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Proverbs 6:20 My
son,
observe the
commandment of
your
father and do
not
forsake the
teaching of
your
mother;
(Pr 1:8,9; 7:1, 2, 3, 4; 23:22; 30:11; Deut
21:18; 27:16; Ep 6:1)
My son - see Pr 1:8, 9. Here Solomon is giving his son
that "man to man" talk we all dreaded as young men. Oh, how we "dirty
old men" need to hear and re-hear the wise words of counsel in this
present evil age modern era, for we live in a time like no other in
the way our eyes are bombarded with "bait" of beautiful women which
can act like a "lure" tempting us (James 1:14) to secret sins (cp Nu
32:23) in our thought life (2Co 10:4, 5, Php 4:8. We need to hear what
King Solomon says to his son.
It is noteworthy that in
Proverbs 5-7, each of the warnings against sexual misconduct is
prefaced by an admonition to pay attention to the Word of God
(Pr 5:1, 2; 7, 8, Pr 6:20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25; Pr 7:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, cp
Jesus' words Mt 4:4). The Truth of God's Word heard and heeded (James
1:22, 25) keeps us from believing the lies of the world, the flesh and
the devil (Jn 8:44, 2Co 11:3, Rev 12:9) that the "grass is always
greener" on the other side of the fence. Remember "lust" begins with
thoughts (and images that convey thoughts) and the best defense is a
good offense, taking in Truth to counter and expose the Lie (Jn 8:31,
32, 36, 17:17).
It makes me think of the
shield the Word provides, Solomon writing that...
Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge
in Him. (Pr 30:5, cp Ps 119:9, 11)
><>><>><>
MOTHER'S LAW -As I read Proverbs 6:20, which refers to "the law
of your mother," I recall some of my mother's unique "laws" that have
helped me many times.
The first I call "the law of the warm kitchen." When we got home from
school on a cold winter's day or when the holidays rolled around, the
kitchen was always so warm from baking and cooking that the windows
were steamed. It was also warm with a mother's love.
A second law I call "the law of a mother's perspective." When I would
come to her all upset over some childish matter, she would often say,
"Pay no attention." Or, "Ten years from now you'll have forgotten all
about it." That helped me put things into perspective.
But above all was my mother's "law of faith." She had an unswerving
trust in God that kept her strong and gentle amid fears, pressures,
and sacrifices of the war years and of the 1950s.
Mom's been with the Lord now for many years. Yet I'm still grateful
for her "laws," because they have helped me through many difficult
days.
Christian mother, you too are writing "laws" for your children. Are
they worth remembering? - D C Egner
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand
Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
I love you, Mother, for your quiet
grace,
For that dear smile upon your kindly face,
For marks of toil upon each loving hand
That worked for me ere I could understand. - Simpson
No man is poor who has a godly mother. - Abraham Lincoln
Proverbs
6:21 Bind
them
continually on
your
heart;
Tie them
around your
neck
(Pr 3:3; 4:6,21; 7:3,4; Ex 13:16; Deut 6:8; 2Co 3:3)
Bind them continually on your
heart - The heart is the "control center" of our being and
is in continual need to nourishment by the Word of God (cp also the
need for continual watching Pr 4:23).
The command to bind God's Word to
various parts of the body (Pr 3:3; 6:21; 7:3; Deut 6:8, 9) was taken
literally by the Pharisees and gave rise to the so-called "phylactery"
(Mt 23:5), a small leather case containing four portions of the Old
Testament (Ex. 13:1-10, 11-16, and Deut. 6:4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 9, 11:13-21)
written on parchment. When attending public prayers, the orthodox Jew
tied one phylactery to his forehead and the other to his left arm.
They also put a phylactery at the door of their house. "Phylactery"
is a word that comes from the Greek and means "to watch over, to
safeguard." It was their belief that wearing God's Word like an amulet
would protect them from evil. This practice is not what Solomon means
by binding them on one's heart. The picture is that of "fastening"
God's Word to our heart, something that can only be done figuratively
as when one reads, heeds, memorizes and meditates on God's Word of
Truth and Life. In so doing, the student "binds" the Word to his or
her heart.
I like what John Piper says
in his practical message on Thy Word I Have Treasured in my Heart...
I believe that the Bible teaches us
to memorize scripture the way an ant gathers food in summer: because
it is so valuable and will be needed in the winter months. “[The ant]
prepares her food in the summer, and gathers her provision in the
harvest” (Proverbs 6:8). Memorizing scripture is not a discipline for
its own sake. It is because the scriptures are a treasure and will be
needed before the day is done to help you escape a sinful attitude and
live a life that glorifies God (cp Ps 119:9,11). (Dr Piper's message
is highly recommended - I would encourage you if you have time to
listen to the audio Mp3 version as it is even better than the
transcript -
Transcript = Thy Word I Have
Treasured in my Heart;
or the
Mp3 Audio Version)
Bind (07194)
(qashar) basically means to fasten or tie something to
something else usually by means of a cord, rope, string, thread, etc.
We see the meaning illustrated in Ge 38:28 where Zerah’s hand was
marked by tying with a scarlet thread. Rahab was instructed to
tie a scarlet thread to her window to mark it (Josh 2:18). God
instructed Israel to bind his laws (words) to their foreheads and
hands (Deut 6:8). Thus, their thoughts and actions were to be governed
by his word. In the present context the binding is figurative but is
no less real, for the point is that these commandments and teachings
are to be so intrinsically a part of who we are that they control what
we think, say and do (out of your mouth comes that which fills the
heart!). We "bind" them by reading them, memorizing them, meditating
upon them and obeying them.
Wiersbe has an interesting
explanation of tie them around your neck writing that...
God's truth should also control the
neck, because a man might be tempted to turn his head and look at a
beautiful woman for the purpose of lusting (Mt 5:27, 28, 29, 30). He
may not be able to avoid seeing the woman the first time, but it's
looking the second time that gets him into trouble.
><>><>><>
F B Meyer - Our Daily Homily
- If the son addressed here is bidden to thus care for the words
of his parents, how much more should we ponder those of God as given
us in God’s blessed Book.
When thou walkest, it shall lead
thee. — There is a little circle of friends whom I know of who read
this book of Proverbs through every month for practical direction on
the path of life. A West-countryman said of this collection of wise
words, “If any man shall maister the Book of Proverbs, no man shall
maister he.” Take for instance the weighty counsels of the first five
verses. How many lives would have been saved from bitter anguish and
disappointment if only they had been ruled by them! Let every young
man also ponder the closing verses. Let us all meditate more
constantly on the Word of God.
When thou sleepest, it shall
watch thee. — The man who meditates on the Word of God by day will not
be troubled by evil dreams at night. Whatever unholy spirits may prowl
around his bed, they will be restrained from molesting him whose head
is pillowed on some holy word of God. And on awakening, the Angel of
Revelation will whisper words of encouragement and love.
And when thou awakest, it shall
talk with thee. — The heart is accustomed to commune with itself about
many things, but when the mind is full of God through his Word, it
seems as though the monologue becomes a dialogue. To all our
wonderings, fears, questionings, answers come back from the infinite
glory in words of Scripture. Some wear amulets about their necks to
preserve them; but the Word of God is both a safeguard and choice
treasure.
Proverbs
6:22 When you
walk about,
they will
guide you; When
you
sleep, they
will
watch
over you; And
when you
awake, they
will
talk to
you. (Pr 2:11; 3:23,24; Ps 17:4; 43:3;
119:9,11,24,54,97,148; Da 11:18, 19, 20, 21)
Proverbs
6:23 For the
commandment is
a
lamp and the
teaching is
light; And
reproofs for
discipline are
the
way of
life
(Commandment - Ps 119:98, 99, 100, Is 8:20; 2Pe 1:19)
(Re 2:5) (Reproofs - Pr 5:12; 15:31; 29:15; Lev 19:17; Ps
141:5, Heb 12:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) (Pr 3:18; 4:4,13; 15:24; Je 21:8)
Psalms 19:8 The precepts of
the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD
is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Ps 119:105 Thy word is
a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.
Psalms 119:130 The unfolding
of Thy words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
2 Peter 1:19 (note)
And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do
well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the
day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
In his excellent book (which I
highly recommend)
My Heart for Thy Cause,
written especially to pastors, Brian Borgman writes these words
regarding guarding against sexual impurity...
as a preventive discipline, the man
of God should load his conscience with the warnings of Scripture and
the issues at stake. Owen also gives this advice, when he says, 'Load
thy conscience with the guilt of it.' First, there is the holy
Law of God. The seventh commandment forbids adultery (Ex 20:14). It is
such a heinous sin that God continually illustrates spiritual apostasy
in terms of adultery.
Next, bring the nature of the sin
into the light of the gospel, thinking deeply upon the abundant mercy
and grace God has shown in the gospel. Meditate upon His love and
faithfulness. Ponder afresh the greatness of forgiveness and
salvation. Owen's words are priceless, 'If this make it not sink in
some measure and melt (i.e., bringing the lust to the gospel mercy of
God) I fear thy case is dangerous.' Consider the threats against
adulterers (1Co 6:9, 10; Gal. 5:19, 20, 21; Ep 5:3, 4, 5). Consider
the danger of tasting that forbidden fruit and then being enslaved and
hardened, entering the road to apostasy (Heb 3:12, 13, 14). Meditate
upon the terrifying words, 'Depart from me you worker of iniquity!'
Cling to God's promises to supply His people with grace to fight the
good fight. The author heartily recommends John Piper's Future Grace
(Sister, OR: Multnomah, 1995) especially chapter 27 on lust
(Multnomah, 1995).
Not only does the conscience need to be loaded with the warnings and
promises of Scripture, but it also needs to be loaded with the issues
at stake. Randy Alcorn gives a number of consequences to sexual
impurity: (This list is an edited compilation of a seminary chapel
session given by Randy Alcorn at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary
in Portland, Or)
Grieving the Lord who redeemed us,
thus displeasing the One whose opinion matters most.
Dragging Christ's precious name in the mud, giving the enemies of God
an occasion to blaspheme.
Having to face the Lord Jesus at His judgment seat, being accountable
for the sin and its consequences.
Experiencing severe Divine discipline.
Adding my name to the list of disgraced leaders, held in contempt by
the church and world.
Causing untold suffering to those around me, in the congregation and
others, much like Achan.
Loss of respect from my precious wife.
Loss of trust from my life partner.
Untold hurt to my precious children.
Betrayal of my office, and total loss of credibility in ministry,
nullifying all labor.
Shame to my family (the cruel comments which would come to my wife and
children).
A bloodied conscience, and a sin which would ever be before me.
Disqualified from the calling and ministry I love.
Years of training, education, experience, all wasted for a moment of
pleasure.
Irretrievable damage to my witness, especially among loved ones.
Being a stumbling block for the gospel to those in my community.
Possible physical consequences (gonorrhea, herpes, AIDS, the infection
of my spouse, etc.)
The consequences are painful just to think about! If the mere thinking
on these things brings pain, what would be the reality of it! A man
who loses his moral integrity loses all respect and confidence. Make
no mistake about it, falling into sexual immorality is to ruin one's
life and ministry.
Proverbs
6:24 To
keep you from
the
evil
woman, from the
smooth
tongue of the
adulteress.
(Pr 2:16; 5:3; 7:5; Eccl 7:26)
The evil woman is on the
prowl and she knows how to say the words you want to hear!
As Thomas Manton warned...
All sins are rooted in love of
pleasure. Therefore be watchful.
Comment:
And I would add that many of these sins are rooted in the pleasure
of "love", albeit the vapid, empty, selfish, self-serving,
narcissistic eros love that the world espouses. Look out! Don't be
deceived. Sin is pleasurable but it neglects to tell you the price for
what is only passing pleasure. See He 11:25-note)
Proverbs
6:25 Do not
desire her
beauty in your
heart,
Nor let her
capture you
with her
eyelids.
(Lust - 2Sa 11:2, 3, 4, 5; Mt 5:28; James 1:14,15) (2Ki
9:30; Song 4:9; Is 3:16)
Desire - Lxx uses
epithumia (word study) which
in this context speaks of evil lusts (some lusts in Scripture are good
- Lk 22:15). Compare other uses of epithumia in the context of evil
desires = Ro 1:24 [note],
Col 3:5
[note],
1Th 4:5
[note], 1Peter 2:11
[note].
Nor let her capture your eyelids
-
"The 'eyes' have it" -- Watch
out for the eyes men! This is Solomon's advice. This advice is especially vital if you are in a situation where
as a man you are giving counsel to a woman who is not your wife. In
the first place this is probably (scratch "probably"!) not the best course of action but may
be unavoidable. Whenever a woman begins to relate her trials or
troubles to me and I sense she needs wise counsel, I send her to my
wife who is a godly counselor. If as a man you must counsel a woman,
number one, make sure your door is open and your window shades are
open, so that you maintain visibility to others outside your office.
(I read once that this apparently was Billy Graham's practice.) Never
(ever) physically touch a woman in private, and any/all physical contact
should be in full view of others and done with utmost discretion (as
brothers and sister's in Christ - I personally would shy away from the
"holy kiss" in our modern culture! Ro 16:16-note,
1Co 16:20, 2Co 13:12, 1Th 5:26-note)
Pfeiffer commenting on the ancient custom of a holy kiss
writes that...
i ts
character was completely divorced from the sensual. A pure display of
the deep emotion of Christian love, this type of kiss remained a
Christian custom until abuse and heathen misunderstanding caused the
practice to be curtailed. (Pfeiffer,
C F: Wycliffe Bible Commentary. 1981. Moody
or
Logos)
And
to reiterate, as Solomon warns in this passage (and remember he had
lots of women's eyes to look into over his life time 1Ki 11:3), beware of eye contact
whether it is flirtatious or inquisitive. Remember, she has eye
makeup on and you don't!
Capture - This Hebrew verb
laqah (03947) can convey the sense of to grasp or seize a
person (e.g., see Ezek 8:3)
As the Puritan writer William
Gurnall well advised...
Set a strong guard about thy
outward senses. These are Satan's landing-place, especially the eye
and ear. (cp Pr 4:23 -
note)
Proverbs
6:26 For on
account of a
harlot one is
reduced to a
loaf of
bread, and an
adulteress
*
hunts for the
precious
life.
(Pr 5:10; 29:3,8; Lk 15:13, 14, 15, 30) (1Sa 2:36) (Ge 39:14; Ezek
13:8)
For - Solomon explains the
ultimate danger of making intimate eye contact.
Harlot - Is the verb
zanah (02181) which conveys the main idea of one who commits
illicit sex, as when a woman prostitutes herself and is used 4 times
with this meaning in Proverbs - Pr 6:26NLT; Pr 7:10; 23:27; 29:3. Note
that many of the uses are figurative and describe Israel's
unfaithfulness to God and her "whoring" with pagan nations (Isa 23:17,
Ezek 23:30, Nah 3:4 and other so-called gods [vain idols] - Ex 34:15,
16, Dt 31:16, Ezek 6:9, Ho 9:1)
Zanah - 83v in the OT in
NAS - Gen. 34:31; 38:15, 24; Ex 34:15, 16; Lev. 17:7; 19:29;
20:5f; 21:7, 9, 14; Num. 15:39; 25:1; Deut. 22:21; 23:18; 31:16; Jos.
2:1; 6:17, 22, 25; Jdg. 2:17; 8:27, 33; 11:1; 16:1; 19:2; 1 Ki. 3:16;
22:38; 1 Chr. 5:25; 2 Chr. 21:11, 13; Ps. 73:27; 106:39; Pr 6:26;
7:10; 23:27; 29:3; Isa. 1:21; 23:15, 16, 17; 57:3; Jer. 2:20; 3:1, 3,
6, 8; 5:7; Ezek. 6:9; 16:15, 16, 17, 26, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 41;
20:30; 23:3, 5, 19, 30, 43, 44; Hos. 1:2; 2:5; 3:3; 4:10, 12, 13,14,
18; 5:3; 9:1; Joel 3:3; Amos 7:17; Mic. 1:7; Nah. 3:4
Zanah is rendered in the
NAS as adulterous(1), become a harlot(1), commit adultery(1),
commits flagrant harlotry(1), fall to harlotry(1), harlot(22),
harlot*(3), harlot's*(2), harlot's(2), harlotry(3), harlots(5), making
a harlot(1), play the harlot(18), play the harlot continually(1),
played the harlot(24), playing the harlot(3), plays the harlot(1),
prostitute(1), unfaithful (1).
Wiersbe says that...
To be "brought to a piece of bread"
means to be degraded to the lowest level of poverty
Adulteress - This feminine
noun is 'ishshah (0802) the usual word for woman (Ge
2:23) but can obviously take on other meanings depending on the
context - eg, widow (Ru 4:5), adulteress (Pr 6:26, 7:5), even female
animals (Ge 7:2)
Hunts
- The verb siyd (06679) means to hunt down or to ensnare and is
used literally of hunting animals for food (Ge 27:3) and figuratively
by the prophet Micah to describe ungodly men (Micah 7:2) and by
Ezekiel of hunting lives (Ezek 13:18, 20). The picture is clear that
the adulteress is a female on the prowl, looking for a man of
weak moral character.
Proverbs
6:27 Can a
man
take
fire in his
bosom and his
clothes not be
burned?
(Job 31:9, 10, 11, 12; Ho 7:4, 5, 6, 7; James 3:5)
Can a man take fire in his bosom -
A rhetorical (for effect) question, the answer of which is obvious. The answer
of course to this part of the question is "yes" he can do something so
foolish, but read on.
And his clothes not be burned? -
The answer of course is "no". He will be burned, which is a metaphor
for complete ruin, for that is what literal fire does to a structure
and in this case what the fire of adultery does to a man's life! (cp
Pr 5:5, 11, 23, 7:23)
As G K Chesterton said...
All healthy men, ancient and
modern, Eastern and Western, know that there is a certain fury in sex
that we cannot afford to inflame, and that a certain mystery and awe
must ever surround it if we are to remain sane.
><>><>><>
A DEADLY PET - Can a man
take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? - It was a
shocking tragedy. A 15-year-old boy was strangled by the family's pet.
The slender youth had gone to an upstairs bedroom to play with an
11-foot Burmese python. Nobody is sure how it happened, but the
supposedly tame snake turned into a killer that took the boy's life.
Why play with a powerful snake that can turn into a horrifying agent
of death? Why even bring such a potentially dangerous creature into
the house? This news story changes the old adage "Don't play with
fire!" into a flashing warning signal.
This warning applies even more to the hazard of playing with sin --
some "small" thing that seems merely to give pleasure without hurting
anyone. At first it seems harmless, but feed it, let it grow, take
pride in it, and a trifling sin can become a terrible tragedy that
"brings forth death" (James 1:15). The writer of the Proverbs applied
this truth to the area of sexual purity. "Do not lust after her
beauty," said Solomon (Pr 6:25).
As believers in Jesus Christ, we must check even the smallest evil the
moment it springs up in our heart by confessing it to the Lord and
asking Him to help us overcome it. Toying with a pet sin is like
playing with a deadly pet. Sooner or later it will turn on us.--
Vernon C. Grounds
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand
Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
We can't afford
to play with fire
Nor tempt a serpent's bite;
We can't afford to think that sin
Brings any true delight.-- Anon.
The most deadly sins do not leap upon us, they creep upon us.
Proverbs
6:28 Or
can a
man
walk on hot
coals and his
feet not be
scorched?
The 1828 Webster's Dictionary
says scorched means to affect painfully with heat.
Click link to Webster's 1828
Dictionary -- highly recommended because many of the
illustrations are taken directly from God's Holy Word...
"It is reported that Noah Webster’s
1828 American Dictionary contains the greatest number of Biblical
definitions given in any reference volume. Webster considered
"education useless without the Bible". Noah Webster believed that the
Bible and Christianity played important roles in the lives of a free
people and its government. "In my view, the Christian religion is the
most important and one of the first things in which all children,
under a free government, ought to be instructed.... No truth is more
evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis
of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a
free people...." (Reference)
Sure a man can walk on hot coals if
he's stupid, but Solomon says he is going to get burned. Pay your
money and take your choice. You will reap what you sow. If you want to
get really burned, help yourself!><>><>><>
The Scorpion’s Sting -
Aesop tells the ancient story of a boy hunting for locusts. The lad
had caught quite a few when he saw a scorpion. Mistaking it for a
locust, he reached out his hand to take it. The scorpion showed his
stinger and said, “If you had but touched me, my friend, you would
have lost me, and all your locusts too!”
There are some things you cannot embrace without losing what you have
in the process.
King Solomon used a word picture of fire instead of a scorpion as he
warned his son against the dangers of sexual sin (Pr 6:27, 28, 29).
As a wise father, he wanted his son to know that in this wonderful,
dangerous world there are not only flowers and songbirds but also
scorpions and fires.
Solomon’s warnings in the Proverbs were not just about sexual
immorality. Together with the rest of the Bible, such insights help us
to understand the wisdom of an eternal God who loves us far more than
our own mothers and fathers do. His Word also points us to the One who
can help us even if we have “grabbed a scorpion” or “built a fire in
our lap.”
Life offers us choices. Christ graciously offers us forgiveness for
what is past, and wisdom for what yet lies ahead. —Mart De Haan
Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand
Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Search out in me
all hidden sin,
And may Thy purity within
So cleanse my life that it may be
A temple wholly fit for Thee. —Smith
The lessons of life are best learned when Christ is your teacher.
Proverbs
6:29 So
is the one who
goes in to his
neighbor's
wife.
Whoever
touches her
will not
go
unpunished.
(Ge 12:18,19; Lev 20:10; 2Sa 11:3,4; 12:9,10; 16:21; Je 5:8,9;
Ezek 22:11; Mal 3:5) (Ge 20:4, 5, 6, 7; 26:10,11; 1Co 7:1)
So - Solomon draws a
conclusion from his fiery metaphors. Just as when a man touches fire
or hot coals, he is burned, so too will he be scorched for touching
the fiery coals of sexual infidelity. King David, a man after God's
own heart (Acts 13:22, had first hand experience with this proverb
(see Nathan's rebuke and prophecy in 2Sa 12:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, 18).
Touches
(05060) (naga') is
the verb used in (Ex
19:15)
where it is translated "do not go near" (a woman) (NASB) and more
interpretatively by the NIV (accurately, which is not always
the case with this dynamic paraphrase!) as "abstain from
sexual relations" (Ex 19:15NIV). Clearly in context and based
on other uses of naga' Solomon is alluding to sexual contact.
The
Septuagint (LXX)
translates naga'
in this verse with the Greek verb hapto which means to cause burning to take
place (to light or kindle a fire) and came to have a literal meaning
of to mean to
touch or take hold of (Jn 20:17, Lk 7:39). Hapto was also used
figuratively and euphemistically of touching a woman (ie, sexual
intercourse as in 1Cor 7:1, and is also used this way in the
LXX
translation of Ge 20:6.
In Ruth 2:9 (note)
the kinsman redeemer Boaz speaks to Ruth the Moabitess words that
convey a sense of protection (a godly trait all husbands should
seek to emulate) using naga' (LXX
again uses hapto) in
a context which clearly alludes to the propensity for sexual assault
which would be likely to occur to a foreign woman
in a field occupied by a group of hot, sweaty young men in the days of the
Judges (cp Jdg 21:25-note;
Ru 1:1-note).
It is interesting to observe the
final NT use of the Greek verb hapto in 1Jn 5:18 where it
conveys the sense of "to lay hold of or grasp in order to harm." The
believer belongs to God and God protects His children by limiting
Satan's power (Job 1:12, later he allows Satan to touch Job [Job 2:4,
5, 6], but He still limited Satan's power for His purposes which are
always for good and never for evil [cp Ge 50:20, Ro 8:28, 29-note].
Beloved, to counter fear nourish and build your faith
(Col 3:16-note)
in the Father's
sovereignty
which is an
omniscient,
omnipresent,
omnipotent,
infinite
sovereignty
and let your faith in such a
faithful
God counter any fear you might have of the Adversary
[1Pe 5:8-note,
cp 1Jn 4:4]. Remember, faith is the antidote for fear
[cp Ep 6:16-note]
so in order to strengthen your faith lay hold of the truth in Ro
10:17-note)
(See related resource -
Fear, How to Handle It)
Will not go unpunished -
Solomon alludes to the eternal law of sowing and reaping (Gal 6:7 =
STOP being deceived - by your flesh [Jas 1:14-note],
the Devil [Re 12:9-note],
the world [1Jn 2:15, 16, 17] and sin [He 3:13-note]
because God promises = Gal 6:8NLT, Jas 1:16-note,
cp Job 4:8, Pr 1:31, 22:8, Ho 8:7, 10:13; Paul speaks of primarily of
good sowing in 2Co 9:6)
Sow a thought,
and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.
—Samuel Smiles
And just in case you are so
foolish as to think that you have gotten away with sexual infidelity
and your "sly" unfaithfulness to your marriage covenant partner (see
marriage covenant), take note of the aged Solomon's wise
warning in Ecclesiastes 8:11, 12, 13).
Richard Sibbes ''Satan
gives Adam an apple, and takes away Paradise. Therefore in all
temptations let us consider not what he offers, but what we shall
lose.''
Proverbs
6:30 Men do not
despise a
thief
if he
steals to
satisfy
himself
when he is
hungry;
Stealing food is a sin but pales in
comparison to another man's wife!
Proverbs
6:31 But when he is
found, he must
repay
sevenfold; He
must
give
all the
substance of
his
house.
(Ex 22:1,3,4; 2Sa 12:6; Job 20:18; Lk 19:8) (Mt 18:25)
He must repay sevenfold - If
a thief who is less despised than an adulterer experiences such
thorough retribution, should the adulterer except less? Woe!
Sevenfold - TWOT
concludes from the OT uses (Ge 4:15, 24; Ps. 12:6; 79:12; Pr 6:31; Is
30:26)
that this term is often used
figuratively to indicate something which has or will occur in a far
greater intensity than previously. Such an understanding of
shib`athayim, however, in no way denies or forbids it signifying
an exact seven times increase in any particular instance.
(Harris,
R L, Archer, G L & Waltke, B K Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament. Moody Press)
Proverbs
6:32 The one who
commits
adultery with a
woman is
lacking
sense; He who
would
destroy
himself
does it.
(Pr 7:7; Ge 39:9,10; 41:39; Eccl 7:25,26; Je 5:8,21; Ro 1:22, 23,
24)
Lacking sense - Literally
the Hebrew says this one "lacks heart"! (cp Pr 7:7, 9:4, Eccl
10:3)
There is a
loss of "common sense" when one enters into an adulterous
relationship as David did (and remember he would have probably been a
mature man in his late 40's or early 50's, so it's not as if he did
not know better - the point is that if this Acts 13:22 man could fall
so could you and so could I given the right set of seductive
circumstances! 1Co 10:12) in
1Sa 11:1,2, 3, 4, 5 (note one person even tried to "talk some sense"
into him by telling him Bathsheba was Uriah's wife! Love may be blind.
But illicit love is both deaf and dumb!). To commit this sin amounts
to a "temporary insanity" (in a moral sense). Even David must have
known the basic divine principle of sowing and reaping (Gal 6:7, 8)
and yet his lustful thoughts overwhelmed his common sense.
Proverbs
6:33 Wounds
and
disgrace
he will find, and his
reproach will
not be
blotted out. (Pr 5:9, 10, 11; Jdg 16:19, 20, 21; Ps 38:1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8; 51:8)
Wounds (05061)
(nega') is from the Hebrew root ng' which describes that
which pertains when one thing (or person) physically contacts another.
This word then carries the sense of a person being stricken or smitten
in some way. It often refers in Scripture to a blemish that has been
created by touching, most often a blemish inflicted by leprosy
(Lev 13:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc "infection of leprosy"). Nega' could
also describe a stroke or some other physical blow. In Scripture, it
is usually God Who in some way metes out the plague or stroke. Here
are some of the 62 OT uses of nega' - Ge. 12:17; Ex 11:1; 2Sa
7:14 - stripes; 1Ki 8:37, 38-plague, affliction, Ps 38:11;
39:10-stroke; Ps 89:32-stripes; Is 53:8 - prophesying of the stroke
(Is 53:8ESV) Messiah suffered in our place!
Disgrace (07036)
(qalon) is shame and the feeling that comes with shame or
dishonor. Here are the 17 uses of qalon in the OT - Job 10:15; Ps.
83:16; Pr 3:35; 6:33; 9:7; 11:2; 12:16; 13:18; 18:3; 22:10; Is 22:18;
Jer. 13:26; 46:12; Hos. 4:7, 18; Nah. 3:5; Hab. 2:16
Reproach
(02781)
(cherpah) describes a cause or occasion of blame, discredit,
disapproval, disappointment or disgrace. Here are the 72 uses in the
OT - Ge 30:23; 34:14; Josh 5:9; 1Sa 11:2; 17:26; 25:39; 2Sa 13:13;
Neh. 1:3; 2:17; 4:4; 5:9; Job 16:10; 19:5; Ps 15:3; 22:6; 31:11; 39:8;
44:13; 69:7, 9, 10, 19, 20; 71:13; 74:22; 78:66; 79:4, 12; 89:41, 50;
109:25; 119:22, 39; Pr. 6:33; 18:3; Is 4:1; 25:8; 30:5; 47:3; 51:7;
54:4; Jer. 6:10; 15:15; 20:8; 23:40; 24:9; 29:18; 31:19; 42:18; 44:8,
12; 49:13; 51:51; La 3:30, 61; 5:1; Ezek. 5:14, 15; 16:57; 21:28;
22:4; 36:15, 30; Da 9:16; 11:18; 12:2; Hos. 12:14; Joel 2:17, 19; Mic.
6:16; Zeph. 2:8; 3:18.
Blotted out
(04229)
(machah) means to be erased or wiped out, something that
Solomon will not happen to the foolish man who commits adultery! And
yet we know that God's mercy and grace in Christ opens the door to
forgiveness and thus David prayed that his sin of adultery before God
be blotted out, even as he confessed and repented (Ps 51:1, 9, cp Ps
32:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7!). Here are the 32 uses in the OT - Ge 6:7;
7:4, 23-wiping out all life by the flood; Ex 17:14; 32:32f; Nu 5:23;
34:11; Deut 9:14; 25:6, 19; 29:20; Jdg 21:17; 2 Ki. 14:27; 21:13; Neh.
4:5; 13:14; Ps 9:5; 51:1, Ps 51:9; 69:28; 109:13f; Pr 6:33; 30:20;
31:3; Is 25:6, 8; 43:25; 44:22; Je 18:23; Ezek 6:6.
Proverbs
6:34 For
jealousy
enrages a
man, And he
will not
spare in the
day of
vengeance.
(Pr 27:4; Nu 5:14; 25:11; Jdg 19:29,30; Song 8:6; 1Co 10:22)
In Song of Solomon we read
that...
Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is
as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of
the LORD (NIV = " love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding
as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame"). (Song
8:6)
Proverbs
6:35 He will not
accept
*
any
ransom,
Nor will he be
satisfied
though you
give
many
gifts
(Pr 4:3; 7:13; 8:25; 2Ki 5:1; Is 2:9; Mal 2:9)
No amount of money can "buy off"
the offended husband. |
