IF DAVID, A MAN AFTER GOD’S HEART,
COULD DECEIVE HIMSELF INTO ADULTERY AND MURDER,
THEN WE MUST NOT MINIMIZE THE DECEITFULNESS OF SIN.
THE ENEMY IS CLEVER AND DECEIVES THE BEST.
ANY ONE OF US IS CAPABLE OF BEING DECEIVED AND JUSTIFYING ANYTHING.
WHAT CAN PENETRATE THE DARKNESS OF OUR HEARTS?
NATHAN USED A STORY, A PICTURE, A PARABLE.
INSTEAD OF SIMPLY CONFRONTING DAVID WITH HIS SIN,
HE TOLD HIM A STORY ABOUT A POOR MAN WHO LOVED HIS ONE EWE LAMB.
NOT ONLY CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS HOW TO CONFRONT OTHERS,
BUT WE CAN GLEAN HOW TO USE THE PICTURES OF PROVERBS AND PARABLES
TO PENETRATE OUR OWN HEARTS,
BRINGING LIGHT TO OUR DARKNESS.
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I HEARD A SERMON ON
MARTHA THE MANIPULATER
IT WAS EASIER FOR ME TO SEE MARTHA’S IDOL OF CONTROL THAN MY OWN
BUT THEN I REALIZED, GOD WAS SAYING: THOU ART THE WOMAN!
GOD HAS CHANGED ME, A WOMAN IN THE LAST ACT OF HER LIFE,
AND HE DID IT THROUGH A STORY.
If you read Idol Lies, you know how He changed my relationship with my administrative assistants, and even with my children. In June my daughter Beth, her family, and her extended in-laws family came to my cottage for ten days. Beth is the daughter we adopted from Thailand, and had had such deprivation in her first twelve years, that she had much to overcome. What she had never had and needed so badly, was grace. Steve gave it to her, and I tried, but so often I failed. This vacation was different — she felt grace from me, and began to relax. As she began to relax, the whole atmosphere changed for both of us. (How sad that in the past she has not felt truly relaxed around me, her mother!) Perhaps my favorite day was near the end of the vacation when I took her to play pickleball with me at the Y while her in-laws watched the children. Though she just has one arm, had never played, and often fears criticism from me, she plunged in with all her heart. She was amazing on the court, spinning and driving that ball so that her opponents had trouble returning it. Everyone watching was cheering her on and asking, “Who is this one-armed girl?” Oh — what grace can unleash. I wish I had changed sooner, but I’m so thankful for the story of Martha that had the power to put light into the darkness of my heart.
LIKEWISE, IN THE BOOK, THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE:
The authors open with a true story of a man who was being unfaithful to his family and had decided to leave them to be with another woman. He’d taken fire in his bosom, like David, and was blind. No pleading, no arguments, and no tears could stop him. He had made up his mind.
But one day his daughter told him about a dream she had had. She, her mother, and her siblings had been hit broadside by a careless driver, and their injuries were catastrophic. She was lying on the road, bleeding, when she saw the man who hit them. She said, “It was you, Dad.”
Her word picture penetrated his heart. He repented, came home. He changed.
GOD USES PARABLES, IN PART, TO HELP US SEE WHAT OUR HEARTS ARE HIDING
FROM HIM, FROM OTHERS, AND FROM OURSELVES.
A STORY PENETRATES OUR DARKNESS WITH LIGHT.
This week we will look at the story of David and hear a great free Keller sermon, and then consider how to put the pictures of the proverbs we will study to work on our own hearts.
SUNDAY ICEBREAKER:
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
2. Can you think of a story or picture, either from Scripture or a sermon or a book that penetrated your heart and helped you develop a new compassion or to see a darkness or idol in your heart? If so, share briefly.
MONDAY — WEDNESDAY
Because the story of David and Bathsheba is so familiar, I’m going to come from a little different angle and also have you listen to Keller’s free sermon on it before we go onto the chapters in Proverbs that are filled with life-changing word pictures.
Though David had thousands of men in his armies, there were “thirty mighty men” who were close to him and did great deeds of valor for him. Uriah was among those mighty men.
3. One of the incidents of the mighty men is described in 1 Chronicles 11:15-19. How did they risk their lives for David?
Proverbs 6:27 paints this word picture:
Can a man carry fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?
Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?
4. Read 2 Samuel 11 and find examples of David trying to carry fire in his bosom.
5. Apply the above word picture to your own heart. Where are you trying to walk on hot coals because you are so reluctant to let go of an idol? Identify the lie.
Listen to the following free sermon on David and Bathsheba.
David and Bathsheba – Timothy J. Keller
6. What comments or notes do you have concerning the above sermon?
Thursday-Friday: Proverbs Filled With Pictures
Last fall when we were studying marriage, we did look at some of the pictures in Proverbs concerning sexual intimacy — so as a review for those who were with us, and new material for our new sisters, please read the opening to that blog by clicking here and then sharing how one of the pictures penetrates your heart and why:
Sexual Intimacy as It Was Meant To Be
7. What picture penetrates your heart and why?
8. Read Proverbs 5 and find a picture that is meaningful to you and explain why.
9. Do the same with Proverbs 6.
10. And the same with Proverbs 7.
Saturday
11. What is your take-a-way and why?
151 comments
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETEST LIZZY!!! I couldn’t say it any better than Susan. SO TRUE..He flows from you..His Love, His thoughts, kindness, a tender spirit, transparency, sensitivity, gentleness, humility and a play dough heart. I love you so my friend.
Susan, Rebecca–thank you! What an indescribable GIFT this fellowship, this “blog family” is to me! If I could have known to ask 5 years ago, a place like this would have topped the list 😉 He knew just what I needed and has lavished His love and truth on me through each of you in more ways than I can even begin to count!
And Happy Birthday to Jill too!! (Just don’t ask ages!)
Happy Birthday sweet Jill!!You and Lizzy shared the same day?!! How wonderful. I so appreciate you, your sweet godly spirit and the insight God gives you here to help us. You truly are a gift. miss you!!
Happy birthday, Lizzy and Jill! Love to you, sisters!
I just have continued to roll over question #5 in my mind….and I wanted to clarify – I surely hope that my example did not lead anyone to think of setting up strict, legalistic “rules” for sanctification. The reason that I related other things in my life (in this case ice cream, but I surely have many more…..sometimes reading murder mysteries, for instance!) to alcoholism and the need to abstain from alcohol is that I cannot imagine anyone seeing an alcoholic’s abstention from alcohol as legalistic! I see it more as a DISCIPLINE that leads to LIFE and FREEDOM. And I think thousands upon thousands of recovering addicts would agree!! Much of what I stumble over comes from a deep desire to be alone, something Chris and others have so well said. Withdrawing is a dangerous place for me to find myself….unless, like Jesus, I’m withdrawing to be with my Father!! 🙂
A very happy birthday, Lizzy and Jill! I am so glad you are my blog friends! I hope you have a very good day and have your special ones dote on you! But even if you don’t, know that you are loved here.
Happy Birthday Jill! How neat…you and Lizzy share the same birthday!
Happy birthday Lizzy and Jill. (On the road from Omaha to Montana and not participating much in the blog, but following along).
Happy birthday, Lizzy and Jill!!!
Thank you ALL so much–I’ve had a great birthday–my husband took the day off, the kids were at camp, and we got much-needed time alone, very thankful! Looking forward to catching up with comments and everyone’s wise insights tomorrow 🙂
I’ve been thinking about Natalie’s question, how do you kill sin? That’s a tough one. I can think of lots of ways to “deal with” sin,in other words, make myself feel better about my sin (i.e. pray, read the Bible, try to be more disciplined). But what I know is that those things don’t really KILL it. As Dawn (I think) said, killing it requires the work of the Holy Spirit. And for that to happen, I must yield completely to the Holy Spirit. Like, not just think about it, or know that’s the right answer, but really YIELD. Empty myself and deny all those other “methods” I might try to use to take care of my sin on my own. I also think confessing it and renouncing it verbally – actually speaking it (or writing it)- has power and is an act of cooperation with the Holy Spirit. The enemy makes it so hard to confess, for he knows when we confess there is great freedom. For sin to be killed it needs to be brought out of the dark and into the light. It just can’t exist there. Those are some thoughts. I’m sorry I didn’t give a specific example, but this applies to all sins, big and small.
I agree Jody, yielding to the Holy Spirit, doing what we know he is prompting us to is an ongoing decision. And confession is huge, when we bring our sin into the light the bond it has on us loosens. I think that is why we fear confession so much, the enemy wants us alone, frightened and pretending.
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
I, too, have been thinking on Natalie’s good question: How do you kill sin? Natalie, I so appreciate you asking that question! Boy, does that question EVER have direct application for each and every one of us….each and every day. 🙂 Some Scriptures that came to my mind as I pondered all seemed to be coming from somewhere in the heart of Romans – in particular from chapters 6 through 8. Here’s an example: “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” Romans 6:13. I love the simplicity here of “do not” do this, “but” do that! That’s NOT legalism – that’s Scriptural it seems. We’ve all heard the saying that nature abhors a vacuum – SO true with human nature!
So many of the sisters here have been sharing sound, beautiful and Scriptural thoughts and examples. I googled “killing sin in the body” and found wonderful pieces by John Piper and John Macarthur and others on this topic. Reading through them all I had the sense that they were putting a theological framework to the solid suggestions already being shared here. Here is one of the most “in a nutshell” articles I found though: www.lifeaction.org/revival-resources/revive/change-it-really-possible/killing-your-sin/
Natalie, I’m praying right now that you will be helped and edified by the responses here……I know that I was helped and encouraged this morning to do some digging on your question!
Jackie, this article is great! So much good, clarifying, helpful information. Thanks for sharing it.
Just checked on the book, “Christ Formed in You”…how ironic that the front cover shows pottery on a potter’s wheel.
Dear Lizzy and Jill,
I think about how Lizzy’s story in Idol Lies helped Jill — and then how you discovered you shared a birthday. You are each precious to us here!
Happy Birthday to Lizzy & Jill, how blessed we all are by you! I hope this year ahead holds wonderful things for you!
You too Rebecca, I am quite late, but I don’t think I wished you Happy Birthday…though I might have?
My memory I am afraid may be lost and gone forever!
I love you ladies
That’s okay Chris-I am HUGE at forgetting birthdays which I plan to work on!
7. What picture penetrates your heart and why?
“The way of a man with a maid”
This makes me wince. My teenage years were full of misguided attempts to find love and affirmation by giving sex, there are emotional scars.
8. Read Proverbs 5 and find a picture that is meaningful to you and explain why.
“6 she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.”
The adulterous woman isn’t thinking about spiritual things, she is after what she wants right now and her sin becomes a snare for others too.
I can see myself in this…that sometimes I loose sight of where I am going and whose I am…I want to look for satisfaction in the here and now, through food, security, the affirmation of people. Things that God provides richly for me to enjoy but that will bite me if I put my Hope in them. The thought that my sin can lead others astray is sobering.
This stuck out to me too:
“11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed”
Sin leaves devastation, the time may come when we’ve seen our error and turn in repentance, there has often been damage done that cannot be undone in this life.
I need to be more serious about dealing with sin…its wages are death.
I searched “John Owen kill sin” and found the following which help in answering Natalie’s question.
https://jamespruch.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/john-owen-killing-sin-and-the-need-for-conversion/
http://www.gty.org/blog/B120801
nanci – so neat! the article that I referenced above quotes John Owens repeatedly on this subject! Those Puritans…..gold there. 🙂
*Natalie’s question and my own…
Nanci,
Thanks for posting information on “John Owen kill sin”. Certainly well worth reading ~
Natalie,
Thanks for posing the question. So good to think this through together.
9. Do the same with Proverbs 6.
“9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.”
I have had these verses on my heart for sometime now. Sometimes I feel as if God has awakened me early in order to spend time with Him in study & prayer, it is to my shame to think how often I choose sleep instead.
The poverty and want in these verses for me may be of a spiritual nature.
Thought of this from The Message: Matthew 26:41
40-41 When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
6. What comments or notes do you have concerning the above sermon?
This stood out to me especially from the very end: JESUS SAYS, I WENT THROUGH THE BULLETS FOR YOU. YOU DON’T HAVE TO ATONE FOR YOUR SIN. WHEN YOU REPENT, YOU’RE NOT EARNING YOUR SALVATION AND FORGIVENESS WITH THAT REPENTANCE. I EARNED YOUR FORGIVENESS WITH WHAT I’VE DONE. I WAS CONDEMNED IN YOUR PLACE. NOW OUR REPENTANCE JUST ACCESSES IT. YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BULLETS. I WAS CONDEMNED SO YOU COULD LIVE. THAT IS HOW YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF PARDON.
This stands out because I think this is tricky how it can be worded in sermons and teaching. I know I have had the thinking that it is my repentance that somehow makes God accept me; I repent, therefore I am accepted. But Keller says that repentance “accesses” the forgiveness, the atonement, that Jesus already has for me. This is good to ponder.
Be killing sin or it will be killing you. Be a Nathan, and get some Nathans for yourself. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done; there’s assurance of pardon or you. Repent and you access it.
Proverbs 6:2
“…if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,…”
How often, (unfortunately) have my words been caught in my mouth and I can’t “take them back!” The word picture here is blatant to me. When your mouth is “stuck: and just continues to speak when your brain says no,no,no!! Hate that feeling!
6. What comments or notes do you have concerning the above sermon? David wrote, “Your laws are written on my heart…”, yet he broke 5 commandments in one event.
People want to know what happened to a person or a society that causes them to do evil. This means that we want to say that we aren’t capable of doing this, but that circumstances causes a person to do this evil thing.
Kill sin or sin will be killing you. It is easier to squash an acorn than get rid of an oak tree.
In the bible all of the “good” guys are “bad” guys. God continually and consistently gives grace to people who don’t deserve it.
David’s “over the top” anger at this injustice in the story that Nathan tells is showing that his conscience was bothering him.
By mistake I posted tomorrow’s blog today — and then decided my mistake was God’s sovereignty, so left it.
🙂
7. What picture penetrates your heart and why?
I just re-visited the past blog page from last Fall. Hard to re-visit that topic as much of the same pain and dysfunction still present today. But I like the picture of the eagle flying in the sky. It has overcome the gravity that should hold it down, keep it on the ground. I imagine God wants us to fly free like that.
8. Read Proverbs 5 and find a picture that is meaningful to you and explain why.
“The lips of an adulteress drip honey…but in the end she is bitter as gall.” This is a sobering metaphor of getting involved in any kind of sin. Sin can seem so appealing, delicious, satisfying, yet the longer it stays in your mouth, like a Sweet-tart, it turns from sweet to sour. Sin is so deceptive that we are often blind to what it really is.
11. What is your take-a-way and why
This weeks study has been both sobering & encouraging.
I have recognized some of my thought as seeds of destruction, I want to recognize and destoy those seedlings. Yet is was encouraging to remember how the Holy Spirit has called me out on things and that I have yielded, I feel sort of stirred up 🙂 I get to cooperate in the good work that God is doing in me!
The word picture Susan shared of the woman drinking deeply of grace I think will stick with me.
Also that when calling someone to repentance, when I am in the role of a Nathan, that I need to do it carefully in a way that leaves the door open for the person’s own conscious to confront them. Allow the Holy Spirit to disarm them. Reflect the grace of God. When there is hope of repentance God goes for conviction and conversion not condemnation.
I don’t want to confront people in a way that raises their defenses to a point where they cannot repent. It glories God when we tell the truth about sin but God is more gloried if the person REPENTS!
We mustn’t be self righteous, tell the truth in a way that honors truth, speak truth in so much love that though the person may want to resist they cant because they see the love.
John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”
I need to invite this sort of interaction in my life, this wont happen when I am in my cocoon 🙂
7. What picture penetrates your heart and why?
The ship on the high seas reminds me of the safety of being His, in His safe nest regardless of what is going on around me. He will pilot me and He is in control.
Also I see I was made to bend and move with Him-to obey Him regardless of what goes on around me. That doesn’t mean that when the waves are choppy and threaten to grow I won’t be scared or sad, but He has me and He is my peace and comfort in the midst of turmoil.
Take away:
My take away is a question. Why is Chapter 5 and 7 about immoral women? How about immoral men? Do I go back to the story of Adam and Eve, the latter being the first one seduced by the serpent? I, as a woman, then has great responsibility to be a ” fountain of blessing for (my husband) and a cause for his rejoicing” Proverbs 5:18 rather than be a bane so he looks elsewhere?
P.S. I just posted in Dee’s BS Friends FB blog a website where the author quoted heart idols from Tim Keller’s book on counterfeit gods. As I read comments here and stay on track with the reading, I am realizing that my sin is tethered to my heart idols. As long as “I” takes the throne of my heart, I will be miserable. And just when I think I got this one idol thing taken care of, pride sets in. Oh, wretched woman I am! Who can rescue me? Only Jesus, God’s indescribable gift! I need His grace moment by moment.
This Proverbs’ ‘strange’ or ‘foreign’ or ‘estranged’ woman is likely a married prostitute, estranged from/to her husband, yet still living in the same house with him (Prov 2:17, 5:9:10, 7:8-12, 27, possibly 9:13,17-18). If she’s not that, she’s like a ‘serial adulteress’. Prov 6:24-26 is evidence she is flattering and might be a prostitute due to the mention of her beauty and seductive eyelids. The words’ give’, ‘honour’, ‘years’, ‘wealth’ and ‘labours’ in Prov 5:9-10 sound like they are about a prostitute.
The two main terms for this ‘strange’ or ‘foreign’ or ‘estranged’ woman in Hebrew Proverbs are zarah/ishah zarah (can mean estranged wife, who can have sex with many men), and nokariyah (can mean foreign woman, and a foreign woman in ancient Israel was likely often a prostitute).
Prov 7:5,8 (‘the street near her corner’),10 (‘attire of an harlot’),12 (‘in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner’),16 (‘Egypt’; foreign aspect),19 (‘the man’/’my man’/’my husband’; likely married), 25-27 (7:26, ‘She hath cast down many wounded, and many strong men have been slain by her’; has manyvictims/partners/lovers) are the best verses showing what she is about. Prov 2:19 (Hebrew/’LXX’: ‘all’/’not’), ‘they’, 7:26 (‘many’, ‘many’), possibly 9:18 (‘the dead’, ‘her guests’) and possibly 6:26 in the ‘LXX’ (plural word: lives/souls) are evidences she has many victims/partners/lovers. She is likely married, Prov 2:17, 5:9-10, 6:26,29,32-35, 7:19, 9:17 are evidences of this. (‘stolen water is sweet’ likely refers to adultery. A wife’s sexuality is referred to as water in Prov 5:15. Bread of secrets or ‘hidden bread is pleasant’ can also refer to adultery, as Potiphar’s wife may be referred to as ‘the bread’ Potiphar knew, while he gave everything else into the hand of Joseph, Gen 39:6). This ‘strange’ or ‘foreign’ or ‘estranged’ woman in Proverbs apparently isn’t directly called a prostitute because the professional or unmarried prostitute is mentioned in Prov 6:26, 7:10, 23:27 (first part), 29:3 (plural), and this ‘foreign woman’ apparently has a foreign aspect (Prov 7:16) and is likely married, and is likely a married prostitute or serial adulteress in simple terms. I’d call her an estranged wife prostitute.
This ‘strange’ or ‘estranged’ or ‘foreign’ woman in Proverbs is likely a married prostitute, in simple terms. In more complex terms, I’d call her an estranged wife prostitute. Less likely, she is a ‘serial adulteress’. Prov 7:5,8,10-12,16 (foreign aspect, ‘Egypt’),19 (likely married, ‘the man’ is likely a term of belittlement, similar to Potiphar’s wife calling her husband ‘he’ in Gen 39:14, with no introduction or respect shown; or it is a term for vagueness),25-27 are the best verses showing what this Proverbs ‘strange’ woman is about. What is one to make of the words ‘And the adulteress will hunt for the precious life’ (plural in the ‘LXX’) in Prov 6:26? Likely this ‘strange woman’ in Proverbs is, at least, committing adultery on a regular basis,with many men. She may be hunting for the precious life/lives as in for it or them, as in hunting for wealth or hunting for men to commit adultery with.What this verse really means is disputed, but it is evidence that this ‘strange woman’ in Proverbs commits adultery, and in ancient Israel that meant she was married, as it was not adultery for an unmarried woman to have sex with a married man.
She is likely a serial adulteress or a serial adulterous prostitute, in simple, yet basically sufficient terms. This video mentions her being a ‘giant adulteress’, but the picture (3:30-3:33) looks like an adulterous prostitute, doesn’t it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkvCYCxkqkM
That is likely who she is in Proverbs.
She may be an ‘estranged’ wife/woman from her husband, and who has sex with many men. One of the main terms for her in Hebrew Proverbs, zarah/ishah zarah can have an ‘estranged’ meaning to it. http://biblehub.com/aramaic-plain-english/proverbs/7.htm
These pastor links used to work, a couple no longer do because the pastor’s website no longer exists or has changed.
The pastor I agree with probably the most is this one here, by the name of M. Sean Reynolds, where he says:
Therefore, the “foreign woman” in Proverbs is a seductive adulteress, who is also sometimes a prostitute.
http://www.thewholecounsel.com/proverbs-2214/
Pastor/priest/Bible scholar George Leo Haydock’s Catholic commentary (mid 19th century) lists a married ‘abandoned woman’ (prostitute) as a preferred definition of who she is, citing Antoine Augustin Calmet (a French Benedictine monk of the 17th and 18th centuries who wrote commentaries on the Bible)
http://haydock1859.tripod.com/id1096.html
Here is pastor Bob Yandian who identifies her as a prostitute and claims a verse in Prov 9 shows what she’s really like, and implies her serial adulterous side with the words ‘He is stealing waters that rightfully belong to another man’, and with ‘This woman has a long list of successes and they are all lyingflat on their backs in the coffin.’
http://www.bobyandian.com/the-strange-woman/
Here is pastor Larry Wood who thinks she is at least some type of prostitute.
http://www.biblenews1.com/babylon/babylon3.html
‘For the prostitute is a deep pit, And the foreign prostitute is a narrow well. (Proverbs 23:27)’
Here is pastor Darrell Mitchell
http://www.netbiblestudy.com/00_cartimages/Proverbs.pdf
Chapter 5 is an exhortation to get acquaintance with and submit to the laws ofwisdom. Verses 3-4 give a particular caution against these heathen temple prostitutesand remedies are prescribed against that sin.
the primary scope of this chapter is to relate the symbol of theadulterous woman of idolatry, that tend to degrade men’s minds and manners –- thesetemple harlots certainly apply!
Here are some videos which I believe are along the lines of who I think she is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW7uDaCimuk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwIFC3rN5-c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hKORDJWBAo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWBXTWChN28
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni9GsPEzq5U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NI1_KO5ggQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVnp-i7f5Bw