Sunday
Morning Bible Study
September
17, 2017
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid
to die? Does it speak to the broken
hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision
Is the church loved? Regular: 2900
words Communion: 2500 words Video=75wpm
Ruthie’s Baby Dedication
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to do my first grandchild’s baby
dedication.
I’ve even done some practicing.
Let’s pray for Ruth Ann Cathers
The book of Proverbs is all about wisdom.
The older I get, I’ve become aware
that I’ve picked up a little bit of wisdom over the years.
Yet I find that I still have a huge
need for more wisdom.
Wisdom is not about knowing facts.
Wisdom is about knowing what to do with what you know.
Wisdom is knowing when to do it.
Wisdom is knowing how to do it.
6:1-5 Financial Entanglements
:1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken
hands in pledge for a stranger,
become surety – ‘arab
– to pledge, exchange, mortgage, engage, occupy, undertake for, give pledges,
be or become surety, take on pledge, give in pledge
It’s the sense of pledging
something as collateral, including oneself.
friend – rea’
– friend, companion, fellow, another person
have shaken – taqa’
– to blow, clap, strike; to strike or clap hands
This is the act of sealing a deal,
signing on the dotted line.
a stranger – zuwr
– to be strange, be a stranger; strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an
enemy (participle)
This is the word used to describe
the “immoral woman” in Proverbs 5:3
:2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of
your mouth.
:1 surety … pledge
Solomon is giving instruction concerning finances.
Solomon is warning about taking on a credit obligation on behalf of another
person.
become surety – ‘arab
– to pledge, exchange, mortgage
It’s the idea of taking on a credit
obligation on behalf of another person.
That other person wants to get a
loan, and you promise to back them up on that loan, promising to pay if they
default.
We call that “co-signing” on a
loan.
shaken hands in pledge
This is a way a deal was done. It’s
like signing on the dotted line on a loan document. Or on twenty dotted lines…
:1 friend … stranger
The Hebrew word for “friend” here isn’t necessarily a close friend, but
just someone whose an acquaintance.
Though the word for “friend” could
speak of someone close to you, the word can also be translated “another
person”.
Most other translations have
“neighbor” here.
Solomon uses Hebrew parallelism in
verse one, where the second phrase is simply an elaboration of the first
phrase.
That would mean that the word
“friend” is similar to the word “stranger”.
Would you enter into a financial contract
for someone you don’t know very well?
I don’t think this prohibits you
from cosigning for family members or people you know – though you ought to be
aware of the risks.
:3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the
hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend.
:4 Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.
:5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And
like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
:5 Deliver yourself
If you’ve gotten into an unwise arrangement, beg to get out of it.
Lesson
Financial Traps
The Bible doesn’t prohibit co-signing on a loan with someone.
Helping out family members is a good thing.
We’ve helped out close friends.
But…more than a few friendships have been blown up because of financial
issues, so be careful.
In ancient days, when a debt wasn’t paid back, the debtor might lose their
assets, their home, or even be forced into slavery.
If you’ve co-signed on a loan with that person, the lender might come after
you as well.
Is it a wise thing to put your family’s financial stability into the hands
of a stranger?
The issue here is not about having compassion on the poor.
(Psalm 41:1 NKJV) Blessed is
he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver
him in time of trouble.
There’s nothing prohibiting you from freely giving to another person, not expecting them to repay the
debt.
When you give to someone, you are the one choosing how
much to give.
When you give, there is no obligation to repay, and no
penalty from a third party for non-payment.
Solomon’s exhortation is to be careful about the extent of the financial
obligation you extend to that person you might not know very well.
Would you give your credit card to the fellow begging at the freeway
offramp?
If you’re done such a thing, then do whatever it takes to legally get out
of the loan.
6:6-11 Laziness
:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,
sluggard – ‘atsel
– sluggish, lazy
A “sluggard” is a lazy guy.
Back to the ant…
:7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,
:8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the
harvest.
:7 having no captain, overseer or ruler
The ants don’t have managers telling them to work harder. They just work.
Well … except for “A Bugs Life”,
but even then the ants finally realized the truth…
Solomon’s point is that the ant
doesn’t have someone watching over them forcing them to work.
:9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your
sleep?
:10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to
sleep—
:11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an
armed man.
:6 Go to the ant
Lesson
Hard Work
Solomon warns that the person who doesn’t learn to work hard in life will
eventually pay the consequence in poverty.
Solomon wrote this around 1,000 BC.
The Greek story teller Aesop would write a story about ants about four
hundred years later.
In 1934, Walt Disney produced a “Silly Symphony” cartoon based on the old
Aesop fable, “The Grasshopper and the Ant”.
In the cartoon, the grasshopper (who sounds a lot like
Goofy) didn’t think he needed to work like the ants. He just wanted to play.
Video: The Grasshopper and the Ants
– The World Owes Us A Living
As the story progresses, winter sets in, and the
grasshopper finds himself starving because he didn’t prepare as he should. He makes it to the home of the ants before he
collapses.
Video: The Grasshopper and the Ants
– Winter Comes
27 years ago this classified ad was in the San Francisco Chronicle. Under "Wanted" it says:
Executive age 22-80. Job entails sitting with feet on desk from 10 am to 4:30 pm watching others work. Must be willing to
play golf every other afternoon. Salary starts at $1,000 a week.
But now wait a minute, there's this footnote:
We don't really have this job open. We just thought you'd
like to see in print what everybody is applying for.
-- Associated Press 6-20-90
Around 64 AD, Paul wrote this to
the Ephesians:
(Ephesians 4:28 NLT) If you are
a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then
give generously to others in need.
The goal for the
believer is to be in a position to give to others, not taking from others.
Around 55 AD, Paul wrote his second letter to the Thessalonians and needed
to address the subject of work.
Some of the Thessalonians were
quite caught up in the idea that since Jesus could come back at any moment,
they didn’t need to work anymore.
Paul wrote this:
(2
Thessalonians 3:10 NKJV) For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone
will not work, neither shall he eat.
There are some who are physically unable to work, and I think that its
appropriate to be collecting disability in such cases.
Yet when a person is able to work, and chooses not to work, they shouldn’t
be surprised to find that the world doesn’t owe them a living.
6:12-19 Dangerous People
:12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;
wicked – ‘aven
– trouble, wickedness, sorrow
:12 A worthless person
worthless – beliya’al –
worthless, good for nothing, unprofitable
This is a word used to describe Satan (2Cor. 6:15)
(2 Corinthians 6:15a NKJV) And what
accord has Christ with Belial?
This is not going to be a good person.
:12 Walks with a perverse mouth
perverse – ‘iqqeshuwth
– distortion, crookedness
This isn’t talking about a person who tells “nasty” jokes.
This is a person who distorts the truth.
Dishonest. Liar.
:13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his
fingers;
:14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows
discord.
Perversity – tahpukah
– perversity, perverse thing
:13 He winks with his eyes
His words say one thing, but if you pay attention to his body language, his
body is saying something different.
(Proverbs 6:12–14 The Message) —12 Riffraff and rascals talk out
of both sides of their mouths. 13 They wink
at each other, they shuffle their feet, they cross
their fingers behind their backs. 14 Their perverse
minds are always cooking up something nasty, always stirring up trouble.
:14 He sows discord
discord – medan
– strife, contention
This person is always causing dissension between people.
They don’t bring unity in groups, they make people take sides.
Illustration
An older couple had a son, who was still living with them. The parents were
a little worried, as the son was still unable to decide about his future
career. So they decided to do a small test.
They put a note on the front hall table saying that they had gone out.
Next to the note they put a ten-dollar bill, a Bible, and a bottle of
whiskey. Then they hid, pretending they were not at home. The father told his
wife, “If our son takes the money, he will be a businessman, if he takes the
Bible, he will be a pastor, but if he takes the bottle of whiskey, I’m afraid
our son will be a no-good drunkard.”
The parents hid in the nearby closet and waited nervously. Peeping through
the keyhole they saw their son arrive. The son read the note that they had
left. Then he took the ten-dollar bill, looked at it against the light, and
slid it in his pocket. After that, he took the Bible, flipped through it, and
put it under his arm. Finally, he grabbed the bottle, opened it, and took an
appreciative whiff to be assured of the quality. Then he left for his room,
carrying all three items.
The father slapped his forehead and said: “This is worse than I could ever
have imagined!” “What?!” asked the wife. “Our son is going to be a politician!”
Solomon is painting the picture of a con man … or a politician.
I’m not saying that all politicians have these qualities, but it sure seems
that more than a few do.
:15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken
without remedy.
:16 These six things the Lord
hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
:16 six things … Yes, seven
abomination – tow’ebah
– a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable
This pattern of stating a number then adding one to the number is used
several times in Scripture.
It’s found in Job 5:19; Prov.
30:15-16, 18-19, 21-31.
The point is to put an emphasis on the last item in the list.
The first six are bad enough, but the seventh is horrible. Count if you wish…
I think as you read the list, you
will see that it’s really the same person Solomon has just described.
:17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
:18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to
evil,
:19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among
brethren.
discord – medan
– strife, contention
It’s the same word used in 6:14.
:19 one who sows discord among brethren
This is the worst of the list, causing people to take sides against each
other.
David said there was a blessing that comes when people learn to get along
with each other in unity.
(Psalm 133:1 NKJV) Behold, how
good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
God wants us experiencing the blessing of unity, not the trouble of dissension.
When Paul was writing to the
Corinthians, one of the issues he addressed to them was their tendency to break
up into cliques. There were various
factions in the church, and each of them thought they were superior to the
other factions. Their divisiveness as
destroying the church.
(1 Corinthians 3:16–17 ESV) —16 Do
you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
The “you” here is plural. Paul is saying to them that when they are all
together, they are like a temple of God’s Spirit.
17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will
destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
God doesn’t like it when people
cause division.
Lesson
Don’t be that guy
There are certain things people do that can get under our skin, like the
way people talk on the phone.
Do you find those things annoying?
Pay attention to what annoys God.
Solomon has been saying that when it comes to pride, a wicked heart, lying,
and dissension – don’t be that guy.
I hear that some gals like the “bad boys”.
And some guys like the “bad girls”.
The problem is, the “bad” folks will affect you.
(1
Corinthians 15:33 NKJV) Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
Instead of being the person that annoys God, be the person God is looking
for.
Learn humility.
Let God cultivate a good heart.
Learn to speak truth.
Bring peace instead of dissension.
Be that person that God is looking for.
(Isaiah 66:2b NKJV)
…“But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a
contrite spirit,
And
who trembles at My word.
6:20-35 Adultery
:20 My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your
mother.
:21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck.
:22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
:23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of
instruction are the way of life,
:23 the commandment is a lamp
God’s Word is like a light that guides us through a dark night and keeps us
on the right path.
(Psalm 119:105
NKJV) Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Don’t be quick to turn a deaf ear to the things that God warns you about.
:24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a
seductress.
seductress – nokriy
– foreign, alien; foreign woman, harlot
The word for “seductress” is
literally the word for “foreigner”. The
seductress is someone that should be “foreign” to you. It’s someone that doesn’t belong in your
life.
:24 To keep you from the evil woman
evil – ra’ah
– bad, evil
Once again Solomon is going to talk about sexual temptation.
Again, let me reiterate, women aren’t the only ones who are “evil” or who
“seduce”. Solomon is writing to his son.
There are men who are just as bad, and ladies you need to be just as aware
of them.
:25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with
her eyelids.
lust – chamad
– to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in
beauty – yophiy
– beauty
:25 Do not lust after her
Solomon is going to talk about
adultery, but the sin of adultery starts with lust.
It starts with allowing a forbidden
desire to take root in your heart.
:26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread;
And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
:26 A man is reduced to a crust of bread
The idea is that a man might be able to spend time with a prostitute for
the price of a piece of bread, but…
:26 an adulteress will prey upon his precious life
prey – tsuwd
– to hunt
precious – yaqar
– valuable, prized, weighty, precious, rare, splendid
life – nephesh
– soul, self, life
(Proverbs 6:26 The Message) You can
buy an hour with a whore for a loaf of bread, but a wanton woman may well eat you alive.
The price of sexual sin is greater than you think it is.
The word for “life” is nephesh,
the word usually translated “soul”.
Sexual sin will affect the deepest part of you. It will harm your soul
(1 Thessalonians 4:3–8 NKJV) —3 For
this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from
sexual immorality; 4 that each
of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in
this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also
forewarned you and testified. 7 For God
did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but
God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
:27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?
:28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?
:27 Can a man take fire to his bosom
When we entertain temptation, we can make the mistake of thinking that we
are going to be the only one in the history of the world to be enticed by
temptation and not pay the consequence.
Ray Ortland wrote,
“Sex is like fire.
In the fireplace, it keeps us warm.
Outside the fireplace it burns down the house.”
Sex inside of marriage is good.
Outside of marriage its nothing but trouble.
:29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her
shall not be innocent.
:29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife
It starts with “lust” (vs. 25).
Lust leads to adultery (vs. 29).
Pornography, swim suit issues, racy TV shows, etc. aren’t just harmless
past times. They lead somewhere.
At the very least, it pollutes your mind in how you view others of the
opposite sex.
At the most it can lead to destroying the people that care about you.
:30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself
when he is starving.
:31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to
give up all the substance of his house.
:31 he must restore sevenfold
In contrast to an adulterer, a thief can actually repay what he has stolen.
The Old Testament law of restitution requires a thief pay back what he’s
stolen between 2-5 times the amount of his theft (Ex. 22:1-4)
(Exodus 22:1–4 NKJV) —1 “If a man
steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five
oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he
dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed. 3 If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his
bloodshed. He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be
sold for his theft. 4 If the
theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or
sheep, he shall restore double.
The idea of restoring sevenfold is going over and above what was required
to make things right.
But how can you pay back what you’ve taken with adultery?
:32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who
does so destroys his own soul.
:33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped
away.
:34 For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in
the day of vengeance.
:35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give
many gifts.
:34 jealousy is a husband’s fury
With a theft, it is possible to repay at such a level where it makes it
possible for things to be made right and forgiveness to flow.
Not so with adultery.
Some people will never get over the pain that is caused by infidelity.
Infidelity doesn’t have to end in divorce.
The prophet Hosea gave us an example to show God’s heart of forgiveness and
restoration that is possible.
I’ve known several couples over the years who have been able to work
through the betrayal and now have strong marriages.
Yet God allows divorce in the case of adultery because it can be so
tremendously devastating.
:33 Wounds and dishonor he will get
Lesson
Think of the cost
One of the things I’ve found helpful is to make a list of the consequences
that can happen if I should cross a line.
I would encourage each of you who struggle with lust to sit down and make a
list of those consequences in your own life.
Here’s a sample list:
How will this affect your relationship with God?
What would it do to your wife?
How will it affect your kids? (how would you feel if one of your parents
committed adultery or broke up the family?)
What will it do to your grandkids?
What will it do to the rest of your family – your parents, grandparents,
etc?
What will it do to your friends?
What will it do to your wife’s friends?
What will it do to your job? (I’d lose mine)
What will it do to folks at church that know you?
What will it do to your effectiveness in your ministry?
What will it do to people you’ve witnessed to?
What will it do to the other person’s spouse?
What will it do to their family and friends?
What if you contract a sexually transmitted disease?
What will it do to your finances and property?
Solomon’s point to his son is to think about the damage that is caused by
sin.
The Gospel
All sin has a cost.
The greatest cost of all is how sin separates us from God.
Jesus came to pay for that greatest cost by dying on a cross.
Turning to Jesus won’t instantly fix all the consequences of your sin, but
it will start you in the right direction by making you right with God.