Category: Devotions

Verse 24 brings us to the immediate teaching of this chapter, and that continues to the end of chapter 7. Note how the slippery slope of the strange woman is portrayed in such graphic imagery. The Law’s reproofs of instruction are designed to warn men against falling into her clutches. The description of the temptress and her methods is so life-like that it may speak to all who respect God’s Law. Here is a woman that ruins her life, her marriage, and any man who falls for her wiles (v.25). Since this iniquity abounds and is so exceeding sinful and destructive, it is no wonder that warnings against it are so many. What a great kindness it is on God’s part in giving the Law to keep men from this soul-destroying sin, for it is “a captivity worse than Egyptian slavery” (Henry).

Now follows a general exhortation to preserve God’s Word. Bind it closely to the heart as your rule, not outwardly in the hands for show; tie them about your neck as your joyous witness. This is a figurative way of saying that you take God’s Word seriously and unashamedly. Young people, don’t think it smart to be independent of your parents’ godly teaching for the Word of God is your unfailing Rule for Life.

There is a mistaken notion, fostered by the position of women in the East, that the Bible treats women as inferiors, but the truth is far otherwise. Father’s commandment signifies parental authority, but it is the law of thy mother that receives special mention here, for her law is God’s Law. In one place in the Law, the mother is placed first as deserving filial respect (Lev. 19:3). David mourned for his mother (Ps. 35:14). In all of Proverbs the duty of children to love and obey their mothers is consistently taught. This is what we also find in the NT. The same respect for one’s mother is in evidence in both Books. The birth of Christ gave to motherhood the highest possible honour. What woman is today, particularly in her motherhood, she owes, in large part to the Bible.

Man cannot circumscribe God. We are finite creatures. “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being.” His understanding is infinite (Ps. 147:5).

No. 5 Deadly Sin: Hateful Alacrity – feet that be swift in running to mischief. Such a person delights in keeping mischief on the go continually; and the swifter, the better he likes it. Again, this is the opposite of God’s design. Isaiah says, They that wait on the Lord shall fhy, run and walk (Is. 40:31) in the service of God and man. Here, however, are swift feet eager, if possible, to do wrong. This is an immoral eagerness that God hates. In picturing this depravity Paul declares, Their feet are swift to shed blood (Rom. 3:15). Shame on us that we are less eager to run for God than these are to run for Satan!

No. 2 Deadly Sin: Hateful Duplicity – a lying tongue (v.17). The original suggests learning the trade of teaching what is false. It is not a slip of the tongue; it is the trade of the tongue. People lie for many reasons, to cover up their sins, to make themselves better than they are. All falsehood opposes the nature of God. Lying is fraud, and is the opposite of God’s way. Lying intends to deceive or mislead people into accepting what is not true. We hear about white lies, wee lies, innocent lies, etc., but they are all the same; they are not the truth, therefore, lies. We know that the Devil is a liar and the source of lies (John 8:44). Falsehood is the sign of a corrupt heart, and it always leads to disappointment in the end. There is the father of lies, the Devil, on the one hand, and God, the Author of Truth, on the other. Who are you following? Should there be any question?

God Alone Can Define Hate. Surely God cannot hate, says man! Is He not the God who loves everyone, or so we are assured? Therefore, these words are quite startling to many. It seems inconceivable, if not totally inconsistent for God to hate! It is a sad fact that the greatest weakness of American Christianity is the loss of belief in the “wrath of God”. Machen said, “There is no doctrine that is more utterly pervasive in the Bible than the wrath of God.” When we use the word hate it is all sin-tainted. God, who is righteous and sinless, hates us with perfect hatred. The God of the Bible is holy, just and good. He must hate sin or He would be like the immoral gods of the heathen. God’s hatred, therefore, is not to be confused with our sinful ideas of hatred. We see what happens when politicians and social-activists define hate literature or obscene art! God alone has the sovereign prerogative to think, feel, and act according to His own pleasure and purpose. In God there is no malice, no enmity, no moral bias, as with fallen man. We must explain with the Apostle: Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counseller? Having personified what is hateful, the Lord now lists seven things that He hates. These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven. Seven is the number of totality or perfection, and serves to intensify God’s hatred for these things.

Watch your body language! The eyes, feet and hands all are trademarks of these scoundrels, these worthless persons. The saying “actions speak louder than words” is applicable here in a negative way. It is not only what a person says, but how he says it that proves the true import of words. Gestures, tone of voice, facial expressions are the true indicators of what the words really are intended to mean. Body language is significant!

What a contrast! While the Snared is in danger of doing too much, and the Shirker is content to do nothing, the Schemer described here is ceaseless in his efforts to do as much harm as possible. Some suggest that the Shirker and the Schemer refer to the same person or same type, because idleness breeds all sorts of other mischief. The old saying is still true that “the devil finds work for idle hands to do.” Idleness is “a state of damnable sin”. Men seem to learn to do evil by doing that which is next to it – nothing!

The Shirker’s life is one of great daylight theft, unarmed robbery. Laziness abounds in our world. We define this as “inactivity arising from an indisposition to work.” The way may be there, but the will is lacking. “An idle man makes himself a target for the devil; and the devil is an uncommonly good shot” (CHS). There’s plenty of evidence to prove that an idle man’s heart is the devil’s nest, and his hands the devil’s tools. We can apply this to lazy Christians too. How many of us are idlers in the Lord’s Vineyard.