For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, and saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, a young man devoid of understanding.
--Proverbs 7:6-7 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on September 25, 2013 of Proverbs 7:6-23; Hebrews 4:1-13; Isaiah 17-20.
In chapter seven of his Proverbs, our wise teacher greatly dramatizes his warning against adultery. The opening lines of his short morality play, including today's focus verses, paint a very bleak picture, making it obvious that the outcome will not be good. The stage is set for a bad ending. Looking through his window, our narrator spies a young man, seemingly a simpleton, headed directly to the house of one known at least to our narrator to be an adulteress. She admits to the youth that her husband is away and will not return that night. She has plenty to eat and has decorated her bed. She entices her intended prey with kisses, flattery, sensuality, and even reassurances that nothing bad will come of their liaison. Blindly he follows her to her bed and succumbs to the pleasures of the flesh she offers.
God did not give us this cautionary tale through the hand of Solomon just to warn us not to commit adultery, not to break the seventh commandment. Yes, adultery is a sin to be avoided, but the obvious topic of this passage in Proverbs also symbolizes a broader underlying concern. Too often we all act as the young man of this story: simple-minded and without understanding. We don't listen to wise counsel, perhaps from those who have done what we are about to do and learned from it, those watching through the windows of their own experiences. We walk right into temptation's open arms. Satan is the adulteress. He beckons us to his bed, decorated so pleasingly to our senses. He entices us with kisses to our lustful urges, flattery to our prideful egos, sensual caresses and offerings of earthly pleasures of the flesh, and reassurances to quiet our conscience that this is all okay, it is all good, if it feels good do it. Too often we succumb to his wiles and follow him to his bed, falling victim to his temptations.
Satan even tempted Jesus, but He was able to resist with the help and strength of God's Holy Spirit. When He ascended back into heaven, He sent that same Spirit to live within us. The Holy Spirit is our Wise Teacher, our Counselor, our Strength to resist Satan's charms and seductions. If we believe in Jesus and fully repent of our sin, the Spirit will guide us safely through a life filled with Satan's snares. But we must listen to what He tells us and heed His warnings. Satan is crafty, but God's Holy Spirit dwelling within us is both wise and strong. Obey Him, heed Him, and escape Satan's clutches. Amen.
Lord Jesus, our Father gave You the Holy Spirit to help strengthen You during Your days as a human to resist the temptations of Satan. After Your resurrection and ascension, You sent the Holy Spirit to live within us, so that we might listen to His voice and turn our backs on the evil one. Thank You so much for this great gift, second only to Your sacrifice on our behalf. Forgive us when we fail to heed the Spirit's warnings. In Your precious name, dear Jesus we pray. Amen.
God did not give us this cautionary tale through the hand of Solomon just to warn us not to commit adultery, not to break the seventh commandment. Yes, adultery is a sin to be avoided, but the obvious topic of this passage in Proverbs also symbolizes a broader underlying concern. Too often we all act as the young man of this story: simple-minded and without understanding. We don't listen to wise counsel, perhaps from those who have done what we are about to do and learned from it, those watching through the windows of their own experiences. We walk right into temptation's open arms. Satan is the adulteress. He beckons us to his bed, decorated so pleasingly to our senses. He entices us with kisses to our lustful urges, flattery to our prideful egos, sensual caresses and offerings of earthly pleasures of the flesh, and reassurances to quiet our conscience that this is all okay, it is all good, if it feels good do it. Too often we succumb to his wiles and follow him to his bed, falling victim to his temptations.
Satan even tempted Jesus, but He was able to resist with the help and strength of God's Holy Spirit. When He ascended back into heaven, He sent that same Spirit to live within us. The Holy Spirit is our Wise Teacher, our Counselor, our Strength to resist Satan's charms and seductions. If we believe in Jesus and fully repent of our sin, the Spirit will guide us safely through a life filled with Satan's snares. But we must listen to what He tells us and heed His warnings. Satan is crafty, but God's Holy Spirit dwelling within us is both wise and strong. Obey Him, heed Him, and escape Satan's clutches. Amen.
Lord Jesus, our Father gave You the Holy Spirit to help strengthen You during Your days as a human to resist the temptations of Satan. After Your resurrection and ascension, You sent the Holy Spirit to live within us, so that we might listen to His voice and turn our backs on the evil one. Thank You so much for this great gift, second only to Your sacrifice on our behalf. Forgive us when we fail to heed the Spirit's warnings. In Your precious name, dear Jesus we pray. Amen.
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