Opening Up Proverbs (Session 6)

Sexual Wisdom

1. Sex education takes place in the home (5:1-4; 6:20-24; 7:1-5)

Proverbs 5:1–4 ESV

1 My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, 2 that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. 3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, 4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Proverbs 5:1–4 ESV

1 My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, 2 that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. 3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, 4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Proverbs 6:20–24 ESV

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. 21 Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. 22 When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, 24 to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

Proverbs 7:1–5 ESV

1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, 5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

2. The adulteress can destroy you (7:6-23)

a) The prey (vs. 6-9)

Proverbs 7:6–9 ESV

6 For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, 7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, 8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.

Prov

b) The huntress and her tactics (vs. 10-20)

i) She besieges every sense (vs. 10-17)

Proverbs 7:10–17 ESV

10 And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. 11 She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; 12 now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait. 13 She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him, 14 “I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; 15 so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. 16 I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen; 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

ii) She lures you with promises of the ultimate in sensual exhilaration (vs. 16, 18)

,

Proverbs 7:16 ESV

16 I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen;

Proverbs 7:18 ESV

18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.

iii) She overcomes your doubts and fears (vs. 19-20)

Proverbs 7:19–20 ESV

19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; 20 he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.”

iv) The kill (vs. 21-23)

Proverbs 7:21–23 ESV

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. 22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.

3) Make Wisdom your first love (4:5-9; 7:4-5)

Proverbs 4:5–9 ESV

5 Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. 8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

Proverbs 7:4–5 ESV

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, 5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

a) Lady Wisdom will deliver your from immorality

b) Lady Wisdom helps you see the true nature of the seductress

c) Lady Wisdom reminds you of the deadly consequences of immorality (5:4-5, 11-12, 22-23; 6:26-35; 7:22-27)

Proverbs 5:4–5 ESV

4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol;

Proverbs 5:11–12 ESV

11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed, 12 and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!

Prov 5:

Proverbs 5:22–23 ESV

22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.

Prov

Proverbs 6:23 ESV

23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Proverbs 6:26–35 ESV

26 for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life. 27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished. 30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, 31 but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house. 32 He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. 33 He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. 35 He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

Proverbs 7:22–27 ESV

22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life. 24 And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. 25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, 26 for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. 27 Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

i) Sexual sin will affect you physically (5:9, 11; 6:34-35)

Proverbs 5:9 ESV

9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless,

Proverbs 5:11 ESV

11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed,

Proverbs 6:34–35 ESV

34 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. 35 He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

Prov

ii) Sexual sin will ruin you financially (5:10; 6:26a, 30-31; 29:3)

Proverbs 5:10 ESV

10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,

Proverbs 6:26 ESV

26 for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life.

Proverbs 6:30–31 ESV

30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, 31 but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.

Proverbs 29:3 ESV

3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

iii) Sexual sin will destroy your reputation (5:14; 6:33)

Proverbs 5:14 ESV

14 I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation.”

Proverbs 6:33 ESV

33 He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

iv) Sexual sin will break apart your family (5:16-17)

Proverbs 5:16–17 ESV

16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? 17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.

v) Your sin will find you out (6:27-29; )

Proverbs 6:27–29 ESV

27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.

d) Lady Wisdom trains you to stay far away from sexual temptation

4) Your wife can also protect you from immortality (5:15-23)

Proverbs 5:15–23 ESV

15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. 16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? 17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you. 18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, 19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. 20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? 21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. 22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.

a) Find sexual happiness with your spouse (5:15-17)

Proverbs 5:15–17 ESV

15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. 16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? 17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.

Find sexual happiness with your spouse (5:15-17)

Proverbs 5:15–17 ESV

15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. 16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? 17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.

b) Marital sex is exhilarating (5:18-19)

Marital sex is exhilarating (5:18-19)

Proverbs 5:18–19 ESV

18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, 19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.

c) Practice ‘safe sex’ (5:20-23)

Practice ‘safe sex’ (5:20-23)

Proverbs 5:20–23 ESV

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? 21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. 22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.

Some caveats

Summary

Conclusion: Christ is our true love

FOR FURTHER STUDY

1. Compare and contrast the sensual appeal of the adulteress () with the sensual delights described in the Song of Solomon.

2. How does the teaching of Proverbs about sexual purity and marriage compare with the teachings of Paul () and Jesus ()?

TO THINK ABOUT AND DISCUSS

What is the role of the family in sex education? How should parents go about teaching their children about sex (see 5:1; 6:20; 7:1)?

Opening Up Proverbs To Think about and Discuss

1. What is the role of the family in sex education? How should parents go about teaching their children about sex (see 5:1; 6:20; 7:1)?

How can Wisdom protect you from sexual immorality?

Opening Up Proverbs To Think about and Discuss

What is the role of the family in sex education? How should parents go about teaching their children about sex (see 5:1; 6:20; 7:1

What particular changes can you make in your life to win the fight for purity?

How can a spouse help guard you from sexual sin?

Why is Wisdom more important than a husband or wife?

Contrast the way in which the Bible speaks about human sexuality with the way in which sexual matters are portrayed in worldly media.