There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19
What does God hate? This is a good question to ask - because the Lord actually lists for us 7 different things that He hates. Some think that God doesn't hate anything because He is love. But when you realize that whereas He loves righteousness and holiness - it means that by nature He must hate the opposite - and that is sin. This is a good list to remember because it reminds us of at least 7 things we absolutely need to steer clear of in life. We do this because we do not want to incur God's wrath for loving something He hates. #1 - God hates Haughty Eyes . . . The proud look is something the Lord really despises. The eyes, according to Scripture, are the windows of the soul. When the eyes are filled with a haughty look it is a sure thing that the heart is filled with that same haughtiness or pride. We remember from the book of James that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. It is no stretch then to say that in hating haughty eyes God truly despises those whose look communicates an arrogance and pride that shows that they have no respect for God and His ways - just an utter disdain of them. #2 - God hates a Lying Tongue . . . One of the 10 commandments is not to bear false witness. That means lying is out with God. He is a God of truth, and He wants us to speak the truth. When a tongue is a lying tongue, God hates the lies that come from it. Truth opposes lies at every turn - and we can be assured that God opposes the liar whose lying tongue promotes just the opposite of what God loves and is. #3 - God hates Hands that Shed Innocent Blood . . . Here is one that we need to remember. Innocent blood is murder. God hates murder. Once again we find that one of the things God hates is listed in the 10 commandments. You shall not murder is commandment number five. Jesus goes further in Matthew chapter 5 when He tells us that even the thoughts and words that are at the core of a murdering heart - God hates. There is an application of this we also need to remember. The false god Molech required that his worshippers have their children pass through the fire as a child sacrifice to him. God hated this worship - and made it clear that the innocent blood shed in this practice would pay dearly for their sin. I believe we have a similar worship today in the practice of abortion. This practice is an abomination to God. We have decided that children (usually conceived due to sexual immorality) are too much of an inconvenience. Therefore we've devised the most heinous ways of disposing of them. We burn them alive through saline abortions or puree them within their mother's womb. And if this is not enough, when we wait too long to decide to dispose of one's conceived immorally, we just birth them partially and kill them in a way that we would NEVER consider for a convicted murderer. How God hates this shedding of innocent blood. #4 - God Hates a Heart that Devises Wicked Plans . . . There are hearts that are thinking of evil - and who begin to plan to do evil. This is true even of us when we set our hearts on sin and want to do our best to keep it hidden. But there are those whose plans involve far more than just one man wanting to sin without being caught. These are those who devise a wicked plan either in business or in the government. These plans will harm thousands - and possibly millions. They do not consider that their wicked plans will do this - because they are consumed either by the acquisition of wealth or power. God hates these people because of how their thinking harms others. #5 - God Hates Feet that Run Rapidly to Evil . . . Here we have someone who is just itching to run to evil things. There is no restraint in this one - because when he or she sees evil - they want to run "rapidly" to it. When a society turns from God - there is a growing stupidity and spiritual deadness that causes them to become insensitive to the warnings of Scripture. Thus they start to run to evil - rather than stop and think about the harm it will do to them and to others. When people run rapidly to evil it is also a sign that self is so completely dominant in their thinking that they are deaf to any other voice except the one that is urging them to do what they want. God hates this because it reveals that a conscience is dead to Him and dead to the warnings of both the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. #6 - God Hates A False Witness Who Utters Lies . . . Here we have what seems to be a second time that lying is mentioned. This second time though it is mentioned in the context of someone who is a false witness on a matter. This first time is was just a lying tongue. The false witness could be someone who speaks lies in a courtroom where the role of perjury comes into play. This would mean a perversion of justice and God loves justice and righteousness. It can also mean a false prophet or someone who lies about religious matters - thus causing some to put their faith in a god who is not God at all. Either way God hates it when someone who lies as a witness on a matter. They encourage people to make decisions based upon deception and lies. No wonder He hates these things - because the very first sin was due to the work of the devil as he was a false witness to Eve about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That lie, that deceit - when believed was the impetus that led to the fall of all of humanity into sin and rebellion against God. #7 - God Hates One who Spreads Strife Among Brothers . . . The final thing in this list of seven is a person who is causing problems - actually who is spreading strife among the brethren. This person is one who either learns of strife - or is causing it. He is not content though we knowing it himself. He becomes the ultimate evangelist for strife among the brethren. He wants to see as many people upset and involved in this strife as possible. It should be no small wonder to us then that God does not say, "Blessed are the strife-makers." He says just the opposite. It is the peacemakers who will be called the sons of God. When God could have magnified the ultimate strife of the universe in sin - He did not. He chose to make peace through the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ. Therefore it really should be no shock to us that He also hates those who go the opposite way - and spread strife rather than spread peace among the brothers. We might need to remember this the next time we have a choice to continue a situation of strife and conflict - when we have an opportunity to bring peace instead. Seven things God hates . . . it is a very sobering list. There are some things like murder and wicked plans that we would fully expect to be on this list. But other things that we tend to minimize tend to shock us here. Some call lying just telling a little fib - or a white lie. Others might not see spreading strife by gossipping to be something that is not the best - but certainly something that everyone does. The fact is that when God calls these things the seven things He hates - we need to remember them - and then learn to hate them in our own lives as well. That, my dear saints - is wisdom.
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A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, 13 Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers; 14 Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife. 15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly; Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing. Proverbs 6:12-15
There are certain things that identify for us a wicked person. Proverbs takes four verses and describes for us in an expanded way what a wicked person looks like - and what his future entails. Let's take a look at this today in a a little longer version of our look at Proverbs. First of all a wicked person is described in two ways. First he is called a "worthless person." The word used here is very descriptive for it is the Hebrew word "beliyaal" which is one of the terms that is used to describe the devil. His minions are described in Scripture as the sons of Belial. The word means a worthlessness which has its major emphasis on the moral aspect of life. Thus the word came to mean a wicked person. The word is used to describe the hard-hearted in Deuteronomy 15:9 and 1 Samuel 30:22. These are also those who promote rebellion against the authority of God. The wicked therefore are those who hold a moral standard that is worthless for it encourages them and others to rebel against God's authority and choose to be hard-hearted toward the Lord and toward His commandments. The wicked is also described as being - well - wicked. He is referred to as a wicked man. The word for wicked (awen) means someone who is troublesome, who causes sorrow by his bent toward evil and mischief. He seeks after nothingness and loves falsehood. Strongly embedded in this word is the reality that this man or woman commits iniquity and intentionally misses God's mark of godliness. Once it has been established what kind of person is being spoken of here - Solomon begins putting forth a list of things the worthless and wicked man does. He is not called wicked due to some prejudice - but simply because of the choices that this man makes. Because of the large number of descriptions of his actions, I will number them as we define them. 1. He walks with a perverse mouth - He has a mouth that is filled with perversion and deceitfulness. He has a mouth that speaks without integrity or truth, but rather embraces immorality and deception. 2. Winks with his eyes - This refers to a winking or blinking of the eyes which was always done with a mocking, malicious, or deceitful intent. Proverbs 10:10 says that this is done to devise trouble, while Proverbs 16:30 tells us that a man does this to devise perverse things - and is usually done in combination with a mouth that is speaking of evil and seeking to bring evil to pass. These are signals to others so that they will either join in an evil plan - or that they will know that they are not to interrupt as this wicked man is using his perverse mouth to bring scorn on the godly or upon godly, holy things. 3. Signals with his feet - This literally means he scrapes with his feet. In the Middle East this was a sign that was given from one to another - and it was used among the seamy more criminal aspects of society. This is clearly a sign used by the wicked so that others will join with them in some evil plot. 4. Points with his fingers - Again a reference to a sign used for no good. These are all the kind of things that are used by someone who is planning trouble. The idea here is that this wicked, worthless man is up to something. These things are done for some wicked purpose. 5. He continually devises evil - This guy is always thinking of some scheme or some way to do his evil - or walk in some kind of evil plan of his own making. Note also that this is done with "perversity in his heart." This guy is always in to perverting situations, perverting people, or as I've seen in some - speaking of something perverse at all times. 6. Spreads strife - He is sending out strife - causing serious problems for people in how they relate to one another. Wherever he goes - there seems to be relational problems that follow after him. Paul warns us to stay away from a factious man - a man who spreads strife like this. The mark of the sons of God is that we are peacemakers - not peace-destroyers. I feel the need to offer a note at this point. Twice in this passage it is said that the wicked are perverse. There is a tendency among Christians, and it is a trap I've fallen into as well, to be tiptoeing around the edges of perversity in their speech. It is unfortunately gaining more acceptance for a believer to have a more perverse mouth. This is true even in pulpits. This is not a good thing - but something that we need to gain control of individually in our lives. Our society is getting more and more coarse in how they speak. We in the church honestly do not need to follow suit by staying a few steps behind them (so that we are not as bad as they are in how we speak). We should be those who shun perversity in our lifestyles, in our actions, and in our speaking. A wise principle to follow in this is to seek to imitate God's speech - so that holiness is our goal rather than just being better than the world around us. What happens to the worthless/wicked man? Well, it might surprise you to see that God does not promise that the moment he does these things he will be judged. There may be a period of time where he may even prosper. We learn from Psalm 73 that at times the godly may struggle because this is so. But just like we learned from this Psalm, we will learn here in Proverbs that trouble and calamity is coming. What happens to the wicked man is that calamity comes suddenly upon him. He may continue in his rebellion for years thinking that everything is fine. He may even come to the false conclusion that God does not see his evil - or is unable to stop him in it. Nothing is further from the truth. What is happening is that this man is storing up wrath for himself - that will be revealed one day when his calamity comes. When it does come - it will be devastating and will be in keeping with the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. We learn here that in an instant this wicked/worthless man is going to be broken. Jesus spoke of how men can either fall on the Rock and be broken before God - or - one day that Rock will fall upon them. On that fateful day they will not be just broken, they will be crushed. Here we read that this instant breaking will be one from which this worthless/wicked man cannot be healed. He will face destruction that will bring terror to him. Saints of God, know this for certain. The wicked will continue to act wickedly, the godless will continue to be godless, and the judgment of God will continue to build until its breaking point. The reason I say this is because God said this after revealing Himself in one of the most terrifying books in the Bible. Revelation 22 closes the book with a terrifying warning. After men have read about the judgment of God - after they have read of a day where earth and heaven will flee from God in all of His glory as He is revealed in His mighty, terrifying judgments, God has something important to say. After all of this - John knows by the Spirit of God most will continue in their wickedness. They will not heed the words of warning given in this Revelation of Jesus Christ. So he says these words which he hears from the angel of the Lord, "And he said to me, 'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.'" Revelation 22:10-12, NASB The worthless/wicked man will continue in his perversity. He will continue to speak his perverse words, make his perverse plans, create strife with his perverse ways. But there will be a moment - an instant when the judgment of God and the punishment due for his words, plans, and actions will come suddenly. So let us, unlike those to whom Revelation 22:10-12 is addressed. Let us take heed - and order our ways so that the reward we receive is the one given for those who are good and faithful servants of the Lord who shun perversity, perverse words, perverse plans, and a perverse lifestyle. How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest"— 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man. Proverbs 6:9-11
Everyone needs sleep to be able to function in life. If you don't think this is true - try going without sleep for a few days. But there is a problem that comes with too much sleep. Too much sleep leads to laziness. That is the problem that is pointed out in these 3 verses of Proverbs. The question is put to the sluggard, "How long will you lie down?" The writer of Proverbs asks when he is going to rise from sleeping. Here is the problem - we have a man who is more interested in sleeping than in getting up and doing something. There is not an illness involved here. Neither is there a situation where someone has been up all night working or dealing with a child. This is simply a man who does not want to get out of bed. He doesn't want to do this because he is lazy. It is good to have a routine for yourself that includes a time when you are going to wake up in the morning. For the vast majority of us who have jobs - this problem is solved by our employer, who expects us to show up for work each day when he dictates. We have a choice to sleep in . . . it is just that this choice also involves not having a job, food, a place to live - you get what I'm saying. Because of this fact of life - we wake up and get out of bed. If you want to rear a child well - you will also teach your child to get up and get out of bed as well. For this reason it is good for your child to have a job - even if it is one that is around home. I remember hearing a story about a farmer who taught his children to wake up and get working on the farm. His sons were with him in the corn early one morning when a neighbor commented about this practice. His comment was that he sure was working his boys hard to raise corn. I love the comment the farmer gave in return. He said, "Sir, I'm not raising corn - I'm raising sons." What a wonderful statement. We teach our children to wake up and get going each day because we want to train them and teach them how to live in this world. It would be far wiser for them to learn this lesson young and maintain it throughout life - than to learn it only because necessity demands it when they get a job. When we leave it to necessity to educate them - they often learn the hard way. They also resent having their laziness interrupted with something so harsh as . . . reality. Sleep is not the real problem here. It is what comes with too much sleep. There is sleep and slumber that is perfectly fine. If we go to bed on time - we can get plenty of sleep every night. Our problem usually is discerning between a regular night in life - and one that is special. I know some will scoff at this - but it is also wise to teach children (and some adults as well) the difference between a school night - and a weekend or vacation night. For big people reading this - that can also be said this way. We need to discern the difference between a night when we have responsibilities the next day - and one where we do not. Our problem is that we not only sleep and slumber - but we also get the idea that we can fold our hands and not work. When we decide that we don't have to be diligent - we don't have to be hard working - we don't have to be our best for work and our employer each day - we are making a big mistake. The Scriptures teach us that God desires us to work hard - as if we are working for Him. When it is time to work - God wants us to work. This folding of the hands to rest is a picture of a man who values sleep and rest far more than he does hard work. This may sound fine to most - but God made it clear to us from the Law that for six days we are to labor and do our work. Work was not a part of the Fall of man into sin. Work is something God had Adam do in the garden. When we don't work there will be troubles and problems for us in life. First, we won't earn money with which to pay for food and other living items. Second, if we have a job and don't work hard - we will eventually lose that job. Finally, God calls us to work - and when we don't we often find ourselves doing things that we will regret later. Too much free time - plays right into the hands of the devil. I believe the old phrase is, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop." No work and all sleep makes Johnny a sinful boy. When we don't work something is coming - and it would be wise if we were warned of what that is. Poverty is coming if you don't wake up and work hard. The warning here from Solomon is that poverty is coming to us. Two descriptions of how poverty is coming are given to us to warn us that this visitor is not welcome in our lives. First, poverty is coming in like a "vagabond." The word here means one who walks back and forth on a highway - and it referred to a highwayman. These were people who walked about on the highways and roads who desired to rob those passing on the road. They were thieves and robbers. Thus what Solomon is saying here is that poverty is going to come upon you like a thief hiding near the road. He will rise up suddenly and attack. Usually this comes without a lot of warning. That is the way it is for the sluggard who loves his sleep. He thinks everything is fine - and then suddenly poverty hits him without him being ready for it. The second picture Solomon uses here to describe how poverty is coming is that of an "armed man." What is fascinating about this word is that it actually refers to a man with a shield, and the same word is used of the protective scales of a crocodile. Most commentators figure that this refers to an armed man with shield and with a sword. This one comes upon you for the purpose of taking what you have. I take a different tack on this word. I think it refers to how hard it is to get out of poverty - especially a poverty caused by laziness, lack of discipline, and being a sluggard. You can try to fight a man with a shield - but it is difficult. He is going to be able to ward off all your attempts to harm him. He will prevail more than once - so you have to be wise and fight hard to vanquish him. When a man is lazy and in poverty - he is hit with the proverbial double-whammy. He not only is poor, he is poor and unwilling to work hard to get out of poverty. All of the stories I've heard about those overcoming poverty had to do with those who worked hard to do so. I can't ever remember one where the man or woman slept in every day and barely worked when they did apply themselves. Laziness is a difficult thing to overcome. Someone who loves their sleep does not train easily. They want to relax and NOT work. Thus they face a very daunting future. They don't want to work - but they do want to eat. They don't want to apply themselves - but they do want the stuff that comes from applying yourself. Unfortunately, our government often gives no incentive to get out of this state as they offer welfare programs and far more incentive NOT to work than TO work. Welfare to those who are just lazy is not a help - it hurts them and society as well. Those truly in need can and should be helped by society - but we've gone well beyond that in our nation. We've subsidized far too much laziness and lack of discipline. That is why our growing socialism, and the laziness it encourages by punishing the successful and rewarding those who stick their hand out to the government, is going to receive a visit from these verses one day. One day even nations will be visited by the highwayman and the man with the shield. Unless we encourage work - hard work - and things like industry and frugality and discipline - we will continue to destroy the work ethic in our country. When that work is completed, we will have put the finishing touches on a sleep-loving, work-hating society. Oh, may God give us wisdom to wake up, work hard, make wise financial choices, and honor Him in it all. May He have mercy on our country and help us to see that laziness, self-indulgence, and the thought that our government owes us a living are not helping us - these things are destroying us. Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor. Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids; Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter's hand And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. Proverbs 6:3-5
Evidently the Bible's view of being surety for someone else is pretty serious stuff. When you read these three verses, you get the idea that surety is something horrific that we need to avoid at all costs. If we have done it - the counsel here is to do whatever we need to do to get out of that situation. Why is this so serious an issue to God? First of all surety means that you have guaranteed the debt of another person. When you do this, you are doin it at the peril of your own possessions. Most often a person does not seek surety unless they are not able to get normal credit. The only way they can get money is for someone else to guarantee that it will be repaid. Therefore you have a difficult situation that you face. First of all the person you have just guaranteed is not that solvent. They may NOT be able to repay their debt. If that is the case, then the bank, company, or individual who gave the loan has the ability to come after you. You have guaranteed that someone else will be responsible - and have done so at the risk of your good name - not to mention your goods themselves. No repayment - they come after your stuff - and have every right to it. The second problem with surety is that it does not encourage responsiblity in the one who got the loan in the first place. It's not as if he or his reputation is really on the line. If he goes bankrupt its no big deal. There is a person behind him who has deeper pockets who will take care of things. Thus, the person doesn't even have all that much reason to be responsible and show good character in the process. Thus you are placing your good name and your "responsibility" in the hands of someone else. This is not a wise thing to do. The Bible's counsel is to not be willing to be surety for anyone! What is the counsel here for when you find yourself having made the unwise decision to be surety for someone else? When you find that you've made the bad decision to be surety for someone else - the Bible tells you to deliver yourself from that situation. This word is a strong one - because it speaks of being delivered from the power of someone else. It has the idea of someone having much power over you - and is used with things like being in the power of an enemy - or even death. Surety places us in the power of someone else. They now have power over our reputation and our good name. God's counsel is to get out of that situation as soon as you can! Solomon tells us that we've come into the hand of our neighbor in this situation. Hand here means the palm of their hand. It has the picture of being at the mercy of someone else - being in their absolute power. Again the picture given to us is of being at the mercy of another. The result of this precarious situation is that you need to do two things. First, go humble yourself before your neighbor. You've made a serious mistake, and you need to go in humility to admit your mistake. This may hurt - but you really don't want someone else responsible for your financial reputation and your financial well-being. This is serious enough that you also need to importune your neighbor to deal with this. Importune has the idea of going to them and doing whatever needs to be done to get out of this situation. Let them know that you cannot remain in this situation. We honestly need to see this as God does. Many people see no harm in being surety - and yet God tells us that this is a very unwise situaiton. It is one thing to invest - another to give a loan that needs to be repaid - even another to just give someone money they need. But here we are placing our very reputation in someone else's hands. We have guaranteed something we cannot guarantee. We've said that they will be faithful to pay a debt - and have said that we will be good for the debt if they are not. This is wildly unwise - and something God is very much against. Here is another picture of how much God wants us to steer clear of financial situations like this. He tells us that not even sleep before we get ourselves out of this financial mess. Give no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. Don't even go to sleep until you've gotten yourself out of this situation. We are being told that this is a very dangerous, foolish thing we've done - and that until we've undone it - don't even sleep.When you find that you've made the bad decision to be surety for someone else - the Bible tells you to deliver yourself from that situation. This word is a strong one - because it speaks of being delivered from the power of someone else. It has the idea of someone having much power over you - and is used with things like being in the power of an enemy - or even death. Surety places us in the power of someone else. They now have power over our reputation and our good name. God's counsel is to get out of that situation as soon as you can! Solomon tells us that we've come into the hand of our neighbor in this situation. Hand here means the palm of their hand. It has the picture of being at the mercy of someone else - being in their absolute power. Again the picture given to us is of being at the mercy of another. The result of this precarious situation is that you need to do two things. First, go humble yourself before your neighbor. You've made a serious mistake, and you need to go in humility to admit your mistake. This may hurt - but you really don't want someone else responsible for your financial reputation and your financial well-being. This is serious enough that you also need to importune your neighbor to deal with this. Importune has the idea of going to them and doing whatever needs to be done to get out of this situation. Let them know that you cannot remain in this situation. We honestly need to see this as God does. Many people see no harm in being surety - and yet God tells us that this is a very unwise situaiton. It is one thing to invest - another to give a loan that needs to be repaid - even another to just give someone money they need. But here we are placing our very reputation in someone else's hands. We have guaranteed something we cannot guarantee. We've said that they will be faithful to pay a debt - and have said that we will be good for the debt if they are not. This is wildly unwise - and something God is very much against. Here is another picture of how much God wants us to steer clear of financial situations like this. He tells us that not even sleep before we get ourselves out of this financial mess. Give no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. Don't even go to sleep until you've gotten yourself out of this situation. We are being told that this is a very dangerous, foolish thing we've done - and that until we've undone it - don't even sleep. Lastly, we read of two final metaphors that help us to see how serious this situation is. We should view it like a gazelle views being in the hunter's hand. A gazelle see this as extremely dangerous - possibly fatal to be in the hand of the hunter. The hunter has no regard for the safety or the well being of the gazelle. The animal is there for the use of the hunter - and only for that purpose. Thus the hunter has no interest in the ultimate best interests of the gazelle. Thus the one in surety has someone that could honestly care less about the ultimate best interests of the one who has given their word for his debt. Thus the one who foolishly stepped into this situation needs to get out as quickly as possible. The last picture is of a bird who is in the hand of the fowler. Once again the bird is in the hand of one who wants to kill him. The fowler is interested in a meal - and the meal is the bird himself. To be in these hands is to be in hands that are very dangerous. Thus the bird should want to get our of this situation very very quickly. To do otherwise is to risk life and limb (or wing in this case). Surety is something the Word of God teaches is financial suicide. This may not register with our society all that well since we are often in the habit of making pretty foolish decisions regularly. Yet, if we want God's fullest blessing on our finances, we would be wise to heed this warning and avoid guaranteeing another's debt like we would avoid the bubonic plague. Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Proverbs 6:6
The sluggard is commanded to go look at an insect. But this particular insect, the ant, has much to teach him. The ant is a remarkable creature who exercises foresight, industry, and economy in what it does. The sluggard has none of these things. The word sluggard simply means a lazy, useless one. The interesting thing is what this laziness is associated with in Scripture. It is associated with moral failure - with getting nothing out of life - with tardiness - and with arrogance and pride. God tells the sluggard to go observe the ant, to see what the ant does. The ways of the ant are what are to be viewed - and that takes us back to her industry, her hard work, her discipline to get things done at the proper time. The sluggard is told that if he would emulate the ant - he would become wise. It would be easy for us to look at the sluggard and judge him. But before we are too hasty we might want to take a look at ourselves and see if there are any similarities. The current state of Christianity too often mirrors the sluggard. As a society we have more free time than just about any other society before us - and yet our ignorance of the Scritpures is astounding. Things like television, movies, and a thousand other pursuits dominate our lives while the work of the kingdom often languishes for workers. We approach children's and youth sports with an almost religious fervor - as well as any other activity that we can do for our children. Yet when it comes to our children being taught the things of the Lord - we yet languish again. For all our free time it is interesting to note that one of the most oft heard complaints I experience is that our families and individuals struggle with the pace and hectic nature of their lives. Maybe we too can learn a great deal from the ant and her ways? Maybe we should observe her and learn - and become wise? My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger, 2 If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth, Proverbs 6:1-2
Surety . . . this is a topic that Proverbs spends a decent amount of time discussing. We are told very clearly that we are not to become surety for anyone. But maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves. What does it mean to be "surety?" Surety is giving a pledge or a guarantee. It means we take responsibility for debt of someone else. The Bible makes is clear to us that this is not a wise thing to do. In fact, what is said here is that if we have become surety for a neighbor, or have given a pledge to pay a debt for them - that we've put ourselves in very serious danger. It is referred to as being caught in a snare. The snare mentioned here is one that was used to capture birds. The word figuratively means to catch a person or persons in an undesirable situation. The bait for this trap is usually a desire for something that is outside of God's will. It can be pride, a desire to please others more than pleasing God, or any number of other things, but whatever it is, it lures us into a trap. Why is this a trap though? Surety is a trap because we are putting ourselves into a position where we are guaranteeing the actions and character of someone else. If they do not pay - we are on the hook for whatever they don't do. Thus, with a promise or a simple signing of our name on a dotted line, we've placed ourselves in bondage for someone else's debt and responsibility. That is not wise - because we have our reputation on the line until that debt is paid. No wonder God says for us to stay clear of situations where we place ourselves as surety for someone else. It puts us into an unnecessary jeopardy regarding our reputation - and because we are seen as representatives of God - His as well. There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Proverbs 6:16
God hates things? This seems so strange to some people who do not know God's holiness and justice. Their view of God is of a loving, tolerant, indulgent father who would never do anything mean - and certainly does not hate anyone or anything - except maybe what they hate. The Bible teaches differently than this. Note here that Jehovah speaks of six "things" which He hates. The word for hate here is "sane" which means to hate, detest, to dislike or be hostile to something or someone - to loathe. Wow, that's a strong word isn't it. The thought that God actually hates and loathes something may be new to you - but let's go on to see just what it is that He loathes and hates. Next we read that there are not just six - but seven things which are an abomination to Him. Abomination is "toebah" and means something patently offensive - something which God loathes and dislikes to the extreme. In the Old Testament this word applies to such things like idolatry, child sacrifice, intermarriage by Israel with the wicked nations around them, the false religious activities of the wicked, and homosexuality. God is holy and is completely separate from sin and wickedness. We must grasp His essential nature of holiness or such passages as these will not make any sense to us. More than this they will tend to offend us - if we do not grasp the truth of God's nature and that things sinful are offensive to Him. Wisdom is realizing that though God is love - He is also a holy God who hates sin. Those who fail to consider God's holiness and hold fast only to a nature of love wind up justifying and accepting sin in the end. I know that it is difficult to consider and think of God in this way - as a God Who is angry - to the point of hate and considering things an abomination. Yet doing this can be very helpful to us. It will help us in the area of seeing sin as utterly sinful - and seeing outright rebellion and perversion of what God desires as very dangerous. Remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is a good thing to look at certain sins and just simply be scared of committing them - because we know our holy God hates them intensely. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelids. Proverbs 6:25
Yesterday we looked at how the prostitute and adulterous woman catches men with her words, today, well look at how she catches them with her eyes and beauty. Let me start by saying that God made women to be beautiful - and so that men would be attracted to them. Women are different from men - and viva la difference! BUT . . . to lust after beauty is sin. That is why the adulterous woman has power to affect the thoughts, desires, and actions of men who are not careful. The wise man warns us not to desire the beauty of the adulteress! The word for desire here means to lust, to covet, to desire passionately. It has the idea of something intense. Seeing a beautiul woman and acknowledging she is beautiful is one thing - but when our look and heart turns lustful - things can become dangerous. From yesterday we saw how an adulteress lures men in with her words. That is repeated for us in verse 24 again here - but now the adulteress does more with her beauty and her eyes. The fool is the man who does not short-circuit lust from his heart. This man is speaking with the adulteress - and with her words fresh in his foolish mind - he now turns to her beauty and begins to have stronger desires for her that pollute his heart. This brings him to the point of seeing her in his heart - and desiring that beauty - which cannot be done in holiness. Next she uses her eyelids to capture him. What a frightening phrase is used here! She uses her eyelids like a rat trap - and when a guy is draw to and begins to stare at her eyes - she snaps the trap shut with another fool. Men - our world is filled with lustful images. We live in a highly charged sexually minded society. It is all around us. That is why we have to be extra careful in how we interact with women. That is why we need to be wise and resist looking at a woman wrongly. If we do - we will face inevitable consequences - which if we entertain them long enough - may even result in adultery and the destruction of our families. Take great caution and be ready to run. As the Proverbs tell us - also be delighted in your wife - and in her alone. It is a dangerous world in which we live when it comes to man/woman relationships. Protect yourself by being focused on your wife. The alternative may promise a few moments of pleasure - but then again - so does the cheese for the mouse - until the trap springs and his neck is broken. For on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread, And an adulteress hunts for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched? So is the one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her will not go unpunished. Proverbs 6:26-29
Here we have the "harlot" described for us in very expressive language. Interesting that we don't even call sexually immoral women harlots any longer - but the term is what God uses to describe a woman who has sexual relations with men - and is not married to them. Harlot is the word "zanah" and it means to commit fornication, another word we've left behind in our enlightenment - or should we say, "endarkenment." This word is used to describe anything from adultery and prostitution to fornication and unfaithfulness. It is the word used for the women involved in sexual immorality, and that is what it refers to in this passage. Let's take a closer look at how she is described. 1. She reduces you to a loaf of bread . . . This was the price of a prostitute. What God intended to be a beautiful thing in the sexual relationship between a man and a woman has now been reduced to giving someone a loaf of bread for sex. What a sad picture of how high we fall. 2. She hunts for the precious life . . . The adulteress hunts for our very lives. Too often we see sexual things in our lives without this revelation. We would think twice about illicit sex if we grasped that we were not being seduced - we were being hunted for the kill. 3. Hugging fire . . . The harlot wants us to think of her embraces. She's there to comfort us and bring us pleasure. Interesting that the Scriptures say that when we do this we're hugging fire to ourselves. The harlot promises pleasurable embraces - but would we think of them this way if we were getting ready to hug a burning log to our chests with the result that we'd be badly burned? 4. Burned clothes . . . The result of embracing the harlot is to be physically burned - and what would be burned is our clothes first of all. All affairs seek secrecy. We don't want any trace of our indiscretions leaving any evidence. But in a day when a person had very few changes of clothes - we are told doing this is like embracing fire while thinking your clothes won't be burned. The fact is there is evidence - and just like burned clothes - their will be proof of our unfaithfulness. 5. Walking on hot coals . . . The harlot wants us to think that we can walk into her bedroom without harming ourselves. Yet the Scriptures tell us that doing so is like walking on hot coals and thinking we won't burn our feet. Our "walk" is going to be extremely hindered! That is the result of sexual immorality. We get burned - and that burning severely hinders our ability to walk with the Lord - and sometimes walk much at all. Imagine being laid up for weeks with feet scorched and blistered. Those caught in adultery not only hinder their walk with God - for many it is even painful to walk outside among people because of the stigma attached to their actions. Think first about this - before visiting the harlot. The conclusion to this is a warning - so is the one who has sex with his neighbor's wife! All these pictures - and they are graphic pictures indeed - are what we'll get for a few moments of stolen pleasure. Just seeing these things by themselves - we'd run from the situation - but our problem is that often the pleasure promised - and our blindness to the situation - keep us from seeing all this. God knows that these graphic pictures will help us to see the real danger - the real harm - the real damage that will come from visiting the harlot. The warning is clear - "Whoever touches her will not go unpunished!" This word "unpunished" means to be acquitted - to be declared free, clean, or pure. The one who visits and uses the harlot will not enjoy these things. There will be punishment for adultery - and that punishment is sure. Ours is a visual society . . . and that in itself is often why we get in trouble. The harlot used to be a physical woman alone - and not images we see on billboards, in magazines, and in movies and television shows. But thanks be to God that in His battle against sin He has given us pictures - graphic portrayals that get our attention. He does so to remind us of the dangers of sexual sin. May we see the pictures - be horrified at what they show us - and turn from the harlot at every opportunity for sin. |
Proverb a DayEach day, we'll take a look at a verse from the chapter of Proverbs for the day. Our hope is to gain wisdom each day - and from that wisdom - to have understanding to make godly decisions in the throes of everyday life. Thank you for visiting our website! Everything on this site is offered for free. If, however, you would like to make a donation to help pay for its continued presence on the internet, you can do that by clicking here. The only thing we ask is that you give first to the local church you attend. Thank you!
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