Week 23 Proverbs
I noticed it in chapter seven where a guy is willingly seduced sexually by an energized woman – the thing about the way. The story starts when the eyes-wide-open guy: takes the way to her house (where I guess he got his racy & tantalizing sexual experience). At first I was thinking about the issue of Pre-Sexual-Activity Decision-Making. But then Solomon goes on to say that the guy discovers – or will discover – that the woman’s place is just a whistle-stop on a longer trip. In reality: her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.
So then it occurred to me that even though Solomon was talking about an erotic adventure that wasn’t all he was talking about. He was thinking about things that take me along the-way-that-leads-to-the-grave.
I got out a wordbook and looked up the word way. Most of the references in Proverbs 1-9 fall into either Way #1 or Way #2. Way #1 is the way of evil the way of evil men the way of the wicked the way to Sheol and the evil way. Way #2: the way of the good person the way of wisdom the way of life the way of righteousness the way of understanding.
Proverbs – at the simplest level – is recommending Way #2 as its preferred option.
So as enigmatic & indecipherable as Solomon might get at some points, here at the front end he’s presenting me with a pretty basic choice.
Note: quotes from Proverbs 7:8 & 27. References to Way #1 – 2:12, 4:14, 4:19, 7:27, 8:13, & Way #2 – 2:20, 4:11, 6:23, 8:20, 9:6 (NASB)