Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Thursday, February 21, 2013

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 5 Vs. 1-6 “Avoid the Adulterer”

Prov 5:2, “Observe” and “Reserve” Two familiar words for guarding and protecting or keeping, SHAMAR, “keep” NATZAR, “watch.”

God’s Word protects you from the lustful desires of sexual immorality.

The adulteress is very flattering. Yet the student is exhorted to keep it straight, have discretion, Cf. Prov 1:4; 2:11; 3:21, and not get caught up in any form of flattery like others do.

Principles: Those that flatter others are easily overcome and enticed to sin by people who flatter them.

Those that guard their speech and speak righteously will not be overcome by those who entice through flattery.

If you do not flatter others you will not be overcome by the sin of those who flatter you.

Mal 2:7, “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” Cf. 2 Peter 2:5, 9.

IV. Prov 5:3-6, Motivating reasons for heeding Bible Doctrine.

Prov 5:3 Lips Dripping with Honey and Smoother than Oil!

Prov 5:3, “Adulteress” – ZAR, “stranger”, referring to anyone who is not your wife, whether they are married or not.

Adultery is condemned repeatedly in the Law, (e.g., Ex 20:14; Lev 20:10, and Prov 2, 5, 6, 7, 9.)

“Drip honey” – NATAPH NOPHETH נָטַף נֹפֶת NATAPH - Qal Imperfect, “they keep on dripping.”

It also means, “prophesy, preach, or discourse.” The way of the adulteress is to preach to others the same evil she is practicing …

… hoping to trap them in the sticky substance of her sin, that is, get them to commit adultery along with her.

In a spiritual sense, the words of the Lord are compared with the sweetness of honey in the mouth, Psa 119:103.

Psa 119: , “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

We can take in the Word of the Lord that leads to righteousness and life, or receive the flattering words of the adulteress that leads to sin and death.

“The lips which distil the honey of enticement stand opposite to the lips which distil knowledge. The object of the admonition is to furnish a protection against the honey-lips.” (Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament - Vol 6, Proverbs.)

Figuratively it tells us of Satan’s Cosmic System, that is full of false doctrine that tries to lead people away from their true right man, the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Smoother” - CHALAQ, “flattering or smooth.” The type of preaching she is doing; flattering her potential victims, “buttering them up.”

Prov 6:24, “To keep you from the evil woman, fom the smooth (flattering) tongue of the adulteress.”

Prov 7:21, “With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him.”

Prov 26:28, “A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”

Psa 5:9, “There is nothing reliable in what they say; their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.”

Psa 12:1-3, “Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, for the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. 2 They speak falsehood to one another; with flattering lips and with a double heart they speak. 3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks great things.”

Regarding false prophecy and doctrine the Lord said in Ezek 12:24, “For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.” Cf Rom 16:17-18

Comparing the truth taught to that of false teachers: 1 Thes 2:5, “For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—”

Regarding all ungodly people: Jude 1:16, “These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.”

Doctrine of Flattery: I. Definition:

Flattery is a Category 2 type of Personal Sin: “Sins of the Tongue” or “Verbal Sins.” (Mental and Overt sins are the first and third categories of Personal Sin).

Verbal sins include gossip, maligning, slander, judging, lying, flattery and any form of verbal deception.

Psa 12:2, “They speak falsehood to one another; with flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.”

To “flatter” means to compliment excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win the favor of someone or to court someone.

It is trying to please or gratify someone and feed their vanity. It is also trying to persuade someone that something they want to believe is the case.

“Flattering” is to serve to arouse favorable or gratifying attention towards yourself, represented in an exaggeratedly favorable or attractive manner.

“Flattery” is the act or practice of excessive, false or sycophantic praise or flattering.

Grace Fellowship Church Thursday, February 21, 2013 Tape # Proverbs Chapter 5 Lips that Drip with Honey and are Smoother than Oil Prov 5:3; 6:24; 7:21; 26:28; Psa 5:9; 12:1-3; Ezek 12:24; Rom 16:17-18; 1 Thes 2:5; Jude 1:16 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2013