PROVERBS 6

1 My son, if thou be surety (ESV put up security) for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

• Stricken thy hand; it was by striking the hands that a person pledged himself to be responsible for the debt of another. Today we would sign a contract. The contract of a debt was put into effect by word of mouth and shaking of hands.
• The Proverbs are full of heavenly wisdom in regards to how to handle finances for the glory of God. Here, we are warned about hastily co-signing for another person. To co-sign of course means that we are making ourselves responsible for paying another’s debts if they default.
• Pr 11:15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
• Pr 17:18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
• 2 key words for the practical application of this text are the words friend and stranger. A friend would refer to cosigning for someone that we know is not responsible or reliable in the way they handle finances. A stranger would refer to a non-Israeli, and in particular some one that you knew nothing about.
• In Israel, lending was intended as a means of helping a fellow Israelite, not as a moneymaking transaction as it is today. No interest was to be charged a fellow Israelite (Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:35-37). Interest could be applied to a loan to non-Israelites, but even then usury (unreasonably high interest rates) was illegal.

3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself (admit that you were hasty), and make sure thy friend.

• The Amp. Bible has this note: “The Bible consistently teaches that one is not to forsake a friend, and this passage is not to be otherwise construed. But it is one thing to lend a friend money, and quite another thing to promise to pay his debts for him if he fails to do so himself. It might cost one, under the rigid customary laws governing debt, his money, his land, his bed, and his clothing--and if these were not sufficient, he and his wife and children could be sold as slaves, not to be released until the next Year of Jubilee--fifty years after the previous one. God's Word is very plain on the subject of not underwriting another person's debts.”

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

• In other words, if you are in a situation where you have become responsible for the debt of another person by default or have discovered after agreeing to co-sign for them that they are lazy or irresponsible, seek to get out of that arrangement with the same intensity that a trapped animal would seek to break loose from a trap before the hunter arrives for the kill.

While on this subject of being a surety for a stranger, it is an incredible thing to read that Heb 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

• Who was Jesus a surety for? While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The Righteous for the unrighteous, the Godly for the ungodly.
• The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary magnifies the grace and love of God for fallen man. Jesus paid the debt of sin to God for me that I could never pay myslef! Blessed be His Name.

Now we move on to a warning about being a sluggard, or what we would call today, laziness. I might add how vital it is that we have a proper understanding of what God says about the sluggard or lazy person. Jot it down this definition of a sluggard or lazy person.Scripturally, a sluggard is one who avoids the action that wisdom requires.

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

• Throughout the Bible, God uses the animal and insect kingdom to speak to man.  He uses the ox and the ass in Isa. 1:3.  He uses a rooster in the Gospels.  He uses a donkey in Numbers to speak to Balaam.  In Proverbs, God mentions several special members of the animal kingdom and each one is divine sermon for you and me! Job’s reply to Zophar was Job 12:7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee.
• Here, the person that is prone to being lazy is told to go and study the little ants.

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

• Solomon compares the tiny little ant, with his tiny little brain, to that of a man. And in this comparison, the ant is far wiser than the lazy person. Why? Because he goes out and gathers food during the times that are good, preparing for the times he can't go out and gather food. He uses his time wisely, while the lazy person doesn't. No one has to order him around, and yet the ant does the work that is needed.
• Ants work in anticipation of future needs, storing and gathering while it is warm, before winter comes. The virtue of wisdom is not simply about being busy, but in having a proper view of future needs that motivates one to action presently.

• Faith without works is a slumbering delusion. Charles Bridges
• The ant is an example of hard work, diligence and planning. Ants also work together for the good of all. The sluggard on the other hand is lazy and lacks discipline, and takes advantage of others.
• Some people pervert Jesus’ teaching about taking no thought for tomorrow as meaning that they just sit back and do nothing.  Faith is not standing on a shovel and asking God for a ditch.
• Diligence and wholeheartedness in daily, practical aspects of life are qualities that are to be embraced by those who are seriously seeking and serving The Lord Jesus Christ.
• The story is told of a farmer’s sons whose job it was to hoe the garden. Someone came by and said, “Why are your sons hoeing your vegetable garden? You don’t need those vegetables. You have a whole farm. I’m not raising vegetables,” the farmer answered. “I’m raising sons.”

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

• Laziness and procrastination are Siamese twins of disaster in both the physical and spiritual realms.
• This may seem harsh, but I don't know how else to put it. If you are able to work and you don't work, if you are just lazy and refuse to support yourself, then you should go hungry. No one should help you. We should not feed into your laziness. And Paul even tells us this in II Thessalonians 3:10 "...If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."
• Have you ever seen the animal known as the SLOTH?  It is a slow moving animal that hangs from branches (with his back downward). The word "slothful" is used to describe a slow moving person who loves to take it easy.

Let’s simply read other Proverb passages on this topic and then move on:

• Pr 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
• In other words the sluggard has the desire for certain things, but not the will to do what is required to put in the effort or accomplish the task.
• Pr 20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
• This verse signifies that the lazy man, having neglected to have his land ploughed at the proper time, when he looks for his fruit at the harvest time, there is nothing to be found.
• One last set of verses….Pr 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

12 A naughty person (scoundrel), a wicked man (man of Belial),

• Wicked man- Beliya'al (Heb.) meaning evil, naughty, ungodly, wicked. This is the meaning Jesus uses in 2 Corinthians 6:15 to refer to Satan.

walketh with a froward mouth (perverse, contrary, wayward).

• One who is hurtful with his words/quarrelsome, crooked and willfully contrary and divisive.

13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

• Words used to describe a person that has the intention to do mischief and harm.

14 Frowardness is in his heart (willful and contrary in his heart), he deviseth mischief continually (a trouble maker); he soweth discord.

• He sows discord. He plants mental seeds of strife and contention that instigate

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

• The man who relies for success upon crooked and deceitful practices, is alike odious to God and man, and his end will be remediless ruin. FBN

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

• Some people have a pie in the sky kind of theology of God. We need to remember that the God of Scripture is Almighty, and He hates whatever is evil.
• The following are things that are an abomination unto Him. The Hebrew word suggests something that is disgusting.
• It is always wise to hate what God hates.

17 A proud look,

• At the top of the list of things that are disgusting to God is pride. He mentions ‘eyes’, because we see other people with our eyes. The evil man thinks that he is greater than other people.Pride is the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others.
• Pride is the very nature of Satan that can be manifested behind a pulpit, in a 3-piece suit or in a bikini. Pride is the anti-god state of mind. The pride of life is not of The Father. Isa 14.
• God is consistently revealed in Scripture as being actively opposed to the proud in any way, shape or form. Pr 16:5  Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD
• 1 Pet 5.5 God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

a lying tongue,

• Have you noticed that the proverbs talk far more about the abuse of the human tongue than about alcohol or drug abuse? James 3 talks about the power of words. Words, especially lying words are damaging. Pr 26:28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
• God is The God of truth. Pr 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
• Honesty is always the best policy for the Christian, not only because God commands it but also because dishonesty has a way of backfiring.

and hands that shed innocent blood,

• What an indictment on abortion clinics, abortion doctors, pro-choice advocates. The God of Scripture is pro-life saints, and the Bible is clear in Psalm 139 that life begins at the very moment of conception.

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (plots, plans of mischief),

• Once again we see that the heart is the very root of wickedness.
• Rather than thinking about wicked, evil things, consider what Paul wrote in 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.

feet that be swift in running to mischief,

• Mischief is connected with a perverse tongue, Pr 17:20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
• We are not to walk in the way of the wicked and whenever we do so, it is something that God hates.

19 A false witness that speaketh lies,

• This is a bit different from the lying tongue mentioned earlier. This is speaking about the person who has the reputation for spreading rumors and falsehood about others.
• The person that spreads a false witness about others is something that God hates.

and he that soweth discord among brethren.

• The sin of strife, dissent or creating conflict is a reoccurring theme in Proverbs. Matthew Henry wrote that the person who sows discord aggravates every thing that is said and done; suggests jealousies and evil surmising, with which they blow the coals of contention.
• Pr 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
• Pr 16:28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
• This can surely pertain to division within the body of Christ as well.
• 1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

·      May I say before we move on that God still hates these things today, and they need to be clearly spoken out against in the church today. What is the only solution to avoiding these sins?

• Prov 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

• Repeatedly, the counsel of parents that is in harmony with the Word of God is a blessing that any young person should thank God for every single day.

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

• By the commandment, he means the word of God; and by the instruction, the preaching and declaration of the same.
• Pr 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
• Pr 12:1 ¶ Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

• The penalty of sin is as certain as the laws of nature, and far more terrible in its power.  The youth who enters upon a course of impurity, throws himself into a consuming fire, which will destroy both soul and body.
• Four times in chapters 1-9 Solomon spoke to the problem of sexual immorality: 2:16-19; 5:3-23; 6:20-35; chapter 7. Indeed there is nothing new under the sun.

25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

• God’s Word tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence. In Matt 5.29, Jesus tells us to take radical action to avoid temptation. One commentator writes: “Set standards for your relationships with the opposite sex and the entertainment to which you expose yourself. Don’t be naive, thinking that you could never fall sexually. ‘Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall’ (1 Cor. 10:12).”
• Sexual sin is rooted in lust, or then imagination of the sinful act. This is squarely taught in Exodus 20.17 and by Jesus in Mt 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
• Before Jesus came on the scene, it was very common, as it is now, for men to think it was okay to look as long as they do not touch. This is why Jesus made the statement.
• How we need to make a covenant with our eyes beloved as it says in Job 31.1. Some people dangerously live by the philosophy that “it’s okay to window shop as long as you do not buy.” However, the outcome of feeding lust (any lust) is that sooner or later window-shopping is not enough. Just ask King David (2 Sam 11).
• The virtue that enables us to deal with lust in our walk with the Lord is self-control. Lust represents a lack of self-control when it comes to bodily pleasures. See James 1.13-15 for the progression of sin. What does James teach us?
• God cannot tempt us with sin. James spells out clearly how the sin happens and the results.
• First a person is enticed by his or her own lust. They see something, give thought to it and begin to imagine themselves doing it.
• Once the lust is conceived (the desire is acknowledged) then comes the sin. We act on the desire that is within us.
• The ultimate result of sin is death. When this happens it is not God’s fault – the responsibility rests solely with each of us as individuals.

26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt (stalks) for the precious life.

• Pr 30:20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

27 Can a man take fire (someone else’s wife) in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

• The penalty of sin is as certain as the laws of nature, and far more terrible in its power. Job declared in 31.12 that adultery is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

• Powerful metaphors are given here to describe the obvious dangers and consequences of sexual sin. Yes, there is forgiveness for sin in Christ, but many times the practical damage that has taken place leaves a scar for life.
• Sexual sin is playing with fire. You inevitably will get burned.
• I would also add that when sex begins to play a part in any relationship outside of the covenant of marrriage, that relationship will never be the same. In dating, lust causes us to ignore who this person really is like and that is because our physical desires are driving us, and not the spiritual.
• It is unfortunate that sexual sin does not even cause the church to blush anymore, and that is because we are so accustomed to it taking place that we rarely do nothing to address it with the proper consequences.
• Let me put it right out there beloved, if you are professing to be a Christian and yet are fornicating or committing adultery  you are in sin and need to repent.
• The same would hold true of any of the sins that we read of tonight in this chapter….there is not white lie beloved….pride and arrogance are unacceptable….
• If you can continue to live in any known area of sin with no remorse or sense of shame or intention of repenting, then you need to question where you stand before The Lord.

30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

• It is quite possible for a person to understand and perhaps even sympathize with a thief who robbed his home to get money for food.
• The thief would be required to restore what he stole with a 4-fold return according to the law in Exodus 22.1-4. Nevertheless, there would be consequences.

32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

• John Gill writes, “the thief lacks bread, and therefore steals, but this man lacks wisdom, and therefore acts so foolish a part; the one does it to satisfy hunger, the other a brutish lust.”
• The adulterer who was taken in the act might be killed by the husband: or by the civil magistrate; for according to the law of Moses he was to die, by either to be strangulation or stoning. This was the background to John 8 and Jesus with the adulterous woman.
• Understand that Jesus forgiving this woman should not be interpreted as meaning that being forgiven means that all of the human or legal consequences of this sin and any pending marital issues are dismissed.

33 A wound (blow, sore, strike) and dishonour (disgrace, dishonor, shame) shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

34 For jealousy (envy) is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

• We know that there is forgiveness from The Lord when we go to Him with any sin with a broken and contrite heart. Unfortunately, there are consequences that remain and need to be dealt with.
• Hell knows no wrath like that of a jealous spouse. He will spare no cost and pains to prosecute him before a civil magistrate. In other words, the offended spouse will not be bribed out of the punishment that is placed upon you.