Solomon really wants us to understand what happens if we seek after immorality rather than seeking after God. Wise words here on debt and adultery are his counsel for today. Be blessed.
Proverbs 6: Practical Warnings
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbour, have given your pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbour: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbour.
4 Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech,
13 winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger,
14 with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Warnings Against Adultery
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.
25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
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 into his neighbour'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 dishonour, 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: Warning Against the Adulteress
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.
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.
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, coloured linens from Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.
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."
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.
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.
Things to think about…
1. Overwhelming debt is a major issue in our day. Prov 6:1-5 says that we should find any way we can to be released from it, especially when it is so intimately tied up with relational issues between a neighbour and ourselves. We know that it can break families and marriages if debt is too great. How are your current debt levels? Try and be released from your debt if you can. What can you sell to relieve the pressure?
2. It’s interesting that Solomon gives counsel for the lazy person straight after he speaks about debt, Prov 6:6-11. Often personal debt is increased because we are covetous and too lazy to work for what we want. Loans are too easy to come by these days. Solomon says “go to the ant” etc. Are you are hard worker? Are you known for your attitudes towards work? There should be no such thing as a lazy Christian.
3. In Prov 6:12-19 Solomon uses an old Hebrew form of acrostic poetry to make a point – there are six things the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him. The final one mentioned is always the main focus of the argument, even though they are all significant. In this case it is – “the one who sows discord among his brothers”. Discord in any family is tragic, but in the church it attracts the anger and judgement of God. If we sow in peace, we will reap righteousness and harmony. Praise God for the unity and peace we have at CBC, but we should never take it for granted. What are you doing to promote peace and unity in the church?
4. Adulterers and adulteresses are home wreckers, Prov 6:20-35. The husband who finds out his wife has been unfaithful will not let it go, vs 35. Do you know of any situations where adultery has occurred in a marriage? What were the main factors that led to the unfaithfulness? What was the final outcome? The reason jealousy is so powerful where adultery has been committed is because it is a cut to the heart – the very core of all our drivers in life. That is why Solomon says “For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts”, vss 34, 35.
5. Solomon speaks to his son, “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you “, Prov 7:1. whom we know was Rehoboam. We know this man ended up being foolish. Solomon was blessed with wisdom from the Lord. But here he says that wisdom needs to be kept in Prov 7:1 “Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend,” This is a moral choice and a lifelong decision. We know Solomon would be led astray by women. So he neglected his own advice. But the truth is there for all to note. Wisdom and insight are to be sought and guarded.
6. I have had the privilege and the pain of watching young men grow up. Solomon speaks of observing a foolish young man, and where he was going, Prov 7:6-9. This seems to be the folly of youth and especially young men. But the real tragedy is when men stay in this folly past their youth. Sadly, in our day we don’t encourage boys to be men who make wise choices by learning from the folly of their youth. Pray for the young men in our churches that they mature in wisdom, grace and self-control.
7. Just in case you missed it, Solomon devotes another chapter on the fruit of adultery and unfaithfulness, Prov 7. It’s interesting that the young man who goes into a married woman is likened to an ox that is about to go in to be slaughtered, Prov 7:22. How is this so? Is adultery just a young man’s disease? We know Solomon’s dad, David, fell in this very area, with the woman who ended up being Solomon’s mum, Bathsheba. What David did as an act of rebellion, God ultimately used for good. But adultery is clearly not good. Many an ox has been slaughtered in such houses. With the rise of Tinder and a host of other dating apps, unfaithfulness in relationships is easier to achieve than at any other time in history. God’s Word is timeless as Solomon concludes with the ultimate end of all such folly “Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death”, Prov 7:27.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Title was “Maintaining a healthy view of God – Reading Hebrews 12:18-29
1. What is the most fearful situation you have been in? What is is earliest fearful memory, have you ever been in fear of your life?
2. The ancient Israelis were in fear of their lives at Mt Sinai. Mt Sinai was covering in fire, smoke, lightening. There were loud trumpet blasts and the earth was shaking. Do you recall what was going on at the time with respect to Moses and the children of Israel? Did their fear ultimately save them and make them turn to the Lord?
3. We have come to Mt Zion. It is different than Mt Sinai for a number of reasons. Do you remember what some of those reasons are? Sinai is a place of law. Mt Zion is a place of grace. Has God changed in any way? The writer to the Hebrews says “Our God is a consuming fire”, Heb 12:29, not “was a consuming fire”. Jude, the Lord’s brother says he Apostle John says “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Jude 1:22, 23. He is basically saying some are saved through fear, others are saved through compassion. How do we discern/know the difference when we speak to people about Christ?
Prayer Points
1. Sydney floods – pray for safety
2. That the reversal of Rowe v Wade has a profound effect on future children yet unborn.
3. Safety for those travelling over the school holidays.
4. Peace to rest over Ukraine.
5. Folk sick with Flu A and Covid – relief and healing.
6. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof.
7. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Good response to Newscop article from Ukraine.
2. More new folk came to CBC on Sunday.
3. Worship on Sunday – thankyou and technical team.
4. Café helpers on Sunday.
5. All those who faithfully serve in ministries, Worship, Sound/Technical/Kids Church/ Cell Groups/Admin - Bulletins/Finances/Property/Welcoming/Spiritual Leadership/Cafe
6. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Remember to check your duty rosters.
2. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
3. Tune in again this week on our youtube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism question for June...
Q. 5. Will the bodies of the dead be raised to life again? A. Yes; "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust.
