Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…Proverbs 5:1-23

The attention given by Biblical writers to illicit sexual gratification is nothing less than startling. In modern society it is so common that it is by many, if not most, dismissed as something personal and unimportant.

But in the Law of God it is the subject of one Commandment and is forbidden as motive or desire in another, cf Commandments 6 and 10. This in itself should draw our attention to the dire consequences of disobedience to the Law of God.

In Proverbs 5, the wise man writes of this fact and the dangers of illicit sexual gratification. This warning lies in the certainty of the presence of the temptation. This temptation is great for two reasons – first there is an internal appetite that the Apostle Paul describes as burning; second there is the attractiveness of the temptation and its’ promise to satisfy the craving it elicits.

The writer in chapter 5 begins by presenting the attraction of the temptation.

1. Vs 3a

³ For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,

There is the promise of satisfaction of the craving that is like the palate for something sweet

2 Vs 3b

And her mouth is smoother than oil;

All intellectual curiosity and denial is overcome.

3. Vss 4-6

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 lay hold of hell.
⁶ Lest you ponder her path of life—
Her ways are unstable;
You do not know them.

This is the way of darkness with certain stumbling.

The writer then lists the danger that comes with illicit sexual gratification. In a very certain sense these dangers have vivid illustration in our society. The means of prevention, complete disassociation, is stated and then is followed by the results that can be expected for the participant. They are not inevitable results, but when these results occur they should never surprise us.

Vs 9-10

⁹ Lest you give your honor to others,
And your years to the cruel one;
¹⁰ Lest aliens be filled with your wealth,
And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;

The first is stated in Vs 9, a loss of honor. Our former President is an obvious illustration of the last. Vs 10 notes a lack of strength. Bill Bennett in his book, A Century Turns, states one of the consequences of Clinton’s conduct was his weakness in his official capacity. His dishonor needs no comment. The second result is stated in Vs 10B. Both vocation and financial consequences can be and often are attached to this sin. Loss of jobs, loss of office, and financial ruin are common to our knowledge.

Vs 11

¹¹ And you mourn at last,
When your flesh and your body are consumed,

The third result is found in Vs 11. It is evident that the writer is speaking of a physical consequence. If we could deny that STDs have an ancient history, we could dismiss them here. But the fact of their presence is known from ancient times and their destructive nature has always been a part of their history.

As is common with the writers of Scriptures, he does not leave us without an undeniable relief from both the temptation and the forbidden sin which can follow. I

Vss 15-19

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,
And running water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,
Streams of water in the streets?
¹⁷ Let them be only your own,
And not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with the wife of your youth.
¹⁹ As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be enraptured with her love.

In Vss 15-19, he describes a virtuous relationship. This is one man and one woman. Both the temptation and the dangerous results are escaped in this relationship. I Cor. 7:1-9 with Vs 9 from the ESV

“But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.