Adam and Eve were living in a perfect place, hosted by a perfect, loving God.
They listened to a talking snake who planted a thought in their minds. The thought was, “Is God telling you the truth? Is there something better than God’s will?”
Every day, we are bombarded with suggestions that seek to pull us away from doing what God thinks is best for our lives. That is why we need to listen to the message of wisdom.
Hear, my child, your father’s instruction,
and do not reject your mother’s teaching,
For they are a fair garland for your head
and pendants for your neck. (Proverbs 1.8-9)
God’s wisdom is available to us, but we must hear it and not reject it.
The promise is that if we receive God’s wisdom, we will be victorious. That’s what the garland means. And we will find guidance, which is the image of the pendant.
Our fallen nature and the world’s system continually whispers in our ear, “Is God trying to cheat you out of something that’s rightfully yours? Come, take my path, and get what you want.”
The Voice of Sinners.
My child, if sinners entice you,
do not consent. (Proverbs 1.10)
The wisdom of Proverbs is echoed by Isaiah’s message to the nation.
If you consent and obey,
you shall eat the good of the land,
But if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured by the sword,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1.19-20)
Rather than giving our obedience to sinners, we should consent and obey God’s will in our lives. That is the pathway to God’s victory and guidance.
The behavior of sinners reveals their nature. They love wealth and use people.
On the other hand, those who have received God’s wisdom love people and use their wealth to aid others.
Sin’s Persuasion
Satan’s temptation of Adam and Eve is a perfect example of how sin works in our lives.
“Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
“But God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3.1-5).
The encounter between the serpent and Eve is a perfect picture of how we are tempted to no longer consent and obey God’s will.
It begins with a question: “Did God say?” Is God telling us the truth? Does God have our best interest in mind?
The temptation elevates to: “God is holding something back from you.”
“You will not die,” he says, “If you go ahead and follow my direction, you’ll have a better life than the one God’s offered you.”
Dramatically, the proverb speaks to us about the temptation to step out of God’s direction and abandon wisdom for the advice of sinners.
If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;
let us wantonly ambush the innocent;
Like Sheol let us swallow them alive
and whole, like those who go down to the Pit.
We shall find all kinds of costly things;
we shall fill our houses with spoil.
Throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
I doubt if those who this article will ever face the extreme temptation presented by these verses of Proverbs.
Yet, we all hear whispers from the evil one, urging us to do things his way. The advice from Isaiah is perfect: consent and obey. You will then eat the best of the land.
Our Response
I have said in the past, I use these blog articles to keep me accountable in Bible study. One of the benefits of writing a daily blog is that I can’t just breeze through a passage.
Rather than reading these verses and moving toward the next ones, let’s apply them to our lives.
(1) Guard Against Deception: We must guard against deception. It can originate from anywhere. We need to remain vigilant against the subtle suggestions that question God’s truth and His will for our lives.
(2) Embrace God’s Wisdom: These verses remind us that God’s wisdom is available to guide our decisions. We should be determined to seek His counsel through prayer and studying the scriptures.
Let’s embrace God’s wisdom seeking His victory and guidance for our lives.
(3) Stay Aligned with God’s Direction: Let’s recognize that the enemy of our soul wants us to question God’s intentions, promising better outcomes outside of God’s will.
Remember, God’s ways are always higher and His plans are for our ultimate good. Let’s commit to being aligned with His direction.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 