~Old Testament Scenarios~
Proverbs
“…now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.”
Proverbs 7:12 (NIV)
"Warning…Warning…Warning"
What the heck is happening here and what in the world is this verse talking about? King Solomon is describing quite the situation to his young son in hopes to warn him what can be lurking around every corner. I always picture the boy (or young man) listening to his dad with eyes wide open like a deer in headlights. Solomon describes this “woman”, a harlot, coming after the young innocent boy with all her seductress enticements. She knows the boy’s weakness; she is never at rest and she is openly exposing herself to tempt this boy.
Solomon may be speaking into those “runaway young male hormones” that his son might have been experiencing, but there are lessons here for both genders and all ages of people to learn from. In 1 Peter 5:8 it tells us that Satan is a lion who is always roaming and looking for whom he can devour. We have to be alert for the enemy’s snares that he sets out there for each of us to get trapped in. Not only does he know our individual weaknesses, but we also need to be aware of our own fleshly passions. We cannot lay ourselves open to those kinds of temptations. It robs the Lord’s best for us and sends us down an unhealthy road of ruin.
So what are we to do? How did Solomon exhort this young man to help him stay focused and out of trouble? Knowing God’s Word of course! Solomon goes on to say that wisdom is keeping the Word (God’s laws) as a treasure to stay deep in our hearts. We are to dwell on them, keep our eyes on them, teach them to our children, and even have our hands busy with the book of knowledge. Scripture tells us that Solomon was the wisest man (at that time) who had ever lived. Solomon also had a problem with his own sin of lust, so we need to pay attention to the warnings here.
There are all kinds of lusts of the flesh. Yours might not be a sexual battle, but you might be dealing with any one of these: addiction to food or over-shopping / drug or alcohol use / lying / gossip / constant need for attention or approval / self-focus / negativity / unforgiveness / pride / etc… you fill in the blank. Really, it is anything that you put ahead of the Lord; something or someone that has taken the place of God. All of it needs to be repented of and then to move forward in God’s power.
The Lord warns us to put on the whole armor every day to keep us protected from the enemy’s fiery darts (aiming right to your weakest area!) and to also protect us from ourselves! It is a spiritual battle. That is why He has given us His Holy Spirit to guide, warn, and remind us to stay on the right and holy path. Our loving God knows what is best for us and wants us to keep Him as our Strong Tower (God’s Hebrew name for Strong Tower is Migdal-Oz) and not allow other and lesser high places to rule us. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus and no longer have to walk out in defeat.
This is your day; God has given it to you. What will you do with it? Will you apply God’s Word to every area of your life, remembering the purpose that He has set for you? Keep His ways ahead of you as you walk the journey of life remembering always that you walk out in His resurrection power.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)