11She is boisterous and rebellious,
Her feet do not remain at home;
12She is now in the streets, now in the squares,
And lurks by every corner.
13So she seizes him and kisses him
And with a brazen face she says to him:
14“I was due to offer peace offerings;
Today I have paid my vows.
15“Therefore I have come out to meet you,
To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.
16“I have spread my couch with coverings,
With colored linens of Egypt.
17“I have sprinkled my bed
With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18“Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with caresses.
19“For my husband is not at home,
He has gone on a long journey;
20He has taken a bag of money with him,
At the full moon he will come home.”
21With her many persuasions she entices him;
With her flattering lips she seduces him.
22Suddenly he follows her
As an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool,
23Until an arrow pierces through his liver;
As a bird hastens to the snare,
So he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,
And pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths.
26For many are the victims she has cast down,
And numerous are all her slain.
27Her house is the way to Sheol,
Descending to the chambers of death.
Carrying on through the text, we’re met with the wiles of the wicked woman. The list of sorts isn’t the only markings of a wiley woman, but rather the attitude of the heart that shows a leaning and leading toward the world rather than the things of God. In verse 11 we see “She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home…” Does this mean that a woman is to be silent and quiet, only speak when she’s spoken to and never leave home? CERTAINLY NOT! As a husband and father, I would never suggest these positions of artificial homebodies be employed! Rather, the converse of a boisterous (literally “הֹמִיָּ֣ה – loud) and rebelious (וְסֹרָ֑רֶת – rebellious) woman is a quiet and reverent. My wife and my children and I are all at times loud, but not obnoxious by nature. We are a loud family but not offensively noisy.
| Following, “her feet do not remain at home…” would indicate that the type of woman mentioned here is one who’s heart and thus her feet are not set steadfast with her home. I would say that this could likewise apply to the husband as well. Men, set your feet and heart on home! Where your feet are directed toward (Christ) and your heart is set on (Christ) is where your mind will be directed! Guard your heart! After we read “12She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner. 13So she seizes him and kisses him And with a brazen face she says to him: 14“I was due to offer peace offerings; Today I have paid my vows. 15“Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.” Do you see what the progression is? She is in the streets because that is often where the temptation of infidelity lay! Whether the overnight trip out of town or the late night work during the crunch time at the company, men/women guard your marriage and your heart! And let us not forget, the woman in the text was one who was of the congregation as she says “I was due to offer peace offerings; today I have paid my vows”! Oh friend, don’t mistake rote religious duty for a relationship with the King of kings! Follow the Lord away from sin! In the text we read 15-17 “Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you. “I have spread my couch with coverings, With colored linens of Egypt. “I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.” A few items of note. First, the woman speaks as one who has come out to meet another. As the woman in this Israel was often a homebody, to be one who instead seeks out another speaks to the inability to rest her heart and personage on one person even less the Savior of the world! She entices the infidelity with the lure of foreign goods from Egypt linens. She lures him with spices and the scents of that day. Oh friend, don’t get caught up in the lures of the moment over the trustworthiness of your pledge for life! After we read “18-20 Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses. ‘For my husband is not at home, He has gone on a long journey; He has taken a bag of money with him, At the full moon he will come home.” Here we read the lure of a trip and an absent partner. Whether meant literal or figurative, friend if one member of the marriage relationship is distant, don’t assume the worst but as a partner in marriage pursue the best! Follow the Lord! As the Lord wants for marriage to be a picture of Christ and the Church, follow the leading of the Savior and see your marriage possibly saved! “21With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him. 22Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, 23Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life.” Again we are not specifically dealing with one type of infidelity but rather the enticement of sin and therefor the allurement of a new relationship under the guise of concealment from a spouse. The sheer debased, carnal nature of sin is so obvious. But when we are in the temptation, all but this is the case! How often have we seen leaders, loved ones, coworkers, and others fall from their positions because of the enticement of sin which led a leader into sin! Moreover, perhaps you were the one who thought nothing of the casual affair. You should know, your cavalier attitude to cause another to sin demands death just as all sin! Be forgiven, be forthright, and be forgiven! 24Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, And pay attention to the words of my mouth. 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths. Again, we read a father writing to his sons to “…pay attention to the words of my mouth.” It is almost as if he is saying to his sons, “read my lips!” And consider, if they are the father’s sons, might it not be that one or more of these sons is by a different mother! Consider the implications of sin! Just as verse 25 states “do not let your heart turn aside to her ways…” This is so that your heart, which is wicked and deceitful above all things, rather than leading you can instead be led by you by following the Savior! 26For many are the victims she has cast down, And numerous are all her slain. The lasting repercussions cannot be overstated. If the result of your infidelity is the life of a child, the child is not to blame, you are! But rather than see him or her this way, perhaps try another view. Although that child was conceived out of the relationship God intended, the child needs a father. The child needs a mother. Verse 26 gives the reader a brief picture of the aftermath of sin. But rather than falling as another victim of the lures of sin, slay yourself daily! Just as the Apostle Paul writes to the Galatians “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Gal. 2:20, NASB). |
In conclusion for today, verse 27 says “Her house is the way to Sheol, Descending to the chambers of death.” Just as the “….wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23) so we have a choice. And note, its not a one time decision. In Proverbs 6, we are met with the wiles of the adulterous woman, daily we are met with the wiles of a wicked world. We have two destinations for eternity. If you wish to live for yourself, believe in whatever guru or philosophy of the day will make your life better, feel free! But when you breath your last and wake up in the eternal punishment of hellfire for all of eternity, wouldn’t it have behooved you to consider the alternative? Friend, turn to Jesus Christ and in the turning, gaze upon the fields white unto harvest! Blessings as you go!
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