PROVERBS LESSON 8


    We will begin this lesson in Proverbs 7:1 "My son, keep my words,
and lay up my commandments with thee." Proverbs 7:2 "Keep my
commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye."

    Again, we see here the father's love for the son in teaching him
the ways of righteousness. It is just as important to remember them as
it is to learn them. Learning what we never use is of no use to us.
Learning of commandments that keep us out of trouble will also save
our life. An apple is a beautiful sight in the eye of the receiver.
Those who live godly lives are also beautiful in the eyes of the Lord.

    Proverbs 7:3 "Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the
table of thine heart."

    In Israel, it is not uncommon to write the ten commandments on
tablets and wear them like rings on their fingers. The tables of our
heart are the very place for all of God's laws to be. The world might
do away with our Bibles, but they could not do away with the things we
have hidden in our heart.

    Proverbs 7:4 "Say unto wisdom, Thou [art] my sister; and call
understanding [thy] kinswoman:"

    Wisdom should become part of our very being. We have said before
that wisdom is a gift of God to us and is in our inner most being.
Understanding and wisdom go hand in hand.  If we are wise, we have
understanding.

    Proverbs 7:5 "That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from
the stranger [which] flattereth with her words."

    This is a repeat of what we have been reading about the whorish
woman. Perhaps the reason this is mentioned so many times is so that
the young men will clearly remember these instructions.

    Proverbs 7:6  "For at the window of my house I looked through my
casement," Proverbs 7:7 "And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned
among the youths, a young man void of understanding," Proverbs 7:8
"Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to
her house," Proverbs 7:9 "In the twilight, in the evening, in the
black and dark night:"

    We see a picture here of someone observing from their window a
young man who is not filled with the wisdom that we have been reading
about, but a man who has no wisdom and understanding. He is a foolish
man, spoken of as a simple man here (perhaps unlearned). He has not
heeded the warnings about the harlot woman and he goes into her house.
Notice he believes that he is hidden by the darkness of the night.
Many sins are committed in the dark and regretted in the light.

    Proverbs 7:10 "And, behold, there met him a woman [with] the
attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart."

    You ladies take note. There is a way to dress that would appear to
be the dress of an harlot. This Scripture does not describe it for us,
but most of us know what it looks like. It is way too short, and very
tight so that her form would show. The neck would be cut low as to
show her bosom. Very little would be left to the imagination. She
would be wearing way too much makeup and have flashy jewelry hanging
all over her. A pretty good description, wouldn't you say?  Now let us
stop looking at her attire and look at her.

    Proverbs 7:11 "(She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in
her house:" Proverbs 7:12 "Now [is she] without, now in the streets,
and lieth in wait at every corner.)"

    In other words she is a pick-up off the street.

    Proverbs 7:13 "So she caught him, and kissed him, [and] with an
impudent face said unto him," Proverbs 7:14 "[I have] peace offerings
with me; this day have I payed my vows."  Proverbs 7:15 "Therefore
came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have
found thee."

    We see here a very forward woman. This open display of her lust
for him in kissing him in public is revolting. These peace offerings
should not be involved in this type of rendezvous. Peace offerings
were offered in the temple and a portion brought home to eat in a
ceremonial supper, but not used as a bribe to get a man.

    Proverbs 7:16 "I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry,
with carved [works], with fine linen of Egypt."  Proverbs 7:17 "I have
perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon." Proverbs 7:18 "Come,
let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace
ourselves with loves."

     We see here a woman who planned ahead to sin. She had already
 prepared her bed before she ever saw this young foolish man. This is
 a way of life with her. Her sleeping arrangements would have cost her
 a lot of money to prepare. This linen of Egypt symbolizes
 righteousness of the world which is filthy rags. Linen=righteousness.
 Egypt = world. This myrrh was expensive perfume which was ordinarily
 for the wedding bed. Love and lust have been exchanged here. No love
 exists, this is pure lust. The first thing that is wrong with this is
 that they are not married to each other.

    Proverbs 7:19 "For the goodman [is] not at home, he is gone a long
journey:" Proverbs 7:20 "He hath taken a bag of money with him, [and]
will come home at the day appointed."  Proverbs 7:21 "With her much
fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips
she forced him."

    In a previous lesson, the young men were warned about not
listening to this kind of woman with her flattering lips. Now we see
in detail how she flatters and then convinces this foolish young man
to come in unto her.  She first says, "I am here by myself; my husband
has gone and won't be back till he spends all of that money he took
with him". He finally gives in to her flattering and goes in unto her.

    Proverbs 7:22 "He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to
the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;"

    An ox has no idea that he is going to be killed, until it actually
happens. This is the way of this foolish man here. He cannot see the
destruction that lies ahead.

    Proverbs 7:23 "Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird
hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it [is] for his life."

    This has been the plot all along, to lure him as a bird is lured
into a net and then killed. All the while he has no idea of the plot
to kill him.

    Proverbs 7:24  "Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and
attend to the words of my mouth."

    Here, again, is a warning not to go in unto a harlot.

    Proverbs 7:25 "Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not
astray in her paths."

    A wise heart would not fall into this trap. This is just a warning
to stay away from this evil woman. You would have to decline to get to
her, for her place is in hell.

    Proverbs 7:26 "For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many
strong [men] have been slain by her." Proverbs 7:27 "Her house [is]
the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death."

    Paid adulteresses have ruined many lives. There are many men whose
lives have been totally destroyed by visiting this type woman. There
is no heavenly home for these women or the men they trick unless they
repent and turn from their wicked ways. Death and destruction await
her and her victims.















                         Proverbs 8 Questions

1.  In verse 2, what is to be kept as the apple of his eye?
2.  How can we see the father's love for the son?
3.  What is this that is to be bound to the fingers?
4.  Where is the most important place to put the commandments of God?
5.  What are we to call understanding that shows how close it should
    be to us?
6.  What is meant by strange woman?
7.  What was seen through the window of his house?
8.  This young man was void of what?
9.  Why did the young man go, as it was getting dark, to this place?
10. What teaching has this young man forgotten?
11. Who met the young man?
12. How was she dressed?
13. Describe how you feel a harlot would be dressed.
14. Not her dress, but her own character gave a picture of her as
    well. Describe her.
15. What was the first thing she did when she saw him?
16. Tell what the fine linen and Egypt are symbolic of.
17. How do we know that this woman planned ahead to sin?
18. Where does she say her husband is?
19. How had she forced this young man to go into her home?
20. How is this young man compared to an ox?
21. What has been this evil woman's plot all along?
22. In verse 24 and 25, what warning is repeated?
23. Who have already been slain by her?
24. What 2 things await this evil woman and her victims?