Transcription
[Music] In our verse by verse study through the book of Proverbs today, we come to Proverbs chapter 23, which brings us out of that long middle section of the book of Proverbs, uh, from chapter 10, verse 1, through the middle of chapter 22, which were basically a collection of two-line, one-verse sayings of wisdom.
Now, coming into Proverbs chapter 23, we come to more, uh, several verse statements of wisdom with a little more context. You'll see what I mean as we just work our way verse by verse here through Proverbs chapter 23. First, we're going to see some wisdom in what we might call the "do not" warnings. And in the first three verses, we see the warning to do not be deceived at the ruler's table. Here, Proverbs chapter 23:3. When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat. If you are a man given to appetite, do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.
The idea here is of a generous invitation to eat with powerful people at a table that's loaded with delicious, well-prepared food. It's something like what Daniel and his companions would later face in Daniel 1. And here it says, "When you sit down to eat with a ruler," the second line here of verse one, "Consider carefully what is before you." In other words, don't be overwhelmed and seduced by the atmosphere of power and luxury. If you're vulnerable to those temptations, then beware. Matter of fact, very dramatically, it puts it this way in verse two. Put a knife to your throat. Why? Well, I like what the commentator Dwayne Garrett had to say about this. He said this, quote, "The rich do not give away their favors for free. They want something in return and it is generally much more than what they have invested. One can lose one's own soul in the exchange." So, in other words, if you're given that invitation to something luxurious, something opulent, something that's sort of normally out of your class, so to speak, here the author of Proverbs, Solomon, is trying to impart to us the wisdom to say, "Hey, take a step back and question it. Don't dive right in with your mind or with your heart. Curb your appetite. Control yourself." Especially as it says in verse two, if you are a person given to appetite.
Now, I think it's true that in this context, it's talking here about the appetite for food. But isn't it true in regard to all of our appetites, the things which you desire, the things which you long for, the things that you, so to speak, could be seduced by? Watch out. These can be portals to sin. Now, here in the description given in the first three verses here of Proverbs chapter 23, he takes a look at this table that's loaded with luxurious food and he says this about it in verse three. They are deceptive food. You see, to put it in the context, the ruler's table may be your ruin. You may be so seduced by the atmosphere of power and luxury that you surrender what should not be surrendered. You promise what should not be promised. And in effect, you worship and serve that which should not be worshiped and served. So, without being paranoid, without being cynical, wisdom asks, "Is there something that they want from me, the ones who invited me to this table? What is it? And is it worth it?" Alan Ross put it like this. He said, quote, "So the warning is not to indulge in this impressive feast. The ruler wants something from you or he is observing you. So be careful. Not every seemingly generous invitation is for your good."
Now, verses four and five. Do not make an idol out of wealth. Here we go. Verses four and five. Do not overwork to be rich because of your own understanding. Cease. Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings. They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
Now, many times the book of Proverbs rebukes and even mocks the lazy man. Yet, this does not mean that work and the wealth that might come from work should be made an idol. It's possible for someone to begin to worship work, and that one should, as verse four says, cease. And you should cease because of your own understanding. Why? Because you know better, because, as verse five says, riches certainly make themselves wings. Now, it's true that working hard is a mark of wisdom. However, we don't live for the riches that may come from that work. Those riches are too temporary. They're too vulnerable to be a worthy focus for our life. And when riches fly away, I like how it puts it in verse five, they fly away like an eagle toward heaven. Listen, eagles can fly fast. Their swift flight is an apt metaphor of the way that riches can disappear from our life. Therefore, it's not worthy for us to put our trust in riches, to put our hope in riches, to put all of our effort of our life into riches. No, no, no. We need to put those things in God and in God alone. That is a mark of a wise life.
Then, verses 6, 7, and 8. Here's another. Do not do not eat at the table of a stingy man. Here we go. Verse six. Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies. For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you. The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up and waste your pleasant words.
So, the first three verses of Proverbs chapter 23 describe the table of a ruler, someone who provides to you a table full of rich, luxurious foods. Be careful, the first three verses of this chapter told us. But now, in verses 6, 7, and 8, it tells us there's also danger to be found at the table of the miser, the one who has an ungenerous heart. What might be termed in the ancient world something of an evil eye. I like how Matthew P. described the miser here. He said this, quote, "The miser is the envious or covetous man who secretly grudges you the meat which he sets before you." As this phrase is used, on the contrary, a generous man is said to have a good eye, according to Proverbs 22:9. So, it's the miser who says to you, as described in verse seven, "Eat and drink," he says to you, that's what he says to his guest. But his heart is not with you. Verse seven says, you see, he doesn't want you to really enjoy yourself at his table because he wants to keep more food for himself. You're going to offend this miserly man if you're foolish enough to take him at his word. The result will be in verse eight. The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up. You see, the table of the miser will be such an unpleasant experience for you that the food you have enjoyed, it'll going to come back to bother you. The pleasant words spoken at his table will seem wasted. I like what Dwayne Garrett had to say about this warning about the miserly man. He said this, "These proverbs contradict the common notion that Proverbs regards the rich as righteous and thus favored by God. To the contrary, wealthy people often are viewed with a marked suspicion and their company is not always valued." I think that's a true observation.
Now, a proverb contained in a single verse here, verse 9. Don't waste your words on the fool. Here we go. Verse 9. Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Now, this sort of assumes that the one doing the speaking is not himself a fool. That the one doing the speaking is a wise man. Therefore, don't speak, oh wise person, in the hearing of a fool. Why? Because, as it says in the second line, he will despise the wisdom of your words. The fool will not receive or appreciate your wisdom. It will be, as Jesus later described, it'll be like throwing pearls before pigs. Jesus used that metaphor in Matthew 7:6 in the sermon on the mount.
Now, verses 10 and 11. Do not steal from others. Here we go. These two verses starting at verse 10. Do not remove the ancient landmark, nor enter the fields of the fatherless, for their redeemer is mighty. He will plead their cause against you.
Now, notice the phrasing here in verse 10. Do not remove the ancient landmark. Literally, the ancient landmark was normally a stone marker for a property boundary or line. Moving the landmark was a way to make your field bigger and to steal from your neighbor. Now, symbolically, the ancient landmark was a tradition or a custom from your ancestors. This proverb, or one very similar to it, is also found in Proverbs 22:8. So, it says here in verse 10, don't remove the landmark, or rather, remove the ancient landmark, nor enter the fields of the fatherless. The field of the orphan needed special care and protection. It was evil to enter the fields of the fatherless to take some of the harvest from those who had trouble protecting it. Now, why is it wrong to remove the ancient landmark? Why is it wrong to enter the fields of the fatherless? Verse 11 tells us that their redeemer is mighty. You see, the orphan and all who are vulnerable have a special protector, a redeemer. He has vowed to plead their cause, as verse 11 puts it, against all who would come to take what they have. Now, that word "redeemer" in verse 11, "their redeemer is mighty," that is that meaningful Hebrew word *goel*. In other words, to quote Ross here, Alan Ross says that the redeemer or avenger was usually a powerful relative who would champion the rights of the defenseless. But if there was no human *goel*, God would take up their cause. And this is a theme that's repeated many times in the Old Testament.
Verse 12. Here's another do not. Do not neglect wisdom. Verse 12. Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. Wisdom can be given out, but it must be received to be of any lasting good. The reception of wisdom isn't passive. It's active. It's received with a heart that truly applies wisdom and instruction. So, it says here, "Apply your heart to instruction," and in the second line of this verse, "and your ears to words of knowledge." We mostly receive wisdom by what we hear, especially in the guidance that we receive from the wise. So, our ears must be tuned to receive and apply God's wisdom. When the heart and the ears work together to receive wisdom, much is gained.
Verses 13 and 14. Here's another do not. Do not fail to correct your children. Verses 13 and 14. Do not withhold correction from a child. For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod and deliver his soul from hell.
The concept here is not that correction is imposed upon a child, but rather that it properly belongs to a child, and to not bring needed correction is to withhold it. In other words, there is an appropriate correcting influence that parents should have upon their children. So, parent, don't withhold correction from a child. It's not as if you're imposing something from the outside so much, but that correction properly belongs to the child. Therefore, it says in verse 13, "You shall beat him with a rod." Now, the figure of the rod in Proverbs is sometimes used literally, and sometimes it's used figuratively. And there's a place for both literal physical correction of a child, such as the appropriate use of spanking or what we might call corporal punishment. And there's also a legitimate place for correction through the rod of an alternative punishment or an alternative word. So, this encompasses both the rod, both the literal and the figurative. Sometimes we need to correct our child with an appropriate swat on their hindquarters. Sometimes we correct our children with a word or with denying a privilege or giving what is sometimes called a timeout or whatever it might be. The rod is used both in a literal and then sometimes in a figurative sense, and both have their appropriate place. I like what Bruce Waltke had to say about this in his commentary. He said this, quote, "However, the cleansing rod must be applied with the warmth, affection, and respect for the youth." Warmth and affection, not steely discipline, characterize the father's lectures. And here he refers back to Proverbs 4:1-9. Waltke goes on to say this, quoting, "Parents who brutalize their children cannot hide behind the rod doctrine of Proverbs." Friends, this is absolutely true. Though Proverbs notes the wisdom and even the necessity of sometimes using physical or corporal punishment against children, or in the cause of that child's benefit, saying, "Do not withhold that correction," at the same time, it could never be used appropriately to justify, uh, child abuse. As Dwayne Garrett says in his commentary, let me quote you this quote, "This text does not justify brutalizing children." Parents who find it only too easy to apply the rod, especially those who lose their tempers when doing so, should consider Ephesians 6:4, which says, "Do not provoke your children to wrath."
Now, the appropriate use of the rod, either in its literal or figurative sense, in other words, corrective discipline upon the child, the appropriate use of that will have this result, as relayed in verse 14, that you will deliver his soul from hell. Now, the word "hell" there is actually translating the Hebrew word *sheol*, which first has the idea of the grave. Sometimes it's used in the sense of physical death, and sometimes in the sense of eternal death. Either one of them, or both of them, may be in view here. In other words, if you don't raise your child in a way that properly corrects him, if you withhold the correction that properly belongs to that child, your child may die an early death, or your child may be eternally separated from God because of the lack of character and training that was ever put into them. Wise instructions for the parent here.
But now, in verses 15 and 16, we have the joy of a father who's imparting wisdom to his children. Look at it here. Verses 15 and 16. My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will rejoice. Indeed, I myself, yes, my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak right things.
Now, the general context of the book of Proverbs is that of a father teaching wisdom to his children. Here, in these two verses, verses 15 and 16 of Proverbs chapter 23, Solomon reflected on the great happiness that he would have if his children actually received and lived in his wisdom. He said, "If your heart is wise, then my heart will rejoice." And he went on to say in verse 16 that his innermost being would rejoice when your lips speak right things. Wisdom, or the lack of wisdom, is often seen in the words that we speak. When the father hears his child's lips speak right things, he has reason to believe that the lessons of wisdom have been learned.
All right. Now, here in verses 17 and 18, we have another sort of, in our list of the "do nots" in this first section of Proverbs chapter 23. Here we go. These verses 17 and 18. Do not envy sinners. Here we go. Starting at verse 17. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day. For surely there is a hereafter and your hope will not be cut off.
Friends, this is an easy trap to fall into. The trap of letting your heart envy sinners on this side of eternity and in the ultimate judgments of God. It may seem that sin is unpunished and the righteousness of God's people is unrewarded, but it isn't true. Don't fall into that trap. I like what Charles Bridges had to say about this in his commentary. He said this, quote, "Our hearts, instead of envying sinners, should be full of compassion for them, for they have nothing to look forward to but death." Have you ever thought about that, friends? That for sinners, and I'm just talking about in the sense in generally in which we all sin and that we're all sinners before God, but no, those who have set their mind and their heart against God and his word and his ways, for those people that Proverbs sort of has in mind when it says sinners, this life is the best they will ever, ever have it. But you righteous one, and I'm speaking to you right now, as if you're born again by God's spirit, as if you put your trust in Jesus Christ, you trust in, you rely on, you cling to who Jesus is and what he did to rescue you. You, you can be counted fairly among God's righteous ones. You, this is the worst you will ever have it for all eternity. So friends, do not let your heart envy sinners. Rather, verse 17, "be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day." Instead of being jealous of the wicked, instead, be determined to have an eternal perspective that's rooted in the fear of the Lord. That is an active recognition of the greatness and the righteousness of God. Yes, friends, be zealous for the fear of the Lord. In a sermon that he preached on this verse, Charles Spurgeon gave a wonderful definition of the fear of the Lord. This is a quote. "The fear of the Lord is a brief description for true religion. It is an inward condition betokening hearty submission to our heavenly Father. It consists very much in a holy reverence of God and a sacred awe of him. This is accompanied by a childlike trust in him, which leads to loving obedience, tender submission, and lowly adoration." I have to say, I really enjoyed that definition of the fear of the Lord.
Now, why should we not allow our hearts to envy sinners? Why should we be zealous for the fear of the Lord? We're told here in verse 18, "for surely there is a hereafter." Friends, if this life was all there would be, then we would have much more reason to envy sinners. Yet, even as the conclusion of the book of Ecclesiastes demonstrates, surely there is a hereafter. And therefore, wisdom means that we should live in the fear of the Lord.
Now, starting at verse 19, we come into a different section, at least according to my understanding, of Proverbs chapter 23. Here we come to a section where a father is warning his child about the dangers of wine and women. Let's begin this here with a look at verses 19, 20, and 21, where it speaks to us about the danger of drinking companions. Here we go. Starting at verse 19. Hear my son and be wise and guide your heart in the way. Do not mix with wine bibbers or with gluttonous eaters of meat. For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
The beginning here in verse 19 repeats the basic context of Proverbs. That is, this is the wise instruction and guidance of a father to his children. Therefore, he begins this section in verse 19 by saying, "Hear my son and be wise." And here's the, the, the pearl of wisdom in these verses. Starting in verse 20, "Do not mix with wine bibbers or with gluttonous eaters of meat." The wise counsel to a son or daughter is that they should not mix with those who overindulge in alcohol or food. The drunk and the glutton have a bad future in front of them. Verse 21 describes it as poverty and as rags. And the wise man or woman will not share that future with the drunk or the glutton. You could say, as Alan Ross noted, that the drunkard and the glutton represent the epitome, the peak of the lack of discipline. And they will be reduced, as verse 21 says, to drowsiness. What does that mean? Well, they're reduced to nothing. They have that drowsiness that comes with overindulgence in food. That drowsiness that comes to those who seek after intoxicating substances, either alcohol or illicit drugs. As Bruce Waltke said, "Their full stomachs empty their minds." So, be careful. Be careful about the company you keep. The company you keep may lead you into gluttony. The company you keep may lead you into alcoholism or drug abuse. Be careful. You don't want that future. So, stay away from those people.
Now, in verse 22, here's an exhortation to listen to parents. Verse 22. Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Friends, let's remember that wisdom can never be learned until the attention is won. There must be a deliberate effort to listen. And do not despise your mother when she's old. That affirms the principle of honor your father and mother, as it's given in Exodus 20:12 and also later on in Ephesians 6:2. When parents become old, they should receive special attention and care. This speaks to the attitude that people should have towards wisdom found here in verse 23, where it says, "Buy the truth and do not sell it. Also wisdom and instruction and understanding." We should have the mentality that we are willing to gain truth and wisdom and gain it at a cost, instead of wanting to forsake it for a profit. No, wisdom and truth are so valuable that you should be willing to sacrifice something, to pay something, so to speak, in the pursuit of wisdom, in the pursuit of truth. And especially, it says here in verse 23, "do not sell it." Let me quote you a little section from Charles Spurgeon on this, on that phrase, "do not sell it." In verse 23, he says, "Sell it not. Sell it not. It cost Christ too dear. Sell it not. You made a good bargain when you bought it. Sell it not. Sell it not. It has not disappointed you. It has satisfied you and made you blessed. Sell it not. You want it. Sell it not. You will want it. The hour of death is coming on and the day of judgment is close upon its heels. Sell it not. You cannot buy it again. You can never find a better." Friends, never ever should you or I or anyone else be willing to give up the truth of God's word, to sell it at any price, to not sell it for the price of our comfort, to not sell it for the price of our privilege, to not sell it at the price of our convenience. No, we should hold on to it and keep it because it is so valuable. "Buy the truth and do not sell it." And then, as he continues in verse 23, "also wisdom and instruction and understanding." Proverbs often uses these terms to mean the same thing. Truth, instruction, understanding. In this context, they're all ways of describing wisdom.
Now, in verses 24 and 25, Solomon comments on how wise children bring joy to their parents. Here we go. Verses 24 and 25. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice.
It is a great blessing for parents to have righteous and wise children. That parent will delight in their child. Therefore, as it says in verse 25, "Let your father and mother be glad." One reason for a son or a daughter to pursue and gain wisdom is that it'll make your parents glad. That is an appropriate blessing and reward for your parents. It is a blessing and a reward to those who gave the son and daughter of their own life and an upbringing. Oh, dear friends, don't ever neglect that. Your living in God's wisdom is a way to make your parents glad. Oh yes, it's a great reward to you also, but it's a reward beyond what it gives to you.
Now, starting at verse 26, going through to the end of verse 28, Solomon will speak about the danger of the immoral woman. Here he goes speaking to his son. So, in the context, he's speaking about the danger of sexual immorality for his son, and that would be a woman. So, here we go, starting at verse 26. My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways. For a harlot is a deep pit, and a seductress is a narrow well. She also lies in wait as for a victim and increases the unfaithful among men.
Solomon understood that wisdom must be received with the heart. Therefore, he says to his son, "Give me your heart." Friends, the pursuit of wisdom is not only a matter of facts or principles that are learned in the mind or even principles that are memorized. Wisdom must be received into a willing, given heart. So, "Give me your heart." And then going on in verse 26, "let your eyes observe my ways." I find some irony in this verse. Then this line, I should say, from verse 26, "let your eyes observe my ways." Remember, Solomon said that to his son, and at least at the time when he wrote this, Solomon could point to his own life as an example of wisdom when it came to the dangers of an immoral woman. He knew that teaching is most effective when it comes from a life that has known wisdom and lives wisdom. The sad truth about Solomon is that late in his life, he allowed sexual immorality in the form of his many pagan wives draw his heart away from God. But at the time he wrote this, he could say to his son, "Hey, look at my life. Let your eyes observe my ways." And what's the wisdom he wants to impart here? Verse 27, that a harlot is a deep pit. Now, the pit that Solomon has in mind here is the trap that is dug and concealed to capture a large animal. Think of a hunter who digs a pit and puts sharp sticks down in the bottom of it. And he conceals it in a certain way and puts it where, in a path where a large and dangerous animal will walk into it. And that deep pit will be the ruin of even a strong, mighty animal. You see, as an animal might fall into such a deep pit, so the danger of the harlot is number one, real, but number two, it's concealed. How do you know? How are you going to avoid falling into such a deep pit and ruining your life? Well, first of all, you have to tell yourself there are dangers out there that I have to be aware of, and that you have to walk in such a way that's aware of those dangers and deliberately avoids them. Friends, not everybody does this. In his commentary on Proverbs, Charles Bridges quoted Ambrose who said this, "Samson broke the bonds of his enemies, but he could not break the bonds of his own lusts. Samson choked the lion, but he could not choke his own wanton love." Do you see the point here? There are people, strong people who are otherwise wise, who fall into the deep pit of sexual immorality.
The other metaphor that he uses here in verse 27 is he says, "A seductress is a narrow well." Now, a well, for water, of course, we're talking about, is a source of satisfying water. And the sexual relationship between a husband and a wife is described as good water from a well. Solomon used that metaphor back in Proverbs 5:15. Here the idea is of a narrow well. It's of a well that doesn't satisfy. Friends, the seductress offers great satisfaction, but ultimately she doesn't deliver. She lacks the true intimacy and trust that builds a genuinely satisfying sexual experience. And therefore, when men fall into the deep pit of the harlot, when they find themselves trapped in the unsatisfying narrow well of the seductress, then what does it say here in verse 28? "This increases the unfaithful among men." Now, this is not to lay all the blame upon the harlot or the immoral woman, but her trap captures many. If there were fewer harlots, if there were fewer immoral women, there would be fewer unfaithful among men. Friends, these are the facts. I like what Derek Kidner had to say about this. He said, "Unchastity may be romanticized, but the hard facts are here faithfully given: captivity, ruthlessness, and social disruption."
Now, starting at verse 29, Solomon's going to warn his son about the misery of abusing alcohol. And we're going to start at verse 29 and go all the way through verse 35, the end of the chapter. Listen to the beautiful poetry containing a wise and strong warning here. Proverbs chapter 23, starting at verse 29. Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly. At the last, it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea. Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying, "They have struck me, but I was not hurt. They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake that I may seek another drink?"
In this extended, very poetic section, Solomon began by asking the question in verse 29, "Who has woe? Who has sorrow?" You see, Solomon reminds us of the many ill effects of alcohol and intoxicating drugs. They bring, as verse 29 says, woe and sorrow. They bring contentions and complaints. They bring wounds and redness of eyes. Friends, unrestrained, immoderate use of alcohol and abuse of drugs will bring these sorrows to one's life, and countless tragedies prove it. In verse 30, he brought the picture before us of those who linger long at the wine. The picture here is of those who abuse alcohol or other intoxicants, and they're always looking for a stronger drink. That's what it means by the phrase in verse 30, "they go in search of mixed wine." Dwayne Garrett says that lingering over alcohol describes those who derive comfort and security in knowing that a glass of wine is at hand, ready to deaden the senses. Dear friends, I don't know what your problem is, but I can tell you this. The solution is not in deadening your senses through alcohol and intoxicating drugs. Friends, that's not the answer. I can't speak to what all the solutions are. I certainly can't speak to what all your problems are, but I can know for sure what the answer is not. It's not in getting drunk. It's not in getting high. It's not in checking out through the use of drugs. But there's an attraction to it. I understand. Solomon admitted it in verse 31. He thought of the wine in the cup. And he says, verse 31, "It sparkles in the cup." You see, wine can be pleasing on many levels, in how it looks, and how it smells, and how it tastes, and how it makes one feel. And those pleasing aspects of intoxicants never justify their unrestrained or immoderate use. I, I know it feels good for you to get drunk. That's why you do it, but it doesn't justify it. I know getting high feels like the most amazing thing for you, or at least deadens the pain. But it's not the answer. And this is why. Look at verse 32. This is his judgment on those who will not use alcohol, for example, moderately. Verse 32. "At the last, it bites like a serpent." Eventually, the abuse of alcohol or drugs will bite and sting. As Solomon described, verse 33, "Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things." It's very interesting here towards the end of chapter 23. We have a section warning about the danger of the immoral woman and then warning about the danger of the immoderate use of alcohol. And like several commentators, Bruce Waltke saw a deliberate purpose in setting the warning against the seductive woman next to this warning against intoxication. This is what Waltke said, quote, "Both the vixen and wine are hidden and deadly traps. The preceding saying unmasks the unchaste wife as a triumphant huntress, and this one uncovers wine as a poisonous snake." Oh, there's some similarity in those who are seduced and ruined by both. And at the end of it all, look at verse 34. It says, "You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea." The person who abuses alcohol or drugs will drown in their sin and misery. That's what somebody who lies down in the midst of the sea. They drown. Like a person on a sinking ship who denies their danger, living in denial. They're unable or unwilling to see their danger. As it says in verse 35, "They have struck me, but I was not hurt." And their only thought is what it says in verse 35, that they may seek another drink.
Now, as Bruce Waltke described in his commentary, quoting another commentary name, he says this, quote, "The passage describes more than a night's drinking and a morning's hangover. It describes the increasingly degenerative habits, physical and mental, of the habitual drinker and the alcoholic." Friends, these are entrapping sins. And I, I do believe that the Bible teaches that at least, uh, for the person that's not in a leadership position in ministry, that's sort of a separate category that we can talk about on a different occasion, but, but, but at least for the Christian that's not in a leadership position, there is a permitted moderate use of alcohol. But friends, the Bible condemns drunkenness clearly. If you do believe that you are a Christian who has the liberty to partake of alcohol, I, I plead with you on the basis of God's word and wisdom, be obviously moderate in the consumption of your alcohol. Keep it to one beer, so to speak, that glass of wine, leave a little bit in the bottle and make it clear to everybody you're not drinking more. You can make an argument biblically for the non-leader, at least, again, we're going to leave Christian leaders out of it just for the moment. You can make an argument for their moderate use of alcohol, but you can make no argument for drunkenness. But this is what I want you to know. That there is hope in Jesus Christ for the drunkard and the drug addict. I got to be honest with you. At the end of verse 20, uh, chapter 23 here, it's kind of depressing. Here's the person giving over to their alcoholism and they just want more, and all they're thinking about is where they can get another drink, another hit. But I like what Charles Bridges said about this in his commentary. He said this, quote, "Is anything too hard for the Lord? May his name be praised for a full deliverance from the enslavement to sin, to all sins, and to every individual sin, and even from the chains of this giant sin. The drunkard becomes sober, the unclean, holy, the glutton, temperate. The love of Christ overpowers the love of sin." Amen. May we, with God's blessing, pursue the path of wisdom and avoid such terrible sins.
All right, before we leave Proverbs chapter 23, let's consider just a couple ways that this chapter points to Jesus Christ. And I'm sure you could think of more, but let me just suggest a couple. Number one, the section where it talks about not eating at the table of a stingy or a miserly man. Do you remember that, uh, verses 6, 7, and 8 in Proverbs chapter 23 here? Let me read those verses to you again. "Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies. For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Eat and drink, he says to you, but his heart is not with you." The stingy man says this to his guests, but his heart isn't with you. He doesn't really want you to enjoy yourself at his table. Friends, can I remind you that there are no such dangers linked to the invitations of the gospel? Instead, the picture we have in the gospels is that the table is set out. There's a feast available for you. And Jesus is not like that miserly man at the table. He says, "No, you come to my table and feast." Several times Jesus likened the greatness of the gospel invitation to be like the invitation to a great feast. We can say this, that Jesus is the opposite of the bad host that's described in verses 6, 7, and 8 of Proverbs chapter 23.
Now, let me talk about a second way here that we see Jesus, uh, referred to or pointed towards here in Proverbs chapter 23. In the case of the rich man's feast, the harlot's seduction, and the attraction of drunkenness and intoxication, in all three of those situations found in this chapter, their dangers are hidden. They attract with great promises and then they sting and harm you. "Oh, come to my table," but "I really don't want you to eat." "Oh, come to my bed," the harlot says, but "it will not satisfy." "Oh, take another drink," but "you're going to have not only a hangover, but true destruction of life." Those dangers are hidden. They make tremendous promises of blessing and goodness, but then they bring great harm and destruction of life. Here's where we see Jesus here. Jesus is the opposite of those things. Jesus warns us of the cost of following him. But then when we do decide to follow him, he delivers more blessing and goodness than we can ever imagine. Now, instead of overpromising and underperforming, that's what sin does. Jesus, if you can say, boy, I want to say this reverently, Jesus underpromises and overperforms. In other words, what he actually performs is even greater than that which he has promised. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2:9, the Apostle Paul quoted the idea of Isaiah 64:4. And he said this, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him." Friends, God has so much more for you. So many greater things than you can imagine. And the message of the rich man's feast, the message of the harlot's seduction, the attraction of the drunkenness and intoxication is, listen, it's far worse than it looks on the outside. Be wise and avoid these. But here's the message of Jesus. It's even better than it first appears. Jump right in with all your heart.
May we do so to God's glory and for our own benefit. Father in heaven, we thank you. We thank you for the attractions and truth in Jesus. That's the opposite of the deceptive things that draw us in and deceive us. No. Lord, help us to live in your goodness, in your ways. We praise you for all these things and we ask that you would help us to learn to appreciate and to live in the way of your wisdom. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. [Music]