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Day Three – Tuesday

Texts: (Matthew 21:23–26:5, Mark 11:27–14:2, Luke 20:1–22:2, John 12:37–50)

The theme for today’s devotional is “authority.” As we consider Holy Week and all that Jesus was and is, ask yourself, “Who has the right to rule in my life?” Who’s the boss? Remember that 80’s TV show? Related to this question is, Who exactly did Jesus claim to be? This is the central question in the gospel of Mark and it all comes to a head on the last week of Jesus’ life. Tuesday afternoon is the last time Jesus publicly teaches in the temple. Pay careful attention to His words on this day as they are his final words. Today we will examine six separate but related passages in Mark 11-12.

(Note, you may want to open your Bible to Mark 11-12 and follow along. There is a 20 minute video below walking through this passage and the events of Tuesday if that is helpful.)

PASSAGE 1

First, we see in Mark 11:27-33 some members of the Sanhedrin, Israel’s highest ruling body, decided to conduct an investigation and they ask Jesus a question:

“By what authority are you doing these things?” (Mk 11:38, NIV)

When they say, “these things,” specifically they are referring to His triumphal entry and him turning over the tables in the temple. One of the things I remember about living in Texas were the fire ants and the ant hills that I avoided like land minds in my yard. Have you ever stepped on an ant hill? If Jerusalem was an anthill, with His triumphal entry and temple cleansing, Jesus stepped right on top of it. A buzz was created. Immediately, anger and jealousy were evoked in the religious leaders and they were now getting organized. The large crowd and Jesus’ “king – like” arrival was not something that would go unanswered. They did not authorize Jesus to act like this … Remember, Jesus is an outsider and he is kind of usurping their power. So essentially they say, “Show me your badge!” “Where are your credentials?” Notice Jesus’ answer, he says,

“I will ask you one question. Answer me… John’s baptism–was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!” (Mk 11:29-30, NIV)

And now they’re trapped. Do you see the conundrum? If the leaders admit that John’s baptism was from heaven, then they have to agree that John pointed to Jesus and that would mean that Jesus’ ministry was from heaven. But if they say John’s baptism wasn’t from heaven, then the crowd of people will be upset and they fear the multitude. Remember, they were making a lot of money off that multitude and so they didn’t want to upset them. These are classic politicians with their finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. So they can’t answer Jesus’ question either way, so they say,

“We don’t know.” (Mk 11:33, NIV)

This answer kind of cracks me up. I imagine them standing around looking at each other going, “Who thought up this dumb question?” It just blew up in their face.

PASSAGE 2

After this Jesus tells a parable in Mark 12:1-12, it’s called the “Parable of the Vineyard.” In the parable the owner is God and the vineyard is the nation of Israel. God put his vineyard into the hands of tenants – people who would steward the vineyard – those are the religious leaders of Israel. Then, at harvest time, the owner would want the tenants to pay their rent by giving him a large part of the harvest so the owner would send servants to receive the harvest. Here in the parable the servants are the prophets of God who called the tenants to bear fruit of repentance. But, instead of giving them fruit, the tenants didn’t want to listen. Jesus says they got greedy and just beat‐up and then killed the owner’s servants! (That’s what happened to the prophets many times in the Old Testament, the leaders would actually kill them because they didn’t want to listen.) So, the owner, who is God, says He had one more idea:

“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ (Mk 11:6, NIV)

Surely if I sent my one and only son to collect the rent, they’ll listen to Him, right?

“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.  (Mk 11:7-9, NIV)

Jesus is looking these Elders and chief Priests right in the eye, saying, you are those wicked tenants. And not only that, but what you have now will be taken from you. God was going to destroy not only them, but the entire nation of Israel in AD 70.

“They knew he had spoken the parable against them. (Mk 11:12, NIV)

Jesus’ message was loud and clear. They understood what he meant and they didn’t like it.

PASSAGE 3

The leaders are now, more than ever, against him and they try to trap him with a series of questions in the next few passages:

Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. (Mk 12:13, NIV)

What is amazing is that these two groups hated each other yet here they are teaming up. This is like the conservatives and the liberals joining together. The Pharisees were like the conservatives – they represented the Jews. The fact that the Jews had to pay taxes to Caesar was very unpopular, some Jews just refused to pay it. The Herodians on the other hand, they were the liberals – they represented the government, they supported King Herod’s dynasty. They would have supported the taxation system that kept the government funded. There’s this polarized debate going on about taxes and they try to get Jesus to commit to one side of the debate. First, they come to him with seemingly gracious words,

“Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. (Mk 12:14, NIV)

This manipulation makes me wanna puke with their fake – flattering words. Have you ever had someone speak to you in with nice language, and then turn around and stab you in the back? These guys are up to no good. Then they ask him a question:

Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? (Mk 12:14, NIV)

It doesn’t matter whatever side he chooses. They can use that against him to trap him and lay charges against him. But Jesus is not deceived. He knows it’s not a genuine question, it’s a trick question.

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” (Mk 12:15, NIV)  

You got any coins? “Yeah, sure, I just found some that somebody threw all over the floor yesterday when you turned the tables over!”

They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” (Mk 12:16-17, NIV)

Jesus says, your obligations to the state do not necessarily infringe on your obligations to God. Just do both.

And they were amazed at him. (Mk 12:17, NIV)

Jesus easily avoids their trap. The Pharisees and Herodians were left speechless and embarrassed as they walked away.

PASSAGE 4

Round 4, here we meet the Sadducees who come to Jesus. The Sadducees were a Jewish party in the first century who only believed in Moses’ writings (Genesis – Deuteronomy) and not the whole Old Testament. Since they didn’t see anywhere in those 5 books that referred a bodily resurrection, they didn’t believe in it. So, they try to trap Jesus with a hypothetical question about a woman who has had 7 husbands who all died:

At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her? Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. Now about the dead rising–have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” (Mk 12:18-27, NIV)

Jesus responds by saying, you are in error (literally, you are mistaken.) First, there’s no marriage in heaven. Second, what about the issue of the resurrection in general? Notice how Jesus uses their authority, the first 5 books of Moses, to prove the resurrection. Jesus points out the present tense of the verb, “I AM.” It’s not, “I used to be.” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are alive today waiting for the resurrection. Jesus pegs them as poor theologians who don’t read their bibles carefully enough. Jesus defeats them and sends them on their way! This is outstanding, I mean who’s next? He’s on a roll! He’s knocking them down left and right.

Have you ever gone to Chuck‐e‐Cheese and seen that game “wack‐a‐mole”? It’s a game with a big hammer and a mole pops out and – wack‐ you knock it down! That’s what it’s like here – Jesus is playing wack‐a‐mole. Wack a Chief Priest, wack‐a‐Pharisee, wack‐a‐Herodian and wack‐a‐Sadducee. They keep popping up and Jesus knocks them back down. He’s on fire, they can’t trap him. So, just as he whacks that mole down, another one pops up:

PASSAGE 5

The next mole who pops up is a teacher of the law who over hears all of the debating and asks Jesus:

“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mk 12:29, NIV)

The law of Moses contained 613 commandments and if Jesus had to pick only one, surely they could use that against him somehow, This was a question which teachers of the law debated all the time, and so he thinks, this ought to be a good one – surely we’ll trap Jesus here. But Jesus answers it, the greatest commandment is to:

30 “Love the Lord your God…”

31 “Love your neighbor as yourself…”

The whole law is summed up with those two commandments. The teacher even admits that this is correct and he agrees with Jesus.

Jesus has successfully dodged every bullet they tried to shoot him with. And at this point, they all give up. They raise the white flag of surrender. “You win Jesus, we can’t trap you, we give up.” The texts says:

“And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.” (Mk 12:34, NIV).

PASSAGE 6

Since they are out of questions, Jesus turns around and decides to become the question-asker. He asks them a question about a passage from the Old Testament, specifically Ps 110, one of the psalms of David:

“How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: ” ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ‘ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (Mk 12:35-37, NIV).

Now that’s a good question. Everybody knew that the Christ, the Messiah, would be the son of David and sit on David’s throne. But Jesus points out something interesting here. In Psalm 110 David himself called his own son – “Lord.” Why does David call his own son Lord?  The term, “Lord” there denotes “Master,” it was the Hebrew word “Adonai,” a term which is used of God as the one in authority, the one in control. The point Jesus is making here is to show them that the Scriptures teach that the Christ was going to be more than just a descendent of David. He was actually greater than David! After all, King David himself, their greatest king, called him Lord. This is significant because Jesus is claiming to be the Lord in that passage. And if He is, that means they need to submit to Him. All of their schemes and traps are attempts to call into question his right to rule over them. And here in this last passage – Jesus points out from Scripture that He actually does have the authority to rule over them.

In conclusion, Jesus has answered all of their questions and come out on top of the leaders of Israel. And, they are way out of line. Just stop for a moment and think, do they have any idea who they are questioning? God in the flesh is standing right before them. Think for a moment about both the patience of Jesus and the nerve these people have as if they have a right to put their own Creator on the witness stand and thunder questions at Him – as if He’s guilty of something? The point in all of these passages is that the people are rejecting Jesus as the Lord of their lives. Friends, we do not have authority over Jesus, Jesus has authority over us. He is the Lord, which means He deserves to be in charge of every single part of our lives.

Prayer: Lord, I believe who you are who you claimed to be. I believe you are the great son of David promised in the Bible. You are Lord. You are my authority. What you say, I will do. I thank you that even though you have this high place of authority, you chose to empty yourself, and humble yourself, and you came not to be served, but to serve and to give your life a ransom for many.

Stay tuned, tomorrow we will examine the events of Wednesday of Holy Week.

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Holy Week Devotionals:

1. Day 1 – Palm Sunday
2. Day 2 – Monday
3. Day 3 – Tuesday
4. Day 4 – Wednesday 
5. Day 5 – Maundy Thursday 
6. Day 6 – Good Friday 
7. Day 7 – Holy Saturday 
8. Day 8 – Resurrection Sunday  

 

Day Two: Monday

Texts: (Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:12–19, Luke 19:45–48)

On Monday, one of the central themes is the question: “What kind of worship does God require from His people?” How is your worship lately? One of the first commandments in the Bible is for us to worship God. Remember the story of Cain and Abel? It was clear from the outset that one kind of worship was acceptable, and the other was not. Is your worship true and authentic? The kind that pleases God? Let’s take a look at Mark 11:12-19:

12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” 18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

Structurally, here we have two stories sandwiched together. Mark is famous for this: starting one story (v 12-14), stopping mid-stream to tell another story (v 15-18), then finally coming back to finish the first story (v19-20). It’s like two buns and a beef patty. This time it’s the story of the fig tree at the beginning and end, with the story of the temple cleansing in the middle – like a burger. This technique tells the readers that we are meant to connect the stories together. But how?

THE FIG TREE

In story number one, Jesus is hungry and he goes to a fig tree which has leaves on it. From a distance it looks like there could be fruit, but upon closer examination he finds there is none, so he curses it. We may see this as a strange story. And it is. Is Jesus hungry and cranky? No, we are missing the point. Old Testament prophets would often use creative visual aids to describe things, particularly when it came to God’s judgments, like object lessons. (For examples, see Isa 20:2-4, Jer 28:2-11) Therefore, as biblically literate readers we should ask – what is the fig tree symbolizing?

THE TEMPLE

The first century Jewish temple was really beautiful and big. It filled an incredible 35 acres of land. King Herod took Zerubbabel’s temple and made it into a masterpiece. He brought in the best architects in the world and oversaw a massive expansion. (Paid for with your tax dollars of course.) It was one of the largest construction projects of all time. It was an enormous undertaking of immense proportions. In terms of the quality of the craftsmanship, it was a gorgeous place to go worship God. (If interested, the UCLA school of architecture put together a digital reproduction of the temple here). It was incredible.

What is Jesus’ assessment of the temple? In short, he’s not impressed. He quotes Isaiah the prophet saying, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isa 56:7) Then, he quotes the prophet Jeremiah saying they made it into a “den of robbers.” This doesn’t sound good, but what exactly does that mean? Is he referring to just the money-changers? The answer is yes and no, sure they were there to make a buck, but they are not the only people at fault. Notice Jesus drove out both the sellers and the buyers. The problem was the whole system. The problem was everyone. After all, robbers don’t do their robbing in the den. The den is the place where the robbers retreat to after they committed their crimes elsewhere. Thieves would hide in caves and such so as to be safe from being caught. The den is the hideout – the safe place of security or refuge. And that’s how everyone was treating the temple. They were all robbers, robbing God. They were robbing God of the worship that was due Him. Instead of a place to come and examine their hearts and lives in worship, the temple degenerated into this “safe place” where they could find refuge, like a den. People would go out and commit willful sin (lie, steal, commit adultery and even worship other gods etc.) knowing it was wrong, Then they thought, “Well, I’ll just run over to the temple to make the sacrifices ad everything would be OK.”

This is when all of Jesus’ frustration comes to a head. The entire system has become corrupt. It is barren. It is like a beautiful tree but with no fruit. New Testament scholar NT Wright said, “Jesus’ attitude to the temple was not “this institution needs reforming,” nor “the wrong people were running the place”… the time had come for God to judge the entire institution.”[1]  Some people call this passage the “cleansing” of the temple. Actually Jesus is pronouncing judgment. It’s more like cursing the temple, just like the fig tree.

And, just as Jesus’ words cause the tree to wither up and die, the readers would say, “Ahhh…that’s what he just did at the temple too.” Jesus has spoken words of judgment. Its days are numbered. The leafy fig tree with no fruit is just like that beautiful temple which was magnificent on the outside, but on the inside it was actually barren. Sure, the temple gave off the impression that it was a place dedicated to God’s service, but upon closer examination it wasn’t.  God had planted Israel like a vineyard. Jesus, the owner, came looking for and expecting fruit but there was none.  This greatly displeased God. This is not the kind of worship He desires.

Worship is when we give God our best. God deserves first place. That’s what God wants from us. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.

Prayer: Lord, help me to bring you authentic worship. I want to please you on the inside, not just the outside. Help my life to be fruitful in obedience, a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing in your sight.

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Holy Week Devotionals:

1. Day 1 – Palm Sunday
2. Day 2 – Monday
3. Day 3 – Tuesday
4. Day 4 – Wednesday 
5. Day 5 – Maundy Thursday 
6. Day 6 – Good Friday 
7. Day 7 – Holy Saturday 
8. Day 8 – Resurrection Sunday  

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[1] N.T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, 423.

Palm Sunday Texts: (Matt 21:1-11, Mk 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, Jn 12:9-19)

What does Palm Sunday mean to you? At first glance, this holiday seems kind of irrelevant. Palm branches? Festivals? A man riding a donkey and a Jewish crowd shouting “Hosanna!”? What does this story have to do with my life today?

Today Christians around the world begin the celebration of “Holy Week”: the last week of Jesus’ life. This is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. This action-packed period of just seven days was the focus and culmination of Jesus’ entire ministry career. This is why a disproportionate amount of space is given to this final week in the gospel narratives. It was Martin Kähler who famously described Mark’s Gospel as a “passion narrative with an extended introduction.” [1] Indeed, the Son of Man came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mk 10:45). It is our hope that these daily devotionals will guide you through the Scriptures on this sacred week and strengthen your walk with God.

As you consider day one, ask yourself this question: Exactly what kind of saving did Jesus come to bring you? Did he bring us saving from all our political problems? All our health problems? Our economic problems? Our family problems? What kind of saving did Jesus come to bring you? This is a question about expectations. This is important, as Jesus may not be offering what you expected. It certainly isn’t what they expected back in the first century. Let’s read Mark 11:1-10:

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ” They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”  “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”” (Mk 11:1-10, NIV)

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, this triumphal entry was a glorious fulfillment of prophecy (Zech 9:9). This fits the description of the king that would come from Judah’s line (Gen 49:8-12). The reader familiar with the Old Testament will remember a similar ride made by David’s son Solomon (1 Kgs 1:38). In this culminating event, Jesus was presenting Himself to the nation of Israel formally as their king.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

Palm branches were used in a similar fashion in the 2^nd century B.C. to welcome another great hero in Israel, Judas Maccabeus. Before Rome rose to power, Israel was conquered by the empire of Greece under the rule of Alexander the great. For the most part, this was a peaceful time. However, a vicious tyrant came to power in Greece named Antiochus Epiphenes around 165 B.C. This man was determined to wipe out Judaism altogether and put into place the Greek religion. It was a time of severe persecution. This is when we meet the very famous historical character named Judas Maccabeus. He led a revolt and fought back against Greece … and won! It was awesome! After he won the war, he and all of his warriors headed back to Jerusalem for their victory march and look how they greeted him: “With praise and palm branches…because a great enemy had been…removed from Israel.”[2]

Interesting right? I give you this background because I want you to understand the kind of expectations the crowds had for Jesus on Palm Sunday. The people of the first century had hoped Jesus would give them freedom from the oppression of Rome. They expected and wanted a Messiah who would rescue them from all their political troubles. They wanted someone who would save them from what they thought was their greatest problem – the Romans! That’s why they shouted “HOSANNA!” which means “Save us!” “Save us … from Rome!”

A DEEPER KIND OF SAVING 

That background is helpful for our understanding, but what they didn’t realize is that they needed a much deeper kind of salvation. There was a problem worse than Rome, it was the problem of sin. Do you know that Easter occurred during the Passover feast? Do you know what day Palm Sunday fell on in the Jewish Calendar that year? It was on the 10^th of Nisan. Do you know why that’s significant? That is the exact day they would select the lamb for each household to be slaughtered during the Passover feast. You may remember it had to be a young male lamb, without spot or blemish (Ex 12:3).

Therefore, do you see what’s happening on Palm Sunday? Jesus is the Lamb of God. The prophet Isaiah said “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter” (Isa 53:7). God the father had chosen the perfect sacrifice. Jesus truly is “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the whole world.” (Jn 1:29) This may not be what they expected, and this may not be the kind of saving we wanted, but this is the kind of saving we needed. Palm Sunday is about a man who is volunteering to die. He is volunteering to die … for you.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for coming in meekness and humility. Thank you for coming to save us. Thank you for taking my place. Thank you that through your shed blood my sins can be lifted up and carried away. 

Tomorrow we will consider the events of Day 2.

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Holy Week Devotionals:

1. Day 1 – Palm Sunday
2. Day 2 – Monday
3. Day 3 – Tuesday
4. Day 4 – Wednesday 
5. Day 5 – Maundy Thursday 
6. Day 6 – Good Friday 
7. Day 7 – Holy Saturday 
8. Day 8 – Resurrection Sunday  

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[1]  The So-called Historical Jesus and the Historic, Biblical Christ, 80 n. 11.

[2] 1 Maccabees 13:51

Have you ever felt like God was “done” with you? Perhaps you messed up really bad and you think, “This is it. I am toast. I’m too far gone. God’s done with me now.”

We have spent the last two and a half months studying the books of First and Second Kings. Originally one book, this work provided a chronological record of the succession of Israel’s monarchs. The story has lots of twists and turns but it ends at a low point in Israel’s history. Babylon has conquered Jerusalem. Their city walls are burned. The people of God have lots of questions. How did we get from the height of prosperity to the depths of conquest? Has God forsaken us? Dillard and Longman capture their situation well:

“The author of Kings lived during the Exile or very early in the postexilic period. His readers had in recent times experienced the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the Davidic succession. For them the burning theological issues that had to be addressed if faith was to survive were “Has God failed?” “How could this have happened to us?” And “Is Marduk of Babylon really more powerful than Yahweh?” ^[1]

Kings is a book of history, but it is not a dry history. No, the writer provides for us theological commentary and explanations sprinkled throughout his work, allowing us to see the divine perspective of these earthly events as well. This aspect of the book offers its readers lessons both for back then and for today. What lessons can we learn from this ancient book of history? While there are many, here are three:

1. Lesson # 1: Confront your Idolatry. There is only one living God and He deserves proper allegiance and worship. Kings teaches us that Yahweh is the Sovereign Lord (1 Kings 18:15; 2 Kings 5:15) and He demands exclusive allegiance from His people (1 Kings 8:41–43, 60; 2 Kings 5:15–18). He also demands to be worshipped properly. (1 Kings 11:1–40; 12:25–13:34; 14:22–24; 16:29–33). There are also consequences of false worship. (2 Kings 16:1–4) Idolatry is a major theme in Kings and in the whole Bible. This is because people struggle with it in every generation. Our hearts as John Calvin said are “idol factories.” We love to place our trust anywhere but in God, especially in things which we can see and offer us security, comfort and pleasure. The problem with idolatry is they fail us. Only God can handle the weight of that central place in our hearts. Only He can hold your whole world together. If not, your world will fall apart – just like theirs. Confront your Idolatry.
2. Lesson # 2: Choose to Obey. Obedience leads to Blessing and Disobedience leads to Discipline. The causes and effects in Israelite history are directly tied to the blessings and curses found in Deuteronomy 27-28. Furthermore, Deuteronomy 17:14-20 is the basis for which a king is evaluated. From this perspective Kings teaches us that God has not failed His people by allowing the exile. Rather, God has fulfilled His word and His warnings by bringing upon them the consequences for disobedience. The Babylonian exile does not call into question the power of God, rather, it solidifies it. Like a good father, God is disciplining His people for their good. Is there anywhere in your life where God is disciplining you? How can you respond to Him with repentance and obedience today? The book of Kings teaches us that God is gracious and ready to forgive whenever His people truly turn to Him, regardless of how far you have fallen. Return to God. Come home. He is always waiting for you.
3. Lesson # 3: Trust the Lord as a promise-giver and promise-keeper. The promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and the covenant given to King David, that he should have an eternal dynasty (2 Sam 7) always give the people of God great hope. William Dumbrell captures this idea well:

“While the issue dealt with in Kings is clear, there has been a division of opinion as to whether the books offer any message of hope for the future to the exiles. Has the history of Israel come to an end with exile, now that all the externals (temple, cult, priesthood, kingship, even land) have gone? Some have seen in the message of Jehoiachin’s elevation from prison in Babylon a note of hope being offered to Israel as the period closes (2 Kings 25:27-30)…  Two questions therefore emerge as a result of the events of 587/586 BC and the destruction of Jerusalem, which the Books of Kings report as they close. Would Israel ever learn that God-given institutions must be protected from corruption? And more important, would Yahweh be prepared to begin again? Perhaps those who see in the release of Jehoiachin a slim note of hope have a point here. Perhaps this indirect reference to the promises given to the Davidic line (2 Sam 7) is just a glimmer that in the midst of despair and uncertainty, Yahweh would still remain faithful to his promises.”[2]

God always keeps His promises. Though He may chasten His people, His covenant remains unchanging. That is good news. That hope is what we celebrate as we begin this season of Advent. Is God done with you? Not a chance. Put Him at the center. Choose to obey. Trust the Lord and His promises to you as yes and amen.

To learn more about the books of 1 and 2 Kings, you can visit our series page here.

References:

[1] Raymond B. Dillard and Tremper Longman III, An Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994) 173.

[2] William J. Dumbrell. The Faith of Israel: Its Expression in the Books of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1988) 92.

The beginning of Proverbs contains 10 lessons of wisdom, followed by a dramatic conclusion. This blog post will examine the final part that conclusion, Proverbs chapter 9, where again we have Wisdom and Folly personified as women. Thus far, Solomon has drawn out the differences between “Lady Wisdom” and “Dame Folly.” However, you’ll notice in this chapter he emphasizes the similarities between them. Why? Solomon wants his son to understand that discerning between Wisdom and Folly will not always be clear or easy. The reason for this is because Folly often imitates or mimics Wisdom. 

You will find that very articulate people can argue for very sinful positions. Yet, they don’t have pointy teeth or a maniacal laugh. Folly is very good at camouflaging itself. So how do we distinguish between them so that we might accept Wisdom and reject Folly? This is the subject of Proverbs chapter 9. As a reminder, the structure of this conclusion is as follows (a): 

We begin with a picture of Wisdom’s chamber:

9:1 Wisdom has built her house;
    she has set up its seven pillars.
² She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
    she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her servants, and she calls
    from the highest point of the city,
⁴     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
⁵     “Come, eat my food
    and drink the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Leave your simple ways and you will live;
    walk in the way of insight.”

(Prov 9:1-6, NIV)

In these first few verses we see that Lady Wisdom has built her house on seven pillars, a foundation for an exceptionally large structure with plenty of room for guests, including you. She has also prepared for you a feast. What exactly is that feast? We will discuss this more below, but first, let’s drop down to verse 13 where we find a description of “Dame Folly.”

¹³ Folly is an unruly woman;
    she is simple and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,
¹⁵ calling out to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,
¹⁶     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
¹⁷     “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious!”
¹⁸ But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

(Prov 9:13-18, NIV)

Did you notice the similarities between these two women? Lady Wisdom sends her maidens to call “from the highest point of the city.” (v. 3) Where is Dame Folly? Verse 14 says she too is at the “highest point of the city.” Both women are at the same place, they both have access to the same audience, and their message is essentially the same as well. Lady Wisdom says, “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says…” (v 4) Dame Folly says what? “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says,” (v 16) The Hebrew words in these two verses are virtually identical. (b) In light of this, how do we distinguish between them so that we might accept Wisdom and reject Folly? That is the million dollar question. The wise and careful reader will notice several dissimilarities.

First, one major difference is that Wisdom works diligently – whereas Folly is “all talk.” Notice in the first 6 verses there are many verbs to describe Wisdom’s hard work. She has “built, hewn, prepared, mixed, set, sent, and called.” She has slaughtered her animals for the feast. She has made great effort. Dame Folly – what does she do? In verses 13-15, did you notice that there are no action verbs listed? There is no meat, no mixed wine, no set table and no sent messengers. Wisdom is action-oriented and proactive, whereas Folly is just boisterous and basically has a big mouth. David Hubbard says in his commentary on Proverbs, “Folly is portrayed as a woman who overcompensates for her ignorance by raucous talk and wanton conduct.” (c)

Here is a dead give away. If you are facing a fork in the road and trying to discern between wisdom and foolishness, the path of wisdom will always be the harder path, requiring more effort and conscientiousness. The foolish path will promise ease and pleasure, but it will almost always be too good to be true. 

Secondly, notice the differences in their menu. Wisdom’s diligent work has made a feast of food and mixed wine. (Mixed wine was a special wine where spices were added to make it more flavorful). On the other hand, Dame Folly offers only stolen bread and water (v 17). Bruce Waltke notes that “stolen qualifies the sexual enjoyment as being taken from the married spouse to whom it rightfully belongs.” (d) Dame Folly offers a pilfered meal which represents the passing pleasures of sin. But what is this feast offered by Lady Wisdom? Again, Waltke states that the “feast” being referred to here – is the rest of the book of Proverbs! Of course! Proverbs 10-31 is a carefully collected anthology of wisdom, set up like a banquet that has been meticulously prepared for you as a table of choice foods from which you can find and enjoy nourishment and healthy choices for your life. 

Third, and most importantly, notice the vastly different outcomes. The reason why wisdom commands the naïve to forsake their folly is found in verse 6, “Forsake your folly and live.” On the other hand, the tragic punch line of Dame Folly’s foolishness is that the person who comes to her does not know that the dead are there (v 18). Solomon’s sobering point here is that Folly is not just innocent fun, or boys being boys, no … Folly brings death. (Rom 6:23). Wisdom leads to life – while Foolishness leads to death. There is a tug of war inside the heart of every human being for our deepest loyalties. Solomon has set before his son, and all of us, the choice of blessings or cursings, of life or death. Waltke states, “With a stern warning the sage draws the curtain on the prologue, hoping to provoke the uncommitted to choose the life he offers in the collections that follow.” (e) 

This choice before us lays at the center of chapter 9, the key to unlocking the lesson. There are two kinds of listeners to the book of Proverbs, both are found in verses 7-12.

⁷ Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
⁸ Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.
⁹ Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
¹¹ For through wisdom your days will be many,
    and years will be added to your life.
¹² If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

(Prov 9:7-12, NIV)

The two kinds of listeners are the teachable (v 11) or the unteachable (v 7). Solomon describes the foolish response as a hard-nosed rejection. A “mocker” is one who simply will not humble himself before any authority, not his parents, not his teachers, and sadly, not even before the Lord himself. The wise listener, who deserves to sit at Wisdom’s table, begins their learning with a love for learning and with the “Fear of the Lord” (v 10).

Teachers must choose their pupils wisely. It is better to spend your energies on those who are willing to listen. This section reminds us of Jesus’ words about the good soil (Mark 4:1-20), and about shaking the dust off our feet toward those who won’t listen (Mk 6:11). It is interesting to see in the gospels how often Jesus actually walked away from people who would not listen to him. He did not throw his pearls before swine. (Mt 7:6) 

THE LESSON

If we are honest, I believe we can all relate to both the teachable and the unteachable. Our hearts are sinful. This is why Solomon writes this lesson. He knows the call of Dame Folly is tempting and real. We must be aware of her. In fact, if you think you’re wise, you’re probably the fool. But, if you are keenly aware of how foolish you can be, then you are well on your way to becoming wise. 

To apply this lesson, let’s get specific. Where specifically are you tempted in your life to listen to the wrong voice and follow Dame folly? Is it with your tongue? Your sexual behavior? Your money? Is it with substance abuse? Is it with not working with diligence? Where does Folly call out to you and in what area have you been listening to her? As you think about that area – I want to give you a very specific challenge. Go to the feast of wisdom (found in Proverbs 10-31) and find food for your soul there. I challenge you to memorize one verse that addresses that specific topic of struggle for you. Find for your soul the richest of fare. Perhaps you can pick one of the proverbs listed below: 

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Here are some examples of individual proverbs to memorize on a variety of topics:

Jealousy

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. (Prov 14:30)

 

Sexual Impurity

The one who commits adultery lacks sense; whoever does so destroys himself.  (Prov 6:32)

 

Uncontrolled Anger

Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit.  (Prov 25:28)

 

Pride and Boasting

Let another praise you and not your own mouth. A stranger and not your own lips. (Prov 27:2)

 

Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Wine is a mocker and strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.  (Prov 20:1)

 

Taming the Tongue 

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Prov 12:18)

 

Food Addiction and Overeating  

Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. (Prov 23:2)

 

Greed and Financial Corruption

Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. (Prov 11:28)

 

People-Pleasing and Approval Addiction

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. (Prov 29:25)

 

Laziness and Sloth

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. (Prov 24:33-34)

For more teaching on the book of Proverbs from the ministry of Millington Baptist Church, visit our sermon archive page here. 

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The Ten Lessons of Wisdom: 

• Introduction
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) – Part 1
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) Part 2
• Lesson # 2: “Diligently Seek Wisdom … and You Will Experience Her Protective Benefits.” (Prov 2:1-22)
• Lesson # 3: “Live before God with Consistency.” (Prov 3:1-12)
• Lesson # 4: “Wisdom is a Tree of Life.” (Prov 3:13-35)
• Lesson # 5: “Your Spiritual Inheritance Comes With a Price.” (Prov 4:1-9)
• Lesson # 6: “Choose the Way of Wisdom.” (Prov 4:10-19)
• Lesson # 7: “Guard your Heart!” (Prov 4:20-27)
• Lesson # 8: “Flee from Immorality!” (Prov 5:1-23)
• Lesson # 9: “Avoid three Kinds of Fools: “The Swindler,” “The Sluggard” and “The Sociopath.”” (Prov 6:1-19)
• Lesson # 10: “If You Play With Fire, You Will Get Burned.” (Prov 6:20-35)
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 1
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 2
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 3

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REFERENCES: 

(a) I am indebted to Professor Peter Hook for this structural observation. OT Poetic Books. Course Notes. Philadelphia Biblical University, 2000.

(b) I am indebted to Pastor Craig Schill for this observation in his sermon on Proverbs 9.

(c) David Hubbard, Proverbs, The Preacher’s Commentary, Vol 15 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1989) 137.

(d) Bruce Waltke, The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1-15 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005), 446. 

(e) Bruce Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 446.

The beginning of Proverbs contains 10 lessons of wisdom, followed by a dramatic conclusion. This blog post will examine part 2 of that conclusion, chapter 8. As a reminder, the structure of this conclusion is as follows (a): 

It’s not enough to simply tell someone (or one’s self) to stop foolish behaviors. When it comes to any sinful compulsion, will power alone does not lead to effective, long-term, lasting change. This is the problem with behavioral modification (“Stop it!” – Bob Newhart anyone?) It’s not enough. Deeper work is required, we need to look at our most profound desires. We need what theologian Thomas Chalmers called “The expulsive power of a new affection.” This is why Solomon crafts the beautiful picture of Lady Wisdom.

Commentator David Hubbard explains that the aim of Proverbs chapter 8 is to accentuate wisdom’s worth. She is attractive, resourceful and her credentials are off the charts. (c) The two great poems of Proverbs chapter 7 and Proverbs chapter 8 stand in stark contrast. Lady Wisdom is presented as a woman of high class, dignity and respect, whereas “Dame Folly” is presented, as an adulteress, or as a “Lady of the Night.” Dame Folly moves covertly at dusk, Lady wisdom moves publicly and shouts in broad daylight. Verse one begins with a rhetorical question, drawing the audience in to the poem.

8:1 Does not wisdom call out?
    Does not understanding raise her voice?
² At the highest point along the way,
    where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
³ beside the gate leading into the city,
    at the entrance, she cries aloud:
⁴ “To you, O people, I call out;
    I raise my voice to all mankind.
⁵ You who are simple, gain prudence;
    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.
⁶ Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
    I open my lips to speak what is right.
⁷ My mouth speaks what is true,
    for my lips detest wickedness.
⁸ All the words of my mouth are just;
    none of them is crooked or perverse.
⁹ To the discerning all of them are right;
    they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
¹⁰ Choose my instruction instead of silver,
    knowledge rather than choice gold,
¹¹ for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.

(Prov 8:1-11, NIV)

Notice the contrast. Dame Folly speaks falsely (7:21), whereas Lady Wisdom speaks truthfully, directly, and authoritatively (8:7). Dame Folly is manipulative and coy (7:15-20), whereas Lady wisdom has no need to pervert because she has no self-serving agenda (8:8). Dame Folly’s speech is sweet in the beginning, but bitter in the end (7:22-23), Lady Wisdom’s speech demands discipline in the beginning, but promises life in the end (8:18-21). She continues:

¹² “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
    I possess knowledge and discretion.
¹³ To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
    I hate pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech.
¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
    I have insight, I have power.

¹⁵ By me kings reign
    and rulers issue decrees that are just;
¹⁶ by me princes govern,
    and nobles—all who rule on earth.
¹⁷ I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me find me.
¹⁸ With me are riches and honor,
    enduring wealth and prosperity.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold;
    what I yield surpasses choice silver.
²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,
    along the paths of justice,
²¹ bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
    and making their treasuries full.

(Prov 8:12-21, NIV)

Here we see her wisdom is worth its weight in gold. What would be a greater treasure than to have a personal vault stocked with these precious treasures? This is exactly what the book of Proverbs claims to be. Notice in verse 17, we do not have a passive role, we learn that Lady Wisdom only loves those who love her. While Wisdom offers herself to all of humanity, “her offer is efficacious only for those whose hearts have been regenerated to love her.” (b) We must pursue her with effort. 

In this next section, (v 22-31) we will learn that Wisdom’s origin was from ancient days, from before even creation, as she existed first, before any other creature.

²² “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
    before his deeds of old;
²³ I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
²⁴ When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;
²⁵ before the mountains were settled in place,
    before the hills, I was given birth,
²⁶ before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.
²⁷ I was there when he set the heavens in place,
    when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when he established the clouds above
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ when he gave the sea its boundary
    so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
³⁰     Then I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in his presence,
³¹ rejoicing in his whole world
    and delighting in mankind.

(Prov 8:22-31, NIV)

Note – Some theologians throughout church history (such as Arius) have sought to identify this poem about Wisdom as being about Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity. As intriguing as that would be, there are some major theological issues with that perspective. For example, the phrase “brought me forth” (in v 22, in Hebrew – “qana”) seems to convey that Wisdom here is actually not claiming to be eternal, as the orthodox teaching about Christ does (see John 1:1). If this is the case, this poem cannot be a direct referent to Jesus. It is probably best not to see Wisdom as equal to Jesus, but rather as an attribute of God displayed in creation, and further demonstrated in the person of Jesus, the ultimate Sage par excellence, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:1-3).

The point of this poem is about wisdom’s uniqueness and priority, because she has a long and trustworthy history. Verses 27-31 is one extended sentence, the main point being, “I was there.” (v 27). She was there at creation, “wholly delighting” in the work of God, particularly the apex of which being the creation of humanity (v 31).

The main point of this poem is that Wisdom is valuable in that she has heavenly experience. Bruce Waltke states it well, “She is at home with both God and humanity, and as such mediates heaven’s wisdom to people on earth.” (c)  In light of her stature, we turn to the exhortation:

³² “Now then, my children, listen to me;
    blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
³⁴ Blessed are those who listen to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
³⁵ For those who find me find life
    and receive favor from the Lord.
³⁶ But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
    all who hate me love death.”

(Prov 8:32-36, NIV)

The beauty of the poem of Proverbs chapter 8 is that it is true. This is an essential feature of all good art. It must be true.

In ch. 7 and ch. 8, Solomon has painted for us two word pictures, both of them beautiful in their own way. You may ask, how can chapter 7 (a picture of prostitution and adultery) be beautiful? It’s beautiful because he paints the picture as something horrible and not good. It is beautiful because it is true.

As an aside, this is actually the primary problem with pornography. It is not just filthy and perverse, it is also not true. The root word “Porn” means “wicked,” and the root word “graph” means “writing.” Thus, pornography at its core is an “wicked drawing.” The reason it is wicked is because it is a lie! It is painting a picture of decay, as if it were happy and life-giving. But this is not congruent with what we know about illicit sex, its consequences or any of its effects, it’s not reality, it’s a lie. 

Sex outside of marriage will not lead to any kind of “good life” or happiness, because there is no covenant commitment. The problem with the adulteress is that she is married to another man (7:18). The entire relationship with her is one big charade. She intends to remain married, even though she is being unfaithful. The temptress promises sexual love without erotic restraint, but she refuses to make the fundamental commitment to the young man that is required for real love to be possible. She is a liar. This is not true love. This is not what you are made for.

A relationship with Lady Wisdom on the other hand, is satisfying in that she tells us the truth. She deserves our full and unwavering allegiance, and we ought to choose to be in relationship with her because of her track record of faithfulness. The poem of chapter 8 is that her beauty and worth simply cannot be measured. Wisdom can be counted on. She has made promises to you that can be trusted. You should commit your life to her, because she is worthy.

THE LESSON

The lesson is clear, we find life and blessing in a committed covenant relationship with Lady Wisdom.

Next we will draw this blog series to a close by looking at Proverbs chapter 9 in Part 3 of this conclusion. 

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The Ten Lessons of Wisdom: 

• Introduction
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) – Part 1
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) Part 2
• Lesson # 2: “Diligently Seek Wisdom … and You Will Experience Her Protective Benefits.” (Prov 2:1-22)
• Lesson # 3: “Live before God with Consistency.” (Prov 3:1-12)
• Lesson # 4: “Wisdom is a Tree of Life.” (Prov 3:13-35)
• Lesson # 5: “Your Spiritual Inheritance Comes With a Price.” (Prov 4:1-9)
• Lesson # 6: “Choose the Way of Wisdom.” (Prov 4:10-19)
• Lesson # 7: “Guard your Heart!” (Prov 4:20-27)
• Lesson # 8: “Flee from Immorality!” (Prov 5:1-23)
• Lesson # 9: “Avoid three Kinds of Fools: “The Swindler,” “The Sluggard” and “The Sociopath.”” (Prov 6:1-19)
• Lesson # 10: “If You Play With Fire, You Will Get Burned.” (Prov 6:20-35)
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 1
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 2
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 3

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REFERENCES:

(a) I am indebted to Professor Peter Hook for this structural observation. OT Poetic Books. Course Notes. Philadelphia Biblical University, 2000.

(b) David Hubbard, Proverbs, The Preacher’s Commentary, Vol 15 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1989).

(c) Bruce Waltke, The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1-15 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005), 423. 

The beginning of Proverbs (Ch. 1-9) contains 10 didactic poems, featuring 10 lessons of wisdom, these are concluded with a dramatic grand finale (Ch. 7-9). In his final exhortation, the father graphically portrays Wisdom and Folly as two women, one a faithful and loving spouse, the other, an unfaithful and self-seeking adulteress. Throughout church history, these two women have been known as “Lady Wisdom” and “Dame Folly.” As you read this section, consider today that like the son, both of these women are in your life. They both call out to you and they both vie for your attention. Like the son, you too must choose who to follow.

The son must choose to which woman he will ultimately pledge his allegiance. What we will see here in chapters 7-9 is a contrast. These two women could not be more different. We will see a dichotomy involving two invitations, two ways, and two end results. His decision at this fork in the road will be destiny-shaping and life-altering. This chart is a helpful macro-level structure of this final word. (a)

Technical folks will notice this structure is “chiastic,” which just means it follows an inverted A-B-B-A format. This was a technique in Hebrew poetry used often to highlight what was in the center. In this case, the center is the father’s call to his son to “listen.”

7:1 My son, keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
² Keep my commands and you will live;
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
³ Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”
⁵ They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.

(Prov 7:1-5, NIV)

In the first 5 verses we see the father’s exhortation to his son to embrace his teachings and this will result in enjoying the good life. (“and you will live” v 2). Our culture teaches us that a life without restriction leads to happiness, but the father says true freedom is a life lived within the boundaries of the law. These are “the boundaries that free.”

The wise son should accept “Lady Wisdom” into his life, as if she were a member of his own family (“You are my sister”). This means that the son should reject the call of the “wayward woman.” Some translations call her a “strange” woman.

What does this word “strange” mean? It might better be translated as “alien.” But based on other features found in ch 1-9, this can’t be that the woman is of a different race. Instead, it’s that her behaviors are “alien” to the son’s true nature. She is not calling the son to behave the way he was designed to live.

The adulteress seeks to seduce gullible, simple, and naïve men with initial pleasures that will lead to dramatic consequences, we meet her beginning in verse 6. Here we will see the father making an elevated observation of her behavior from the second floor of a two-story house. He is peering through a wooden lattice, or a shutter, through which he can see without being seen (it would function like tinted glass).

⁶ At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
⁷ I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.
⁸ He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
⁹ at twilight, as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.

(Prov 7:6-9, NIV)

The young man in view does not have a firm commitment to the right way, and so he therefore puts himself in moral jeopardy. He lacks “sense.” (v 7). He is approaching her home ominously in the darkness of night, and we the readers fear that the fate of her victim will not be pleasant.

Notice in v 10, she comes out to him dressed as a harlot and wearing a veil, to mask from the public her true identity as a married woman and the wife of a wealthy merchant. To the sage, her shameless outfit betrays her hidden intentions, but to the naïve youth, it is like camouflage.

¹⁰ Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
¹¹ (She is unruly and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
¹² now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)

(Prov 7:10-12, NIV)

Next we will see her “call” which is really more of a seduction. Bruce Waltke describes Dame Folly this way: “She is a defiant, noisy, and brash huntress seeking prey on the streets of the city that leads her victims to the grave. Tragically, the gullible dimwit who refused to listen to the wise obeys her.” (b) In verse 13, it says her face is brazen, which speaks to her shamelessness about her deceptive behavior.

¹³ She took hold of him and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:

¹⁴ “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.

(Prov 7:13-14, NIV)

Do not be deceived by her affection. Solomon tells us elsewhere that “an enemy multiplies kisses.” (Prov 27:6) Then, of all things, this woman tells the young man that she is in need of a partner for religious reasons (v 14). The “offering” referred to here was a pagan practice, perhaps a Canaanite fertility cult activity, where she would have made a vow to a foreign god and needs a male partner for sexual intercourse to fulfill that vow. As a parasite, she is just using this young man to satisfy her own desires and lusts. She does not desire to serve her creator, or her husband. She has chosen a counterfeit god as her source of security. Dame Folly uses her words to manipulate this naïve young man. In verse 15, she flatters his ego with her words, paraphrasing here, saying “I just want you, you good-looking hunk of a man!” She has prepared her bed with aphrodisiac smells.

¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶ I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed
    with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
¹⁹ My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.

(Prov 7:15-21, NIV)

Since she is married to another man (v 19), who is likely away traveling on business, this is a one-night stand, purely a sexual indulgence. With her lecherous words, she promises the young man safety, her husband is away and there will be no consequences, reminding the reader of the lies of the devil in the garden when he tempts Adam and Eve to sin saying, “You will not die!” (Gen 3:4). Cut from the same cloth as our original parents, the young man falls for her bait and doesn’t see the hook. Like so many adolescent boys, he acts without reflection and let his glands do his thinking for him. He has fallen for her trap.

²² All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose
²³     till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.

(Prov 7:22-23, NIV)

The father’s word pictures in v 22-23 are gripping and horrifying. These three stupid animals (the ox, the steer and the bird) are all deceived by the hunter. They see no connection between the traps that are set for them and their violent, unnatural deaths. The woman will conquer or “topple” him. The word “pierced” (v 23) was actually a military term for being wounded in battle. Her bedroom is in reality a warzone with carnage and dead bodies everywhere. With that said, now we are ready for the father’s strong exhortation:

²⁴ Now then, my sons, listen to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
²⁵ Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.
²⁶ Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
²⁷ Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.

(Prov 7:24-27, NIV)

The father’s passionate exhortation is clear: Indulging with “Dame Folly” will lead to catastrophic consequences. But here is where her deception lies. There is a “gap” that exists between our choices and our consequences. We know from experience that not every foolish choice immediately results in death. In fact, sometimes it appears that there are no consequences at all. This is the trap of Dame Folly. She exploits the gap. She wants you to forget where her foolish behavior leads, and enjoy pleasure while you slip into a life of sheer mayhem. Make no mistake, joining her is a dance with death. If this is true, and it is, why would you want to even take one step toward her house?

THE LESSON

Reject Dame Folly’s seductive invitation. Do not even listen to her. Ah, yes, remember, all of this began with “listening.” This leads us to the key piece of advice, who or what are you “listening” to? The wise son will learn to “listen” to the call of “Lady Wisdom.” Her call is what follows in chapter 8.

We will examine this section next in part 2.

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The Ten Lessons of Wisdom: 

• Introduction
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) – Part 1
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) Part 2
• Lesson # 2: “Diligently Seek Wisdom … and You Will Experience Her Protective Benefits.” (Prov 2:1-22)
• Lesson # 3: “Live before God with Consistency.” (Prov 3:1-12)
• Lesson # 4: “Wisdom is a Tree of Life.” (Prov 3:13-35)
• Lesson # 5: “Your Spiritual Inheritance Comes With a Price.” (Prov 4:1-9)
• Lesson # 6: “Choose the Way of Wisdom.” (Prov 4:10-19)
• Lesson # 7: “Guard your Heart!” (Prov 4:20-27)
• Lesson # 8: “Flee from Immorality!” (Prov 5:1-23)
• Lesson # 9: “Avoid three Kinds of Fools: “The Swindler,” “The Sluggard” and “The Sociopath.”” (Prov 6:1-19)
• Lesson # 10: “If You Play With Fire, You Will Get Burned.” (Prov 6:20-35)
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 1
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 2
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 3

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REFERENCES: 

(a) I am indebted to Professor Peter Hook for this structural observation. OT Poetic Books. Course Notes. Philadelphia Biblical University, 2000.

(b) Bruce Waltke, The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1-15 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005), 367.

The beginning of Proverbs (Ch. 1-9) contains 10 lessons of wisdom. Here in this post we will examine the tenth and final lesson before the conclusion or grand finale, “Two Invitations: Wisdom vs. Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18).” 

Lesson # 10 is a warning against the sin of adultery. The need to say “no” to sex outside of marriage has been a dominant theme in these wisdom speeches. As is typical, this didactic poem employs synonymous parallelism throughout and begins with the words, “My son.”  We are introduced to three characters here:

1. The “Prostitute”: a woman who engages in sexual activity for payment, feeding on the loneliness, lust and insecurity of men (v 26).  
2. The “Adulteress”: a married woman who engages in sexual activity outside of marriage and is unfaithful to her husband (v 24, 29).
3. The “Cuckold”: the betrayed (and angry) husband of the adulteress, the man whose wife has been unfaithful to him with another man (v 29, 34-35).

Entanglements with any of these three characters will lead to the son’s demise.

²⁰ My son, keep your father’s command
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
²¹ Bind them always on your heart;
    fasten them around your neck.
²² When you walk, they will guide you;
    when you sleep, they will watch over you;
    when you awake, they will speak to you.
²³ For this command is a lamp,
    this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
    are the way to life,
²⁴ keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
    from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.

(Prov 6:20-24, NIV)

This introductory section resembles the great “Shema” (from Deut 6:3-6), as the son is told to bind the teaching around his heart and his neck. The imagery means memorizing these words of wisdom in such a way that they become permanently impressed on his mental and spiritual being. The father’s wisdom is to be not just learned, but internalized. When it is, it will become an inner lamp, illuminating the son’s path with guidance from the divine and provide protection. Notice the interplay with the word “keep” (or “guard”), the father says to “guard” (v 20) the teaching, and then the teaching will “guard” (keep) you (v 24).

²⁵ Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
    or let her captivate you with her eyes.

(Prov 6:25, NIV)

The danger in mind here is the “wayward woman,” a hazard which begins in the heart of the son, with his own lust. This is why Jesus taught that adultery takes place in the human heart (Matt 5:27-28). Human sin always starts in the imagination (James 1:14-16). This is why the last of the ten commandments (the close of Decalogue) has to do with the sin of coveting (Ex 20:17), including that of another man’s wife. Notice here it begins with seemingly innocent eye contact, the father speaks of her eyelids as an embellished picture of her charm. Don’t fall for her tricks.

²⁶ For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
    but another man’s wife preys on your very life.

(Prov 6:26, NIV)

Here a “prostitute” is distinguished from a married woman, or adulteress, the former is satisfied with a relatively small payment, whereas the latter hunts for the son’s precious life. (Note – the first part of verse 26 is difficult to translate and also interpret. It may read “on account of a prostitute you are reduced to a loaf of bread” making the son the one who is devalued. This may be the case.) Nonetheless, the argument the father is making is clear, there is severe danger with adultery. Bruce Waltke observes that the price of adultery is severe, inevitable, and unending. (a)

²⁷ Can a man scoop fire into his lap
    without his clothes being burned?
²⁸ Can a man walk on hot coals
    without his feet being scorched?

²⁹ So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

(Prov 6:27-29, NIV)

Here the inevitability of danger is put on display with two illustrations involving fire. With rhetorical questions, engaging the listener in thoughtful participation, the reader is expected to answer both negatively with “of course not!” If you touch a blazing oven, you will be seared for life. Next, the father compares and contrasts the sin of adultery and the sin of theft…

³⁰ People do not despise a thief if he steals
    to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
³¹ Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
    though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
³² But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
    whoever does so destroys himself.
³³ Blows and disgrace are his lot,
    and his shame will never be wiped away.

³⁴ For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
    and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
³⁵ He will not accept any compensation;
    he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

(Prov 6:30-33, NIV)

If one commits theft, the criminal would often pay back double, in order that he should be defrauded the same amount he intended to take from his victim. Even if he stole because of hunger, still there would be a punishment, it says he would pay back sevenfold! However, when it comes to adultery, there is no price tag that would ever bring satisfaction for the husband’s anger.

The sin of adultery was met with capital punishment (Lev 20:10). The day when he takes revenge, or the day of vengeance (probably the day in court) would be brutal. Four times the word “not” is repeated at the end here, he will not take a bribe, he will not receive mercy, he will not take any compensation and his shame will never be wiped away. The cuckold wants nothing less than his very life. There will be no bribe, he wants his full pound of flesh in court. The son will be left with nothing but the inner guilt and shame, a form of walking death.

The Lesson

The lesson here for the son is obvious, guard against the sin of adultery. There are a few reasons for this: First, it is hurtful, women are degraded by this conduct, and men are betrayed by this infidelity. Second, it goes against God’s design. God has designed for physical intimacy to be enjoyed within the boundaries of marriage and covenant love. Third, it is living a lie. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable physically with someone, or asking them to be vulnerable physically with you, while at the same time holding back any true commitment to that person is not true love. It is living a lie, a dual-life. To say physically, “I am giving myself to you,” while at the same time holding back emotional, financial, and spiritual parts of yourself is to lack integrity and to live a double-life. This is the deepest problem. It is not a life of integrity. 

To the single, Solomon would say patiently wait for God’s best. To the married, Solomon would say guard against the sin of adultery, beware of rekindling old romances or flirting with new ones. Beware the dangers of the internet and social media. To those in caring professions (therapists, counselors, pastors, social workers), watch out for transference and counter transference in your line of work. Put a guard around your life and be protected from this sin of adultery, or you will lose more than you would ever want to give up.

If you play with fire, you will get burned. 

Stay Tuned! Next time we will consider the grand finale to the father’s lessons for his son, in The Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18). In this final dramatic conclusion, the father moves from the concrete to the abstract. The wayward woman, still a very real threat, will become a symbolic representation, she becomes iconic, a larger than life figure, she becomes Folly personified. who seduces the son toward a way of life that is foreign and destructive. She is “Dame Folly.”

We will meet her next time in the conclusion – part 1.

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The Ten Lessons of Wisdom: 

• Introduction
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) – Part 1
• Lesson # 1: “Reject the Enticement of Sinners” (Prov 1:8-33) Part 2
• Lesson # 2: “Diligently Seek Wisdom … and You Will Experience Her Protective Benefits.” (Prov 2:1-22)
• Lesson # 3: “Live before God with Consistency.” (Prov 3:1-12)
• Lesson # 4: “Wisdom is a Tree of Life.” (Prov 3:13-35)
• Lesson # 5: “Your Spiritual Inheritance Comes With a Price.” (Prov 4:1-9)
• Lesson # 6: “Choose the Way of Wisdom.” (Prov 4:10-19)
• Lesson # 7: “Guard your Heart!” (Prov 4:20-27)
• Lesson # 8: “Flee from Immorality!” (Prov 5:1-23)
• Lesson # 9: “Avoid three Kinds of Fools: “The Swindler,” “The Sluggard” and “The Sociopath.”” (Prov 6:1-19)
• Lesson # 10: “If You Play With Fire, You Will Get Burned.” (Prov 6:20-35)
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 1
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 2
• Conclusion: Two Invitations from Wisdom and Folly (Prov 7:1-9:18) – Part 3

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References:

(a) Bruce Waltke, The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1-15 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005), 353.