Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Proverbs chapter 25. Proverbs chapter
25. Taking this blessed book and
going through it verse by verse has been truly a blessing. It's been a blessing to me, I
pray it has been to you. Now today we're going to take
the next verse, verse 24. And it's a passage of scripture
that the Spirit of God has been pleased to deal with numerous
times in this book. And verse 24 says it is better
to dwell in the corner of the housetop than with a brawling
woman and in a wide house. Now you know I thought to myself
as I read that, again, we've read it before. We looked at
that in Proverbs 21.9, it's better to dwell in the corner of a housetop
than with a brawling woman, a woman of contentions, in a wide house. And that wide house there, it
means a house of society. Also, there's a word in there
of enchantment. Verse 19 of Proverbs 21, It's
better to dwell in the wilderness, that is, in the land of the desert,
than with a contentious and angry woman, a morose, cheerless, cold
woman. Proverbs 19.13 said, a foolish,
self-confident son is the calamity, great afflictions or disgrace
of his father and the contentions, the strife of a wife are a continual
dropping like a roof that's leaking and you can't find it, you can't
find the leak. You try and it's just, where
does it end, you know? But now the Spirit of God has
been pleased to write something that we've considered again and
again, and obviously the Spirit of God wanted us to deal with
it again today, and so that's what we're gonna do. He said
it's better. And you know when the Spirit
of God says something's better, we wanna know what's better. We better give heed to it. There's
an admonition. Better to dwell in the corner
of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house. Now, humanly speaking, I always
like to just make a note on humanly speaking. Because the Proverbs
are written where we understand. We can understand it. But again,
how many times have we considered this thought? If we don't see
the gospel in it, then we missed it. We need to understand, we've
got to see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in this. But humanly
speaking, we would admit the pain of having to bear up with
a relationship with a spouse, man or woman. It says woman and
I'm going to show you why in just a minute. But humanly speaking,
I'd a whole lot rather be in a nice, quiet relationship than
a relationship of turmoil, wouldn't you? I'd rather. I mean, I hate confrontation. I hate it.
I hate confrontation. It just grieves me to have that. But you know, I'd rather be in
a marriage that's peaceful and quiet and found to be in harmony. I'd rather that. But though that
is important, that is not the message of this passage. This
is not what that passage is talking about. I've seen and heard men
that take this and the men take it like it's always the woman's
fault. That just ain't so. I tell you what, that's a two-way
street. So let's just, before we get
on a high horse here and start bashing women, that's not the
issue here. These verses deal as we've seen
before, not with a natural relationship, though that is a matter that
is serious. Men, love your wives as Christ
loved the church and gave himself for it. Love your wives. Wives,
adapt yourself, submit, adapt yourself to your husband. If
he's doing all that he can do, live together in harmony, love
one another, forgive one another. That's scriptural. But again, that's not the message
here. This verse of scripture is dealing with the seriousness
of the relationship of spiritual light and spiritual darkness
that it doesn't mix. You can't mix the two. It's a relationship that's set
forth in these scriptures time and time and time again. So when
it comes to looking at these scriptures, what I'm going to
do is I'm not going to deal with the relationship between a man
and a woman, though that is important. I'm not going to make light of
that. It is important. A man that doesn't love his wife,
treat his wife with respect. A woman that doesn't treat her
husband with respect and adapt yourself to him and help him
and encourage him and stuff, there's something wrong. But let's deal with the gospel
on this thing. The Lord, when it comes to dealing
with this passage of scripture, what it's talking about is the
associating ourselves spiritually with a place where religious
services are held and where men stand in pulpits and preach to
men and women who are eternally bound souls. Great heed must be taken concerning
what you hear. I turned on the TV this morning
and there was a very famous preacher. Everybody's heard of him. Everybody
knows who he is. And I heard him make a statement. And here was the statement. A huge audience. Huge, huge audience. And he said, the Lord Jesus Christ
came into this world and he laid down his life and paid for all
the sins of every man and every woman that has ever been born
in this world, paid for them with His blood, He atoned for
all the sins of all the people, past, present, and future. Now there's only one problem
with that statement. There's just one problem with
it. It's a lie. It's a lie. The Lord Jesus Christ
said, I lay down my life for the sheep. He's not a failure. He's not a failure. And I know
how they'll justify this, and they'll say, yes, but you have
to accept it to make it effectual. That's a lie. That's a lie. That makes salvation by your
decision then, by your work. And it's not by work. So now
something's wrong. Here's the problem. We need to
make sure we're hearing what God has to say and not what men
have made up. This is what this scripture is
dealing with. The Lord Jesus Christ gave warning in Mark 4.24
and he said unto them, take heed what you hear. Take heed with
what you hear. Be careful. Be like the Bereans. They were more noble than those
in Thessalonica because they searched the scriptures daily.
Please, please listen. If I say something, I'm gonna
give you a scripture. Write it down and go back and
check it out. And make sure that I'm telling
you the truth. Because if I'm not telling you
the truth, shame on me. Heard Brother Henry said, but
he said, if I tell you the truth and you refuse it, shame on you.
Because God's the standard. Take heed what you hear. With
what measure you meet, with what degree you judge what's being
heard. it shall be measured to you,
and unto you that hear shall be given more." That means as
a man hears and applies what he hears, by the grace of God
or if he's left to himself to not believe it, he's going to
be dealt with on that basis. So let's be careful. So hearing
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel of free and
sovereign grace, is without question That's the avenue of God. That's
God's means of salvation. God is a God of means. God is
a God of means. He cools us by the breeze. He
sends a breeze. He warms us by the sun. God uses
the means of His providing. So the means of salvation is
the hearing of the gospel. Make sure we're hearing what's
true. I want to take these scriptures and I want to make sure, Lord
help me to set forth the truth in the light of this word. Because
we're going to die and we're going to stand before God. And
the Lord has raised up preachers to watch for your souls. Paul
said in Ephesians 1 16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. I want to make sure I know what
the gospel is. The gospel is the message that declares how
God saves sinners by grace alone without any works on man's part. Get that part of it. No works.
It's what you just read, Fred. Who was saved? Not of blood. Not just because your mom and
dad were believers. That doesn't make you a believer.
Not by the will of the flesh. That free will. That free will
decision. Not by the will of the flesh.
That free will decision. Not by the will of the flesh.
Not by the will of man. I told you before, I want God
to save my grandchildren, my children. I want Him to. I desire
Him to. But it's going to have to be God. I can't convince Him.
I don't have the power to do that. I don't have the ability
to do that. I want Him to be saved. I want them to hear the
gospel, I want them to hear the truth. This is how God's going
to save them. I'm not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone
that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Is this message of free grace,
sovereign grace, is it necessary? Ephesians 1.13, in whom ye also
trusted after. You heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, after that you
believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit promise. So when
it comes to the relationship of associating oneself with a
group where preaching is conducted, it's better. It's better. It's beautiful. It's best. It's
cheerful. It's ease, it's pleasant. They're
not hearing that. It's better, it's better. So
here it is, Proverbs 25, 24. It's better to dwell in the corner
of the housetop than with a brawling woman and in a wide house. It's better to dwell in the corner
of the rooftop exposed to all the inconveniences and elements
and ridicules and oppressions of the world than with a contentious
woman in a house of common or a house of society or a house
of enchantment. Now I've got a quick question
that we've dealt with before but I've got to deal with it
again. Who is the brawling woman It's better, it's better to dwell
in the corner of a housetop than with a brawling woman. Well,
I'll tell you who she is. Now this is the message of this
passage. She is the contentious and angry
woman of Proverbs chapter 7. Turn with me to Proverbs chapter
7. Here's who it is. Here's the revelation of who
this brawling, contentious, angry woman is. Proverbs chapter 7,
verses 6 through 12. The scripture says, for at the
window of my house I looked through my casement and beheld among
the simple ones I discerned among the youth a young man void of
understanding passing through the street near her corner. And
he went the way to her house. And in the twilight, in the evening,
in the black and dark night, and behold, there met him a woman
with the attire of a harlot, subtle in heart. She's loud and
stubborn. Her feet abide not in her house. Now she is without, now in the
streets, and lieth in wait at every corner." This brawling,
contentious woman. She's a woman that's revealed
to be a woman of great commotion or tumult. And she's never at
rest, never resting in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. She's
loud, the scripture says. She's one of great commotion
and stubborn. Word is rebellious and withdrawn. So that's okay. Here's the description
of her. Now, secondly, this woman, this
brawling woman now that's being spoken of back in Proverbs 25,
she's a trap. Look at verses 13 to 17. Here
was this woman. Scripture says, here's this young
man, she caught him, she kissed him, and with an impudent face,
said unto him, that impudent faith, loud and forceful. She said to him, I have peace
offerings with me. This day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet
thee diligently, to seek thy face. I have found thee. I have
decked my bed with coverings of tapestry. carved works with
fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, cinnamon. Come, let us take our love until
the morning. Let us solace ourselves with
love, for the good man is not at home. He's gone a long journey. He has taken a bag of money with
him and will come home at the day appointed." Now here's what
I know about this woman. She's a trap. And based on what
we just read, she's an unfaithful woman. Unfaithful. Unfaithful
to God, unfaithful to God's word, unfaithful to God's will, God's
way of salvation, and therefore her eternal purpose is the entrapment
of God's people. I'll show you that in just a
minute over in Revelation. is married. She's married. She's talking about the good
man of the house. She's a married woman. You say, well no, I thought she
was a harlot. No, it says in verse 10, And behold, there met
him a woman with the attire of a harlot. Subtle of heart. She's married. She's not just
a... I mean, she's married, but she's
not married to Christ. She's married to the world. She's
married to works. She's married to everything that
is unholy. Not just. She's this brawling,
contentious, loud, stubborn woman. And yielding to her unfaithful
speech and advances is nothing less than the eternal damnation
of a man's soul. Look at verse 21 to 23. With
her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering
of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway
as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction
of the stocks, till a dart strike through his liver as a bird hasteth
to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life." Who
is this woman? She is all false religion. All man-centered, man-honoring,
soul-damning, free-will religion. Turn over to Revelation 17. Revelation 17. She's described
as the great whore. Revelation 17, verses 1 and 2. There came one of the seven angels,
which had the seven vows, and talked with me, saying unto me,
Come hither, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great
whore that sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of
the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth
have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." She's
the one with whom the scripture declares the inhabitants of the
earth, those that are of the world, those that are in the
world and of the world. That's not the description of
God's people. He said, you're in the world, you're not of it.
We're not of its way, its thoughts, its religion. The inhabitants
of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
What is actually going on where the gospel of God, the gospel
of God's free grace. What's going on in every place
where a message that gives men honor and tells men, God wants
to do something for you if you'll let Him. That's blasphemy. That is blasphemy. That is so
blasphemous. What, making God a puppet? God's
not a puppet. God Almighty rules in heaven
and earth. He speaks and it is. He says,
my counsel is going to stand. It's going to stand. I will do
all my pleasure. And man says, God's waiting for
you to let Him save you. Every place where the message
is not proclaimed, that God rules in creation, in providence, and
in salvation, He's God. He said he's God, and God's preacher
says he's God. Every place where men are told,
men and women are being told, just like this fellow this morning. I thought to myself, and it panned
out over the congregation, and I looked at the faces of those
people, and I mean they were all just, God loves all of you. He wants to save you if you'll
let Him. I'm thinking, you're going to stand before God and
He's going to answer for what He's told you. He lied to you. This brawling woman, this contentious,
brawling woman is the great whore of this world, of false religion
that's telling everybody. And everybody that's listening
to her, they've been made according to the Scriptures. Spiritually
intoxicated, spiritually intoxicated with that inebriating drink of
her false message. Lying to people with that God-despising,
man-exalting doctrine. I told you a while ago, and I'm
going to close, and here are just a couple of other verses,
and she has one purpose, one purpose. the destruction of the
kingdom of God. You say, well, it doesn't matter
what you hear. The Lord said you take heed what you hear.
The Lord said you better take heed what you hear. You better
make sure it's according to this book. Take heed, listen to this. I told you that her purpose is
the destruction of the kingdom of God, the church, the bride.
Revelation 17.6 says, I saw the woman drunken, well drunk, with
the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, John said, I
wondered with great admiration. Now he wasn't admiring her. What
it means is he was astonished at her. He was astonished at
what he saw. She was drunk. with the blood
of the saints, that's what satisfied her. Alcohol satisfies that hungering
for a drunkard. He said this woman right here,
this harlot, this false religion, She's all dressed up like the
woman back in Proverbs 7. She was dressed up in the attire
of a harlot. To attract. I mean, you know,
she's got something to show. She's going to show it. So it's
something that appeals to the flesh. And this is what false
religion does. The gospel gives man no glory. And that flies in the face of
the carnal heart. It flies in the face. I told you about my uncle that
told me years ago when I was in Louisiana. He said, I'll never
go to that church where you go again. Never. I said, why? He told me I was a sinner. He said, I'm not a sinner. Not
the way you say it. He said, maybe I'm not as good
as I could be, but he said, I'm not that bad. I said, well according
to these scriptures you are, and I am too. This woman, being
drunk with the blood of the saints, continually slakes for thirst
of their blood, their destruction. So back in ending it in Proverbs
25, the spiritual application of Proverbs 25-24. It's better to dwell in the corner
of the housetop. It's better to be separated.
In a place of exposure, it was saying in the corner of the housetop,
one of the writers was saying most all the housetops there
were all flat, they were flat roofs. And it was places where
you could sleep, you could assemble, it was just kind of an open area.
But it said to be better, it was open air, there was the sky.
It'd be better to dwell, to stay, to set your place right there.
This is where I'm going to be, right here. It's better to dwell
in the corner of a housetop than with a brawling, contentious,
angry, striving woman in a wide house of society that appeals
to the world. That's what it is. The house
of enchantment. It's better. It's better. It's
better. Knowing the warning of God, which
goes much deeper than the family was talking about. It's better.
What a miracle of God's grace that the Lord would give us any
indication, any truth concerning the hazard, the damning, soul
damning hazard of hearing something that's not true concerning God. And men and their eternal souls,
2 Corinthians 6.17, come out from among them and be you separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will
receive you. I pray that God bless this to
our heart. I said again, I know that we've dealt with this Scripture
before. When I read that Scripture again the other day, I thought,
you know what? in the wisdom of God. God's put
that in there. That's the fourth reference that
we've had in this book concerning that message right there. And
I pray that the Lord teaches. I need to be taught again. I
need to be refreshed in my mind again of the seriousness of what
we hear. Lord, give me a heart to believe
for the glory of God in my eternal good. Amen.