Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. Proverbs 20:17

Imagine chewing on bread and having it slowly turn from a warm, soft, wonderful taste to cold, hard gravel in your mouth.  This is the picture that the Lord wants to give us concerning the con-man's game - or any way that we seek financial gain through deceiving others.  This proverb centers around the word "falsehood."  This is the Hebrew word "sheqer" and it means a lie, a deception, or a treacherous statement.  The word has the idea of a liar and his lying statements.  Yet here there is an end that is sought - and that is obtaining bread.  There is a financial gain sought in the lie - which is the sweet taste of bread obtained through the false dealing and lying of the con-man.

Once again though, the Bible points us to a long-term view of things.  The fleshly view is that of getting the bread and enjoying it.  This is the short-term, ends-justify-the-means mindset that prevails in too many parts of the world around us.  Who cares how you got the bread - you've got it and it tastes wonderful.  The problem comes in that there will be a price to pay - even if you cheated someone out of the bread for free.  The price is a mouth filled with gravel.  There is a slight Hebraism in this idea of a mouth filled with gravel.  The idea is that though bread tastes sweet at first - the bread obtained by ungodly means will weigh down the one who deceived in the end.  Though sweet at first, the bread will break the teeth of the deceiver - and the bread will weigh like stone in his stomach. 

This takes into account God's moral law.  That law teaches us two things we should consider when deceiving others.  First, God's moral law says, "You shall not steal."  When we deceive others about what we are offering to them, we are thieves - taking their goods without a fair exchange of goods or money in return.  Second, we are told by God's moral law that we are not to bear false witness - which basically means, "do not lie."  No matter how sweet the bread may taste initially - it will be like teeth-breaking rocks on the day that we answer to God for our deceit and con-game.  The wisdom offered to us here is to make decisions based not on our immediate pleasure in the flesh.  We should make decisions based on God's moral law and upon principles of righteousness.  Though we may not gain as much quickly and unrighteously at the beginning, the blessing in the end is worth it.

Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry; But when he is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house. Proverbs 6:30-31

Adultery is always stupid.  In fact adultery here is being called dumber than stealing.  We are offered a comparison between these two sins - and in the end, adultery is considered the worse of the two.

This passage is interesting, because although it does compare stealing and adultery, it does not condone either.  The comparison is to how the theif is viewed vs. the view of the adulterer.  The thief is actually shown compassion, especially if his stealing is due to being hungry.  The passage tells us that a thief is not despised if he steals to satisfy his own hunger.  We all understand hunger and the drive to satisfy our appetite when we have not eaten in a while.  The thing about this proverb though is that after saying this - we are brought back to justice.  If caught though, the thief will have to repay sevenfold for what he has stolen.  This is the case even if the thief has to given everything in his house to pay that debt.  There is mercy toward his situation - but not mercy toward the actions he took to remedy it. 

But the adulterer is by default NOT given the same grace.  We all probably know lust as well - but to actually go out and take another man's wife to satisfy it is wickedness.  The adultery is also guilty of stealing - stealing the sanctity of another man's marriage.  He is stealing another man's wife - taking her affections - and taking from him the vows that were made to him in the sight of God.  This is not viewed with a gracious attitude here.  Whereas a thief is not despised for his actions to alleviate his hunger - the adultery IS despised for taking another man's wife.  If justice falls on the hungry man for his stolen food, how much more will God's justice fall on the adultery for stealing the sacredness of marriage and a home?  There is going to be a cost - and that cost is high. 

Ask David and Bathsheba what that cost involves.  They will tell you that the cost far outweighs the pleasure of the moment.  Ask David's family who also paid a high price for the attitude toward marriage and sexuality that was unfortunately passed in that family?  Ask Samson if it was worthy his two eyes to commit sexual sin and satisfy his lusts in ungodly ways?  Ask the people of Sodom and Gomorrah whether it was worth it to despise God's plan for marriage and go their own way?  These are all examples of those who had to pay - and some pay with the very substance of their house.  Adultery costs - and to think that we can get around that cost is ignorant.  That is why dear saints, "Adultery is always stupid."

"Whoever is naive, let him turn in here," And to him who lacks understanding she says, "Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant." Proverbs 9:16-17

Up to this point we have only had limited information upon which to examine Folly's call to us.  We have had to use our understanding and insight to see that such a call is detrimental to us.  But when we come to verse 16 of this passage we no longer have the slightest doubt that the call to foolishness is a call to wicked, sinful choices and to a life embracing deception and lies.

"Stolen water is sweet."  This is the statement that Folly offers to us.  This is her advice to those seeking to make their paths straight in life.  This phrase is actually saying to us that stolen water is sweeter than water that you have by normal legal means.  We are being told that there is something about immoral, illegal behavior that makes the water taste just better than it normally does.  The quest of stealing it adds something - maybe a sense of adventure and risk - that just drinking your own water does not provide. 

There is a biblical allusion here that Keil and Delitzsch offer that is fascinating to me.  A passage in Proverbs chapter 5 is mentioned where we are told to "Drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well." (Proverbs 5:15).  What is counselled here is that drinking stolen water or water that is NOT from your own spring or well - is compared to adultery.  If that is the case here in Proverbs chapter 9, then this passage explodes with meaning - and warning.  Folly will encourge you to drink sexually from a fountain other than that of your own marriage.  Adultery and fornication are being encouraged.  Steal a drink from your neighbor's marriage - or from an unmarried woman's life - that kind of sex is far more sweet than being faithful to your own marriage.  This is wicked counsel of the worst order!  Whether or not this refers to stealing water - or adultery and fornication - either way, Folly is out to destroy us.

The second thing she says to us is that ". . . bread eaten in secret is pleasant."  Here again Follly is saying to us that we need to be deceptive.  Simply eating bread with family or friends is not enough.  We need to be eating bread in secret - which intimates that we are doing something that necessitates hiding from others.  Anyone with an eating or drinking problem will tell you that when you begin to hide your eating or drinking from others and do it secretly - you've got a serious problem.  When I sneak a cookie - or buy some kind of food I know I shouldn't be eating - it is amazing how often I eat this food away from the sight of family - who lovingly would warn me that eating that way is not the healthiest choice for me. 

The sad thing is that Folly is lying to us.  She is saying to us that even the water and the food taste different when we sin in eating and drinking it.  Normal living, holy living - is a drag - and only people who are boring live that way all the time.  Live on the edge - do something out of the ordinary - live for yourself a little.  These are the messages of the fool - and they are heard and heeded by other fools. 

Amazingly - the truth is that God sees you even when you drink your stolen water - when you commit adultery in secret - or when you eat your bread hidden from the sight of others.  God sees - and He will eventually expose you and show your folly.  It is far better to live in open obedience - than to listen to lies that secret sin is better.  This, though, is something about which we must absolutely warn our children.  These lies WILL come to them and it would be much to their benefit to be able to recognize them as lies when they arrive.  A wise father will take these things to heart and will take the time to faithfully teach his children to avoid them.

Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9

Here is the request of a wise man.  It is a very wise request because it deals in two things that will derail a life that is seeking to be guided by God.  It deals with deception and greed.  As you seek to walk through this world in a way that pleases and honors God - you will find that these two things are snares that often will seek to trip your feet and make you stumble.  The man who watches for them - and cries out for God to deliver him from them - is wise indeed.

His first request deals with deception.  He cries out to God to keep deception and lies far from him.  If we are going to live a godly life, we are going to have to have truth.  The wise man has come to know that there is an absolue truth that God gives in His Word.  He will cling to it.  Jesus prayed for His disciples, "Santify them in the truth.  Your Word is truth."  If we are going to be purified and preserved in this life - it will be because God has kept us from deception and lies.  There is one sure cure for lies - and it is the truth.  Why should we be in God's Word every day?  Why should it dwell richly within us?  Why should we hide that Word in our hearts?  It is so that we know the truth - because it is only that truth that will set us free.  The most secure prison in the world is nothing compared to a man who enslaves himself by believing lies and deception.

The wise man's second request has to deal with the sin of greed.  The best way to describe the danger of greed is by sharing the answer of a man who was very wealthy.  He was asked how much money it would take for him to be content.  His answer was telling because it did not refer to a specific, fixed amount.  He sad, "Just a little more."  There is the danger of greed.  No amount is enough because we will be deceived into thinking that a little more will give us the illusive happiness that we seek from money.  Our problem is that we were not made for money.  Elsewhere in Scripture we are warned that when we set our eyes on wealth - it takes wings and flies to the heavens - always just a little beyond our reach.  This pursuit will take forever - and will never end in contentment.  The truth is that we were made for God - and until we find our contentment in Him - we will never be truly content.

The writer of Proverbs cries out and asks for neither poverty or riches.  He knows that both of those situations leaves him in want.  Poverty in a want for enough - and riches in a want for just a little more.  What he asks for is the food that is his portion.  Ah, a wise man he is indeed.  His words parallel those of Jesus in His teaching on prayer.  "Give us THIS DAY our DAILY BREAD!"  There is wisdom - give me what I need today - and keep me in need of only one thing constantly.  Keep me constantly needing You, Lord!  That is the prayer of the wise man.

Next the wise man states why this request for enough for today is truly wisdom.  First, he knows that too often the rich man thinks he does not need God.  He looks to his riches and foolish thinks he does not need God.  Such was the case for the rich farmer in the parable of the rich fool told by our Lord.  He thought his bumper crop meant that he was set for life.  His problem though was that he was not set for death.  God came to him and called him a fool.  That night he was to die - and he would suddenly have nothing.  All his wealth was left behind - and since he did not prepare to meet God - he faced a horrific fate.  He was about to enter into eternal poverty - having decided that storing up treasures in heaven was not a worthy pursuit.  Here on earth his riches deceived him into thinking, "Who is the Lord?"  The answer to that question is one that does not need to be put off until after death.  It needs to be answered here and now - because the one who puts it off - or ignores it altogether - will spend all eternity in a poverty that will consume his flesh with fire forever and ever as the smoke of his torment will never cease to rise in an epitaph revealing his eternal stupidity.

The second reason he asks God for enough is because he knows that hunger may deceive a man into thinking that stealing is a way of getting enough.  Want often leads men to profane God's name by their thievery.  They steal thinking that God has not provided and therefore they need to take things into their own hands. 

Here is a wise man - praying.  He seeks God for what is necessary for that day.  He also knows that the best thing for him is to have to do this each and every day.  His stomach may be full - and possibly can be provided for well into the future.  But - he knows that his need of the Lord will never subside.  He needs God continuously.  May it be the wisdom of that need that guides us to our knees daily to ask for God's mercy and grace to deliver us from the twin foes of deception and greed.