PROVERBS 7

Once again, The Holy Spirit speaks to us very candidly about this topic of sexual immorality. We could very well title this chapter, chapter the anatomy seduction. When we think about it, all sexual sin is rooted in idolatry, which is basically the love of self. What the world calls love, is not love at all, it is lust because lust is all about me.

As we begin our study tonight in Proverbs 7 on the subject of sexual immorality, listen to this FBN note as a way of introduction.

• “The way of all seducers is to inflame the imagination of the young with glowing representatives of the pleasures of sinful indulgence, while they carefully keep out of view its guilt and misery, and flatter them with the hope of impunity.  All books, discourses, and representations of every kind, that follow the method of this adulteress, are justly to be regarded as her accomplices in the work of corruption and ruin; and their influence in a community is more to be dreaded than "the pestilence that walketh in darkness."  Let all the young who hope to enjoy in this life, comfort, honor, and usefulness, and God's favor in the life to come, keep themselves at the greatest distance from unchaste solicitations of every kind, and labor to maintain purity, in thought, speech, and behavior.”
• Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
• Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

1 My son, keep (observe, attend to, guard) my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye (something very dear or precious).

• Once again we are going to read about the danger of sexual immorality. The father is telling the son to watch out for strange seductive women. The same advice should be communicated to our daughters about the strange, seductive man.
• The Bible repeatedly warn us about the dangers of bad company. Evil company is always dangerous, but association with persons of impure life is deadly.
• May God’s Word confirm our dread of sin along with the resolution to resist it.
• Because it fits in perfectly with our context tonight, I am going to say something regarding sex that I have said earlier. Sex is not dirty when it is according to the biblical standards within the covenant of marriage, which biblically is a monogamous husband and wife, male and female relationship.
• God created sexual desire. It is not sinful or satanic to feel sexual desire. Satan does not create sexual desire; he uses it—or more accurately, he abuses it.
• Satan’s whole aim is to ruin what God created to be good and a blessing. Listen to this quote from John Piper, “There are two ways you can ruin a pearl. You can cut it out of the oyster before it matures or you can feed it to the swine. Satan does his best to cut off sexual desire from the oyster of God's grace and truth. If he can get people to isolate sex from the reality of God, he has virtually destroyed its true meaning and beauty. He also does his best to take the pearl of sexual desire and, instead of putting it in the pendant of marriage, feed it to the swine of fornication and adultery and pornography and incest and child abuse and homosexuality.”

3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

• God’s word must be hidden in our heart because it is out of the heart that all of our behavior flows.

4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

• Godly wisdom and understanding hidden in our hearts and minds are two powerful weapons against the fiery dart of immorality.
• Knowing what the Bible says and determining to obey God at all costs is the key to victory in this area beloved. It is of no value to only know what God says if there is no practical application of God’s truth. That is building your life upon the sand and in the end you will get destroyed.
• What is the root of wisdom and understanding?
• Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman (adulteress; seductress), from the stranger which flattereth (smooth talker) with her words.

• As we saw in chapter 5, the strange woman’s lips promise honey, but her feet lead you straight to hell.

• We have read about the strange woman before in the Proverbs and she has been identified as a non-Israelite who worshipped false gods. She has also been identified as another man’s wife (as she will be in this chapter).
• But let me say to every married man who is here tonight that the strange woman is any woman who is not your wife that flatters you with her words. Let me say to every single brother or sister tonight that the strange man or woman is any person of the opposite sex that seeks to flatter you and seduce you.
• Men are easily flattered ladies by women who speak nicely about them. Men (and ladies), love it when people tell them things that they love to hear…you are such a great cook, or you are so godly, or you are so understanding….you are so strong.
• She allures him with her smooth talking. The strange man is a smooth talker as well.

Dr Ray Pritchard from Keep Believing ministries writes, “I find it very interesting that the writer of Proverbs, King Solomon, decided to put down his words of wisdom. He felt it important to spend so much time and so much space on the subject of sexual purity. He knew, even back 3000 years ago, that it is hard to stay clean in a dirty world. It is hard to stay pure in a world that has decided to live in the sewer.”

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the reason why church people get in trouble in this area of sexual sin is not because we do not know the truth, but because we will not listen to the warnings of God. We think that everybody else will pay the price of sexual immorality, but not me.  If my voice is raised a bit tonight it is not because I am here to scold you or yell at you, for this admonition is for me as well as you. The church needs a constant voice of authority to declare this command of God because of the moral filth that exists on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, TNT, Lifetime, MTV, VH-1 and all the rest, and they are shouting a lot louder than I am. Day in and day out, 24 hours a day they are invited into your homes with this sordid message of immorality in the guise of entertainment. God says don't do it, don't do it, don't do it.

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 (lacking sense),

• Is there anybody here this evening that claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ and does not know what the Bible teaches about sexual immorality? Fornication? Homosexuality? Adultery? Pornography?
• If Solomon was able to view the anatomy of an affair from his house, certainly God sees from heaven.
• I want you to know that I do not apologize if teaching this chapter makes you feel a bit uncomfortable unless that discomfort is due to sin in your past that has been repented of and forgiven, in which case my dear brother or sister, know that the source of that discomfort and condemnation is certainly not from The Holy Spirit, nor from me. I rejoice with you tonight in you forgiveness and newness of life in Christ.

8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

• Here is a vital key to avoiding sexual immorality. Avoid all appearances of evil; do not go near it for you will be taking fire in your bosom. Stay away from people, places or things that stir up your sexual passions.
• This is very simple. Brothers and sisters, there are some books you ought not to read. I don't know which ones they are, but I know that they are out there. And you know it every time you read it. There are some magazines you ought not to read, some radio stations you ought not to listen to, some TV programs you ought to turn off. There are some relationships you ought to be breaking in your life right now because they are leading you in the wrong direction.
• Men and women alike know that the temptation to sexual impurity is very real. To deny it is to play a fool and set ourselves up for a fall because once we think, I can handle being alone with my fiancée or girlfriend in her house…we will just sit on the couch and talk about Scripture.
• Listen my precious brothers and sisters, you are far less apt to get into an accident if you leave the car parked in the garage and the engine off than if you take it out of the garage and rev it up and decide to ride in the wrong lane….eventually you will crash!
• Oh pastor Ray, it is only harmless fun on Face book or My Space. It’s just flirty text messaging Pastor Ray….
• Ga 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
• If you sow immorality, you will reap a harvest of corruption. Our relationships within the body of Christ are to be pure and holy.
• 1Ti 5:1 ¶ Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
• If any of you have crossed that line, even if it is only in your heart, you need to repent.

9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

Job 24:15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

• It has been said that the greatest test of integrity and character is revealed by what we do when nobody else is around. What TV shows do you watch? What Internet sites do you look on? What pictures do you look at? What kinds of books do you read?
• Dark deeds and works of darkness usually take place in dark places….late at night….lights off.
• You may say tonight, Pastor Ray, this is my life and my body and you have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do with it. You are absolutely correct, but The Exalted, Risen Lord Jesus Christ has every right to tell you what you do with your body if you are professing to be a Christian.
• 1Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil (sly, cunning) of heart.

• Note carefully that this woman is not a prostitute by trade, she is a married woman. However, she dresses like a prostitute.
• My dear sisters in Christ….old or young. It is one thing to dress smartly and to look attractive. It is quite another thing when you dress seductively or when you dress you show off your natural attributes.
• She allures him with her seductive clothing. Sisters, no man should see your cleavage, unless it is your husband, and that should be at home.
• I may add here that there are some men who are unregenerate that will think impure thoughts about woman in spite of how chaste you dress.
• 2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin (an insatiable appetite for what is forbidden); beguiling (baiting) unstable souls: an heart they have exercised (trained) with covetous practices; cursed children.

The only thing that can stop the constant flow of iniquity is the new birth through faith in The Lord Jesus Christ.

• Ps 129:4 The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

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 (to lurk as to ambush) at every corner.)

• This woman is on the prowl…she has only one thing in mind, and that is herself.
• Stubborn suggests that idea of being in active rebellion against the moral government of God….1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent (brazen) face said unto him,

• She lures him with smooth talk, she seduces his imagination with the way she dresses, and now she moves in for the kill. The moment that they kiss, all reason is set aside, for at that moment the lust of the flesh is driving the entire evening….forget what Proverbs 7 says, forget Thou shalt not commit adultery. Whenever we make provision for the flesh, it will take advantage of the opportunity every single time.
• The word impudent is more literally imprudent…I mean this woman is what they would say on in the old days, hot to trot.

14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

• This strange woman is religious. Let’s just say that she (or he) goes to bible study….she may be the most charismatic person in the congregation. Obviously, her religion has no impact upon her morals.
• This morally loose woman was religious like Jezebel. Re 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
• CHS, “O the wickedness of those who mix up religion with their filthiness; but this was a part of the bait with which to entrap the foolish young man.”

15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee (to share with you my portion of the offerings made unto God), diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

• This was another one of the smooth talkers lies, she cared no more for him than for anybody else.  The spiritual predator has all the lines beloved….why don’t we get together after the study tonight at my place and take talk about the message.
• Spiritual predators have all the lines brothers and sisters. Such as, I have never met anybody like you before….I feel like you and me are real soul mates….did anybody ever tell you what a great figure you have? O beware of these deceivers.
• She allures him with her lies that are driven by her lust.

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.

• She allures him with sensual things…smell of perfume, myrrh…etc
• This married, religious woman was well cared for by her husband. These were expensive items in those days.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace (delight) ourselves with loves.

• She allure him with sexual fantasies…let us solace ourselves with loves until the morning opens up a big door of the imagination.
• What about the morning after?

19 For the Goodman (my husband) is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

• At this point in time, this man should have ran away as quickly as possible. He is no longer an innocent victim. Sexual sin takes two to tango….
• Interesting that the husband is likened to the Goodman. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is likened to the Goodman of the house. It is not difficult to see the spiritual parallels in this chapter.
• Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

• This married, pseudo-religious woman does not care if you are a married or a single man.
• God doesn't have two standards. He doesn't have a high standard for married men and a low standard for singles. You are still called to purity, faithfulness, holiness, and abstinence. I am not saying it is going to be easy. God set the bar, not me.

21 With her much fair speech (enticing; persuasive) she caused him to yield, with the flattering (allurements) of her lips she forced (seduced) him.

• Forced him does not mean that she tied his hands behind his back, it means that she methodically raped him. A text over here…a little flirtation over there….a “hug” in the Name of The Lord that is a bit longer and way too suggestive.

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.

• Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
• Sin destroys beloved. All sin is serious. Like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing that it wil cost him 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.

26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

• The word wounded carries the idea of mortally wounded, as on the field of battle.
• Among the many who have been wounded by her would be David, Samson and Solomon. Perhaps you have your personal list of people whose lives have been shattered by this sin.

27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

• CHS, “Strong language, but none too strong.  If young people knew what follows upon unclean actions, they would sooner burn their flesh with fire, or sleep with venomous reptiles, than have any communion with unchaste persons.  Young women should loathe those gay fellows whose actions will not bear to be spoken of; and both young and old, male and female, should abhor any indelicacy of thought, word, or deed, in books or mirthful play.”

It has been said that secret sin is open scandal in heaven. All sin of this nature eventually manifests itself in the open. If you are living in sexual sin tonight, you may think that you are getting away with something, but mark it down…you sin will find you out and there is no statute of limitations in the kingdom of God.

• You may be doing your best to “cover all your tracks”…..You may try to keep it quiet, you may be making those telephone calls late at night, you may be sending those texts messages from a cell phone that your spouse does not know that you have….but know this….you are not fooling Almighty God, and you can be sure that your sin will find you out. I hope you enjoy your ten or fifteen minutes of happiness because that is all that you are going to get.

1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification (consecration; separation unto Christ), that ye should abstain from fornication (all sexual vice): 4 That every one of you should know how to possess (control, manage) his vessel (body) in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence (lit. the passion of lust), even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness (impurity), but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

If you profess to be a Christian and are living a life of sexual immorality….listen, please listen to this warning.

• 1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived (under an illusion): neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexual), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

If you truly repent of your sin, Christ will forgive you.

• Ps 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
• Jesus Christ both can and will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness provided that you come to Him with a broken and contrite heart and a willingness to live a life of repentance and holiness.