Series in Proverbs - What God Says On An Intimate Relationship

  

What God Says On An Intimate Relationship

Proverbs 5:15-25

There are many questions to raise when it comes to the intimacy of a relationship. Why is the divorce rate so high in America? (Nearly 50%) Why are so many opting to live outside of the marriage covenant? (78%) Why do the couples make a contract that includes the dissolving of a marriage and clauses on who gets what (40%), or even worse is the open marriage (7% with a 92% failure rate)? They all believe that they have the freedom to do whatever the inclination of the heart and mind can conceive?

This is the reality of the modern world, and it looks very similar to the ancient world. So the old adage is true, “Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Solomon closes this portion of his proverb with the stark realities of the broken and sinful lifestyles of the world who believed in giving into whatever the heart desires. He pleads with his sons to not follow the ways of the world around them, but follow God’s way. So let’s read the first portion of the text. “Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.”

Solomon has seen the immoral promiscuity of his world and He may even have experienced it himself because of his choices to marry so many unbelieving women. He wants his sons (and daughters) to not follow this immoral path. He stresses this with symbolisms like water, springs, ownership, and intoxication; the enamoring  contentment of true love for one another.

First, water is of vital importance to any life. Also the ownership of your own well was strictly protected by its owner. The well water was life, and it meant prosperity as well as God’s blessing and promise. These precious gifts were not meant to be shared with strangers.

Here Solomon unites water with the marriage fidelity. Your spouse was not to be shared for she was your lifemate, the fidelity in marriage brought prosperity through God’s blessings as they honored the covenantal vows. And as well the man was never to partake of another man’s wife, especially in the public arena of life.

Solomon describes the emotional and infatuation of youthful marriage bonding. He stressed the physicalness of rejoicing over one another's bodies, and to recall and remember the joy and excitement they experienced as newlyweds, and to keep that joy and enamoring intoxication with each other throughout all their years.

Application - As I stated in the introduction, in the world today, the discarding of moral rights, marriage covenants, and the total disregard for the emotion, mental, spiritual losses in an adulterous society. 

I am not here to give a seven point solution for the ills of adultery. The plain and God-appointed meaning of marriage was between a man and a woman, as God stated in Genesis,  “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24 NASB) God intended for man to keep the fidelity of Marriage, and the marriage bed sacred, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (Heb. 13:4 NASB1977) The apostle Paul spoke in even more certain terms about the fidelity and enamor of marriage and the spiritual walk of the married couple. “But because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife also to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” (1 Cor. 7:2-5 NASB) The married couple must keep the intimacies of marriage alive, but also private and confidential. The ownership in a marriage is not in who rules, but in the submission to one another, and to Jesus who said, “So they are no longer two but one. Let no man divide what God has put together.” (Matt. 19:6 NLV) 

The evidence is plain, the adulterous and philanderous world of today is based solely on division and the selfishness of sin, as stated in the opening facts. But God still desires for man and woman to listen and follow His way, for the path of infidelity and promiscuity leads to death of soul, spirit, and body. And the path to eternal bliss is marked with submission to God and to one another in unity and intimacy.

Next Solomon now exhorts his sons to reason out why it is so wrong to embrace another man’s wife in the act of adultery. So let’s read the final portion of the text.

“Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman? For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.”

The concept of intoxication, gives the idea that the person’s morals were compromised by the dulling of the senses from the inebriating effects of alcoholic drinks. Solomon may have understood how lusting after another woman was similar to intoxication and the exhilaration of the carnal mind. Then he goes into the physical acts of adultery with the curessing of the bodies in the act of infidelity and promiscuity.

 Solomon stresses that God is always watching over His people and He is dragged into this evil deed through the immoral heart and mind of his foolish people. God has a soulful and spiritual relationship with each person that calls him Father, Lord, and God, and this type of harlotry is why God punished the people of Israel (they gave themselves over to other gods (idols) and to worship that was intimate to him alone) as well as the hedonistic lifestyle that permeated it. God likened it to an unfaithful wife. (Ezk.16)

Solomon knew too well the path that led to philandery and debauchery, and God is always examining the heart and mind of his children, and their every path. Once you leave the path of obedience, faithfulness, and truth; you embrace the wickedness and perversity that ensnared the whole life of a person, binding them with strong cords of sin. As he told them the last lesson, the disobedient and rebellious ways of adultery lead to death, for once they started down this path, it only led to mindless and soulless folly, being led astray into darkness and the loss of everything. 

Application - In our world of cameras and identification technology prominent in our world today, it still doesn’t compare with the eyes of God and His full view of our minds, souls, and words. As He stated in Psalms 139. “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” (Ps. 139:1-4 NIV)

The lost souls say, “The LORD isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.” (Psalms 94:7 NLT) 

God is examining our every step, every thought, he already knows the path that we will have to choose ahead in life. As Solomon has been hammering into his children’s minds and hearts, walk in the path of the Lord. “Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil people. Avoid it, do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on… But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.” “The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.”(Prov. 4:14-15,18-20 NIV)

Jesus also told those who were listening on the mount about the path of righteousness. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matt 7:13-14 NIV) 

So which path are you on, and which path will you follow today? The path of adultery is popular, promiscuity seems prominent, and philandery is admired and promoted by all who are on the broad path of wickedness. “They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.” (Eph. 4:19 NLT) 

But for all who have ears to hear and a mind that is set on Christ Jesus, He is the narrow gate and the narrow path; He is the way of righteousness that leads to eternal life. 

Today, many views of Christ are being tooted in many venues, but there is only one way, truth, and life to those who will truly and humbly believe, turn from the wickedness of the world, and walk in the Light as He is the Light. This is the path you want to choose to be on. It isn’t easy, and it isn’t popular, but is secure, fulfilling in holiness, and rewarding in heaven’s spiritual treasures.

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