A Life in Exile

In our last look into the wisdom of Proverbs, we talked about the importance of guarding your heart and ended with the importance of holding on to the steering wheel to avoid swerving toward evil. Today, as we move into the fifth chapter, we’ll see why doing everything to guard our hearts is so crucial. It’s crucial because the consequences of sin are bitter to swallow.

Let’s read what Solomon says:

My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. (Proverbs 5:1-6 ESV)

Evil appears sweet and smooth

We know from Scripture that even Satan often disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). When warning of false prophets and deceitful workers, Paul says “it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:15). This deceptive way is Satan’s hallmark—entice with the appearance of good and beneficial, only to trap the unsuspecting victim.

While our proverb for today is clear on this issue, we know it from the earliest of times. For who but Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden with the appeal of a piece of fruit? Not only was it pleasing to her eye, but it was also offered as a promise of understanding and knowledge on par with God himself. Who could resist such pleasure and reward?

To put a literal twist on this effort, consider Delilah and Samson or the foreign wives of King Solomon. Is it possible he was thinking of these women, his own wives and concubines, with whom he gained fleeting pleasure but long-term pain? This brings us to the next point.

The consequences are neither sweet nor smooth, but bitter and sharp

Wormwood is an herb that is known for helping with pain relief, infections, and inflammation. There’s just one problem: when too much is used, it can be toxic, leading to hallucinations, seizures, and even death by poisoning. In the book of Revelation, Wormwood is a star that falls from the sky and contaminates a third of the freshwater on earth as part of God’s judgment.

In our proverb, Solomon recognizes that the pleasure initially found in the forbidden woman quickly leaves the bitter aftertaste of wormwood. In other words, sinful pleasure proves toxic for the soul.

Not only does sin leave a bad aftertaste, but it also twists words. Once charming and alluring, offering words to build up in expectation, those who lead us into sin quickly turn vile with words of slander, accusation, threat, and harm. A two-edged sword is sharp on both sides–there’s no way to avoid the inflicted pain.

As if toxins and slander were not enough, the forbidden woman ultimately leads her prey down the path to death. If you have witnessed the demise of a person caught by the chains of sin, you have seen the dullness that comes over their eyes. They see no way out. They are trapped, and by giving into sin, they are led away from the path toward God.

Nip sin in the bud

In order not to leave us drowning in desperation, I will share a final word from Solomon to his son: “Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house” (Proverbs 5:8)

Knowing that the pleasure of sin is fleeting and knowing the downside of following the path that leads to death, what is Solomon’s advice? Keep away from her, and not just a short distance from her, but FAR AWAY! In other words, “Don’t do it, son!”

If anyone could say with confidence, “Do what I say, not what I’ve done,” it’s Solomon. Even with all his wisdom, he paid the price of tempting fate by giving into temptation. With each foreign wife, he was lured further away from the God of his father.

For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. (1 Kings 11:4-6)

If anyone knew the bitterness of sin, it was Solomon. May we learn from his example and use discretion when tempted by sin and nip it in the bud!

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Friday Focus post, click HERE, or start this Walking in Wisdom series from the beginning.