The Way of a Wanton Woman

Go To Meeting

Eduardo Elizondo—July 31, 2021

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We're going to study two chapters in Proverb in particular that talk about the wanton woman—Prov. 5 & 7. We're going to study them to understand a little bit more of who is the wanton woman. What does she do?

There are two full chapters in the book of Proverbs that is dedicated to this wanton woman. We have to ask ourselves:

• Is this really only about the physical and the carnal aspects of this wanton woman that's trying to do her thing and turn people away from the way of God?

or

• Is there more to this?
• Is there a spiritual component?
• Is there a lot of spiritual meaning for all of us in our walk with God?
• What does this really mean?
• Who is this wanton woman?
• Why is she out there?
• Is this literal?

or

• Is this also a spiritual part of it?

Just like wisdom is also personified in the book of Proverbs, in chapters 8 & 9; it talks about a wisdom as a woman and what wisdom does.

We've studied wisdom in the past, and there are many other things we can study about wisdom, but when it comes to the wanton woman, what is it? Is it really just the physical, or is there a lot more to it than meets the eye. That's what we want to study today; we want to really get into the Word of God and get into Prov. 5 & 7 and analyze in the light of other Scriptures.

• What are these chapters?
• What are they really talking about?

Before we go there, let's start in Prov. 23. there are certain chapters in different other places in Prov. and other places in the Bible to really understand what this way is and:

• Why it is so bad?
• Why are there so many warnings against it for our spiritual life?

This is not just directed toward men, that we would understand the way of the wanton woman as a carnal, physical aspect only. This is toward everybody, because there's more than meets the eye.

Proverbs 23:26: "My son, give me your heaart, and let your eyes observe my ways, for a harlot is a deep ditch, and a wanton woman is a narrow pit. She also lies in wait as for prey and increases the transgressors among men" (vs 26-28).

This can be certainly taken in a physical way, that we are to observe the ways of God. We don't want to fall into this narrow pit, into this harlot. We know that there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to a harlot. Even Babylon is the great whore and a harlot (book of Revelation).

We know that that harlot is not just talking about a woman and is not just talking to men. It's expressed that way, but this narrow pit, this deep ditch is something that we should all take heed about and just be on guard against this.

Verse 28: "She also lies in wait as for prey and increases the transgressors among men." How does she increase the transgressor?

We're going to study the wanton woman in the context of these Scriptures, in the context of what God is doing in our lives.

Jeremiah 10:23: "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps."

Before we go into all the details of what the Bible says about the wanton woman and what this way is, and what the things are that we should be aware of and be careful about this "deep ditch" remember these two things that we just read in Prov. 23, that God wants us to give Him our heart. It says, 'Give Me your heart."

Proverbs 23:26: "My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways, for a harlot is a deep ditch, and a wanton woman is a narrow pit" (vs 26-27).

But He wants us to give Him our heart! Right from the beginning we see what the antidote is. We see how we can avoid the ways of the wanton woman, how we can avoid this trap. It's a trap! It's something that you're walking and you don't see and just fall in there at times.

That is one thing that we need to be aware of, that what we have to do is give God our heart! We know those in Prov. 32-33 that 30 sayings of the wise. It doesn't say who the author is, but we know the word is inspired by God and they're in the Word of God and God is telling us:

Verse 26: "My son, give me your heart…" We are all the children of God! We have been called according to His purpose. We are to give Him our heart, which means:

• our desires
• our emotions
• our thoughts

Everything that we are we have to give Him; our whole heart!

That's why the first and greatest commandment is loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, being and strength.

Here Jer. 10 clarifies it for us because not only is it the instruction of God to give Him our heart, but it's also the instruction of God that:

You don't have this, it's not within you. You have to give Me your heart and then understand that the way of man is not in himself.

It is written this way, but it means everybody, man and woman. It is not in man to direct his steps! The word man is included in the word woman, so this applies to everybody. It is not in ourselves to walk and direct our steps!

If we take the context of giving God our heart, as He admonishes us in Prov. 23, he warns and exhorts, us, to do that, because of that woman, the ditch and the narrow pit, and because it increases the transgressions upon man, these are the warnings. But remember, it is not in ourselves; the way is not in our ourselves.

Prov. 20:24 continues with this line of thinking, and also tells us the exact same thing. This is one where it has been difficult for me to understand in the beginning, but in light of Jer. 10:23 this makes perfect sense.

Proverbs 20:24: "Man's steps are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?"

That question always puzzled me. What does this mean? How can we understand our own way?

"Man's steps are of the LORD…"—that is true for everybody! But for those who have been called to give God our heart, it means so much more!

"…how can a man then understand his own way?"

How can we understand the things that we do sometimes, even the errors that we make and the stumbles. Or the thing that happen to us. Sometimes we wonder 'why this is happening to me?' We don't understand it, but it says here:

"Man's steps are of the LORD…" because it's not in man to direct his steps! There are all these warnings, and if we study the way of the wanton woman in these two chapters, it is important to keep in mind that:

• we are to give God our heart
• it's not in ourselves to direct our steps
• our steps are of the Lord
  • that He is guiding us
  • that He knows what He's doing

I think that's the one thing I want for us to do, to change that perspective a little bit, and instead of being centered on ourselves:

• what we're doing
• how we are overcoming
• how we're changing
• how we're going through trials

We need to understand that it's not us! It's God Who is directing our steps!

He delivers us from things, and He let's reap the consequences of some of the other actions—whether good or bad—so we experience His Laws and the power of His Laws so that we experience:

• His love
• His compassion
• His mercy
• His forgiveness

This is all because of our steps that are of God, IF we are truly giving Him our heart so that He may direct our steps and show us the way! All of those who have been called, we know that God is directing our steps!

We're setting a foundation before we study the way of the wanton woman we need to understand what God is doing with us. What He expects of us and how He's working in our mind and heart.

Proverbs 14:8: "The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way…"

Why? Because man's ways are of the Lord IF He's directing our paths!

• IFwe're walking with God
• IFwe're drawing near to God
• IFwe're praying
• IFwe're studying
• IF we're meditation
• IF we're fasting
• IF we're doing all these things

 
THEN that's prudence, understanding our way; understanding our way before it happens, while it's happening and even after it happens and learning the lessons.

It's really walking with God and understanding our way, that our steps are of the Lord. That IF give Him our heart, He will guide us, He will steer us clear of this wanton woman. He will bring us to Himself.

"…but the folly of fools is deceit" (v 8).

The fool's thing is within themselves. All they have to do is do the things themselves, to self-discipline, self-correct. Those who are looking after good. But that's not what God expects.

God expects us to give Him our heart! It's not within ourselves to manage our growth, manage our lives and to avoid the wanton woman, to avoid all the pitfalls and all the things that make us fall in this life. "…the folly of fools is deceit"

I think throughout our history, those of you who have been a long time in the Church of God, maybe there has been some level of deceit of saying, 'if we keep these things, then you're good.' If you keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days!

• those are good things
• those are foundational
• those are absolutely essential

But we're getting into the meat! We're getting into our relationship with God, growing in grace and knowledge and love of God and understanding and love for others as we grow in love with God.

That is when the deceit is going away. That's when we're starting to become less and less fools everyday, because we do have foolishness within us. We have to admit that we make mistakes, we become deceived from time to time.

We still fall into those things and that's part of the process. But v 8: "The wisdom of the prudent…"

• the one who foresees evil
• the one who see things in advance
• the one who understands what's coming
• the one who takes time; takes a step back

That's what it is to understand his way! Understanding that it is God Who is directing our steps and that we are God's creation! We are not here to do just our will, we are not here to see whether we are able to push through, able to qualify and do all these things. NO!

It is to understand that we are being fashioned by God; we are the product! We are not the center of our universe! We are not the center of our lives! The center of our lives should be God:

• because He is directing our steps
• because He is fashioning us

It is not within ourselves to understand our ways! If we're not aware of these things, if we're not growing close to God, it can happen what is in:

Verse 12: "There is a way, which seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death."

We have read this in the context of those in the world, who are not called, and that's absolutely true. But what does it mean for us? That we can also from time to time be deceived in our own folly and foolishness! Sometimes there is a way that seems right to us, but we're not going in the ways of God maybe because we've gone away from God:

• being lax in our study
• being lax in our prayer
• being lax in our living relationship with God

Sometimes something may seem right to us, but we're not going in the path of God!

But He very graciously and lovingly brings us back to Him. He always brings us back to Him because we are His. We been bought with a price! It's important that we remember this as we study the way of the wanton woman.

Read what it says here and think a little bit about this way and put it together with other Scriptures to understand what is this way of the wanton woman. Why is there so much about it? Understand that it's not just the physical warning! It's a spiritual warning! It's about spiritual harlots, spiritual wanton woman out there that we're going to see, and there could be many! It varies by person.

It's interesting because it's in the light of instruction from the Father. We have speculated that these first nine chapters of Proverbs were written from David to Solomon, but regardless, we know and understand the spiritual aspect of this: It can also be taken as God speaking to us!

Proverbs 5:1: "My son… [all of us] …attend to My wisdom; bow your ear to My understanding."

That wisdom is the wisdom from above, the wisdom of God! For us it's a warning to bow our ear to His understanding!

Verse 2: "That you may keep discretion…" Acting wisely! Think before we speak, discern what is good to say and not good to say.

"…and that your lips may keep knowledge" (v 2).

This knowledge is the knowledge of God! It's the knowledge of the transformation that is happening within ourselves. It's not just knowledge in general. Attend to God's wisdom!

Verse 3: "For the lips of a wanton woman drip as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil."

• we are to attend to God's wisdom
• give Him our heart
• keep discretion
• keep knowledge

Because there's a great trap, a great, great trap!

Why is her mouth "…smoother than oil"? Because they're soft and nice things. Honeycomb is sweet; there's sweetness in a lot of things that we're going to see. The benefits of this world, of this system and of the things that trap us in all the things. There are a lot of traps out there. We're going to see what this is referring to.

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

That's goes together with 'there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death!'

This is something that is pleasant and nice initially, but then it's bitter and sharp and cuts and wounds us. We don't know that this is going to happen, but we have a warning here.

Verse 5: "Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on the grave."

Meaning that it's something that is drawing us, but the problem is the end thereof is death and the grave.

Verse 6: "She does not ponder the path of life; her ways are unstable—you cannot know them." The ways a wanton woman are unstable!

We don't know what we're carrying when we're deceived, when we follow this wanton woman. What is this all about.

Proverbs 16:1: "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, are from the LORD"—because of what we read before:

• that we have been called by God
• that we are giving Him our heart
• that He's guiding our paths

because it's not in ourselves to direct our ways! But there's a trap, and this wanton woman is part of it.

Verse 2: "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits."

This is a key, important aspect of this wanton woman. It is the spirits, the intentions of the heart.

The Spirit is really what really moves us, the Spirit of God! The Spirit of Righteousness that moves us. Everything that we do looks clean in our own eyes, but we know it's not. Not everything that we do, because we're still in process and we still make mistakes.

The problem is the deceit, because we think everything is clean in our own eyes. Even when we make mistakes sometimes, we tend to defend them. But the Lord is weighing our spirits and what spirit that is moving us.

What God is really doing is transforming our heart and mind, and it really is our emotions and attitudes, that Spirit that is dwelling in us. We know by the fruits what Spirit is moving us. Jesus said that we would know everybody by their fruits. The Lord weighs the spirits as to what spirit by which we do certain things.

He gives us the answer as to how to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Verse 3: "Commit your works unto the LORD, and your thoughts shall be established."

We are in constant communication directly with God the Father and with Jesus Christ. Then our "…thoughts shall be established."

• they shall be established in the Truth
• they shall be established in the Word of God

They will be established in all these things

• in order to avoid the way of the wanton woman
• in order to avoid this trap of evil thoughts and things

that seem good in our eyes! But may not necessarily be!

Verse 6: "By mercy and Truth iniquity is purged, and by the fear of the LORD men turn away from evil."

These are the keys to stay clear of the wanton woman: Mercy and Truth! That's how iniquity is purged. With the fear of the Lord, that's how we can depart, turn away, from evil, from the way of the wanton woman.

We are so dependent on God, way more than sometimes we realize. It's important to know how dependent we are on God to do the right thing, to be led by His Spirit. In the Psalms it says, 'There is no good within ourselves.' That's true! It's only what God puts in there. It's only to the measure that God is dwelling in us that we can have some goodness. There's no goodness apart from God.

But the good news is that if we're giving God our heart, and we've been bought with a price, then we can be directed by God and avoid this trap.

Verse 9: "A man's heart devises his way… [we might be inclined to go certain ways] …but the LORD directs his steps."

Thank encouraging and the good news! We are being led by God's Holy Spirit in the measure and in direct proportion to:

• how close we are to God
• how much He is in our thoughts when we're doing things

But the Lord directs our steps!

Proverbs 10:17: "He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses reproof goes astray."

It's about being close to God, but understanding that the instruction is essential to walk in the way of life. That we shouldn't refuse reproof. IF we refuse reproof when God is correcting us, when God is teaching us—even with some of the things we have to go through and that we suffer—THEN we're going to go astray and may fall into this trap of the wanton woman.

The Way of Life is; Proverbs 6:23: "For the commandment is a lamp…"

The Laws of God are a lamp that guides our way so that we don't go after the way of the wanton woman.

"…and the Law is Light, and reproofs of instruction are the Way of Life"(v 23).

We just read that we should not despise instruction, not despise reproof. To refuse instruction is not the way of Life. We're learning, we're growing, we understand that lesson. Then we understand our way! Then we understand that certain things happen so that will learn those lessons, so that we will be able to take that reproof and to learn from that. Then He tells us why the reproofs of instruction are the Way of Life.

Verse 24: "To keep you from the evil woman… [to keep you away from her] …from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman." What's that flattery?

• look how good you are
• look how good you look
• look at all the things that you do and how wonderful you are

All of these things! In another Proverb it says that 'it's fire that tests the gold and silver' that man is actually tested by the praise given to him. That's flattery, the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman!

• if you only did this, look at what you could achieve

It's all of these things that are laying traps before us! All this flattery of our goodness, or to think that there's goodness of ourselves.

There might be goodness in us, but we have to know and acknowledge that it is only God's goodness! But this flattery appeals to the self, it appeals to our ego and self-centeredness. That's why we have to attend to the reproofs of instruction to keep us away from this evil woman, from the flattery of her tongue.

Verse 25: "Do not lust after her beauty in your heart; nor let her seduce you with her eyelids."

It looks good; it looks great! What is this? It's leading away from the Way of God to go after our own things.

Verse 26: "For by means of a harlot a man is vanquished to a piece of bread; and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life."

God has given us a precious life, but the enemy Satan wants reduce us to a piece of bread. Satan wants for us to sell the promises of God, and all the things that God has in store for us—the change that God is carrying out in our lives and minds—in exchange for a piece of bread! To change it for a greeter, or experience, money, fame or whatever it is that is our thing.

Sometimes the deceitfulness of this is that it looks good and on the surface it's good. Maybe in itself its not wrong or evil, but the problem is what behind it? What is luring us into that? That's why we have to be very careful of this.

Let's see an example of this; an example of what does it really mean the ways of all of these things? A wanton woman can take many shapes in different people. It depends on what we're searching after. What attracts a person?

• Is it career?
• Money?
• Relationships?
• Experiences?
• Learning?

Some people just love learning for learning sake!

Even the Apostle Paul talked about people who are always learning, but never coming to the understanding of God.

Luke 12:13: "Then one from the multitude said to Him, 'Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' But He said to him, 'Man, who has appointed Me a judge or a divider over you?' And He said to them, 'Watch out, and keep yourselves from covetousness…'" (vs 13-15).

That's one of the ways that the wanton woman presents herself.

"…for no one's life is in the abundance of the things that he possesses" (v 15). That's what the world sells to us!

The more toys you have the better you are! The one that has the most toys is the one who wins. The one that has the best life, to most luxury and abundance! That's what Jesus said to watch out. The same One Who says:

My son, give Me your heart. Be careful, there's a wanton woman out there. There's the deep ditch, keep yourself from covetousness.

Our life is not in the abundance of the things that we possess.

Verse 16: "Then He spoke a parable to them, saying, 'The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.'"

God gives abundantly to test us. It's not only the praise, but sometimes its blessings.

Verse 17: "And he was reasoning within himself, saying, ;What shall I do, for I have nowhere to lay up my fruit?" He had so much he didn't have a place to put it!

Verse 18: "And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my granaries and build greater ones, and there will I lay up all my produce and my good things. Then I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your rest, eat, drink, and be merry'"'" (vs 18-19).

This is one of the traps, covetousness! Not just covetousness, but relying on some of the blessings of God. If God gives us blessings, we cannot rely on those. This is what God will tell us later, it will be the reproofs.

Verse 20: "But God said to him, 'Fool, this night your soul shall be required of you; and to whom will you leave what you have prepared for yourself?' So shall it be to the one who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (vs 20-21).

This is one of the traps of the wanton woman! The physical blessings, which does not necessarily mean that God is pleased with us. It could be a trap! We have to be on guard for covetousness! That's one of the ways the wanton woman presents herself.

There are many, many different thing! We all have to think about:

• What is it that I end up spending time on?
• What is it that I'm attracted to?
• What is my natural inclination is to go there and that may be keeping me away from giving my heart to God?
• From laying my treasure in heaven to be rich toward God?

Verse 22: "And He said to His disciples, 'Because of this, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat; nor about your body, what you shall put on. The life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing'" (vs 22-23).

It's so interesting that he mentions this on the heels of somebody who had an abundance, and who was basically coveting. It's not about how much or how little we have. It's how much time and effort that we put into those things. How much time and effort we put into the physical things as opposed to walking with God and understanding all these are tools that God is using to shape and mold us and change our character, mind and heart.

Verse 23: "The life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing."

Sometimes it's the trials! Deciding what's going to happen? What's going to happen with my job? With my livelihood? With my family? There are times when there's a lot of pressure from a lot of places. We've see prayer requests and things that really bring us down sometimes.

But those things can bring us closer to God; those trials can bring us closer to God. They will bring us closer to God, because we're walking in His ways.

Verse 24: "Consider the ravens; for they do not sow, nor reap; neither have they a storehouse or granary; but God feeds them. Of how much greater value are you than the birds? And which one of you, by taking careful thought, has the power to add one cubit to his stature? Therefore, if you do not have the power to do even the least, why are you anxious about the rest?" (vs 24-26).

It's talking about anxiety, not just abundance and relying on one's goods. It's also the opposite of being in anxiety and distress.

Verse 27: "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they do not labor, nor do they spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these."

Why? Because He wants us to understand what He said after:

Verse 28: "But if God so adorns the grass that today is in the field, and tomorrow is cast into an oven, how much more shall He clothe you, O you of little faith? Then do not be seeking what you shall eat or what you shall drink, and do not be anxious" (vs 28-29).

Verse 30: "For all the nations of the world seek after these things; and your Father knows that you have need of these things." He knows!

When He says to give Him our heart, it's because He knows that we have need of these things!

Verse 31: "But seek the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

Our focus should be the Kingdom of God! We have to understand that even our physical bodies are also like the grass. David also talked about that:

Why have You made us so frail that today we are and tomorrow we're gone?

We understand that this life is not all there is, and that we are the workmanship of God. Just as He does with the flowers, He can do with us, too. Our responsibility is to put ourselves in His hands, to give Him our heart so that He shape it, mold it and He can do what He wants to do with us.

Verse 33: "Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make for yourselves purses that do not grow old, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief can come near, and no moth can destroy. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (vs 33-34). The wanton woman is a lying in wait!

Some of these things are not wrong in and of themselves. The problem is when we set our heart on them! The problem is when they become the most important thing!

From time to time it happens to all of us. That's what happens, it happens to all of us, that we go after those things with all our heart and ignore everything else. We can go astray a little bit, and this is a warning!

Proverbs 30:20: "Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, 'I have done no wickedness.'"

It's true! Sometimes it can feel like that! Trying to do our best effort, for example, at work. It's not wrong, it's exactly what God expects. If all we're trying to do is get ahead on the corporate ladder…. Even that in itself is not wrong. The problem is where our heart is. Where is our treasure? "…where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

God says, 'My son, give Me your heart…" for this wanton woman is a deep ditch!

It says here that the woman wipes her mouth and says she had done no wrong. Yes, because it's not wrong to do her maximum effort of work. It's not wrong, for example, to take care of our bodies health wise. We are to take care of the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

But when our efforts and attentions center solely on that, it can draw us away. The wanton woman is calling! She's trying to use whatever tool, whatever thing that is appealing to us, whatever shiny objects to pull us away from God, to distract us! That's what we have to be aware of!

Proverbs 5:7: "Now, therefore, hear me, O you children, and do not depart from the words of My mouth."

• from the Word of God
• from study
• from drawing near to God and see what He says

Take it into our heart and make it a part of our life!

Sometimes just take a step back and meditate on what all this means. It's so important! It really is like feeding on the Word of God; the Bread of Life! That's what Jesus Christ said, and He's the Word. That's like eating, and meditation is digesting. We have to digest all these things of what it means!

Verse 7: "Now, therefore, hear me, O you children, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Remove your ways far from her…" (vs 7-8)—whatever it is! Every one of us has to take stock and ask:

• What is it that I spend most of my time on?
  Where do my thoughts go?
• What is the thing that I'm often concentrated on?
• Where is my treasure?
• Where is my heart?

"…and do not come near the door of her house" (v 8).

Always come back to God and give your heart to the Lord so that He may change us.

Warning; v 9: "Lest you give your honor unto others and your years unto the cruel."

Sometimes we look back and say, 'Why did I spend all my time doing that?' Not just in a day, but sometimes in a lifetime, or in a season of our life!

Warning; v 10: "Lest strangers be filled with your wealth, and your labors be in the house of a stranger."

Whether it's money, health, fame, recognition, experiences, etc. All of these things—our labor, wealth, time—could end up in the house of a stranger! That's the warning!

Verse 11: "And you moan when your end comes, when your flesh and your body are consumed." This is a warning that if we don't give God our heart:

Verse 12: "And say, 'How I hated instruction, and my heart despised correction; and I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ears to those who taught me!'" (vs 12-13).

I submit to you that this is way more than just the physical challenge of adultery. Even adultery in the heart! This is a part of we do, whether we're paying attention to the correction of God, to the reproofs of instruction, paying attention and understanding that God is guiding our lives. Our job is to put ourselves in His hands so He can shape and mold us, and keep us from this wanton woman that we do not end up like this.

Verse 13: "And I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ears to those who taught me!…. [to Jesus Christ and God the Father] …I was almost in utter ruin in the midst of the congregation and assembly" (vs 13-14).

Talking about the true aspects of a true marriage; v 15: "Drink waters out of your own cistern and running waters out of your own well."

This also applies to our relationship with God! We are the Bride! We are to want that fountain from the Word of God!

Verse 18: "Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth…. [because we are the Bride of Christ] …Let her be as the loving deer and pleasant doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times, and be ravished always with her love" (vs 18-19)—to be ravished always with the love of God the Father and Jesus Christ, and dwell in the Word! Give them our heart!

Verse 20: "For why will you, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?"

• Why would you go after whatever it is in your life? There are many, many, many categories and things!
• Why would we spend our energy and mental effort, our time and focus in something that does not satisfy?
• that's going cost all these things in the end?

Verse 21: "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD… [where we started] …and He ponders all his paths."

God ponders our paths, because we are His workmanship! We are being created! The warning continues:

Verse 22: "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly… [of fools] …he shall breathe his last" (vs 22-23).

This is a warning for us, that we may give God our heart, our whole heart so that we don't fall into the way of the wanton woman; whatever this may be.

Proverbs 14:14: "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways…"—and in the end say, 'Why did I do all these things?'

"…but a good man shall be satisfied with his own actions" (v 14)—because the good man has been led by God! He "…shall be satisfied with his own actions"—because God is working in that person, leading us!

Prov. 7 also talks about the wanton woman, and it's exactly like it describes. She disguises herself, puts on all kinds of appearance to make it attractive. Her words are sweet as honey and smoother than oil, but the end is as bitter as wormwood.

Some of these things are exactly like that. These are the traps that are throughout our lives. There are traps of all kinds of things that we can fall after. But we have to be careful that we give God our heart, that we are walking and being directed by Him. The Lord directs our steps.

This is another instruction; Proverbs 7:1: My son, keep My words…"—coming back to

• the Word of God
• study every day
• praying
• loving His instruction

"…and store up my commandments within you" (v 1).

We need to store up God's commandments within ourselves. To love them, to truly love His commandments! To truly love His words!

Verse 2: "Keep my commandments and live; and keep My Law… [and His words] …as the apple of your eye." The most precious thing that we have! With our eyes we don't let anything come in!

Verse 3: "Bind them upon your fingers; write… [those words and commandments] …them upon the tablet of your heart."

We know that this spiritually speaking, because we must worship God in Spirit and in Truth. We are to bind His laws and commandments, especially those that talk about the love of God, loving God and loving our neighbor. Write upon the tablet of our heart the Ten Commandments and all His ordinances.

Verse 4: "Say to wisdom, 'You are my sister'; and call understanding your kinsman"—because the wisdom of the prudent shall understand his way; understanding what our shortcomings are.

• What are the things that God is working on?
• What are the things we wish we had so we can ask for them?
• What are those things that sometimes you get frustrated because it's so difficult?

You wish it were different in that aspect!

Think about those things; that's understanding your way. That's understanding the work of God in your heart and mind. Ask God to do that specifically in prayer. He will do that! If we have this understanding, if we have wisdom, if it is our 'sister' and we really want wisdom and we ask for wisdom every day in our prayers to God—that He will give us wisdom and understanding—this is what's going to happen"

Verse 5: "So that they may keep you from the wanton woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words."

• so they can keep us from our own wisdom
• so they can keep us from our own understanding
• so they can keep us from falling after all these shiny objects:
• all these things that flash before us
• all these things that look so appealing and good

God is testing us with those! So appealing! Good health, good relationships, good experiences, good jobs, money, helping others—whatever! All of these things are good things in and of themselves!

BUT they can become a trap! The wanton woman may be lurking behind those things, because that is where we can put our treasure instead of putting our attention in God's Word and in God's Law:

• understanding our way
• understanding what God is doing

Verse 6: "For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, and I saw among the simple ones, among the youths… [this is way more common in younger than the older; that is just a fact] …a young man with no understanding" (vs 6-7).

Sometimes as we age we can grow in wisdom and can detect some of these things better, because we've been there, we've fallen in there and have learned the lesson. God has taught us that lesson!

But the "…young man with no understanding passing through the street near her corner. And he went the way to her house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. And, behold, there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot and a wily heart" (vs 7-10).

What was it? Who knows what it was that enticed him! Who knows what it was!

But it's not just the physical, not just a woman with the attire of a harlot and wiley heart. The attire of a harlot is the one who presents herself in a way that is appealing. We know it's corrupted and wrong! It's evil! 

Verse 11: "She is loud and stubborn…"—and keeps coming back! Falling into this same trap again and again!

God is still working with u. it doesn't mean that He's not working with us.

 "…her feet do not stay in her house" (v 11)—going to the next and next; not just to the next person, but the next thing! Sometimes we can be attracted by different ones.

Verse 12: "Now she is outside, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner." Our lives can be distracted with this wanton woman!

Verse 13: "And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said to him, 'I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows…. [I'm good] …Therefore, I came out to meet you, earnestly to seek your face, and I have found you…. [looking for her] …I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with fine linen of Egypt…. [beautiful, isn't it] …I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us delight ourselves with caresses" (vs 13-18).

This is so enticing! It's so appealing! It smells good, looks good, sounds good, and like so many things in the world to distract us from our relationship with God. They can take our time, our attention, and focus from God, from giving Him our heart so He may direct our steps.

Verse 19: "For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. He has taken a bag of silver with him and will come home on the day of the full moon" (vs 19-20)—or in the morning!

Who comes in the morning? The bridegroom! It's a distraction from

• the Bridegroom Christ
• the Word of God
• putting our heart, attention and time into developing that relationship with God

To let God do His work in us!

This is the reason that this wanton woman says, v 19: "For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. He has taken a bag of silver with him and will come home on the day of the full moon"—or maybe it's the day of the new moon, Trumpets, which signals the return of Christ to the earth. That's what the wanton woman sees.

Verse 21: "With much alluring, seductive speech she caused him to yield; with the flattering of her lips she induced him."

• with praise
• building up
• enticing us

All of these things! They might be good things in and of themselves.

The problem is when we fall into that pit, that trap. When we put all our time and attention… We don't put it in the context of:

• we are being created
• we are the object

This is our life; we have been bought with a price!

With that seductive, alluring speech all of these things entrap us. There are many things. It can just be busyness itself, like Martha.

Verse 22: "He goes after her immediately, like an ox goes to the slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of the stocks."

We talked about the folly of the fool! The correction of the stocks. God gives us correction and instruction so that we may be depart from this wanton woman.

Verse 23: "Until a dart strikes through his liver… [that's deadly] …as a bird hastens to the snare and does not know that it will cost him his life"—his eternal life! That's how dangerous this wanton woman can be.

Verse 24: "Hearken unto Me now therefore, O you children, and attend to the words of My mouth." This is God the Father speaking to Jesus Christ, the words of His mouth, the Word of God!

Verse 25: "Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not go astray in her paths."

Let's not follow this wanton woman! Keep our eyes, attention and focus on the Word of God!

Verse 26: "For she has cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her."

How many people that we thought were strong in the Lord, in the faith and the way of God. Many have departed from this way, and have been slain by her! They go after to the cares of this world, the things that this world has to offer.

Verse 27: "Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death."

God doesn't want us to fall into this trap. He gives us many, many warnings. That's the reason He emphasizes in two different chapters, two full chapters in the book of Proverbs—5 & 7—that we studied today.

To give us a warning; to make us aware of who this wanton woman is and what she wants; who she is and what she does. What she can do to us if we're not paying attention and really giving God our heart and focusing our attention on Him, as He wants to do with us. He wants us to be wise!

Proverbs 16:16: "How much better it is to get wisdom than gold, and to choose understanding rather than silver!"

• He wants us to get wisdom
• He wants us to get understanding
• He wants us to follow after Him

Not to go after the wanton woman!

Whatever it is, each one of us has to take stock and see what it is in our lives. Meditate and think about what is it that we put our time, our efforts, our heart, our desires on. What is taking most of our time and thoughts!

• Is it God and His Word?

or

• Is it something else?
• Is it the cares of this world?
• Is it busyness?
• Is it family?
• Is it experiences?
• Is it money?
• What are we seeking after?

or

• Are we seeking after God?

Those things by themselves are not wrong, but that's the deceitfulness of the wanton woman!  Making herself appear like something that she's not! She death and sorrow and trouble!

As we continue on our walk with God, let's ask ourselves and analyze if there are any wanton women in our lives lurking around:

• to trap us
• to ensnare us
• to deceive us

to take us away from God where our heart truly should be!

• God want us to be with Him
• He wants us to give Him our heart, our whole heart

He's not going to take anything other than our full attention, our full heart and full cooperation in the process that He is doing in the transformation of our mind and heart.

Proverbs 23:26: "My son, give Me your heart, and let your eyes observe My ways."

Scriptural References:

• Proverbs 23:26-28
• Jeremiah 10:23
• Proverbs 23:26-27, 26
• Proverbs 20:24
• Proverbs 14:8, 12
• Proverbs 5:1-6
• Proverbs 16:1-3, 6, 9
• Proverbs 10:17
• Proverbs 6:23-26
• Luke 12:13-31, 33-34
• Proverbs 20:20
• Proverbs 5:7-15; 18-23
• Proverbs 14-14
• Proverbs 7:1-20, 19, 21-27
• Proverbs 16:16
• Proverbs 23:26

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Proverbs 8; 9; 32; 33

EE:bo
Transcribed: 11/8/21

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