Leave a reply
Tag Archives: avoiding wickedness
Friday Proverb – The Wiles of a Harlot
Proverbs 7:1-5
7 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
Although the dressings have changed – the behavior of people has not. What Solomon advises his son, still applies today. “The attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart,” could describe millions of immoral women in the world today. They are everywhere now – so much to the point that a man, young or old, would have to put his eyes out to avoid seeing them!
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
This immoral woman is married! And even admits to the foolish fellow with the wandering eye that her husband has taken money with him and won’t be home.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
O dear lord – how many are seduced by flattery?
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
How do the wiles of harlot entrap men now? How about internet porn? “Adult” entertainment? Television? Cheer leaders? Office flirtations? Beaches? Malls? Magazines? Just walking down the street? Church???? Is there any escape?
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
The LORD will always provide you with a way out of temptation. The best thing to do is avoid it – entirely. If you can not look without lusting – DO NOT LOOK!!!! Even if you have to throw out your television! Avert your eyes, and your heart will be safer. I know this is easier said than done, but it can be done.
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Friday Proverb – Avoiding Wickedness
Last week we enjoyed the wonderful wisdom that King David passed down to his son, Solomon – stressing the pursuit of wisdom above any worldly thing. Today we look at the relentless efforts of the world to corrupt us – and the best way to not fall into its trap.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
There are many “paths” that could be considered wicked. What is being stressed here is the influence that worldly people have on us. The pressure to conform in appearance and behavior to the world comes at us through many different avenues. Television, internet, magazines, coworkers, “friends,” peers. . . the things we see and hear – lead us to covet – and in coveting we are caught.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
The only escape from the myriad temptations in front of our eyes is to flee from it, and completely avoid it – no matter what it is. If you can’t look at a magazine without lusting – either by wanting to look like someone in the magazine, or have someone or something in the magazine – better throw out the magazine! The same goes with alcohol, pornography, gluttony, lechery. . .the list goes on and on. If you can’t sit down at a computer without looking at porn – you have entered the path of the wicked. If you sit lusting after cheerleaders while watching a football game – you are on the same path. If looking at Pinterest causes you to be dissatisfied rather than content – you are in the coveting trap. If your “friend” encourages you to do something wrong – flee – flee – flee!!!
The Proverb goes on to say, that the people that lead us to do wrong, whether it is the corrupt CEO of a gigantic, international company, or your sister-in-law bombarding you with temptation – they all truly desire you to fail.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
The above verse is the source of the colloquialism – “No rest for the wicked!” Certainly television commercials and programmers are relentless in their push for immorality – but have you ever encountered someone who pressures you with their own kind of intensity? Trying to get you to do something that you know is wrong? The Word of God clearly says that they cannot rest until they have accomplished their goal! Think of the tireless, driving methods of influential musicians, authors, media, even video game designers! Or the “friend” that pushes you to have another drink, or coworker telling you to help yourself to whatever is in the company storage room – because “everyone does it.” If you get the feeling they are trying to take you down with them – your feeling is correct!
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Verse 17 is saying that wickedness and violence actually sustains the evil ones, in the same way that pure food sustains us. Their very beings are gladdened by a Christian’s failure in the same way that we are made joyous by a good meal with people we love.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
How beautiful. The perfect day will be at the Lord’s return. If we stay on the right path, it will shine brighter and brighter in this dark world, until that glorious day!
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. Proverbs 4: 14-19
At right is what the lost see. Nothing. The Hugh Hefner’s, Richard Dawkins, and the neighborhood philanderer . . . the multitudinous purveyors of corruption do not see where they are going. Even when they trip and fall, they have no idea what they tripped over. They will continue to grope along in the dark.
The Vine Vigil 
