Series in Proverbs - Perverse, Prostituted, and Prudent

                        

Perverse, Prostituted, and Prudent

Prov. 2:12-22

God’s Word tells every believer to be on guard against the wickedness in the world that has been filled by the spiritual evil ones who have permeated it with twisted lies, prostituted lives, and those who are walking in the other direction from the darkness of the world to walk in the light of God’s way. 

Solomon is pointing out to his children that both genders have been corrupted and that Godly wisdom, discernment, and integrity are the only ways to avoid the enemy’s traps in the world and they must be avoided at all cost. So let’s begin by reading the first portion of the text.  “Wisdom will rescue you from the evil path, from people who twist their words. They forsake the way of integrity and go on obscure paths. They enjoy doing evil, rejoicing in their twisted evil. Their paths are confused; they get lost on their way.” (2:12-15 CEV)

Solomon begins by addressing the men, probably leaders, or wannabes, who have left God’s way, forsaking it and are twisting the truth. They enjoy every ounce of the malefic fruits of their malevolent lifestyle. 

First, Solomon reitates the need for wisdom from God in order to avoid the way of this ungodly world and the temptation to twist the truth. For God has given us His Light (the Word) to show us the way. “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalms 119:104-105 NIV)

The men and women, leaders in Solomon's world, were corrupted by evil, and they walked in the way of darkness and twisted the truth in order to justify their maligned ways. They even came to the point where they rejoiced and reveled in their sin. There were many who tried to deceive the poor, simple, or foolish with partial truth from the scripture, or to conceal their schemes as godly but in reality led their way to death. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” “A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord…” (Prov. 16:25, 6:12-14 ESV)

It was only through the fear of the Lord and the way of Godly Wisdom, Understanding, Discernment, and Insight of knowledge of God’s Word that they could stay in God's way and His path.

From the beginning, Satan was the source of the twisting of God’s words in order to deceive, as happened in the garden of Eden. (Gen. 3:1-4) Solomn warned his children to guard against the twisting of words, for many are those who are led in this evil way, “They forsake the way of integrity and go on obscure paths. They enjoy doing evil, rejoicing in their twisted evil. Their paths are confused; they get lost on their way.” “Don’t speak with twisted words. Keep evil talk away from your lips.” (Prov. 4:24 NIRV)

Their lifestyle only leads to confusion, lostness, and rejoicing in the obscurity and obscenity that led deeper into darkness and to death not light.

Application - I stand as a testimony of the man who used to walk in the darkness, spoke with twisted words, and promiscuity consumed my heart, mind, and life. It wasn’t till hearing the truth, the gospel of Jesus Christ, that I turned from darkness to the light (believed in Christ, repented and confessed my sinful lifestyle) that I saw the pure path for the first time at the age thirty, I was changed instantly from the corruption of the fleshly heart and sin into a new man, a heart cleansed and circumcised by the blood of Jesus Christ, and a renewed mind cleansed of thoughts and words. 

When I read the proverbs, I remember the old way, evil’s way, and rejoice in the new way, God’s way. I was rescued by Jesus, saved by God’s grace through faith. Those twisted and perverse words and language were taken away, erased from my mind and heart. 

No longer did I forsake the way of integrity, nor did I long to walk in the obscure world of darkness. For God’s Word became the light in my life and my path. All who saw me the next day wondered what had happened to me, why I didn’t want to be swayed into doing the old things of the flesh, I testified of the light of God’s word, and of the God who forgave me, cleansed me from the inside out, and now opened my eyes to the path of light and peace. 

I can testify now 42 years later, I’m still on the path of righteousness. My joy is from the Lord the Holy Spirit who lives in me, and my pleasure is to please my Lord God and Father, for in His strength I can walk without chaos and fear, and I know that all His promises are true and amen. “The Lord is my light, and he saves me. Why should I fear anyone? The Lord is my place of safety. Why should I be afraid?”(Psalms 27:1 NIRV)

The Lord can and will do the same for anyone who will believe in His Son, he will take you out of the darkness and all the sin-filled lifestyle that has inundated and corrupted what God made good. Will you walk in the light of His Word today?

Second, Solomon now speaks to his children about the temptation of promiscuity, fornication, and adultery. So let’s read the next portion of the text, “Wisdom will rescue you from the mysterious woman, from the foreign woman with her slick words. She leaves behind the partner of her youth; she even forgets her covenant with God. Her house sinks down to death, and her paths go down to the shadowy dead. All those who go to her will never return; they will never again reach the ways of the living.” (2:16-19 CEV)

Solomon may have been the wisest man on the earth, but he didn’t always follow the godly path when it came to his relationships with women. But his teaching to His children may reflect owning up to his errors and to lead them in the straight path of the righteous and prudent, and in the wisdom of the precepts of God the Father. 

The acts of adultery were not all sexual and physical in Israel, but also spiritually, for idolic worship and all of its wickedness were prevalent all over Israel and God called this harlotry and adultery. For this was a trap that much of Israel had fallen into from their beginning as a nation. God had warned the Israelites to not have relationships with those God was removing from the land or their gods, for He was giving it to the Israelites because of the covenant with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. “It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you…” “ If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to them or listen to them.” (Deut. 9:5; 13:6-8 NIV)

The mysterious lady was a lure that evil used to attract both men and women. In this case, Solomon was warning about the seductress, who waited for anyone to stray away from God’s path, to come and enjoy her decadency, being drawn near by her words laced with the poisonous twisting of the devil. This woman wasn’t ignorant of her acts, they were premeditated and habitual, for she had religious ties and training, a probable or previous covenant with God and with her husband, and now totally given to the idolatry and harlotry of the evil one. She followed the voice and word of the evil one and dutifully allured those who didn’t walk in Godly wisdom, but to entice them into darkness and the shadowy depths of sin and death. They unknowingly entered through her door, entering into the realm of the dead, never returning to the realm of God’s light and His path.

Application - The world of pornography and licentiousness is very much alive today. It is even more provocative and sensual than ever, the voice of the mysterious woman is in daily commercials on television, internet and media, and even the evening news. America is the top provider of the goods and services of the mystery woman in the world. Timothy Keller in his book “Counterfeit Gods” said about the idolic, spiritual, and physical idols of today, “When most people think of ‘idols’ they have in mind literal statues- or next pop star anointed by Simon Cowell. Yet while traditional idol worship still occurs in many places of the world, internal idol worship, within the heart, is universal. In Ezekiel 14:3, God said to the elders of Israel, ‘These men have set up idols in their hearts.’... God was saying that the human heart takes good things like successful careers, love, material possessions, even family, and turns them into the ultimate things. Our hearts deify them as the center of our lives, because, we think, they can give us significance and security, safety and fulfillment, if we can attain them.” (pg.xvi introduction)

Either way, the visual eye candies of the internet, or the physical alliances with the enticements of the flesh, we are living in the world, and maybe next to the mystery woman’s home. Either way she is calling, wooing, enticing the simple, foolish, and literally anyone who will be swayed by her words or form. Then there is the entanglement with the idols of today, people are lured and seduced away from God and into the path of darkness. Like the “one ring” of the Lord of the rings, only the innocent and unbeguiled can say ‘NO” to its enticement and to its control and death. 

It is difficult to break away from lady mystery in whatever form she may take. But God has provided a way out. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Cor. 10:13 NLT)

Don’t give in, for God doesn’t desire for any to be lost, but it is God “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4 NIV) 

Last, Solomon returns back to the path of God that God fearing people tread. So let’s read the final portion of the text. “So you should stay on the path of good people, guarding the road of the righteous. Those who have integrity will dwell in the land; the innocent will remain in it. But the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be ripped up.” (2:20-22 CEV)

 The fear of the Lord was the way of righteousness, the path into the life of integrity and of innocents. The goodness of God guarded their hearts and steps as they traveled the road of righteousness. In this way they built their lives and homes, dwelling in the presence of Almighty God, and innocence was their hallmark, the placard over their front door, and theirs was a secure and peaceful life. As for the wicked, God turned His face from them, and they were cut off from the land and from Him for a time, for judgment hovered over their treachery, their lives were destined for destruction and torture, if they didn’t repent and fear God.

Application - Solomon used a phrase to”stay on the path of good people. When I hear the word ‘good’ I think of Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler or man, ‘Good teacher’, and Jesus’ response, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Truly the only good people are those who reflect God living in them. There are many people in the world that are followed by millions, thousands, hundred, and tens who are considered good. But the determining factor is, is God in them? The man or woman who truly fears God and His Spirit indwells them will walk in the path of righteousness.

I know as a pastor and as a christian, yes I have to distinguish between the two, people have watched my life, maybe even scrutinized it to see if what I say is what I live. Your personal testimony must align with the Word of God and your talk must match your walk. 

Second, Guarding the way with righteousness. Again, the best guard in our lives is the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit guidance and abiding in us. 

I live on a curvy windy road with a lot of guardrail barriers to assure safety, and there are signs pointing to tight turns and warning about speed. All these are there to guard me in the right way, and they only work if I obey them. The same can be said of our life’s walk with God, the guardrails only work when we listen and obey, following the rules (laws) and utilizing and applying sound wisdom (common sense). Then the path of righteousness will be secure and safe.

Again integrity really has to do with the personal character of a person. By that I mean by personal character it is the sum total of your moral qualities, ethical standards and principles, that shape your belief and values, ultimately influencing your behavior and interactions. I have a plaque from my students from school that acclaimed my integrity as a teacher. I appreciate it, but I also took it seriously and sincerely. “In everything, set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness.” (Titus 2:7)

Your integrity with God will establish you as His child and in the area he has placed you to live. “The godly walk with integrity, blessed are their children who follow them.” “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.” (Prov. 20:7; Psalm 15)

God knows the thoughts, hearts, and words of every person, He is omniscient. And to those whose life walk is crooked, and whose life is checkered with inconsistency in their personal character, they will inherit the whirlwind. The whirlwind signifies the destructive way of a severe wind. Their foolish and harmful choices magnify the consequences of a destroyed life. The results are treacherous and filled with sorrow and woe.

 But God is merciful, and has stated, “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” (Ezk. 18:23 NLT) So today, turn away from the mystery woman, walk in the path of righteousness, and live a life of integrity. It all begins with submitting to God, receiving His free gift of salvation through His Son, and beginning a victorious new life in Christ. 

As always, I want to end with presenting the gospel in the form of the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com