Proverbs 7:16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
Pro 7:24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Pro 7:25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Pro 7:26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
Pro 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
The strange woman is not interested in a relationship. She has stooped to such a level that she just wants money. She is willing to defile herself for the sake of getting rich. She loves to take naive men down.
She knows what it takes to break a simple man. She flatters with her words and with her eyes. She entices him with things like a fancy bed. She also understands the place that perfumes play in this whole matter. The cosmetics industry is always looking for some new scent that will catch the nose of men or women. They work hard and long to try to find that scent that will be a ‘knock out’. Of course different scents work for different people.
This simple son has already fallen into the trap. He is caught. She is just making the final steps to finish him off. She already has him defeated.
In verse 19 she readily admits that she is a married woman. She does not care about that. The simple son is so far gone now that this news is not going to make any difference to him. He just wants to get to the zenith of his lusts. She makes the story so juicy. The goodman has wealth, but he is gone. He won’t be home until a certain prearranged time. They are good to go.
In verse 21 we see that she has mastered the art of deception. She knows how to speak and what to say. She has completely broken down this simple son. He has no power to resist. It does not matter what she would tell him now. He is completely surrendered to his lusts. She is just the vessel that will satisfy his lusts for a moment. Notice how she uses her flattering lips to force him. She does not need muscles. She does not need a gun. She just needs to know how to play the game. She has studied the nature of man. She has learned some destructive things that she is quite sure will work.
In verse 22 we see further that this simple son takes no thought for what he is actually doing. He is like that ox that is going to the slaughter. That ox has no clue what is coming. He may have some reservations of the path they are on, but he goes along because his owner has some grain to entice him or some nice fresh hay. He just follows along.
This simple son is like the fool going to the correction of the stocks. He does not think of the consequences of where he is going.
In verse 23 we read that the end comes swiftly and suddenly. A dart pierces his body and into his liver. He is like that bird that is flying along and does not see the snare that is set for it. All of a sudden it is caught and now what? It might try to get free but that is now impossible.
The father has been giving his son this scenario. He is not just talking to the son now. He is talking to the children. They need to pay close attention to what the father is saying. The father has wisdom. He knows what he is talking about. God who is the Author. He is directing the father in what he will say.
In verse 25 we are reminded of the deceptive nature of the heart. The man can follow his heart but be going in the completely wrong direction. Going in the path of the strange woman is to go astray. It is not the right course. The children should never even consider that path.
In verse 26 we learn further that this woman is well trained in her “craft”. She knows how to lure in the gullible man. She has done it before. She may brag about the prey she has found and reeled in. Even strong men have been slain by her. Samson was a strong man. The enemies had no way of restraining him. But a strange woman broke him without breaking a sweat. She just needed to sweet talk him and play with him a little. Samson did not realize what had happened until it was too late. There was no turning back at that time.
God closed this portion with some very sober words. This is not just a matter of physical death. Her house is the way to hell. Those who think they can play this game need to understand the end of this matter. It is no joke. It is better to discipline that wandering eye. It is better to get that lust under control. It is better to get saved and submit to God’s will than to follow the lust of the flesh. That momentary “thrill” is not worth it. Many a man has lived with the regret of that lust. I am sure Solomon was not pleased with how his life ended. We know for sure that David regretted the infidelity he was involved in. It cost him dearly.
We need to understand that once we step over the line, we lose control of the agenda. Jesus talked of the importance of being on the narrow way. That way is not hard to find. It is difficult to enter into that way because of the sin nature which includes the pride of man. In fact no man can enter that narrow way unless they are willing to turn to God in repentance and put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a matter of making some kind of a deal with God. It is a matter of being broken by Him and given eternal life. It is far better to be broken by Him than to be broken and destroyed by the strange woman.
Pastor Bartel