Proverbs 7:16-20

 

 

Prov 7:16 (KJB)

I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

 

Tapestry - Multi-colored cloth

 

Here the harlot engages in the speech of allurement. In the previous verse, she had gone out to meet her victim and here when she meets him, she is alluring him with sensual images of her bedroom. Notice that she has fine linen from Egypt. Egypt in the Scriptures is never spoken of as friendly to the true believer. The modern counterfeit versions of the Bible originated in Alexandria, Egypt. Egypt represented the world as ancient Israel was slaves there for hundreds of years. The same way that the world enslaved the believer until they became saved by Christ who is their deliverer. (1 Cor 10:13 KJV) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Whenever the world and its allurements try to attract the believer, we can be confident that God has given us a way out. (2 Pet 2:9 KJV) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: No believer should ever get caught up in the way of the world since God is right there to make us a way of escape.

 

Prov 7:17 (KJB)

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

 

It is interesting that Myrrh is mentioned here because it was used as an embalming element and it was used in reference to funerals up until about the 15^th century. In fact, it was offered to Christ while He was on the cross. (Mark 15:23 KJV) And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. So we see that Myrrh, mentioned first in this passage, is a hint that death is really the end product of this adultery and also spiritual death is the end if salvation does not take place. Cinnamon is mentioned here as a very fine spice which flavors many foods plus it is used as a perfume. Cinnamon was very popular in the Middle east because it is believed that Cinnamon was peculiar to Cyprus. So here the Cinnamon is being used as another sensual allurement of the nose and of the stomach. This man may enter her house and smell cinnamon as being burnt as an incense and then there would be Cinnamon to flavor any foods to make him feel at home, thus trying to alleviate the sin guilt. Any time a person chooses to sin, they will always look for the justification such as I am lonely, or I have fallen to my sin nature, or some other excuse. Aloe was used as herbal medicine. Here the allurement is that whatever your problem is, you will find a respite from it here. The aloes as a medicine attempts to use its healing powers as desiring to heal the person’s problems in line with whatever excuse they are making. Sinful healing only causes more sin sickness.

 

Prov 7:18 (KJB)

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

 

Solace Ourselves - Enjoy ourselves

 

Here the promise to the man is that they should go to her place and enjoy themselves till the morning. Here is one of the greatest ploys of Satan. If you notice the verse speaks of “love” but the reality is that this is not love but lust. Sex does not create love where there is no love to begin with. Real love does not find its source in sin. Real love finds its source only in God. (1 John 4:7 KJV) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. God is the one who creates true love between a man and a woman. Sinful lust divides and separates and causes mistrust by both parties. Here is how mistrust takes place. Let us say that the woman is not a harlot but a friend who wants to steal me from my wife. First of all, how would she be able to trust me if I had sex with her, this means I am willing to adulterate my marriage on a whim. Then secondly, how could I trust her if she is willing to have sex with a married man? Do you see, such a relationship would start out on mistrust. Now one of the things the false gospels attempt to do is to try and draw a Christian away from true beliefs and make it sound like they would enjoy the false teachings and that it would be good for them. These false gospels normally minister to the flesh to make it easier to accept.

 

Prov 7:19 (KJB)

For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

 

Here is the deception. The husband of this harlot has gone on a long trip and they think that he will not be home for a long while and that the door for sin is left wide open but there is going to come a time when the master of the home will come suddenly. (Mark 13:34-35 KJV) For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. {35} Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: The Proverbs verse speaks directly to all believers that they must never believe for a moment that the Lord will never return because He will return at the appointed time and we do not know when that is. (Mat 24:48 KJV) But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; The evil person is the one who believes that Christ will delay His coming but the truth is that He can come for a person in death way before He visibly returns to earth. We must never believe for a moment that we can become lazy because Christ has not returned yet simply because we are always in the presence of God as His children.

 

Prov 7:20 (KJB)

He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

 

(Acts 17:31 KJV) Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. This Proverbs verse is speaking directly to the fact that Christ will return on an appointed day and Acts 17:31 confirms this. The problem is that we do not know when the day is that He will return and therefore we are to be ready and occupy the time until He does return. The time while He is away is meant for us to send forth the Gospel and not to use the time for ourselves. (Luke 19:13 KJV) And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. The word “occupy” in Luke 19:13 is in the Imperative mood which means it is a command. The sinner never takes into account the fact that Christ will return some day, they always believe that time goes on just as before. (2 Pet 3:4 KJV) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. The problem is that since the beginning of creation there was a great worldwide flood which was a precursor to the coming final judgment.

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