Proverbs 9 - 8.19.26

Scripture

Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious! But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead. (Prov 9:17-18)

Observation

Stolen water and food eaten in secret symbolizes sin. The pleasure of sin makes it exciting. The forbidden fruit is enticing. The temptation is strong. The secrecy makes it even more alluring. The Devil will whisper, “No one will know”. But sin brings consequences of death and destruction.

There is no sin that the blood of Jesus cannot wash away, upon true repentance. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). But the consequences often remain. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and got her husband killed. When confronted by Nathan, David repented truly with a broken heart. God forgave him completely. God even redeemed his sin. The Messianic bloodline came through Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba! David finished well, and fulfilled God’s purpose for him in his generation (Acts 13:36).

However, the consequences of his sin were not erased. As prophet Nathan said, the sword never left his household (2 Sam 12:10). Terrible tragedies followed his family. His son Amnon violated his half-sister. In retaliation, Absalom killed his brother Amnon. David has to run for his life from his own son. Absalom is later killed. Another son Adonijah made himself king, and eventually got executed on his brother Solomon’s orders. This is a classic example of how consequences of sin followed through, even though the sin was forgiven.

Application

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, He instructed them to pray, “Lead us not into temptation” (Matt 6:13). Nobody is immune to temptation. We all face temptation to sin everyday. The forbidden fruit is tempting and looks sweet. But the end of it is destruction.

With every temptation, God provides a way of escape. God will not let us be tempted beyond what we are able to bear (1 Cor 10:13). In David’s case, the way of escape was the news that the woman he fancied was a married woman. When David saw her from the roof, and sent someone to find out who she was, they came back and reported to him, “She is Bathsheba …the wife of Uriah the Hittite” (2 Sam 11:3). David could have backed off, the moment he heard that she was someone’s wife. But David chose to continue to the next step and sin. 

We are tempted when we are dragged away by our own evil desire and enticed, and then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:14-15).

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told his disciples, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Matt 26:41). We need to watch and pray so that we do not fall into temptation. God is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us before his glorious presence without fault (Jude 1:24). When we sin and grieve the Holy Spirit of God, let us listen to the still small voice of the Lord in our hearts, and quickly repent and correct ourselves and come back to right standing with the Lord.

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for making me your child. I commit myself to obey you and live a holy life, as you have commanded, “be holy as I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). But Lord, I cannot do this on my own. I need your help. I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). Help me to watch and pray so that I do not fall into temptation. And when I choose to disobey you and grieve your Spirit in word, thought or deed, please help me to quickly repent and come back to you. Help me to surrender my body as a living sacrifice everyday, and help me to renew my mind with your word every single day. May my life be a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to you (Rom 12:1-2). In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George