13 A
foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. 14 For she
sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 15 To
call passengers who go right on their ways: 16 Whoso is simple, let him
turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 17 Stolen
waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18 But he knoweth
not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell. (Prov
9:13-18)
THE BANQUET OF THE FOOLISH
In Part I of our Devotion on Proverbs 9, we learned of the Banquet of the Wise
which shall also be made manifest in the Wedding Banquet of the Lord. The Wise
will follow that Bright and Morning Star (Jesus Christ) just as their fellows,
the Wise Men, followed that bright and beautiful Star of Bethlehem some 2,000
years past.
In Part II, we will learn of the Banquet of the Foolish to be avoided unless we
choose to spend our eternity with the fools of Hell. If we reject the seven
pillars of wisdom, we will fall for the seven pits of the Fool – Pride, Lies,
Murderous Hands, Wicked Imaginations, Desires of Mischief, False Witness, and
Seeds of Discord among the brethren. A proud look, a lying tongue, and
hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked
imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness
that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Prov
6:17-19) There is a perfect evil represented in the seven things God hates just
as there is a perfect righteousness illustrated in the Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
That perfect Righteousness can only be found in that imputed righteousness of
Jesus Christ; however, the wickedness is an innate quality of man and does not
require to be sought out.
When religious entities, good or bad, are figuratively represented in
Scripture, they are most often symbolized in the feminine gender. (Example: the
Church of Revelations 12, the Bride of Christ [Rev 21:2], the false church
symbolized as the Woman on the Beast [the great Harlot] of Revelations 17, and
the false end-time churches of Isaiah 4:1) Wisdom is in the feminine gender in
Proverbs, but so are the wicked and sinful so represented by the Harlot of the
Street.
The simplicity of the woman of the street is not the simplicity of the
innocent, but the simplicity of the fool that does not seek improvement. Though
represented here by a woman, the principle perhaps applies more generally to
men than women. The point is not to demean virtuous womanhood, but to
point to the abject opposite of virtue in the woman that is simple to the
things of God, but well versed in the art of cunning and deceit. A pure, white
linen makes the table bright and happy, but a filthy and soiled rag is an
aversion to the eyes. A virtuous woman is a treasure whose value is above
precious stones, but a fallen and immoral woman is to be avoided like the
plague. 13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and
knoweth nothing. My father always told me that an empty wagon makes
much noise, but a loaded wagon is silent. So with shallow versus deep waters.
Have you noticed how the ignorant and base among us are constantly speaking
more loudly than necessary, or playing their stereos at such a volume as to
belt physically felt in the adjoining car? The foolish are clamorous and know
little that will lift them from their straits.
The foolish and ignorant seem always to have more advice to offer than the
learned ones among us; and that advice, if heeded, will usually lead to the
same depravity from which it came. 14 For she sitteth at the door
of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 15 To call
passengers who go right on their ways. It is a common fact that the
fools and imprudent among us always zealously seek public office and positions
of power. The citizens who place their trust in such men of low character are
as much to blame as the power seekers themselves. There is a parable in the Old
Testament that is eerily like modern America and her foolish regard for fools
in high office: 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king
over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9 But
the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they
honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10 And the trees
said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree
said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be
promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou,
and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine,
which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14 Then
said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And
the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then
come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the
bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. (Judges 9:7-15) So does
the wicked woman seek the high places of the public streets to proclaim her
fool’s opiate. She calls to all who pass her way even as diligently as do the
ministers of God proclaim the Gospel from the towers – sometimes even more
diligently to our shame. We rest in America in the shadow of the bramble.
There is a banquet of poisoned meats and fruits and whose taste and delectable
appearance well conceal the agony and death throes that will follow their
consumption. No one who eats meat tainted with salmonella or botulism poisons
will recognize the poison properties they consume until long after when those
same poisons act secretly in man’s constitution to destroy his life. The same
hidden dangers of sin fill our souls and kill our inclinations to goodness. The
woman chooses her words well to hook the simple minded and the ignorant: She
proclaims: 16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for
him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 17 Stolen waters
are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Children are
simple little creatures. They know little of evil. Their minds are an empty
sheet of stationery ready to be written upon. If we present them with wholesome
and Godly Words for their paper, then this will dominate their character;
however, if we allow every filthy and dirty thought to be taught them on media
devices or government schools that advocate immorality far more than morality,
then that simple page of stationery that was pure and white will be filled with
vulgar and profane scribbling’s to the ruin and detriment of our innocent ones.
But there is a simplicity that perseveres even into adulthood. Nothing has been
taught of character, and maybe little of depravity. So they are walking about
as young souls whose ears may be bent for the Gospel or for the Adversary of
their souls. That which is adamantly forbidden to a teenager is usually the
very thing to which he is then attracted. The fallen man of our souls loves
that which is forbidden or gained through cunning. So they, like Eve, will listen
to the voice that is so discordant voice and wrong voice, from the wrong
source.
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her
guests are in the depths of hell. If we frequent the sinful for our
worldly fellowship, we will abide with the sinful in the torments of Hell. Are
guests of the false church, or of the wicked sinners of the world? If so, you
already have your right foot in the gaping abyss of your future “long home.”
Sin and its progenitor, Satan, are comparable to the plant called Venus Fly
Trap, or Dionaea muscipula. It has a distasteful odor of
putrefying flesh with is quite repulsive to man, but tastefully aromatic to
flies and other insects. When the fly descends into the open jaws of this plant
seeking the taste that will match the aroma, he touches the sensitive hairs
that line the walls of the open flower and the jaws snap shut on the poor
victim. The more the fly struggles, the more the enzymes are secreted that will
consume him. This is precisely the devil’s fly trap of sin. But, unlike the
Venus Fly Trap, there is an escape from the jaws of sin – the redemptive blood
of Jesus Christ. He will open the jaws of death to all who plead His blood and
claim His Salvation.
The greater symbolism of the Harlot is the same as Rev 17 – false religion and
Christian idolatry. Such idolatry is that false religion which places man at
its center and observes God as the ‘Genie in the Bottle’ that may be called
upon at random to satisfy our lusts. Benny Hinn, James Bakker, Joel Osteen, and
their ilk represent such false religionists. A true friend will often tell you
what you do not want to hear, but that which will save you much heartache. This
is like true faith and trust in God. Our ‘desires’ are subordinated to that
which God grants according to His Wisdom and Will. Forbearance today will
result in greater freedoms hereafter. Shall we attend the Banquet in Heaven, or
shall we make our bed in Hell?
