Day 146, Chronological Bible Study
Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Proverbs 5–7 Beware of Lures When we think of lures, we think of fishing. Lures are colorful and have different sizes, shapes, and textures. We choose them to attract certain types of fish. While these types of baits can be useful for the angler, they can be deadly for the fish. Seduction is a Lure. When we think of the word seduction, we often think of sex. Depending on where we live, we may or may not see prostitutes on the streets, but we see sexual temptations in movies, magazines, and on the Internet. Wayward wives and husbands often trick the unwary. In making the case for wisdom in Proverbs 1-9, King Solomon, the teacher, warns his sons or students about the lure of sex. Intercourse is good in the context of marriage, but like a pretty lure which has hooks in it, illicit sex can destroy our families and us. We must train our sons and daughters not to get caught up in the avenues which lead to sexual sin, and we must model faithfulness. Advertisements are a Lure Sex is not the only seduction in life. Advertisements for fast or stylish automobiles, expensive clothing, prestige, and wealth are also alluring. Not being satisfied with the good things our LORD has given us can draw us away from the life of wisdom and God’s favor, and lead to our ruin. King Solomon trains his princes to deal with seductions. What he says is profitable for us. Recognize the Dangers of Enticement Through the illustration of a wayward wife, Solomon teaches his sons to watch for the signs of enticement: beauty a smooth- talking sales pitch too good to be true promises unbeatable opportunities (6:24-25; 7:10-21) The advice he gives his sons is to keep a path far from her door (5:8), to fully enjoy what the LORD has already given (5:15), and to remember that what they do will not be in secret, “for a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths” (5:23, NIV). Solomon further instructs them that the path of seduction is the path to destruction, deep regret, and possibly even death (5:9-14, 22-23; 7:22-27). Likewise, the Apostle Paul instructs us to Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price [the price of Christ’s blood on the cross shed for us]. Therefore honor God with your body (1Corinthians 6:18-20, NIV). Undesirable Consequences for Sexual Sin Anger and Revenge. An affair or even a flirtation with someone else’s mate can make the offended spouse furious. The rage can be so terrible; it can lead to revenge or even death. No bribe will be accepted. Payment. An adulteress or an adulterer may have to pay to keep her or his secrets. Extortion can get demanding and ugly. Respect is lost. Eventually, our sins find us out. Guilt. An affair often leads to self-condemnation, and it is not easily forgiven by our spouse, even if it was a “mistake” (i.e., a one night stand in a moment of weakness). Anger, Vicious Words, and Suspicion. These three emotions can reign in the home of an unfaithful spouse, making life miserable for both husband and wife. The home becomes fractured, relationships freeze, and divorce often follows. Court Judgments. The judge may separate children from one or more parents in a divorce. Children Suffer: Children blame themselves for the breakup and may grow up less secure and have lower self-esteem. Later, they may repeat the behavior of their parents. Discipline is Neglected. Children of divorced parents are sometimes not given the proper correction or training which produces responsible adults. The High Financial Cost. Divorce has a high financial burden, with significant financial payments to former spouses and their children, lawyers, and court fees. Assets are divided. Everything a person has worked so hard to provide for his family ceases. Physical and Psychological Problems. People who get divorced sometimes suffer depression and other bad things. Conclusion: The only person who wins a divorce case is the lawyer. We need to think about the consequences wayward actions could have before sexual temptations appear—these hooks are damaging and destructive! Instead of being captivated by what we do not have, why not enjoy what God has given us? For those of us who are married, do we remember when we were in love with our mate? We appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed the gift God had given us. Is that still true? Or, somewhere along the line did we start taking that gift for granted and begin complaining? Did we let little things spoil our garden of love, instead of growing our relationship and enjoying it? Perhaps our attitudes toward our mate became sour instead of sweet, and we became dissatisfied with the relationship. If we have taken the gift of our marriage for granted and neglected it, we need to confess our wrong, change our focus, give a lot of attention to our spouse, and start having fun again (Proverbs 5:15-21). We need to enjoy the gift God has given us. It may take some time and effort, but many marriages can be saved and flourish if we do this. Dealing With Other Lures The same principles for sexual seductions can apply to those who are caught by the lures of power, prestige, wealth, and material possessions. Those who are tempted by material possessions should learn to wait on the Lord, pray, work for the needed items (6:1-11), and be satisfied with what the LORD has given. As we should flee from immorality, the Apostle Paul also instructs us to flee from idolatry [anything more important than God] (1Corinthians 10:14). Hasty decisions and get rich quick schemes are usually regrettable and can be quite costly. Those who are tempted by power, prestige, or wealth should be careful not to give into deception and greed. We need to be faithful in what we do, and the LORD will bring us honor. Remember that what we do is in “full view of the LORD, and he examines our paths” (Proverbs 5:23, NIV). The path of wisdom leads to life. The way of seduction leads to destruction. Which will we follow? We should enjoy what God has given us. We should not cast a longing eye to things God has not provided. Let us not be caught by lures. Discussion What lures in our lives do we face? How can we deal with them? Name some of the enticements to sin. If we are married, how should we view our spouse? Focus Verse Matthew 6:21(NIV) “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study: Enter your prayer here: Please send your comments to mtbiblestudies@gmail.com Looking Ahead: We have seen the lure of temptations. In our Next Lesson we will see Wisdom's Invitation. Previous Lesson  |  Next Lesson Back to top of page Return to Chronological Bible Studies main page Go to Scriptures main page Go to Topics main page Go to Home page page last re-edited 5-24-2020

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