The Ways of Man

Proverbs 5:20-23 And why will thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. 

‘Ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his goings.’ The ways of man are before God and every word and deed are recorded. How deeds are recorded is unknown, but every idle word and every cup of cold water given or refused will be brought up before man on the day of judgment (Matt. 10:42; 12:37-38). God can see through the consequences we carry what goes on in our hearts (Jer. 17:9-10).

Ten examples of man’s ways before God: Cain (Gen. 4:5-6); Babel’s builders (Gen. 11:1-11); Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:21); Uzzah (2Sam. 6:6-7; 1Chr. 13:10); David (2Sam. 12:1-31); Baasha (1Kin. 15:29); Ahab (1Kin. 21:19); Belshazzar (Dan. 5:22-28); Nathanael (John 1:48); the seven congregations (Rev. 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15).

‘His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.’ The 5th prophecy in Proverbs (5:22-23) is fulfilled at the end of the wicked.

‘Iniquities’ – Sins shall trap the wicked and hold him in cords that only God can break.

‘Holden with the cords of his sins.’ Four examples of men held by sin: Saul (1Sam. 18:8-9; 28:5-20); Ahithophel (2Sam. 17:23); Judas (Matt. 26:47-49; John 12:6); Paul (Rom. 7:7-25).