For The Proverbial Palate- Saturday, 05.10.2008

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. Proverbs 7:1-5

In this portion of the proverbs King Solomon exhorts the young man to guard against the flattering words of the harlot and succumbing to her entrapment. (Read Proverbs 7:1-27 in its entirety)

The first and most important element in this exhortation is that the young man is void of understanding[vs7]. Hence the importance of the admonition in the first five verses. The commandments and law (the word of God) is wisdom and light. Where withal shall a young man cleanse his way, by taking heed to His word. It (the word of God) truly is a lamp unto ones feet and a light unto ones path, but it only manifest its power when one binds them upon ones fingers and writes them on the table of ones heart [vs3].

Now the harlot’s enticement is very palatable to the young man’s flesh. Her attire caters to the weakness of the young man’s lust. Her sensual presentation is designed to turn his senses toward foolishness. Her bed is decked with coverings of tapestry and fine linen. The sensual aromas of myrrh, aloes and cinnamon entices the sexual senses of the the young man. [vs10-17]

The sweet smelling savor of her perfume and her fair speech  turns this young man into her arms. He embellishes her temptations. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks. [vs22]

The analogy used in this exhortation may seem a little strange if not for what we have recorded in the word of God concerning the testimony of King Solomon.

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. 1 Kings 11:1-10

Ah…. the sweet smelling savor of disobedience.

Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11

Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. Psalm 119:37

malachi

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