Tag: Gospel

You Simple… You Fools

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 8:4-5 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. O you simple, understand wisdom: and, you fools, be you of an understanding heart. 

‘Sons of man’ – The call is to all the sons of Adam – to the simple, to the fools (8:4-5).

‘Simple’ [Hebrew: pethiy] inconsiderate; unwary; artless, guileless, and unsuspecting; those who, through lack of knowledge and experience, act rashly and unwisely (1:22, 32; 7:7; 8:5; 9:4, 16; 14:15, 18; 19:25; 21:11; 22:3; 27:12). Referring to those who are unsaved.

‘Wisdom’ [Hebrew: ‛ormah] shrewdness. Translated as wisdom (8:5); subtilty (1:4); and prudence (8:12).

‘Heart’ – Eighteen commands concerning the heart: Apply the heart to understanding (2:2; 22:17; 23:12). Open the heart to wisdom (2:10). Keep the commandments (3:1; 4:4, 21). Write commandments on it (3:3; 7:3). Trust in the Lord with it (3:5). Keep it with all diligence (4:23). Bind commandments upon it (6:21). Do not lust in it (6:25). Do not be inclined to sin (7:25). Have an understanding heart (8:5). Be wise in it (11:29; 12:23; 16:21). Retain wisdom in it (14:33). Be merry in heart (15:13, 15). Study answers with it (15:28). Increase its knowledge (18:15). Apply it to instruction (23:12). Do not use it to envy sinners (23:17). Give heart to wisdom (23:26).

Wisdom and Understanding

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 8:1-3 Does not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She cries at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 

‘Does not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?’ Wisdom is personified in Proverbs 8:8-9. Just as the gospel [God’s Wisdom] is made known to man and is free and easy to find for those who seek it, we can find godly wisdom and understanding if only we ask and believe.

From James 1:5-7 we have the command to ask God (anything) if we lack wisdom, and He will, without scolding, give to all men liberally, BUT it must be asked in faith, without wavering because then you will not receive anything from the Lord.

Fifteen ways “wisdom” is used: Human education (Acts 7:22). Man’s wisdom (1Cor. 1:19-22; 2:1-13). Human philosophy and religion (Col. 2:23; 1Cor. 3:19; 2Cor. 1:12; Gal. 1:14). Earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom (Jas. 3:14-16). Prophetic anointing (Luke 11:49). Godly training (Luke 2:40, 52). Anointing to speak (Luke 21:15; Acts 6:1-15; 1Cor. 2:7). Ministerial ability for the apostles (Eph. 1:8, 17; 3:10; Col. 1:19, 28). Christ the wisdom of God (1Cor. 1:24, 30; Col. 2:3; 3:16). Divine gift of wisdom (1Cor. 12:8). Divine attribute of God (Rom. 11:33). Heavenly wisdom (Jas. 3:17-18). Spirit of revelation (2Pet. 3:15). Ability of Christ (Matt. 12:42; 13:54). Native insight (Rev. 13:18; 17:9).

‘Wisdom’ [Hebrew: Chokmah] wisdom, prudence, shrewdness, skill. Translated as “wisdom” 145 times (1:2, 7; 2:2, 6, 10; 3:13, 19; 4:5, 7, 11; 5:1; 7:4; 8:1, 11-12; 9:10; 10:13, 23, 31; 11:2; 13:10; 14:6, 8, 33; 15:33; 16:16; 17:16; 24; 18:4; 21:30; 23:23; 24:3, 24:14; 28:26; 29:3, 15; 30:3; 31:26; Ex. 28:3; 31:3, 6; 35:26; 31, 35; 36:1-2; Ps. 37:30; 51:6; 90:12; 104:24; 111:10; Eccl. 1:13-18; 2:3-26; 7:11-25; 8:1, 16;). It is the predominant word for wisdom in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

‘Top of high places’ – Wisdom cries in five places: high places, crossroads, gates, broad roads, and at the doors. Wherever men are, there she cries and warns of wrong ways (8:2-5).

The Chambers of Death

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 7:18-27 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: He has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hastes to the snare, and knows not that it is for his life. Hearken unto me now therefore, O you children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she has cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. 

‘Take our fill’ [Hebrew: ravah] to make drunk; to drink one’s fill; satiate.

‘Goodman is not at home’ – She tried to make him think she was married and only fulfilling religious vows and worship.

‘With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.’ She overcame his scruples with lascivious talk.

‘As an ox goes to the slaughter.’ Three comparisons of the stupidity of his folly: As an ox going to slaughter. As a fool to the stocks. As a bird to the snare (7:23).

‘Hearken unto me now therefore, O you children, and attend to the words of my mouth.’ Again the repetitive warning (4:1, 20; 5:1; 7:24) to obey godly instruction and reproof, no one will have an excuse one day to say they didn’t know (Hos. 4:6) – knowledge and wisdom have always been available to those who ask and seek it truly (Matt. 7:7-8; 21:22; John 15:7; Jas. 1:5-8; 1Jn. 3:22; 5:14-16). Solomon appeals again to the simple and inexperienced to follow his advice; again he warns against the harlot and the end of those who sin with her (7:24-27).

‘Many strong men have been slain by her.’ Four great men fell by women: Samson (Jdg. 16:4-21); David (2 Samuel 11-12); Solomon (1Kin. 11:1-43; Neh. 13:26); Herod (Matt. 14:1-36).

‘Hell’ [Hebrew: She’owl]) the unseen world of departed spirits. The unsaved go to hell when they leave their bodies (Ps. 9:17; 55:15; Isa. 14:9; Luke 16:23; Jas. 2:26; Rev. 20:7-15) and the lost are in conscious torment in hell (Deut. 32:22; 2Sam. 22:6; Ps. 18:5; 116:3; 139:8; Isa. 14:9-11; Ezek. 32:21; Son. 8:6; Hab. 2:5; Luke 16:23-28).

Peace Offerings

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 7:14-17 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 

‘I have peace offerings with me.’ After the blood of the offering was shed and the fat burned, all but the breast and shoulder (the priest’s portion) belonged to the sacrificer, who could take it home and make a feast for friends (Lev. 3:1-17; 7:31-34). This shows how much worship was carried on in connection with idolatry and harlotry. The gods of many pagan nations were worshipped in the brothels, and fragments of the offerings were divided among the temple prostitutes. Every heathen temple, high place of sacrifice, and place of worship had its consecrated prostitutes to attract men to such worship.

Today we need to be aware of the same fact – not every word that originates from the Word of God that is used by the world is used to honour God, but people act sanctimoniously.

‘I paid my vows.’ She insinuated that she had made a vow for the health and safety of the young man; that she had made her peace with God; that she had come forth especially to meet him; and that by partaking with her in her worship no sin would be committed; and that she was forced to avail herself of the nighttime and the absence of her husband to complete her vows and worship.

‘To meet thee.’ She implied that she came to meet him and no one else, but if this young man had not come along, another would have been the same to her.

‘Bed’ [Hebrew: ‛eres] couch or sofa on which to recline at meals; not mishkab, a bed to sleep on, as in Proverbs 7:17. She used every means to incite the passions and appetites of the young man – worship, food, and the prospect of sexual satisfaction (7:14-21).

Loud and Stubborn

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 7:9-13 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

‘The attire of an harlot.’ Harlots have always had their mark of identification. A description is given of Judah’s time in Genesis 38:14-19. In Solomon’s time as in Judah’s, they seemed to be known by their attire. Today women dress like harlots in their everyday attire and have no shame, sobriety or modesty (1Tim. 2:9-10). Even the behaviour described in this Scriptures is that of an acceptable normal standard to most individuals today for ‘having a good time,’ going out, partying and flirting. Morally it is of a very low standard and character and leads in every way to sinful behaviour (Col. 3:5-10; 1Pet. 4:1-5; 1Jn. 2:15-17).

‘She caught him.’ Ten facts about harlots: Their attire or marks that advertise them for hire (7:10; Gen. 38:1-30). Their subtlety of heart (7:10). Their boisterous and loud disposition (7:11). Their boisterous disposition (7:11-12). Their stubbornness and persistence in pursuing innocent victims (7:11). They have no respect for the good of men – married or unmarried. They gloat over causing young men to fall into sin and husbands to go astray. They are bold, unashamed, impudent and unlawfully familiar (7:13). They are flatterers (7:5, 14-21). They are deceitful of heart (7:13-21). They are liars (7:14-21). They are temptresses and seducers (7:13-21).

‘Kissed him.’ She laid hold of him and kissed him to let him know her intentions (7:12-13).

‘Impudent face’ – She made her face look as friendly, confident, and sincere as she could.

Flatters With Her Words

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 7:5-8 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flatters with her words. For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house

‘That they may keep thee from the strange woman.’ The purpose of obeying the eight commands of Proverbs 7:1-4 is to keep one from the strange woman and from the stranger who entices one to sin.

‘Flatters with her words’ – Makes smooth speech. Note her smooth speech in Proverbs 7:13-21. Any form of flattering is a sin and God will cut off all flattering lips (Ps. 12:2-3; Pro. 1:22; 1Thess. 2:5; Jude 1:16).

‘Casement’ – The casement was the latticework to the window which allowed for air circulation (Jdg. 5:28). They had no glass windows at the time.

‘And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding.’ Eight facts about a foolish young man: I saw among the simple, the young man (7:7). He was void of understanding. He did not have the wisdom to discern the evil intended by the prostitute, nor did he have the character and courage to resist her flatteries (7:7). He walked along the street near her corner where she waited for victims (7:8). He went the way to her house. In the night he passed by where she waited on the corner (7:9). He was met by the harlot (7:10). He was persuaded by her to spend the night with her (7:11-21). He went to his doom as an ox to the slaughter, as a fool to his punishment, and as a bird to the snare (7:22-23).

‘Her corner’ -This does not say that her house was on the corner where she met the young man. It only implies that she was in the habit of waiting on every corner for her victims (7:12). It doesn’t mean she had a house on every corner.

Keep My Words

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 7:1-4 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou are my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman

‘Keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.’ Eight commands: Keep my words – guard against breaking God’s commandments (7:1). Lay up these commandments – take them into your heart. Keep my commandments, and live (7:2). Keep my law as you would the pupil of the eye (7:2; cp. Deut. 32:10; Ps. 17:8; Zech. 2:8). Bind them upon your fingers (7:3). Write them upon the table of your heart. Make wisdom your sister (7:4). Make understanding your kinswoman. These last two expressions indicate acquaintance with wisdom and knowledge.

These commands are preparatory warnings to the longer admonition against adultery, which was an often repeated subject with Solomon due to his many bitter experiences with strange women. He generally gave such commands before dealing with the subject (Pro. 2:1-10 with 2:12, 16; Pro. 5:1-2 with 5:3-6; Pro. 5:7 with 5:8-14; Pro. 15-19 with 5:20-23; Pro. 6:20-23 with 6:24-35; Pro. 7:1-4 with 7:5-23; Pro. 7:24 with 7:25-27; Pro. 9:1-6 with 9:13-18).

Whoso Commits Adultery

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 6:27-35 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goes in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent. Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou give many gifts. 

‘So he that goes in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent.’ Just as a man cannot take fire into his bosom or walk on hot coals without being burned, so he that seduces his neighbour’s wife shall not go unpunished (6:27-29).

‘Despise’ [Hebrew: buwz] to disrespect; utterly despise; consider insignificant. People will not think it insignificant for a thief to steal when he is hungry.

‘But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold.’ If caught, the thief shall be restored sevenfold, even if it means being sold into slavery (Exo. 22:1-4; Lev. 25:39). The law does not clear a thief, regardless of how desperately in need he is.

‘But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding.’ Solomon returns to his often repeated warning against adultery and giving oneself to a prostitute (2:16-19; 5:3-6, 8-11, 15-23; 6:24-29, 32-35; 7:5-23, 25-27; 9:13-18). This Scripture states that both parties commit adultery (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22), the woman is not the only culprit as most people choose to blame their part in sin on others.

‘He that does it destroys his own soul.’ Six evil effects of adultery: Spiritual death (Rom. 8:12-13). Physical death (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). Eternal death (1Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:8; 22:15). A wound and dishonour (6:33). Lasting reproach. Blinding rage of the husband (6:34-35).

‘Wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.’ Among the Romans one caught in the act of adultery was delivered to the injured husband to be punished with infamy, disgrace, and even death if he chose (6:33-35).

A Whorish Woman

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 6:24-26 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. 

‘To keep thee from the evil woman.’ Seven things to be kept from: The evil woman (6:24) and her flattery. Lust after her beauty (6:25). Captivity by her eyelids. Poverty through her (6:26). Death by sin with her. Sin with her (6:27-29).

‘Strange’ [Hebrew: nokriy] Solomon had suffered much by sinning with foreign women, so could give warnings from experience (1Kin. 11:1-13). He should have followed his own advice because he became an apostate and fell away from God’s grace because he went into idolatry with these women.

‘Eyelids’ – Modern makeup or lipstick was unknown in the East, but they did line the eyes with a preparation of antimony to give them lustre. We are to pay more attention to the inward man than to the outer man (1Pet. 3:3-4).

‘Piece of bread’ – Here it seems that a man is brought to poverty by a prostitute, but in the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic versions it reads, “For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf.” There were so many prostitutes in the land that they hired themselves out for a bare living.

The Way of Life

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life

‘For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.’ Three things that the truth is: A lamp (119:105). A light (119:105, 130). Reproofs of instruction (2Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).

‘The way of life.’ The way of eternal life (John 6:63, 68). No one is forced to obey the law of God, but disobedience results in death. No one is forced to serve God under grace either, but eternal hell is the alternative. Obedience has always been and always will be the condition of salvation and eternal life. No man has the blessing and curse of God – life for obedience and death for sin – at the same time. No man can be saved and unsaved at the same time. The only way one can serve two masters is to serve one at a time, not both together. When sin is committed it brings forth death, not life (Gen. 2:17; Ex. 32:32-33; Ezek. 18:4, 20-24; Matt. 6:24; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21).

God commands men to choose life by choosing His grace and means of eternal life, thus cancelling death and the curses that separate from Him. People can and must choose because God does not force anyone to surrender to Him or remain obedient. All people are free to choose life or death, blessings or curses (Deut. 30:15-20).