAT OTHERS TO ADULTERY. MANY A MAN HAS BEEN BROUGHT LOW BY ADULTERY. A YOUNG MAN FAMOUS IN HIS DAY AS THE NUMBER ONE GOLFER IN THE WORLD, WENT OFF TO A PLACE IN THE USA NOTED FOR IMMORAL SEXUAL GRATIFICATION. HE WAS FOUND OUT. HE HAD TO CONFESS BEFORE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND WIFE, IN A PUBLIC WAY, HIS SEXUAL LOOSENESS. HIS WIFE DIVORCED HIM, AND HIS GOLFING CAREER TOOK A NOSE DIVE, NEVER TO RECOVER TO #1 GOLFER - Keith Hunt
……
CHAPTER 8
Wisdom Means God and His Ways
From the New KJV Study Bible
8:1-36 This chapter is the high water mark for wisdom in Proverbs and in the OT. Described in feminine terms, wisdom was before all created things (vv. 22-26); and was present with the Lord in creation (W; 30, 31). She gives life, and the Lord gives favor to those who walk in wisdom (v. 35). She offers instruction in the ways of God. The contrast to ch. 7 is certainly intentional.
……
Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors:
4 To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is
in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
……
From the New KJV Study Bible
8:1-4 Wisdom actively and diligently seeks to be found and known by mankind, just as does the adulteress of ch. 7.
8:5 Even simple ones and fools can choose to gain prudence and understanding through wisdom, or they can go to destruction (7:21, 22).
8:6-11 Following wisdom is much more than mere pragmatism concerned only with techniques for "getting ahead." Wisdom is ethical and moral, associated with excellent things (v. 6), truth (v. 7), righteousness (v. 8), and knowledge (v. 9).
……
12 I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.
HERE VERSE 20 IS A “GENERAL” STATEMENT….. NOT ALL OF GOD’S CHILDREN ARE WEALTHY IN THE PHYSICAL, BUT CERTAINLY IN GENERAL LIVING AND IN SPIRITUALITY THEY ARE WEALTHY - Keith Hunt
22 The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old.
23 I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever
an earth.
24 When there wert no depths I was brought forth. when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, or the primal dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, when He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways!
33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me. Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own life; all those who hate me love death.
WISDOM WAS WITH GOD FROM ETERNITY PAST, BECAUSE WISDOM IS PART OF GOD’S VERY NATURE, AS SKIN IS PART OF OUR NATURE - Keith Hunt
…….
From the New KJV Study Bible
8:13 To hate evil is one one way to demonstrate the fear of the Lord.
8:14-16 Wisdom is at the hear, of good government.
Solomon was the prime example of the role of wisdom in Israel's royal leaders (see 1 Kin. 3:28 and note).
8:18-21 Wisdom is better than money and is to be preferred to it, although wisdom often leads to wealth.
8:22-31 Even before the beginning of creation, wisdom was with God. By wisdom He accomplished all of His deeds; God's ways, the ways in which wisdom instructs us, are written into the very fabric of the world.
8:27 Drew a circle: Determined the boundaries (v. 29).
8:30, 31 Master craftsman: The NT often equates wisdom with Christ. Both were with God before creation; through them all things came into being. See John 1:1-14; 1 Cor. 1:24, 30; Col. 1:15-20.
8:32-36 Because of who wisdom is, her ways (v. 32) lead to life (v. 35). Conversely, the rejection of wisdom leads to death (v. 36).
……
THE WORDS IN THESE TWO CHAPTERS ARE PLAIN AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND, A CHILD CAN UNDERSTAND THEM; WISDOM IS FROM GOD, TO PARTAKE OF WISDOM IS TO PARTAKE OF THE VERY NATURE OF GOD. BEING WITH GOD, UNITED TO HIM, WILL IN THE OVERALL GIVE YOU GUIDANCE TO LIVE STAYING AWAY FROM MANY THINGS THAT WOULD BRING YOU LOW IN THE PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL LIFE. MANY TROUBLES CAN BE AVOIDED BY HAVING WISDOM. WISDOM IS VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE HERE AND NOW, AND WILL LEAD YOU TO STAYING ON THE RIGHT PATHWAY INTO ETERNAL LIFE. TRULY WISDOM IS GREATER THAN ALL THE PHYSICAL RICHES IN THE WORLD.
Keith Hunt
No comments:
Post a Comment