Be warned young man.

Introduction:

Have you ever come to a place in your life where you wish that you had just been warned so that you would not end up in the predicament you are in? Years ago when we were living in Dalmeny, a friend of mine who owned a business needed to get to work in the morning. The problem was that it was so foggy you could hardly see 10 feet in front you. Highway hotline warned drivers to wait before hitting the road. He did not heed that warning and and not 10 minutes later after setting out he runs into the back of another vehicle that was stopped on the side of the road. I remember how he wished that someone would have gotten in the ditch 100’ back to wave and warn to slow down and stop.

Thank God no one was seriously hurt but he was warned and didn’t obey because he knew better. This is often our problem isn’t it? We hear a warning, we lean on our own understanding and when trouble comes we tend to look somewhere else to blame. Let us not be that kind of person but rather let us be wise and hear the warnings given to us by God and obey the commands of the Lord which are given for our good and safety.

Today we are given a warning that is mainly directed to the son by his father about the tactics of the adulteress. Why is this important for the church today? According to Huffington Post, a website that helps arrange affairs for those who are married surveyed their members and 25% of their members are professing Christians. From Covenant Eyes which is a program that helps protect eyes from online pornography, statistics reveal that 94% of children will be exposed to graphic images by age 14. 76% of Christian young adults age 18-24 are regularly viewing porn. Pornography use increases marital infidelity 300%. This proverb serves us well to heed the warning of Solomon.

Let us be wise and hear the

Although this proverb is a warning to young men, it is applicable to each one of us and I hope to draw some of these thoughts into the message.

Point #1 - The Warning Positive.

The introduction to this proverb (1-5) is from the father - son or teacher - student. “My son...Keep my words…treasure up my commandments…keep my commandments…keep my teaching…bind them on your fingers…write them on the tablets of your heart.” What the father/teacher is instructing his son is not wishy washy fairy tales that you can do as you wish with what I teach you. No, these are commands that I expect you to obey so that you may live (2) and not die (27).

Obey what I teach you and make them like a treasure more precious than fine gold. Make them the apple of your eye, always focused on these truths, be sensitive to them. The binding and writing of (3) is to internalize these commands. Keep them forever before you that you can always see them like a purity ring on your finger, memorize these commands, take them to heart, meditate on them, remember them.

In (4) the author gives a metaphor to make wisdom like a sister and insight like an intimate friend or like a very close relative. In the Jewish culture the reference to sister was not always your sibling but was often referred to as your bride. And this makes sense in that you are to bind yourself in covenant with wisdom. Be so close to her in applying the knowledge of these commands. What for?

(5) tells us the warning. Keep wisdom so close to you “to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.” Heeding wisdom, loving wisdom, cherishing wisdom will help protect you from the dangerous woman and her seductive honey dipped tongue laced with poison. She cares nothing for the welfare of the young man, only for her lust or passion at whatever cost.

Transition: Therefore we see that dad lovingly calls his son to cherish his teachings so that he may live and not fall into the trap of the harlot.

Point #2 - The Teacher’s Experience.

As you get older, and hopefully wiser, you see patterns of life. You are able to perceive families that teach their children manners and those that don’t. You can see children that disobey end up in trouble with the law and ones that obey are like a song bird to their mother. Insight into these things give weight to the teaching, because you as the teacher have seen these things for yourself.

In like fashion, dad uses his past experiences to now pass insight into these truths to the son. (6) begins with “For” as he now transitions to giving an explanation for where a simple young man who disregards the commands will end up.

At his window, he has seen the simple or naive young people (7) and perceived the one who lacks sense. One who disregards his dad’s teaching. He leaves his friends and wanders down the streets near the corner of the prostitute and walks down her street. Now possibly he was curious about whether what people say about her is true, or what she actually does for a living, or maybe he just wanted to catch a glimpse of her to see if she was as beautiful as she was described or warned about.

Notice in (9) that this occurs in the twilight, in the evening at the time of darkness. This should bring to our minds the difference between light and darkness. It is often the cover of night that Satan does his most crafty work of deception. More than likely this forbidden woman uses the cover of darkness to hide her identity as she is a married woman but that is foolish as the father has already seen her evil intentions from afar.

Transition: The father teaches his son about the naive youth who is disregarding the commandments and thinks himself stronger than temptation. This leads him towards a web of deceit.

Point #3 - The Deception.

“And behold...” marking a new scene in this unfolding drama. This forbidden woman meets him in the street dressed in all the seductive immoral clothing of a prostitute filled with a crafty or cunning heart to do him harm. She is a loud woman to draw attention to herself and deceive this simple young lad into her clutches. Her feet do not stay at home in the darkness when noble women would be putting children to bed or keeping herself from the danger of the streets. In some ways she is likened to Lady Wisdom of chapter 8 who is loud and on the streets but their intentions and desires are polar opposites. We will discuss her next week.

This harlot is on the street (12), in the market and on every corner looking for a foolish lad to devour. And this is exactly what happens as she in (13) seizes him and kisses him and with no shame lies to the youth that she has offered her sacrifices and paid her vows. More than likely she was the wife of a rich merchant from a foreign country. Their pagan rituals were similar to Jewish sacrifices and feasts so more than likely this woman had meat that needed to be eaten so she seductively tells him that she will prepare him a feast he will never forget.

Then (15) she flatters this lad, just pouring it on thick in telling him that he is so special that it is him alone she chose of the many men to celebrate with. Then she adds how she is going to spare no expense on their good time as she has prepared her bed with all types of expensive coverings and costly perfumes and spices. This lad is about ready for the kill. He was not like Joseph in fleeing from Potiphar’s wife but he remained just loving this adoration from a woman he didn’t deserve.

(18) she now urges the young prey to come to her house and spend the night with unimaginable delight in sensual pleasure.

At this time maybe he puts up a little resistance in fearing what would happen if her husband came home and they got caught. He knew enough that that would probably be the end of him. So again with smooth words she tells him not to fear for her husband has taken a large sum of money for a business trip and won’t be home for many days. Do not fear him.

Transition: With all the warnings abandoned and natural caution thrown to the wind the foolish youth is caught in the web.

Point #4 - The Death.

With her seductive speech (21) and all her smooth answers to dispel his fear she turns his face towards her house of horrors that looks so good to the eye and pleasing to the touch. The naive lad now has moved from temptation to full blown sinfulness. (22) all at once he has left his brain in the street. The hormones are raging, every nerve is electric and what God gave for desires in marriage for the populating of the earth is exchanged for pleasure that he imagines is out of this world.

But in following her, she has led him not into a house of pleasure but to a slaughter house. He has left behind his image bearing of God and become like an animal to pursue his sexual desire. Like a ox to the slaughter, or a deer stepping into a noose or a bird caught in a snare (23) he does not know that this night will cost him his life.

As Waltke states “Stupid animals see no connection between traps and death. morally stupid people see no connection between their sin and death.”

Truly the wages of sin is death. In some instances this type of sin can lead to physical death if the jealous husband finds you out, but this is more inclined to spiritual death. Judgement before a holy God as punishment for sin in disobeying God’s law.

Transition: Therefore, the dad in knowing this wants to spare not only his one son but all his sons plural.

Point #5 - The Warning Negative.

In light of this narrative that the father has given to the son, he wants all sons all students to again listen to the words of the father/teacher and be attentive. Obey my commands and do not let your heart be turned from what I have taught you. Don’t let your curiosity get the best of you, don’t go near the door of her house for (26) she has many victims, and all her slain are a mighty throng.

She is like a valiant warrior who seduces her victims with her web of deceit and lies to draw the simpleton who refused to heed the commandments of God. Thinking that he was stronger than others, that his resistance was above others before him. He lingered near her door and got caught because he was prideful and arrogant in being wise in his own eyes leaning on his own understanding instead of trusting in the LORD with all his heart.

This disobedience led him into her house of pleasure but as (27) states is in fact the way to Sheol or hell as the KJV states, going down to the chambers of death.

Many have thought they could get away with lingering near temptation haven’t they? I have heard the horror stories of those who thought they could get close to the fire without being burned, and all of a sudden they fall into the fire. A little too much time spent with a co-worker, a family friend who showed compassion for the lonely wife who rarely received a loving touch from her husband, a little text that led to showing seductive images, watching pornography on the smart phone and justifying that it isn’t hurting anyone. The list goes on and on, but I beg you to heed the warning of Solomon to trust the LORD with all your heart and run from temptation.

Temptation will always come but listen to these words of Paul:

[12] Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. [13] No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)

Healing Ointment for your Soul.

By the power of Christ living in you, you can overcome all temptation. He loves you and provides a way every time. Let us look unto Jesus, let us in times of our struggle with temptation call upon the name of the LORD to help in our times of need.

[12] Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. [13] No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)

But we must be realistic, at times we will fall into temptation and sin against God. Is the sin of adultery too great for the mercy of God? What about pornography? Is repeated offence against God unforgivable? Many have become overwhelmed with guilt and shame. Beloved of God, as great as your sin, God’s mercy is more. He wants his best for you and this is why we are warned of the danger. But look upon the Saviour who took your shame and punishment on that Roman cross. He forgives because he loves you. He knows that Satan is a great tempter and finds our weaknesses so that he can beat us up. Jesus knows this and that makes him our great high Priest who understands you. Trust in him and his finished work. Cast your burden upon him find rest for your weary soul.

Find someone you can trust to confess your sins and hold you accountable. Don’t go to someone who struggles in the same areas as you as that is a recipe for disaster. Be careful in spending extra time with the opposite sex. Keep it public, set parameters and when there is something that makes you feel tingly around them, put a stop to it immediately and call out to God for strength to overcome.

Conclusion:

The father loves the son and wants to protect him from immorality because he knows that it leads to death. He paints a graphic picture of a young man who does not heed the commandments of Yahweh and finds himself caught like a fish on a hook. It looked so appealing, but that one bite cost him his life. Heed the warning and live because you love Jesus for what he has done for you. As we prepare for communion, let this message serve as a reminder of our need to remember what the Lord Jesus has done for us on the cross. Let it serve as a reminder that even the worst of sins is covered by the blood. Remind yourself that by partaking, you praise God that he loves you and died for you so that in him you have eternal life. Let us take time for reflection, confession and praise.