Sermon Tone Analysis

*“THE ‘/PRECIOUS/’ WOMAN!”*

*The /Precious/ Ones – Part 1 of 2*

*Proverbs 31*

*Pastor Robby Roberson*

*May 13, 2007*

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*BEGIN SERIES BY: Showing “Love Comes Softly” clip.*

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*This is one of those places where my wife says, “Isn’t he (or she) /precious/?”

For the next few weeks I want to talk about the /precious/ man and woman.

Biblically, what do they look like?*

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*It is the language of this woman.

She is called /excellent/ (ESV, NASB); /virtuous/ (KJV); /a wife of noble character/ (NIV).

“The Hebrew term used for ‘excellent’ literally means ‘strength.’

The New International Version renders this same verse, ‘A wife of noble character, who can find?’

As the question implies, such a woman is rare – and priceless too! ‘For her worth is far above jewels,’ the author concludes (v.

10b)!

Let’s hole this precious gem up to the light and note the different facets that make her a woman worthy of praise” (Charles Swindoll, /Selected Studies from Proverbs/, pg.

84).

She is like a /precious/ stone.

“Ruth is the only woman in the Old Testament who is called ‘a virtuous woman’” (Phillips, /Exploring Proverbs, Vol.

Two/, pg.

595 – see Ruth 3:11)!*

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*1.  **HER SPIRITUALITY.*

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*She is someone who has /spirituality/ (v. 2 – vows).

She is a “godly, dedicated woman who brings honor to God and joy to her family” (Warren Wiersbe, /Libronix/).*

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*Further, she is one who gives that spirituality away (v. 1 – taught).

She gives instruction to her child.

Here “the king’s mother is teaching her son to obey the Word of God.

Some students thing that ‘King Lemuel’ is actually King Solomon, but we have no proof of this.

The most important ministry mothers and fathers have is the spiritual training of their children (see 2 Tim.

1:5; 3:15).

The mother boldly warns Lemuel of some of the dangers he will face in life…happy is that person who had a God-fearing mother who warned about sin, and happier is the person who heeded her warnings” (Wiersbe, /Ibid/ - illus.

Susanna Wesley).*

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*She uses her home for instruction because, as one scribe says it, “the home is the bastion of the nation.

As the home is, so is the homeland” (John Phillips, /Exploring Proverbs, Vol.

Two/, pg.

586).*

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·        *INSTRUCTION ABOUT WOMEN.*

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*This is a warning about sinful companions.

Knowing that the King would have women available at every turn – his mother warned him of how the wrong women would render him /powerless/ (3a) and bring him to /ruin/ (3b).*

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*If this was Solomon then Bathsheba knew from personal experience the devastation of the wrong woman (or man) in the life of follower of Jehovah God (result: adultery, murder, death (of the baby), Joab’s knowledge over the years)!

“The price had been too high” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

588)!

Also, “there can be little doubt that Bathsheba had David’s harem in mind when she warned Solomon about women…she knew what a harem meant for the women: jealousy, intrigue, spitefulness, and resentment.

And she knew what a harem meant for the king: it deteriorated his character and threatened his throne.

She coveted better things for Solomon” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

590).*

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*“We do not need much imagination to know what she vowed when Solomon was born.

She vowed that, God helping her, she would live in the spirit of David’s penitential Psalms and do all that a mother could do to bring up her son to know, love, and serve the Lord, the God of all grace” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

589).

An example of a mother who surely gave this kind of instruction was Joseph’s mother!*

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*By the way, if this was Solomon – he did not listen to his mother’s instruction (see Phillips – pg.

595-596)!*

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·        *INSTRUCTION ABOUT WINE.*

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*Those who are royalty and who represent the kingdom should avoid alcohol.

“It is bad enough for an ordinary person to get drunk and make a fool of himself.

It is even worse for a person in authority to get drunk because he is setting a bad example and because he might, while under the influence of alcohol, make a serious mistake that affects the whole country.

A drunkard loses all sense of proportion and has no sense of what is right and wrong” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

590).

Two pertinent examples are Noah (Gen.

9:20-27) and Lot (Gen.

19:30-38).

Bathsheba “may have had many long talks with Abigail, who had once lived with a drunken husband (1 Sam.

25:36)” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

591).*

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*Obviously, alcohol produces a /delusional/ state (31:6-7).

It is the “image of people trying to drown their problems and sorrows in drink…all they do is add drunkenness to their other troubles” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

591).

This is NOT a recommendation to a free beer program it is simply the point that the king must avoid drunkenness in order to reign properly.*

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*Drinking causes people to do foolish things.

It corrodes morals.

It destroys lives.

Fullness of alcohol is the devil’s substitute to the fullness of the Spirit!

Those who are full of the Spirit have no need of the substitute!*

*An example of a mother who surely gave this kind of instruction was Daniel’s mother!*

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·        *INSTRUCTION ABOUT WORDS.*

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*One with influence should use his words for the benefit of others.

“A king should use his power to /be an advocate for those who cannot speak up for themselves/” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

592).

Notice the redundancy: /speak up; speak up/! Oh, my friend, Jesus did this!

Moses’ mother would be an example of someone who did this (Exodus 2:11ff.).*

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*2.  **HER LOYALTY.*

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*Now this /precious/ woman is “set against the background of marriage” (Swindoll, /Ibid/, pg.

86).*

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·        *HER TRUSTWORTHINESS (v.

11a).*

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*“She maintains her husband’s confidence.

Because of her godly character, her husband trusts in her.

He has confidence in her believes in her, and values her judgment.

He can be transparent with her, not having to hide his hopes and disappointments, strengths or weaknesses” (Swindoll, /Ibid/, pg.

86).*

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·        *HER RESPONSIVENESS (v.

11b).*

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*“She meets her husband’s needs…she supports and encourages her husband.

She believes in him and builds him up.

Rather than using his vulnerabilities against him, she approaches them with sensitivity and gently helps him grow” (Swindoll, /Ibid/, pg.

86).*

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·        *HER BLESSEDNESS (v.

12).*

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*“Some wives do evil to their husband by needling them with critical remarks or manipulating them to get their way.

History’s first wife, Eve, gave Adam the fruit forbidden by God; Solomon’s idol-worshiping wives stole his heart away from God; and the woman who symbolizes feminine treachery, Jezebel, assisted Ahab in all kinds of evil” (Swindoll, /Ibid/, pg.

87).

Mrs. Lot would be another example of this.*

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*When it comes to this /precious/ woman she is an exhilarating and exalting thing in his life:*

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*/“A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband” /(Proverbs 12:4).*

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*3.  **HER INDUSTRY (vv.

13-22).*

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*“This priceless woman is a worker.

Whether it be sewing or cooking, taking care of the children or assisting her husband in family business, she is faithfully doing her share.

Note that she works willingly (v.

13); it is not a matter of compulsion but compassion” (Wiersbe, /Ibid/).

She is diligent (vv.

13, 17-18a).

“Diligence is more than just using sheer physical energy to finish a task.

It is a determination of the will, a commitment to stay at something until it is done and done right.

Not only does the praise-worthy woman possess this diligent quality, she adds grace and good humor to it with a delightful attitude” (Swindoll, /Ibid/, pg.

85).

“The ideal wife is no idler” (Phillips, /Ibid/, pg.

597).*

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*“This ideal woman does not spend the morning in bed; she is up early to do her tasks (v.

15) and, if necessary, she stays up late at night (v.