Proverbs 7
King James Version
The Strange Woman
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
This chapter dramatically illustrates the seducing power of false teaching,as is illustrated here by the figure of a treacherous wife,who,in the absence of her husband,allures a youth to do evil.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
The Bible is the Word of God,and,therefore contains the only teaching that leads to life. The phrase”apple of your eye”presents the pupil of your eye”which is very tender and delicate. The implication is that we should treat the Bible as we do this sensitive part of the body.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
The implication is that the Bible should be used by all Christians with the same frequency that they use their fingers.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
The terms”my sister”and “your kinswoman”refer to very close relatives;the implication is that we should treat the Bible as much part of our family as our own blood relatives.
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
“Strange woman,”in the Hebrew refers to an Israelite woman gone over to idolatrous impurities of heathen religion.”The stranger refers to a purely foreign woman,who does not worship Israels God,and is,in fact a worshipper of heathenistic idols. Both represent false doctrine.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
The”young man” void of understanding”does not refer to one who is young in age;but one who is young in the Word of God.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
This “woman”is the “strange woman” or the stranger of vs 5. This young man having precious little knowledge of the Bible,does not recognize what he sees,which is the case of many modern Christians.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
Loud and stubborn refer to the tenacity and insistence of the peddler of false doctrine.
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
The sense of this verse is that there is no place in this world that is safe from this”strange woman”except the”secret place of the “Most High”which is Christ and the Cross(Psalm 91:1,1Corinthians 1:23)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
So many have been “caught” by this “strange woman”she will treat her”devotees”very kindly,putting on an”impudent face”,which means a friendly ,confident and sincere face,it is appealing and many fall for it.
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
**In this verse is the key to the deception. This “strange woman”mentions “peace offerings” but no “Burnt offerings” The “Burnt Offering”signified Calvary,which alone could guarantee”Peace with God” In effect,this “strange woman”claims she can have “Peace with God”without Calvary,hence no mention of a Burnt Offering. The starting point of all false doctrine is an improper understanding of the Cross.*******
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
The purveyors of false doctrine,which mean they are false apostles and thereby Satans ministers(1Corinth 11:12-15)are always diligent to seek out those who are ignorant of the Word of God
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
To get in “bed”with false apostles is the general idea.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
The description given here is very similar to that given in Psalms 45:8. The description in Psalms is of Christ;hence,this”strange woman”claims to present Christ. However,it is a Christ without Calvary,which means it is “another Jesus”.(2Corinth 11:4)
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
*****In these false doctrines”love”is usually the center stage.The word “loves” is also used because it is plural,going in many directions,and seeking many affections. The Love of God is pure and singular.****
Rosemary speaking…WOW,WOW,WOW-This is revealing and profound(reformed,Universal churches use this ideology all the time)
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
The”Goodman”is the same as the Watchman or the Master;he should be “earnestly contending for the Faith”(Jude vs.3)but in fact,other things demand his attention;how sadly true of so many Modern preachers.
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
The things of this world demand the time and the attention of the “Goodman”and he,therefore,neglects his true calling(2Timothy 2:4)
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
False doctrine is so subtle. It’s appeal is tantalizing,and its power is strong,because its the power of Satan.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
The statement given here by the Holy Spirit is clear;even though the promises of false doctrine and false apostles are tantalizing,there only conclusion will be”slaughter”; those who follow them become “a fool”.
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
The analogy is compelling. No matter how wonderful the false doctrine sounds,it is not “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified”,the end result will be death.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
The implication should be clear.The”children” are those who are the true followers of the Lord;irrespective,they are not immune.. In fact,they are the very ones whom the “strange woman”seeks after.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
The warning is clear.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
This”strange woman”has been extremely successful in her bid from the souls of men. Many mighty ones have gone down before her wiles.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
There is nothing worse than a false way of salvation.This”strange woman”pictures all such false ways. to make it easy to understand,”false ways”pertain to any way that is not”Jesus Christ and Him Crucified”(1Corinthinans 1:23)
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