because he charged it to his
son. Turn with me to Proverbs chapter 7. Proverbs chapter 7. I would like to look at verses
6 to 27 this morning. I would like to take these verses
and give a brief explanation of what's set forth. In these verses, we're told what God Almighty sees and knows,
and then we're reminded of how He keeps us. I have entitled
this message, Hearken Unto Me. Last week we looked at the first
five verses of chapter 7. In the first four verses, the
Lord had given some sound instruction. Keep My words. Lay My commandments
with thee. Keep My commandments and live.
Mind them on your fingers. Write them on the table of your
heart. Say unto wisdom, thou art my sister. Call understanding
thy kin's woman." The reason for the instruction that we just
read right there was found in verse 5, that they may keep thee
from the strange woman, from the stranger with flattereth
with her words. That strange woman, no doubt,
the adulteress, no doubt, We looked at it in a human, physical
sense. That's dishonorable, unfaithfulness. But there's a greater evil that's
set forth in this passage. The strange woman is that which
lures the heart and the affections of men or women, that which lures
them away, that would lie to you. The carnal heart is desperately
wicked, deceitful above all things. And this strange woman, as I've
said before, It's whatever lures your heart,
my heart, whatever attempts to draw us away from the worship,
faithfulness toward Christ, whatever it is. Matthew 13, 22, the parable
of the sower, the seed, that's the gospel. Some of it fell by
the wayside. Some of it fell on stony ground. Sprung up quickly. Had no root.
Withered. Some of it fell among thorns.
Thorny ground. And in time, the thorns choked
the Word out. Crowded it out. That's what the
Lord said. The care of this world. No matter what it is, it's whatever
it is, you say, well, I wouldn't sit under another sound of preaching
except for the gospel of God's grace. I would never sit under
anything good. But be careful. A strange woman
comes in different ways. may not be in a doctrinal sense
as we know it doctrinally. It may be something else that
would steal your heart. That's what this passage of Scripture
is all about. None of us are exempt. None of
us. So let's see what the Lord has got to say. Now, you know
in verse 1, my son, keep my words, that's the Lord speaking. Keep
my commandments, verse 2, that's the Lord speaking. Say unto wisdom,
verse 4, that's the Lord speaking. So starting in verse 6, the Lord
is still speaking. The Lord God Himself, and it
says, at the window of my house I looked through my casement
and beheld among the simple ones I discerned among the youths
a young man void of Christ, void of understanding. He looked through. His casement. The lattice is
what it is. It's a lattice window. You know,
the Scriptures clearly set forth. The Lord sees. He knows. Psalm 11, verse 4, the Lord is
in His holy temple. The Lord's throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold. His eyelids try or prove the
children of men. The Lord tryeth or prove the
righteous, but the wicked, the condemned, and him that loveth
violence his soul hateth." So verse 6 and 7 starts off and
it's saying, the Lord sees. And He's speaking to us this
morning and telling us what He sees. This is how we know, Mitch,
the Scriptures. At the window of my house I looked
through my casement and beheld among the simple ones I discerned
among the youths a young man void of understanding. A simple
one, a seducible one, one destitute of a heart that perceives or
cares about evil, one that does not care. That's what a simple
one, a seducible one. Just hear these words. You that
have a heart to hear. Let us perceive two things this
morning. We're all capable except for the keeping grace of Almighty
God. We're all capable of doing anything
except the Lord keep us. And secondly, the end of every
man left to himself to resist the God of this Bible and to
not bow to Christ is death. So the Lord looked and he saw. And here was a young man void
of understanding. And the Scripture says that passing
through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house. Here, this is the very thing
that was listed as one of the things that God hates. Proverbs 6, 18, feet that be
swift in running to mischief. I hate them. This simple one, this one
void of understanding, this one void of a new heart that perceives
a no. The Lord saw him. passing through the street near
her corner, and he went the way to her house. He wanted to be entertained. He just wanted to go see. But for the grace of God, I will
too, and you will too. It's madness to flirt with rebellion. This simple one was passing through
the street near her corner, not thinking that eternal death was
the end, but circumstances and opportunities
that come our way. We're in this world. There's times that things cross
our path that tempt us to ignore God's Word. Remember, there's
an old nature in us that never changes. That which is flesh
is flesh. But for the grace of God, you
say, boy, I tell you what, I'd never do that. Pride comes before
fall. Be careful. Be careful when you
say, you know, You know, Peter said, Lord, I'll never, I'll
never, I'll never, I'll never forsake you. Everybody else is
going to. I'll never do it. He said, you'll deny me three
times before that cock crows twice. I've told you this before. One
of the Gospels when it said in that third time when he denied
the Lord and that rooster crowed and it said, He just looked and
the Lord just looked at him. Only by the Lord ordering, keeping
the steps of His people is any man kept from passing through
the street, going by her corner, going to the way of her house.
Verse 9, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black of
the night. I want you to notice the time
that He went. Man by nature loves darkness
because his deeds are evil. He doesn't want to be seen. To
be honest with you, I'd rather you not know everything about
me. I really don't. I want to put across a good impression
to you, you know. I don't want you, but I'm telling
you, there's a side of me that I'm just so embarrassed about. Man by nature, he thinks to obscure
himself, but God sees. See, this is the thing that man
by nature doesn't realize God sees him. That time, Mitch, he
said, one of these days the books are going to be opened. The books. He went, the Scripture says,
well, it says he went in the twilight, that is the dusk. It
says in the evening, and that word there, the evening, it means
the growing dark. And in the black and dark night. You notice there is a progression
in our rebellion against God. Man by nature grows more brazen
in rebellion. Listen to this, Ecclesiastes
8.11, Because sentence against an evil work is not executed
speedily, Therefore, the heart of the sons of men is fully set
in them to do evil." It just gets easier and easier and easier
to rebel against God. Well, I got away with it. I'm
just telling you how man by nature, me, I tell you how man by nature
thinks. You know, it wasn't that bad.
At first, it was kind of, I don't know if that feels too good.
But then the next time, it wasn't too bad, and then it wasn't too
bad. Then after a while, it's no big deal. Verse 10, And behold, there met
him a woman with the attire of an harlot and subtle of heart. And behold, take note. That's what that means. There
met him a woman. And this, that word woman right
there means a married woman. A married woman. There met him
one that appeared as though at first to be unattainable. Good reputation. Oh, she's married. Well, you
know. Oh, she's a married woman. Oh, OK. All right. Well, I'm
sorry. You know. There met him a woman that appeared
to have an honorable reputation. You know, the hook that snares
is usually concealed by that which appears to be harmless.
This is not that big a deal. She's a married woman. But her dress revealed something
according to the Scriptures of her trap. She was dressed with
the attire of a harlot. The works of self-righteousness.
That which honors Christ will always have a scent of righteousness,
holiness, That which honors the Lord is always going to set forth
that which is holy and just and good and pure. There's nothing
underhanded about it. There's nothing two-faced, you
know. I told you what Brother Henry
said one time, avoid all appearances of evil. Whenever there's something
and it's just, it doesn't, You can't really put your finger
on it right now, but it has a hint. Something is not right about
this. Something smells fishy about this. You can't back it
up with scriptures. It's bumping the line. Be careful. If it smells fishy,
it probably is. Be careful. Beware of that which
Appeals to the flesh contrary to the Word of God. These scriptures
speak of Him. She dressed the attire of a harlot. Subtle of heart. Subtle of heart. It means she had a hidden motive. Subtle of heart. Hidden motive. This strange woman, remember,
is anything that tempts a man and draws him away from Christ. Here's her true nature. Verse
11 and 12. She's loud and stubborn. Her
feet abide not in her house. Now she's without, now in the
streets, and lieth in wait at every corner. She's loud. She's got great commotion. Stubborn. Self-willed. Stubborn. Will not bow. Stubborn. Can't bear to be counseled
or reproved. Her feet abide not in her house. That means change. Change is
what she desires. He who changes not. is who we
worship. Now she's without. Now in the
streets, lieth in wait at every corner. This strange woman is not a woman
of mere opportunity. She's lying in wait. She's watching. She's motivated by Him who is
as a roaring lion seeking whom He may devour. I mean, we think that just kind
of have to go lucky. Everything's fine. It's just,
you know, day in, day out, you know. No, there's a battle. There's a war going on. Her feet. She doesn't abide. She's in the streets. She's looking
for an ambush. That's what she's looking for. I'll get you. Just give me a
little time. It'll all start. It'll be simple. So she caught him, verse 13.
Kissed him. and with impotent face said unto
him, impotent, strengthened, stern. She seized him with strength
and kissed him with a strengthened countenance. And she said unto him, you know,
before, We look and see what she said to him. Let me ask you
to be reminded, there's not a man or a woman
alive that wouldn't fall prey to this strange woman of spiritual
adultery if the Lord doesn't keep us. I'm telling you that
no one is safe in themselves. She caught him and she kissed
him and she said to him, she said, I have peace offerings
with me. This day have I paid my vows. Now what did she really
say? This is the most deceptive lie
that this woman tells right here. I have peace offerings with me. This day have I paid my vows. This is what she says, sacrifices
of peace offerings are over or are with me, and today I have
made amends. I am at peace. Peace, she is saying, has been
established between me and Almighty God. This is not rebellion. That's what she's saying. Let
me just get it down where we can understand what we're saying.
This is not rebellion against God. I'm at peace with the Lord. I've paid. I've completed my
vow or my promise. Think about the law of God. Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart and soul. I've
done that. I've done that. I'm not in rebellion
against God. You know, peace has truly been
established for some. But it's been established through
the blood of His cross. Peace with God. Reconciliation
with God. Peace through and by and in the
Lord Jesus Christ only. Peace. Peace with God. Here is
what she says, I have peace offerings with me and today I paid my vows. I am at peace with God. You are
okay. You are safe with me. Don't worry about it. This spiritual harlot saying,
though I indulge in indifferent loves, And I know I'm a sinner. I understand that. But I'm not
adverse to the worship of God. So don't worry about this. This is not a big deal. I'm at
peace with the Lord. Oh, what an awful picture is
the mystery of iniquity. That body of death that will
not bow to Christ. This spiritual adulterer shall
profess zeal for God's house, His service, while openly insulting
Him with the fascination of idolatry. I'm at peace with the Lord. Come on, I just kissed Him. said with a strong face, don't
tell me I'm not right with God. I love you. You're safe with
me. If this spiritual harlot can
convince a man or woman that she's at peace with God, and
they are too, while they openly walk in Rebellion contrary to
his scriptures. They're caught. They're duped.
Deceived. All external lip service. And that's all this is. That's
what the Lord said. He said, these people draw nigh
to me with their lip, but their heart is far from me. Can that be so? He said it is. It makes you so. Peace with God. It's a deception. It's a show of piety. It's a show of godliness. Verse 15, "...therefore came
I forth to meet thee," she's telling him, "...diligently to
seek thy face, and I found thee." Because I'm at peace with God,
you know, all is well with whatever I do. You, dear deceived one, are the object
of this strange woman. And in the deceptive heart, this sounds right. The deceived
heart, it sounds right. Whatever it is that causes me
to go after that which is contrary to the worship of Almighty God. Verse 16, I've decked my bed
with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen
of Egypt. I've perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of
love until the morning. Let us solace ourselves with
love. Lie with me." That's what she
says. Her coverings of tapestry, carved works, colored fabric. It's the fine linen of Egypt. It doesn't say anything about
the fine linen in the book of Revelation which speaks of the
righteousness of Christ. This is the fine linen of Egypt. Shouldn't that throw a red flag? It ought to. This woman's bed
is perfumed with myrrh and aloes and cinnamon. I thought it was
strange that it mentioned those herbs. You know, I looked it up. The
Scriptures speak. often of those herbs concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ. It's just for sake of time, it
speaks of Him. When it speaks of Him, it speaks
of His beauty and His scent to the believer and His glory, His
honor. But obviously what this is, it's
a mockery. You say, I mean, can it really
be a mockery? Are you kidding me? Is that a
real question that we would ask ourselves? Men stand in pulpits and they
speak and use His name. We're here to worship the Lord
Jesus Christ. A lot of times they don't even
speak of Him as the Lord. We love people. We want to see
people saved. We want people to get their hearts
right with God. And all the while, they're not
setting forth what God Almighty has graciously and powerfully
done for His people to His honor and His glory and His praise,
but it's what they can do to make themselves accepted. They use the words, This bed smells like him, doesn't
it? Let us take our fill of love
until the morning. Let us solace ourselves with
loves. You know, loves. Neil, there's
another flag just sort of go up. Believers have one love. It's
Him. And all that is in Him, with
Him, for Him. They love the brethren, but they
love the brethren for Christ's sake. They love His Word because
it's His Word. Let's solace ourselves with loves. Only a deceived heart will believe
that total ruin and rebellion before Almighty God is something
to be rejoiced in. Let's just get together, and
I mean let's just have a good time. Verse 19, For the good man is
not at home, he gone on a long journey. He has taken a bag of
money with him and will come home at the day appointed. Here is a woman that she doesn't
even speak of her husband with any kind of honor. Good man. She is blasphemously speaking
of the one that she says she loves. I've made peace with God. I've got my bed all decked over
with some fine linen from Egypt. I've even sprinkled some good
smelling stuff. And the good man, the good man. You've heard people blasphemously
speak of him concerning upstairs. Only a believer speaks with respect. She speaks in such a way that
she's revealing that there's no fear of God. There's no respect
of God. There's no urgency. There's no
rush. Today is not the day of salvation.
No, no, no. Listen. He's taken a bag of money
and he'll come home at the appointed
day, but it's not today. It's fine. And with her, verse
21, 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 as a fool to the
correction of the stocks, till a dart strike through his liver,
as a bird hasteneth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for
his life." Here's the bait. Fair speech. That's what the
bait was. Fair speech. Doctrine. False gospel. Paul said, if an angel from heaven
preached any other gospel than that which was preached unto
you, let him be accursed. With her fair speech, she caused
him to yield, to bend away, and with the flattering, with the
smoothness, like honey, with her language, her lips,
she forced him, She impelled him. And he walked after her straightway,
instantly. He went after her. This sounds
good. This sounds good. And what's sad is that except
for the grace of God, he'll continue until he perishes. A dart. Not aware of the danger? We all, as I've said before,
we've got people we know. We've got family. We've got neighbors. And you think to yourself, this could be the last day that
you walk on this earth. And you know that based upon
what the Scripture sets forth concerning the evidence of a
believer and the consistency of a believer and the love of
a believer, you think if you left this world today, based
on what I can see, I'm not trying to say anything other than what
the Scripture sets forth. I'm not trying to say that I
can tell No man's heart. I don't know. I don't know if
he's one of God's elect. I don't know. I don't know. But
I do know this. There's some evidences. There's
some evidences of believers. And you find someone and there
appears to be no interest, no heart, no longing, no love, no
desire. And you think, That's thin ice. He doesn't realize until a dart
just... and there was the sentence of
God's judgment. This is what the Lord has said
to His people. He said, I looked. I saw. I know. I'm telling you what's going
on. This is His Word to us telling us what He knows. And but for His grace, that's
what we'd be doing. But in closing, listen to the
words of our gracious Lord as He speaks to His people in power. Not just a suggestion, but in
power. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of your power. His Word comes to us in power. Verse 24, Harken unto me now,
therefore, ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let
not thine heart decline to her ways. Go not astray in her paths,
for she hath cast down many wounded. Yea, many strong men have been
slain by her. Her house is the way to hell,
going down to the chambers of death. only by the grace of God."
Will a man or a woman hear those words? Hearken to Me. Don't decline to her ways. And it's not that He just said
it and left it to us in our own ability to do it. Empower, He
said, don't decline to her ways. And in His power, By His grace,
by His keeping mercy, we say, Lord, by Your grace, I won't. By Your grace, I won't. The sheep know they're powerless
to keep themselves. He says, she's cast down many
wounded, many strong in themselves. In themselves, they're strong,
we think. Many have been slain. The God's people say this, Lord,
because You've kept me. That's the only reason I'm here. Her house, her family is the
way to hell and death. Anything that takes a precedent
over the bowing, the worship of Almighty God. Anything that
takes a precedent that is more important. Let me say it like
that. That's her house. That's her. Lord, keep us and
we'll be kept. David said, Lord, take not thy
spirit away from me. Lord, if you keep me, I will eternally be found in
the Lord Jesus Christ. You're all my hope. Without you,
I can do nothing. That's the speech of a believer.
For Christ's sake, Amen.