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Immorality - Proverbs 8
Immorality - Proverbs 8
The story line is indeed very old. Illicit sex has been a problem since the beginning. God created man a sexual being but provided the relationship of marriage where it can find its intended fulfillment. The desire is often strong in our youth and hence the warning to the young man. Proverbs will come back to this subject many times: 5:15-23; 22:14; 30:21-23; 6:20, 23-29; 30:20; 5:3-14; 6:32-35; 2:16-19. *
Here we have one of the oft-repeated story lines that make up modern trash novels, tv shows, and movies. The difference is that, unlike our Proverb version, these modern versions leave off the proper ending!
Derek Kidner outlined the 'drama' of this chapter**:
Prologue: the danger warned about.
The Drama:
The victim (6-9) - young, inexperienced, featherbrained.
The huntress (10-12). Not much different between those days and now: she is loud, wayward, dressed to entice, and forward about her intent.
The Tactics (13-21) Here Kidner lists shocking actions, flattery, sensualness, and a reassuring story that would embolden such wrong-headed activity.
The Kill (22-23) They don't just part and live happily ever after! There are consequences to be paid, often fatal ones.
Epilogue (24-27).
Here Kidner suggests three lessons from this section:
First, guard your mind (heart, 25a; cf. 4:23, note); you are in danger as soon as your thoughts wander in this fatal direction.
Second, keep away, literally as well as in mind (25b).
Third, look past her, to the casualties and the chambers of death (26, 27).
The New Testament offers several applications for us:
1 Corinthians 6:18 - "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body."
1 Corinthians 7:2 - "But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband."
Are you wiser than this simpleton? Hugh DeLong
* A topical listing of the Proverbs can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5eex00fj9tvgplu/topical%20clk.doc?dl=0
** Derek Kidner, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Logos edition.
