(I’m back! Thank God! I’ve returned from a much-needed, short, and beautiful break. I want to express my gratitude to my wonderful friends for praying for me; I definitely remembered you in my prayers as well. Without delay, I’ll pick up right where I left off last time.)

We continue our series on grooming and mentoring a young Christian man in the word of God from his early age, aiming for a life of shalom on earth. Throughout this series, our primary focus remains on Proverbs 1 to 9.

In our previous post, we saw the powerful influence of the lips of an adulterous woman and the sobering consequences of yielding to her, as depicted in Proverbs 5. Concluding the post, we remarked, ” Some men, disregarding and disdainful of all counsel and wisdom, eventually find their lives teetering on the brink of complete ruin as they reach the end of their days, sadly unable to rectify their situation.”

Today, we’ll adjust our focus to closely examine what the sage is highlighting for the young man, aiming to rescue him from the captivating influence of an adulterous woman’s words. In this post and the forthcoming ones, our attention will be directed towards Proverbs 7. To ensure a thorough understanding of the teaching, we only see few verses at a time, starting with verses 1 to 5 for today. These verses state:

“My son, keep my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you;
keep my commandments and live;
    keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and call insight your intimate friend,
to keep you from the forbidden woman,
    from the adulteress with her smooth words.” Proverbs 7:1-5 ESV

After imparting wisdom to his son in Proverbs 5 and 6, crucial chapters for recognizing the traits of an adulterous woman, the wise father revisits his previous counsel to the young man, or so it appears, and says:

“My son, keep my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you;”

Ironically, King Solomon is credited with writing the Book of Proverbs, and as with all other books of the Bible, Proverbs has two authors: the human author (King Solomon) and the Sovereign LORD. Thus, we understand that God the Father is instructing us, His children in Christ, prioritizing His word above all else.

Except for Proverbs 6, in the preceding chapters, we encounter comparable preludes emphasizing the importance of heeding the word of God closely. In chapter 7, it appears as though God is reiterating the same message, as if it had not been stated in the earlier chapters.

You might ask, “Why the need for these repetitions?”

I’m glad you asked. We’ve been taught by our fathers that whenever we encounter repetition in the Bible, it signifies the importance of the emphasized matter, demanding our utmost attention. Similarly, the repetition of phrases like “My son, keep my words” underscores the critical nature of this counsel.

If there were any alternative or option besides the word of God, be assured that the word of God would have informed us. The truth is, there is none that can compare or equal the word of God. Upon closer examination, we can clearly discern the type of relationship the word of God advises the young man to cultivate with the word of God. It says,

“and treasure up my commandments with you;”

The message from the word of God is clear: “Cherish and prioritize My word above all else. Guard it diligently, for My word is invaluable to you.”

You can’t treasure something you don’t care about. Consider this: Do you cherish your history textbook from freshman year of high school? Honestly? No! I don’t care about that book or the subject. Why? I only took that class because it was required for graduation. That’s it! I have no desire to see that book again because I have no use for it.

However, the word of God differs from history, chemistry, or physics textbooks. It is as valuable as life itself, if not more so. The word of God instructs the young man to cultivate an intimate relationship with it! Furthermore, it describes to the young man just how intimate he must become with the word of God:

“keep my commandments and live;
    keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.”

Wow! Do you see it? It says, “live” – how to live? Keep the word of God as you protect your pair of eyes. Our eyes have two automatic doors (our eyelids); they are automatic because they must quickly close in danger and open when everything is safe. So, God says, guard my word as you guard your eyes. Even better, inscribe my word “on the tablet of your heart.”

From the word of God, we understand that “heart” does not refer to the physical organ pumping blood, but rather to our inner thought lives, where we harbor convictions, desires, dreams, knowledge, choices, and everything else. What significance do they hold for us? They are the very essence of our lives, shaping and directing our paths. That’s why the word of God admonishes, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” (Proverbs 4:23 NCV) This same verse is rendered in the New American Standard Bible as: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Therefore, God instructs the young man to inscribe His word on the table of his heart, within his innermost being. “My Word” signifies the entirety of the Bible, not just a verse or two, but the complete counsel of God’s word. Moreover, it is not only about writing His word there, but also about making His word, or the wisdom and insight derived from it, close companions. “Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister,’ and call insight your intimate friend.”

At this juncture, wouldn’t you like to ask why? Yes, God already stated in verse 2, “keep my commandment and live,” but what does that “live” truly entail?

It signifies that your intimate and close relationship with My word enriches your life, as it protects, rescues, and saves you “from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.”

Do you see that?

Closing your bedroom door and rebuking the devil for four hours, my friend, will not provide you the strength needed to be rescued from an adulterous woman.

Alternatively, after going to a brothel and returning home and attempting to cleanse your immoral and sinful deeds by rebuking the devil, laying blame on the devil for leading you to the brothel, and then immersing yourself in extensive Bible reading, staying awake all night, kneeling down and reading the Bible from cover to cover will not purify you or prevent you from returning to that porn site or brothel. This is not the type of relationship God instructs the young man to establish with His word to be saved from an adulterous woman.

Let’s imagine your parents have two children, you and your younger sister. Now, suppose one day you say to your sister, “Sister, I want to spend the next five hours with you without any break!” What do you think your sister’s reaction will be? Most likely, she’ll start crying and run to your mom, exclaiming, “Mom, mom, my brother needs to see a psychiatrist! My brother is not okay!” Do you think your sister made a mistake? No, she did not! Saying, “I want to spend the next five hours with you,” doesn’t define living with your sister. You simply live with your sister and your parents until you’re old enough to live on your own. That’s what the word of God is conveying to you: to develop a brother and sister relationship with the word of God, living, dwelling, and abiding together under the same roof.

Without this intimate relationship, you become the prime target for an adulterous woman, and no one can save you from her except the word of God in your heart. Your sexual nature is not naturally inclined to refuse the invitation of an adulteress when she entices herself into your life with her smooth words. You cannot resist unless you cultivate the habit of inscribing the word of God on the tablet of your heart . . . Contd. ///