Proverbs 7:1-5- My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
In the book of Proverbs, we come across a warning about a certain woman. The consequences of trifling with with this strange woman are dire. And, we are told some ways to identify her. I think you will be surprised when you realize who exactly this woman is.
Let's see her description.
Proverbs 7:6-9- For 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, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
First it tells you what type of man that is generally attracted by this woman, and when she attracts them. It's a young man who has no understanding of the dangers of colluding with strange women. He is seeking her out just as night falls, but he really doesn't have to look hard before she finds him.
Proverbs 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
This attire of a harlot might make you think of some scantily clad woman of today who decorate the street corners of questionable areas, but that isn't to what the Bible refers when it describes a harlot.
Genesis 38:15- When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
In the Bible, a harlot covers her face with a veil, like a bride does. It's almost as if she's proclaiming her virtue in her attire. But, there's nothing virtuous about this woman. Did you catch that the young man is going her way?
Did you see that she's subtle of heart? She can change her appearance and speech based on her clientele. Very sneaky this woman!
This isn't what God wants for anyone's life, and yet because of free will the young man will seek her out and believe that she is honorable, but the Bible gives a little insight into her actual character.
Proverbs 7:11-12- (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
She's out there in the street shouting. What could she be proclaiming? Not the gospel. Possibly women's liberation, or equality, or maybe even lifestyle pride?
Whatever has this man searching, I'm sure she's caught his attention.
Next, she catches his emotions.
Proverbs 7:13- So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
She portrays herself as religious. She's paid her vows, and now she is "pure". But, if anyone could see the impudence in her face they would realize that she has a hard heart.
Proverbs 7:16-17- I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
She's very descriptive in her speech. Why? Because she's trying to convince him that she is someone else.
Revelation 19:8- And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
She's trying to say she is the Bride of Christ, a righteous and holy woman. But, her fine linen is from Egypt which is always a type of the world and an enemy of God's people!
She also describes her perfume, but she's off by one ingredient.
Psalms 45:8- All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
Christ has a smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia. Cassia is very similar to cinnamon in taste and smell, but cassia has an effect upon your blood! Big difference!
Proverbs 7:18-20- Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
She claims to be the wife or bride of a good man. But, this good man took the bag of money with him. But, when Christ leaves this world, he gives his money to his disciples and tells them to occupy til he comes back.
You know who held the bag in Christ's day?
John 12:4-6- Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
The man who betrayed Jesus Christ is the one who kept the money. But, this simple fool doesn't know his Bible. He believes every word she says!
Proverbs 7:21-23 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, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
He goes thinking he's going to have a good time. He doesn't understand that this woman is conniving, and devious, and deadly.
Proverbs 7:24-27- Hearken unto me now therefore, O 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.
She has taken down many. She has deceived weak and strong, rich and poor, educated and illiterate alike. She has no preferences, and she will take any whom she can- even entire nations.
Nahum 3:4- Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
She's a witch who can make multitudes tremble and can destroy and control empires! She's the woman of Revelation 18- the Roman Catholic Church.
And, those who don't get into the Bible will be deceived by her. Her way leads to hell. While she promises religious practices that may lead you to heaven, she actually blinds you with penances that drag to hell.
Beware all who follow- there is only one escape and that is belief in what Christ has done at Calvary spoken of in His Word.
