The purpose of this post is to help Christians get some additional insight into their struggles with temptation: lady wisdom represents the call of the Bible vs lady folly, the call of the world.
Satan works against the Christian via the world system; lady Folly is the voice of that world system. Satan uses his dupes, works through them, to invite Christians to partake of delicacies from his kingdom.
Before we were born again, we sought our happiness… via the things of Satan’s kingdom. And those who came to faith later in life, have been thoroughly indoctrinated in the things of Satan. The Holy Spirit uses His word to show us truth about our daily experiences, to show us the siren calls of the world we’ve been succumbing to, how these are harming us and prohibiting us from serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
He also teaches us that we must depend upon Him….
Bridges’ words will provide plenty of information about the above things.
It is important to know that there is a conflict within you. Proverbs teaches about the conflict and provides examples of people who choose either of the two paths. From those examples, one can identify aspects of his own life wherein such things are occurring. Identifying such things is the first step, then praying for guidance, developing strategies….
Charles Bridges commentary is fully quoted for Proverbs 9:13-18, Kindle version; in addition, some very meaningful scripture references from his comments are pasted in (so you do not have to look them up), they are in red print and within square brackets [all bracketed statements, emboldening and underscoring are mine].
There will be a part 3 consisting of comments from two other Bible commentators.
Bridges’ large paragraphs were divided for ease of reading.
Proverbs 9:13-18
A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. 14. For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 15. To call passengers who go right on their ways: 16. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth [lacks] understanding, she saith to him, 17. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
Wisdom’s free and gracious invitation has been before us. And we might almost ask — who could resist it? Now we have an allurement from the opposite quarter. For sin is no less earnest to destroy, than wisdom is to save.
The distinct character of folly here alluded to, may be gathered from the pictures formerly given. (Proverbs 2. 5. 7.)
Fleshly lusts are in open opposition to Divine wisdom.
‘The delight of the soul fixed on anything but God and his grace, is but spiritual adultery.’ The woman of foolishness is clamorous (Proverbs 7:11), and, though “subtle in heart” (Proverbs 7:10) in the devices of Satan, she is simplicity itself in her utter ignorance of right.
So fearfully do sensual pleasures darken the understanding, that the tempter, from the very habit of deceiving, becomes the victim of her own delusion! (Hos 4:11. 2 Timothy 3:13.)
[Hosea 4:8 They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. 9 And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. 10 They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply, because they have forsaken the LORD to cherish 11 whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding. 2Timothy 3:13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.]
With a shameless front she dares to present herself in the highest places of the city (Genesis 38:14, Genesis 38:21. Jeremiah 3:2-3. Ezekiel 16:24-25, Ezekiel 16:31), alluring, not only those who are “going the way to her house” (Proverbs 7:8), but the inexperienced who are going right on their ways.
Thus even the highway of God, though a path of safety (Proverbs 10:9), is beset with temptation. Satan is so angry with none as with those, who are going right on. When Israel was in the straight path, quickly did he turn them aside by the golden calf. ([compare]Exodus 24:7, with Exodus 32.) And now enticements or assaults wait on every step.
The temptation to open sin would be revolting. But must you give up all your pleasures? May not some stolen waters (Proverbs 5:15-17. 2Sa 11:2), some secret indulgences (Proverbs 20:17. Job 20:12-14), be allowed?
[2 Samuel 11:2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. Job 20:12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue, 13 though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth,]
Ah! Sinner — there is no such thing as secret sin. All is naked and open as day before the eye of God. (Job 24:15; Job 34:21-22.) All will soon be proclaimed before the assembled world. (Luke 12:1-2.)
But the strength of this temptation is, that they are forbidden pleasures. (Genesis 3:1-6.) Restraint provokes the dormant power of sin; as children will do that which is forbidden, because it is forbidden.
[Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent…]
But what will be the end? Satan shows only the sparkling cup, and the glaring light.
Ask to look into the inner chamber. The blinded fool hath willfully closed his eyes (Proverbs 7:22. Isaiah 1:3. 2 Peter 3:5); else might he know that the dead are there; and that her guests — the willful despisers of wisdom, are in the very depths of hell. (Pro 2:18; Proverbs 7:27.)
[Proverbs 7:22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.]
Reader — the wisdom of God, and the great deceiver of man — stand before you. Both are wooing thine heart; the one for life — the other for death. Both are intensely anxious for success.
Wisdom crieth. The foolish woman is clamorous. (Proverbs 9:3 with Proverbs 9:13.) Both take their station in the high places of the city. (Proverbs 9:3 with Proverbs 9:15.) Both spread out their feast for the simple and ignorant (Proverbs 9:4 with Pro 9:16), smiling and happy on the brink of ruin. But how opposite their end?
The one makes the simple wise unto eternal life. The other bears away her willing captive into unutterable misery.
Which voice arrests thine ear, and allures thine heart? Which feast excites thine appetite? Whose guest art thou? Wilt thou not open thine eyes to the infatuation and pollution of this house of horror and death?
Oh! remember that every listening to the enticement rivets thy chain, rejoices thy grand enemy, cheats thee out of thy present, no less than of thine eternal, happiness, and will banish thee forever from the paradise reopened as thy home.
Thou mayest sink into the grave and perish. But it will be with the Savior’s voice crying in thine ears, “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?” (Proverbs 1:22.)
The voice of mercy now warns thee against estranging thyself from thy God. But mercy is limited to time. Then justice, without mercy, will hold the scales with relentless severity, and the sentence of condemnation will bind thee in the lost and blasted kingdom of eternal death.
What then is our heart’s desire and prayer, but the free grace and love of the Gospel may draw and fix thine heart; and that the Lord may preserve thee from the tempter’s snare, by keeping thee closely walking with himself.
Bridges, Charles. Proverbs (p. 130). Honza Pokorny. Kindle Edition.