Wednesday, September 18 – Proverbs 5, 6

1. What drips honey but ends up as bitter as wormwood? Proverbs 5:3-4

2. What are the terrible consequences of sexual infidelity? Proverbs 5:8-14

3. Which insect is an example of diligence? Proverbs 6:6-8

4. What seven things are an abomination to the Lord? Proverbs 6:16-19

Commentary and Reflection:

Solomon was a great writer. These two chapters are beautiful, even in English! Imagine how they must have sounded in their original language. Beyond the literary beauty, they contain valuable teachings that I am sure you have appreciated.

The author emphasizes the benefit of listening to good advice and paying attention to the voice of conscience before regret sets in:

“How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction!
I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!” Proverbs 5:12-13

The theme of these two chapters largely centers on a warning against marital infidelity and an exhortation of faithfulness. The sinful corruption of the heart is why the words of the “immoral” person seem sweet as honey and smooth as oil, but afterward, the end is bitter as wormwood and sharp as a two-edged sword.

He warns against temptation, advising us not to go near the house of the immoral person, or we might interpret it as avoiding the places where such temptations are. He also says, “Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids.” We must keep our eyes and even our thoughts pure and faithful.

“Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?” Proverbs 6:27-28

Something interesting in chapter 6 is the distinction between the harlot and the adulteress: “For by means of a harlot, a man is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.” (v. 26). The point here is that the adulteress is more dangerous. She seeks more than just financial gain; she aims to entangle the other person’s life in her web.

It is also intriguing that chapter 6 compares adultery to theft. Many would abhor theft, yet infidelity is a theft of the worst kind. “Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he who does so destroys his own soul.” Proverbs 6:32

“Fidelity to the marriage vow is good sense and infidelity is folly, even if there were no judgment and no afterlife. But there is an afterlife, and entrance to it is dependent upon a willingness to be cleansed from all defilement. The adulterer meets a double condemnation. He loses the true joys of this life and is barred from the greater and more enduring joys of the life to come (Prov. 15:3; Mal. 3:5; Heb. 13:4).” SDABC, Proverbs 5:21

Sexual impurity is a common and dangerous sin. It causes much pain, and its effects can last for generations. “Why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, and be embraced in the arms of a seductress?” Proverbs 5:20

Let us treasure these beautiful counsels: “Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.” (v. 15)

“Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and always be enraptured with her love.” Proverbs 5:18-19

The remedy to avoid falling into dangerous situations, as well as laziness and deceit, like the one who doesn’t speak clearly but communicates with gestures, is to pay attention to God’s counsel and commandments. Meditate on them, keep them visible so they admonish us, and serve as a reminder:

“My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep, they will keep you; and when you awake, they will speak with you. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life.” Proverbs 6:20-23

It is important to remember that we are always in the sight of the Lord: “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.” Proverbs 5:21

These beautiful and valuable lessons we find in today’s reading. Keep them in your heart.