LIFE QUEST - A STUDY IN PROVERBS
The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom
Proverbs 5:1-2 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
SOLOMON ASKS THE HEARER TO LISTEN CLOSELY TO HIS WORDS OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING. SOLOMON IS SPEAKING TRUTH FROM THE WISDOM GOD GAVE HIM AS WELL AS FROM HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATIONS OF LIFE. HE IS OFFERING THIS ADVICE SO THAT THE PERSON WHO FOLLOWS IT MAY BE DISCREET IN HIS ACTIONS (DO THE RIGHT THINGS), SPEAK THE RIGHT THINGS, AND AVOID TRAGEDY.
IN THE LAST CHAPTER, THE WARNING WAS AGAINST KEEPING COMPANY WITH AND DOING THE DEEDS OF THE WICKED. IN CHAPTER 5, THE WARNING IS AGAINST CONSORTING WITH PROSTITUTES OR ADULTEROUS WOMEN THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD THOSE FOLLOWING AFTER HER TO DESTRUCTION AND DEATH:
Proverbs 5:3-5 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. (King James Version)
Proverbs 5:3-5 The words of an immoral woman may be as sweet as honey and as smooth as olive oil. But all that you really get from being with her is bitter poison and pain. If you follow her, she will lead you down to the world of the dead. (Contemporary English Translation)
SOLOMON'S ADVICE IS SIMPLE:
Proverbs 5:7-14 My son, listen to me and do everything I say. Stay away from a bad woman! Don’t even go near the door of her house. You will lose your self-respect and end up in debt to some cruel person for the rest of your life. Strangers will get your money and everything else you have worked for. When it’s all over, your body will waste away, as you groan and shout, “I hated advice and correction! I paid no attention to my teachers, and now I am disgraced in front of everyone.” (Contemporary English)
IN A BROADER SENSE, SOLOMON'S WORDS COULD BE REGARDED AS A WARNING AGAINST ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN LIFE THAT SEDUCES A PERSON TO STOP FOLLOWING AFTER GOD AND HIS TRUTH TO FOLLOW ANOTHER PATH THAT LEADS AWAY FROM GOD AND ULTIMATELY TO DESTRUCTION. EXAMPLES WOULD INCLUDE THE SEDUCTIVENESS OF WEALTH, POWER, SUCCESS, POPULARITY, FAME, ETC. WHICH HAVE LED MANY ASTRAY RESULING IN SUFFERING, SHAME, RUINED LIVES, CALAMITY, AND EVEN DEATH.
WE MUST GUARD AGAINST ANYBODY OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE US TO DISREGARD OR BREAK GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, OR TO DRAW US AWAY FROM HIM. WE MUST CHOOSE TO MAKE AND KEEP GOD AS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES AND PUT AWAY ANYTHING THAT WOULD LURE US TO CHANGE OUR PRIMARY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, NO MATTER HOW ATTRACTIVE OR STRONG THE TEMPTATION MAY BE!
THE MORE WE LEARN AND APPLY GODLY WISDOM IN OUR LIVES, THE EASIER IT BECOMES FOR US TO SEE THE TEMPTATIONS COMING, TO DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, AND TO AVOID THE PITFALLS AND DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF MAKING THE WRONG CHOICES.
Proverbs 5:15-19 You should be faithful to your wife, just as you take water from your own well. And don’t be like a stream from which just any woman may take a drink. Save yourself for your wife and don’t have sex with other women. Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She is beautiful and graceful, just like a deer; you should be attracted to her and stay deeply in love. (The Contemporary English translation)
SOLOMON ELEVATES AND EXHALTS THE BEAUTY OF A MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP. HE ENCOURAGES HUSBANDS TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AND EXPERIENCE THE WONDERFUL SATISFACTION THAT COMES FROM A RELATIONSHIP THAT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP OVER THE YEARS WITH THE WIFE OF HIS YOUTH.
Proverbs 5:20-23 Don’t go crazy over a woman who is unfaithful to her own husband! The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die Because of their foolishness and lack of self-control. (Contemporary English)
SOLOMOM GIVES A FINAL WARNING ABOUT THE DAMAGE THAT RESULTS FROM AN ADULTEROUS AFFAIR. HE ALSO POINTS OUT THAT EVEN IF NOBODY ELSE FINDS OUT, THE LORD SEES EVERYTHING AND PONDERS OVER THE SINFULNESS OF MAN THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO DESTRUCTION.
GOD TELLS US THAT ALL SIN SEPARATES US FROM HIM AND LEADS TO DEATH. HE ALSO WARNS THAT THERE ARE PATHWAYS THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO US, BUT INSTEAD ARE LEADING TOWARDS DEATH.
GOD WARNS US ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG SO THAT WE CAN LEARN AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. EVERY PERSON THAT IS BORN INTO THIS WORLD STARTS OUT ON A COURSE HEADING FOR HELL DUE TO THE SINFUL, REBELLIOUS NATURE WE HAVE INHERITED THAT LEADS US ALL TO SIN. THIS IS TRUE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL UNDERSTANDS OR BELIEVES IT. THE WISDOM PROVIDED IN THE BIBLE CALLS US TO BELIEVE GOD AND REPENT (TURN AROUND), AND SEEK HIS FORGIVENESS AND GRACE!!. THEN HE WILL FORGIVE OUR SINS AND LEAD US ALONG THE PATHWAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE.
JESUS SAID, "I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME! (JOHN 14:6)
JOHN TELLS US: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
IT IS OUR PRAYER THAT YOU WOULD ASK GOD TO REVEAL TO YOU ANY SIN IN YOUR LIFE OR ANY THING OR PERSON THAT HAS TAKEN YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM FOLLOWING GOD FULLY. THEN ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOUR SIN, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST WHO ALREADY HAS PAID THE PENALTY FOR YOUR SIN, AND TO MAKE YOU HIS CHILD (OR RESTORE YOUR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM IF YOU ALREADY ARE A CHRISTIAN). THEN CONTINUE ON IN YOUR WALK SEEKING TO LEARN GODLY WISDOM AND BE QUICK TO FOLLOW GOD'S INSTRUCTION AS YOU GROW CLOSER TO HIM. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU AS YOU FOLLOW HIM!
