Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
A Merciful Deity: Again, Wisdom speaks with personal, divine authority. It leads with heart and intellect, with sincere affection and sober admonition. Wisdom’s objective truth is conveyed to the subjective heart of man, from His Heart to yours!
We have already noted the emphasis on the personal pronouns in this passage. What, therefore, we must recognize as the central theme, is not how or why Wisdom operates, but Who Wisdom is. This is more than a mere pompous personification of the attribute of God. Who else could make such claims but the Living Word, hinting once again that we are dealing with a Person, not just a Power! Christ alone has the infinite power needed to meet the needs of humanity.
Men often dread the thought of punishment for sin, but still do not hate their sins. Their only regret is that God hates what they love. Fear of retribution is at the heart of much religious superstition. The heathen believe that “Fear made God!” In proportion as that fear evaporated, the fear of a holy God also faded from the minds of men. Humanism, often now in clerical garb, has convinced today’s churchgoers that if a personal God exists he treats sin as lightly as sinners do. Man has really no need to fear God anymore.
Wisdom seeks to commend herself to all. With so many unquestioned merits, let us come to her Light, for ‘Tis shining for thee, sweetly the light has dawned upon me.
If Chapter 7 moved in the black and dark night, here we enter the bright and blessed beams of Day. We are taken to great heights, for the Master Mind is here, standing where we are.
His Caution: The Father speaks: “Now that you have seen the end of sin, hear me well.” He has recounted this story to get the serious attention of his children, but especially of his sons. He is now about to drive home his message. Listen to me; attend to the words of my mouth (v.24). What I have related to you is no idle tale, but a true and tragic account of experience. It is nothing less than your path between life and death.
Deceptive Hypocrisy Expressed: What does this temptress mean by her peace offerings and her vows (v.14)? Several interpretations are suggested. a. One is that she has fresh meat left over from a sacrifice that she will share in a banquet with this young man. Perowne reminds us that “the flesh of peace offerings for thanksgiving was to be eaten on the day on which it was offered; but if it were a vow, or a free-well offering, what remained might be eaten on the morrow (Lev. 7:15-16). She represents him as having happily lighted on her feast-day, when she was looking out and longing for his company.” Certainly, this would be a most unusual way to invite someone to a love-orgy! Further, it does not seem natural that a ‘foreign’ (strange) woman would keep Jewish religious customs. b. Another interpretation is that this woman is ceremonially clean, and thus the young man will not become defiled by consorting with her (Jn. 18:28)! This explanation also has the weakness that a ‘high view of the ceremonial law does not quite fit the picture of this gross immorality. c. On the other hand, the abuse of sacred Festivals for sinful purposes was all too common, even in Israel (Isa. 1:11-15; Amos 5:21-23). “She dare not play the harlot with man till she has played the hypocrite with God, and stopped the mouth of her conscience with her peace-offerings” (Gurnal). Whatever she means by these expressions, her peace-offerings were polluted into deadly sin-offerings!
The Way of Destruction: Youth is known, not only by the company it keeps; but even more, by the company it keeps out of. Now the darkness deepens, and behold the Way of Sin and Death opens before us.
The Way Of Righteousness: The Law has been likened to a wedding band upon the finger, a reminder of whose we are. My Sister can mean my wife (S. of S.), so perhaps Wisdom is eligible for marriage! To be seduced by a strange woman brings short-term gain but long-term pain, for she is the Way of Death. Make Wisdom your spouse. She is the Way of Righteousness (vs. 1-5) and brings life and happiness, not sorrow and loss.
Again, the study of wisdom, as the word of God, is most affectionately and dramatically commended. The Way of Righteousness and Life (vs. 1-5) is contrasted with the Way of Sin and Death (vs. 6-27). Blessedly, the Words of life come first as an introduction to what is to follow. O that every youth would heed this advice first and be delivered from the danger on that other road. Let us ponder these rules and apply them to our hearts.