Proverbs 5:3-5 Strange Women...

[Twanger]

What is it about a strange woman that muddles a man's thinking?

Our politicians seem to have not thought very clearly about something that should not come as much of a surprise to anybody with much brains. I'm thinking of Mark Sanford (R) Governor of South Carolina, but there are so many others in politics that have recently fallen. Sanford was a rising star, a presidential hopeful, but now it all is gone. How can the thought of a few nights of pleasure motivate a man to risk all he has worked for his entire life?

A cheat is always eventually found out. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but with each cheat the cheater gets bolder and the evidence builds, and it's just a matter of time.

Proverbs 5:3-5

3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

[TinStar]

May sound overly simple but it is because we are flawed from the start. Look at David and Solomon. While one may enticed by strange women, another is enticed by greed, another by his pride, etc., etc. When one looks at the "heroes" of the Bible you will see they all; except Christ, are flawed and need forgiveness and salvation also. Even after salvation the war continues on.
I speak from experience. And no, I won't get into details.

TinStar
Soli Deo Gloria!

[Twanger]

You are very right TinStar. I guess it comes down to that: No matter how well we know right from wrong, in the end we're flawed beings, and often do the wrong thing. And I do include myself in that.

They were talking about it on the news last night. There seems to be strong tendency for this to happen to politicians, but never female politicians, only the men. Men in politics are a different animal from just about everybody else. They live in an uncertain world where everything is spin, damage control, and there really is no right or wrong answer for most of what they do every day... just shades of gray. These men are as type A as it gets. Combine that with the power that comes with the office and Testosterone and you've got a combination pre-sprung for disaster.

Testosterone is a powerful drug.

[Waidmann]

When I was in High School, there was a girl in my class who (the unconfirmed rumors insisted) had gone to New York to have an abortion. This was in the late 60s--before RvW and there were only a handful of states where abortion was legal. At any rate, this made her an object of extreme interest to many of the HS boys, since we knew that she must have been "sexually active". Truth be told, most of us thought she was a "slut", although in retrospect, she really wasn't. She was just sexually active. Strange what forty years will do, eh? Today I guessing that a HS senior that wasn't sexually active would be an oddity. But I digress.

She lived with her parents in a house that was on my paper route. Her folks weren't customers, but I wished they had been. My buddy and I would watch her house with interest every day when we rode past on our bikes. Hoping, perhaps, for a glimpse of her. I look back on that with interest.

The next couple of verses from Proverbs 5 continue the story:

7 And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. 8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house; 9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless...

I think there is something basely fascinating about immorality. It particularly affects the innocent or inexperienced. The lack of experience makes it all the more seductive to the young. It may well be a truthful statement on Sanford's part that he was a squeeky clean guy until then. That would only make the curiosity stronger. That kind of curiosity and fascination, without the strong moral foundation, has driven many a person--common person as well as the powerful--to ruin.

Waidmann

[ncboman]

What is it about a strange woman that muddles a man's thinking?

Our politicians seem to have not thought very clearly about something that should not come as much of a surprise to anybody with much brains. I'm thinking of Mark Sanford (R) Governor of South Carolina, but there are so many others in politics that have recently fallen. Sanford was a rising star, a presidential hopeful, but now it all is gone. How can the thought of a few nights of pleasure motivate a man to risk all he has worked for his entire life?

A cheat is always eventually found out. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but with each cheat the cheater gets bolder and the evidence builds, and it's just a matter of time.

Proverbs 5:3-5

3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

:rolleyes:

oh boy.

Gents, the verses above aren't about a woman at all.

Think false church, ... self worship ... the great deception.

ncboman

[TinStar]

Another thing that doesn't get brought up as much as it should be is that our culture is saturated with sex. For crying out loud a woman can't even get throught the checkout line at the market with her kids without being being eye-slammed by magazines promoting sex. Look at the rest of the media. Things really changed during the sixties with the "sexual revolution" and today society is footing the bill. Amazing how many of the rights given us have been perverted by the left. But that is what they traffic in.

TinStar
Soli Deo Gloria!

[ncboman]

The fake or false bride that will come about in the end time is the false church.

These verses speak of her, the imposter, that strange woman. The Bible warns us not to be deceived. The strange woman, the false religion, is the deceiver.

... think Obama is a slick speaker? ... we ain't seen nothin yet. :rolleyes:

[DRPearl]

:rolleyes:

oh boy.

Gents, the verses above aren't about a woman at all.

Think false church, ... self worship ... the great deception.

ncboman

So,Your'e saying that this passage doesn't teach a moral lesson and warning reguarding a mans weakness for sexualy immoral women,but is rather a reference to a prophesied latter day church?Does this principal apply to all parts of the book of Proverbs? if not how does one diffferentiate between those that are to be applied one way or the other?

Oh Boy

[ncboman]

So,Your'e saying that this passage doesn't teach a moral lesson and warning reguarding a mans weakness for sexualy immoral women,but is rather a reference to a prophesied latter day church?Does this principal apply to all parts of the book of Proverbs? if not how does one diffferentiate between those that are to be applied one way or the other?

Oh Boy

No, I'm saying these verses have parallel meaning.

these verses in Proverbs go hand in hand with Rev 17 and 18. ... even to the use of the word 'wormwood'.

A strange woman indeed.

[ncboman]

no reply?

DRPearl and everyone else also,

do you think the verses are there merely to teach a moral lesson about the danger of sex on the side?

Surely the flirty girl down at the gasncoffee store doesn't have feet going down to death. :rolleyes:

This is something I feel very strongly about and very indicative of where we may be headed and perhaps why. :rolleyes:

These verses run far deeper than face value. The Lord is telling those of us with ears to hear something here, and it's something very important. These verses are about churches and religion, much moreso than immoral sex.

These verses are about immoral religion. The Lord is telling us how to know , how to discern.

This is very important to you.

What does the Lord instruct us(the believers) to do personally, above all other things?

These verses go to the heart of it.

To take these verses so lightly without understanding of their full intent is indicative of where nearly all religions may be going. ... to hell in a handbasket.

back to the point to ponder in proving this thing;

What does the Lord instruct us(the believers) to do personally, above all other things?

If we can agree on this, then perhaps we can prove the real significance of the verses Twanger has brought to the table. :)

[TinStar]

ncboman,

I think the original intent of this passage had to do with sexual immorality as according to the law; those caught in the act of adultery were to be stoned. So; yes her feet can lead to death. Also it is disobedience to God and a lifestyle void of Him will lead to eternal death. I don't believe this to be a picture of the end times; but rather a part of a series of instruction in wisdom. Proverbs isn't known for prophecy or pictures of end-time events. HOWEVER- The Word does use the examples of adultery, whoring, whore, etc. many times to refer to the spiritual adultery of worshipping anyone or anything except God. In these times money and materialism come to mind along with sex etc. A prime example would be the whore of Babylon; which is clearly false religion. One could use this verse in the context of both points of view; but when read along with the rest of the book it has more to do with one's conduct and the use of Godly wisdom over the power of the flesh. But I think the original thought was the physical act and what it CAN lead to.


TinStar
Soli Deo Gloria!

[Waidmann]

Ncboman,

I've no doubt that God uses the sexual union of a man and a woman in marriage as a physical type or representation of the relationship that should exist between God and His people. The Old Testament is full of statements describing God as the husband and Israel as an unfaithful wife. He calls Israel’s behavior “harlotry”, “whoring after other Gods” , “adultery”, etc. He says He will give her a “divorce”. The New Testament continues the pattern. In perhaps one of the Scripture’s clearest teaching about the relationship between a husband and wife, Paul conclude the passage by saying “Oh, by the way, I was actually talking about Christ and the Church”. I suspect, although I can’t prove from Scripture, that the reason God created man “male and female” (IOW, only two sexes, rather than the science fiction favorite three or more sexes) was so God could use the relationship between a man and woman as an illustration of Himself and the Church. He warns us that “the Lord your God is a jealous God” and “Him only shall you worship”.

So, on the score of understanding the seriousness of the physical relationship in God’s eyes, I’d be inclined to agree with you that there is a spiritual warning here as well as the plain physical warning.

However, the church described as the “Great Harlot” in the book of the Revelation is apostate Israel. The Prophets, leading up to and including the greatest Prophet of all, Jesus, all warn Israel that their days were numbered unless they repented. Revelation describes the judgment God visited on Israel in AD70 which culminated in her destruction. The fact that apostate Israel was judged and destroyed does not in any way lessen the lessons that the Scriptures tries to tell. If we are part of His church, we are part of His Bride (not, as some would have us believe, we will become His Bride at some future time). We should understand that sexual purity is reflective of the purity with which we worship and are faithful to God.

Waidmann