The Way of the Wise - Proverbs
10 - The Word, the Woman and the Window
This time we are going to discover the lessons to be found in Proverbs 6:20 to 24, and in chapter 7. We are going to think about three “W’s”: “The Word”, “The Woman” and “The Window”.
First of all the word. In Proverbs 6:20 Solomon says, “My son keep your father’s commands, do not forsake your mother’s teaching”. Over and over again we see in this book the priority and the preciousness of these words. The word referred to in these passages as “my words”, “the voice of wisdom”, “understanding”, “my teaching”, “my commands”, “father’s instruction”, “my wisdom”, “my words of insight”, “your father’s commands,” “your mother’s teaching”, and so on, are to be understood as God’s word. This is God’s book, it is God revealed. All of these expressions refer to the word of God.
The writer is actually warning us about very powerful temptations. The book of Proverbs is a very practical book. There are pitfalls and there are dangers facing Christians every day. The Devil is not asleep, and the book of Proverbs tells it as it is. So before the warnings regarding temptation and sin and its costs, we have some detailed exhortations. What is God saying to us in these verses? His word is to be taken very seriously indeed, it is no light thing. Here is the handbook for life; here are words of spiritual wisdom; here are words of serious warning. An old writer, called John Flavell, said “The scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering and the most comfortable way of dying.” Another old writer, Thomas Watson, said “Read the scripture not only as history, but as a love letter sent to you from God.” And it was Martin Luther who said, “I am bound by the scripture, and my conscience has been taken captive by the word of God.”
We find in Proverbs 6:20 that God’s words are loving words; the words of a parent to a child. God’s word is seen in the context of a father’s commands and a mother’s teaching. We are told to bind God’s word upon our hearts forever; to fasten them around our neck. We are told “When you walk they will guide you, when you sleep they will watch over you, when you awake they will speak to you.” We are to keep Gods word as a living word, and his words are words of guidance without which we will go astray.
The people of Israel in the Old Testament were led and guided by the Lord Himself; they had that pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night to watch over them. We too are able to shelter under the promises of God and be led by Him. If we are believers in Christ his word is an enlightening word. These commands that we read are a lamp and his teaching is a light. God’s word speaks to us, it addresses all of life’s circumstances and situations; it is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Yes, it corrects us, it reproves us, it convicts us, but it also shows us how to do better. We should be glad of correction; it is for our good, for our happiness and for our salvation. What a different world it would be if people would really take God’s word to heart. His word is loving, living, guiding, and enlightening. This emphasis on the word of God is all by way of preparing us to face the powerful temptations that will come our way. The word of God is the Sword of the Spirit to enable us to recognise and defeat the enemy of our souls, Satan.
We have looked at the “Word”, now secondly we look at the “Woman” in this passage of scripture. This whole passage is a very clear warning against all immorality. It is a message that our generation needs to hear. It’s a message for every church, every man and woman, every parent, every young person. As you look into God’s word, you can never say that nobody warned you, nobody told you. In the Old Testament, Job called immorality “a fire that burns to destruction” (Job 31:12). In verses 24 and 25 we are faced with what we could almost call a charm offensive. Here is something of the subtlety of Satan. The woman spoken of here, this immoral woman, is described as having a smooth tongue and she is like a wayward wife. Here is a picture of sin coming to us as something very attractive, very desirable. It would seem to satisfy our deepest longings and meet our deepest needs, but of course it’s not true, Satan is a deceiver.
The prodigal son believed that money and freedom and immorality would bring him fulfilment, but it was all so superficial, it was so false, it was so empty and tragic, it was so loveless and pointless and so very lifeless. This woman, we read in verse 26, reduces the one she ensnares “to a loaf of bread.” They are just a “meal ticket”, and she prays upon their very life. The lives of those who fall victim to her are ruined. There follows this warning passage in verses 27 to 29 where Solomon asks, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burnt, can he walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife, no one who touches her will go unpunished.” Yes, he’s talking about immorality, but he is also in the larger picture referring to all sin. Sin is sin of whatever kind.
He goes on to say that people might possibly understand where a starving thief is coming from. It is wrong to steal, but we could understand why a starving man might steal to eat, but there is still a price to pay. But with regard to immorality this man didn’t even need to commit this sin, this man has no judgement, he is foolish, he is self destructive, he is worthy of punishment and everlasting shame. He has caused pain to others and of course he has grieved the heart of God. There is a vertical and horizontal dimension to all of our sins, we hurt other people and we hurt ourselves and we grieve the heart of God. As Christians we are to avoid even the very appearance of evil and live pure lives before God and man.
Solomon continues his severe warnings about the temptation to immorality in chapter 7. We see very briefly that there is a “Window”. We have looked at the “Word” and we have looked at the “Woman”, what about this window? Well this window is clearly no ordinary window; this is God’s window. This window, according to chapter 7:9, sees in the dark, it sees round corners, it sees a foolish young man, it sees the immoral woman, it sees her dark intentions. God’s window sees everything. He sees your ambitions and your desires and He sees the temptations to which you and I are prey. But He has promised to provide for us a way of escape because He will not permit us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. The way of escape is to submit to God and to resist the devil and he will flee away. The believer has the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to make this possible. But here we see a foolish youth caught in the sin trap, led astray by persuasive words.
Here is the situation of those who ignore the Word of God, they are naïve and unconcerned about this world and its snares and its unreliability. This young man is spiritually aimless, he is very vulnerable, he is at a loose end; he has no purpose in life and temptation comes to him, and the woman is as hard as nails, she is not genuine; she is a professional and she is very enticing to him and it is just a typical picture of the world.
The passage concludes with a very tragic scene, a heartbreaking picture of those lost in sin. He follows this woman, little knowing it will cost him his life. He is like an animal going to the slaughter or being hunted or trapped. What a solemn Gospel warning this is. May the Lord help us to faithfully obey his word, to say no to all temptation and ungodliness and to realise that God’s window, God’s eye, is always upon us and we cannot escape his gaze.