Don't Go In The Way Of A "STRANGE WOMAN."

 

I was having a discussion on line with a man regarding Proverbs Chapter 7. In short, the chapter warns men not to go in the way of a "STRANGE WOMAN." As our conversation advanced, he then began berating all women as evil harlots, starting at EVE (he said) and continuing all the way to today. He was pointing to Proverbs chapter 7 as the PROOF HE WAS 100% correct, stressing as he put it, "all women, every one of you whores seduce men to get what you want." Needless to say, he had a deeply negative and distorted view of all women, portraying us as inherently immoral and sexually manipulative. He took the warning about the ‘strange woman’ and turned it into a blanket of condemnation. I agreed with him in as much Proverbs 7 was describing a literal immoral/sexually seductive woman, while also using that literal description to teach a much broader, spiritual lesson about temptation and destruction, adding it's where the crux of the lesson lies. So even though there is a literal warning about sexual immorality as prostitution, I don't think that is the entire meaning of Proverbs 7 and I told him to look deeper. He didnt want to. So I'm going to point out a deeper meaning of Proverbs 7 as a kind of metaphor.

First, what does “strange woman” mean? In Proverbs 7, “strange woman” does not simply mean a woman who is unfamiliar or foreign. And though it refers to a woman who is sexually immoral, adulterous, or outside the boundaries God established for sexual relationships, I don't think that is the whole meaning. I think the deeper lesson is much bigger than prostitution or sexual seduction. I see a deeper lesson in that the young man in Proverbs represents someone who knows better but deliberately walks toward temptation. Here's why I see it that way. Notice how the chapter begins: “Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye”

(Proverbs 7:2). Then the man goes near the very place where temptation is waiting. That's significant. The lesson isn't merely: “Men, don't visit prostitutes.”It is more like:

“Don't put yourself in the path of temptation, listen to its seductive promises, and convince yourself that you can play with sin without consequences.” The woman becomes a picture of temptation itself. And Proverbs tells us exactly where it leads.

I'll break it down. The man is attracted by what looks pleasurable and exciting in the moment. But Proverbs says, “But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell” (Proverbs 7:23) See, that's the contrast: Temptation says: 'This will feel good. You deserve this. Nothing will happen." Wisdom says: "Look beyond the moment. Where does this road end?' Think of it this way.. first, I'm not discounting this describes the sin of prostitution. It is literally speaking about sexual temptation and an immoral woman, but the lesson is much broader than simply not going in the way of prostitutes. The  point I want to make is, the woman represents the seductive nature of temptation and the destructive path that sin can lead us down. 

The "strange woman" is literal, making a point to grab your attention but she is also representative. Maybe you've never seen it that way before. The Bible frequently teaches through a real situation that carries a larger spiritual principle. I see it all the time. So in reality, Proverbs 7 can be understood on two levels: Literal level:

A warning against adultery, sexual immorality, and being seduced by an immoral woman. Spiritual/moral level: A warning about temptation itself — anything that looks attractive, promises immediate pleasure, and ultimately leads a person away from God and toward destruction. I think Proverbs 7 teaches us that as well. One thing is DOES NOT TEACH is, that all women are evil and their goal is to seduce men.

The fact that anything that looks attractive, promises immediate pleasure, and ultimately leads a person away from God and toward destruction applies to both men and women! A woman can be tempted by something other than a man. A man can be tempted by something other than a woman. The underlying danger is the same though: sin disguises its destination while advertising its immediate pleasure, period. There's a beautiful connection to the rest of Proverbs too: Wisdom herself is portrayed as a woman calling out to people, while the immoral woman also calls out to people. In other words, Proverbs presents two voices calling for your attention — the voice of WISDOM leading toward life, and the voice of TEMPTATION leading toward destruction. That is really the heart of Proverbs 7 for me. 

Until He Comes, 

-Pat-