Proverbs 7:5 (Mini Sermon)

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5. Pro 7:5 - "That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words." A. That they may keep thee from the strange woman, i. The "they" are the words, commandments, and law of Solomon (Pro 7:1-2) which, since Solomon was a prophet, are also God's words to His sons (2Pe 1:21). ii. The word of God when bound on the fingers and written in the heart (Pro 7:3) and loved and held dear as a sister or mother (Pro 7:4) will keep godly men from the strange woman (Pro 7:5). a. Keep v. - ** To guard (from external violence or injury), to preserve, maintain. 14. To guard, defend, protect, preserve, save. b. When clung to and loved, the word of God will guard, defend, protect, preserve, and save us from the dangers of the strange woman. iii. A strange woman is a fornicatress or a prostitute. a. Strange adj. - 4. strange woman: a harlot. b. Harlot n. - 5. Applied to a woman. a. As a general term of execration. c. spec. An unchaste woman; a prostitute; a strumpet. (Very frequent in 16th c. Bible versions, where Wyclif had hoore, whore; prob. as a less offensive word.) c. Unchaste adj. - Not chaste; lacking chastity; impure, lascivious d. Chaste adj. - 1. Pure from unlawful sexual intercourse; continent, virtuous. e. Chastity n. - 1. a. Purity from unlawful sexual intercourse; continence. f. Lascivious adj. - 1. Inclined to lust, lewd, wanton. g. According to God's law, unlawful sexual intercourse is fornication (1Co 6:18) and adultery (Heb 13:4). h. Fornication n. - Voluntary sexual intercourse between a man (in restricted use, an unmarried man) and an unmarried woman. In Scripture extended to adultery. iv. Therefore, a strange woman is not merely a prostitute, but is also any woman who has sex with any man to whom she is not married. v. The word of God when read, hidden in the heart, and kept will keep a man from any type of strange woman. B. from the stranger which flattereth with her words. i. The strange woman uses flattery to seduce her victims (Pro 7:21). a. Flattery n. - 1. The action or practice of flattering; false or insincere praise; adulation; cajolery, blandishment. b. Flatter v. - 1. a. intr. Of an animal, bird, etc.: To show delight or fondness (by wagging the tail, making a caressing sound, etc.). 2. To try to please or win the favour of (a person) by obsequious speech or conduct; to court, fawn upon. 3. To praise or compliment unduly or insincerely. Const. of. Also in weaker sense, to gloss over, palliate (faults), speak too leniently to (an offender). ii. The word of God will keep a man from being deceived by the strange woman's flattery. a. The scriptures teach us to not think highly of ourselves (Rom 12:3). b. A wise man who knows the Bible will consider the praise that others give him and will refine it to determine if it's valid praise or flattery (Pro 27:21). (i) A fool who thinks highly of himself (Gal 6:3) will readily accept all praise and be puffed up by it. 1. He will get a smile on his face as soon as someone compliments him. 2. A man like this is an easy target for a strange woman. (ii) Conversely, a wise man endowed with wisdom from the word of God will quickly recognize if the praise is undue, insincere, or exaggerated and will not accept it and be very wary of the person who gave it to him. (iii) The reason for this is that the wise man knows himself (Pro 14:8) and loves the truth (Psa 15:2) and will therefore not believe praise that is not true of him. c. Therefore, the man who reads the Bible, hides it in his heart, loves it, and keeps it will be kept from the flattery of the strange woman.