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Reading Proverbs 31:10-31 about how the woman who fears Yahweh is to be praised, closing out our study in the book of Proverbs. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears Yahweh is to be praised. The Proverbs 31 woman is who we're gonna be looking at today when we understand the text.
This is when we understand the text, teaching through a New Testament book on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, an Old Testament book on Thursday, and a Q &A on Friday. With our Old Testament study today, here's Pastor Gabe.
Thank you, Becky.
Well, this is our last lesson in the book of Proverbs, and we finally made it to the Proverbs 31 woman. If you wanna open up your Bible and join me in Proverbs 31, verses 10 through 31, I'll be reading out of the Legacy Standard Bible.
This is the word of the Lord. An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above pearls. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of grain. She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil all the days of her life.
She searches for wool and flax, and works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships. She brings her food from afar, and she rises while it is still night, and gives food to her household and a portion to her young women.
She makes plans for a field and buys it. From the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good. Her lamp does not go out at night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold fast the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She makes coverings for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits with the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and gives belts to the tradesmen.
Strength and majesty are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the instruction of loving-kindness is on her tongue. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and bless her. As for her husband, he also praises her, saying, many daughters have done excellently, but you have gone above them all. Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
Give to her from the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. Now let's come back to verse 10. Proverbs 31 is commonly known as that chapter that describes the woman who fears God, but remember, we had verses one through nine, which we looked at last week.
Consider the very first verse that we read in chapter 31. The words of King Lemuel, the oracle unto which his mother disciplined him. So when we read in verse 10, an excellent wife who can find, for her worth is far above pearls.
This is what a mother is saying to her son. A mother is telling her son, find a good woman who fears Yahweh, and then the description of this woman is what Lemuel's mother aspired to be, and the kind of woman she wants her son to marry as well.
So first of all, we recognize that. This is the word of instruction that comes from a mother to her son, but also consider this, for it was back in verse three that Lemuel's mother said to him, do not give your excellence to women.
Now, this was right after, we have kind of this three question opening here, calling her son's attention to her wisdom. What, oh, my son? And what, oh, son of my womb? And what, oh, son of my vows? In other words, what are you doing?
That's kind of the question she's asking of her son. Are you actively pursuing wisdom? Are you doing what is right? Or are you being idle? If you are not attentive to what is right and what is wrong, then you won't choose the right way.
You'll go after your flesh. And so the warnings that she gives in verses three and four are with regards to staying away from those things that your flesh will have a tendency to go after. And the first one is a manipulative, godless woman.
Verse three, do not give your excellence to women. And then the next part, or your ways to that which blots out kings. Don't keep the company of fools, in other words. It is not for kings, oh, Lemuel.
It is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to desire strong drink. Now, consider those three things there. She asks three times, what are you doing, oh, my son? And then three things that she says to stay away from.
Stay away from adulterous women. That has been a warning throughout Proverbs. We had three chapters dedicated to it. Proverbs five, six, and seven. That was a father speaking to his son. This is a mother speaking to her son, okay?
So the mother says, do not give your excellence to women. Don't let your mind, your body be given over to a woman who will lead you astray. That warning is given in the book of Deuteronomy as well to the king that Israel would eventually raise up over them.
There were warnings to those kings not to have too many wives because their hearts would go after their wives. And what happened with Solomon was, this guy had 700 wives over 300 concubines and his heart went after his wives, his pagan wives and the gods they worshiped.
So that Solomon built high places to these false gods and ended up falling out of favor with the Lord. So here, Lemuel's mother tells him, don't go after such women because your mind, your body, your senses, your desires are gonna be for those women and not for what God has given your throne to be able to do.
He's given you authority to issue justice and care for those who are in need. That's in verses eight and nine. Open your mouth for the mute, for the justice of all who are passing away. A mother telling her royal son, King Lemuel, open your mouth, judge righteously and render justice to the afflicted and the needy.
That's what his job is supposed to be as King. But if he has given his mind over to these other things occupied by easy women or with the company of fools, don't give your ways to that which blots out Kings or if he dulls and numbs his mind with strong drink, basically means that he would become a king that just parties all the time.
It is not for Kings O' Lemuel, it's not for Kings to drink wine or desire strong drink. If these are the things that he gives himself over to, then he will not be a king that rules wisely and does justice for those, especially who need it most.
Okay, I know I've spent a lot of time on this in the beginning, which we talked about last week, but it's very important to recognize that because it's in that context that Lemuel's mother says, an excellent wife, who can find her worth is far above pearls.
Because you remember the first warning of the flesh that Lemuel's mother gave him was, don't give your excellence to easy women, basically. And so instead directs Lemuel to go after a good wife. You wanna be a good strong King that deals wisely and is able to keep your mind and your flesh away from these worldly things that you would otherwise go after, look for an excellent wife, who is not only one who serves her husband well, because that's certainly what we see here, verses 10 through 31.
Just because this section doesn't say that a woman must submit to her husband, submission is all over this. This is a woman who serves her husband and her household well. And for a King to have such a woman, he would rule wisely.
This is a woman who's not just somebody who's serving the King, but she is filled with wisdom. She herself who has wisdom is able to aid and encourage her husband in ruling wisely as well. So once again, verse 10, an excellent wife who can find her worth is far above jewels or precious stones.
You might have gems or something like that. It might be how it will come out in different translations. But verse 11, the heart of her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain. This is Lemuel's mother telling him, find a woman you can trust.
And you know that this woman is going to deal well and wisely in the position that she has, especially when you're talking about the wife of a King or the wife of some kind of a nobleman. In the context of this here, we see that the husband is most definitely an elder because it talks about him sitting with the elders in the gates.
He is helping to deal justice to those within the city because matters of justice and civic matters and things like that, they would be handled in the gates of the city. So this is a man who is wise and he is valued for his character as well among the people of the city and is helping to issue judgments on behalf of those who are most in need.
And he has such a charitable woman at his side. When we get to verse 20, she extends her hand to the poor and she stretches out her hands to the needy. This is a woman who would encourage her husband in charity.
But let's come back here to verse 12 where she deals bountifully first with her own husband. She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil all the days of her life. Consider some of the ways that a son has been warned about loose women and even contentious women over the course of the book of Proverbs.
A son was said, it was said to a son rather, a father saying to his son in Proverbs 5 .3, the lips of a strange woman drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech. Verse 20, why should you my son be intoxicated with a strange woman and embrace the bosom of a foreign woman?
And then as I mentioned, chapter six and seven go on to warn about staying away from the adulterous woman. Chapter nine, verse 13, the woman of foolishness is boisterous, a woman of simplicity. She does not know anything.
Chapter 11, verse 16, a gracious woman holds fast to glory, but ruthless men hold fast to riches. Proverbs 11, verse 22, as a ring of gold is in a swine snout, so is a beautiful woman who turns away from discretion.
Chapter 14, verse one, the woman of folly tears down her own house with her own hands. Chapter 21, verse nine, it is better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Later on in verse 19, it is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and a vexing woman. And chapter 30, verse 20, this is the way of an adulterous woman. She eats and wipes her mouth and says, I have done no wrong.
She doesn't even feel guilty about ruining your life. And this has been the warnings that have been given to a son over the course of the book of Proverbs. But then we've also had such good advice as this.
Proverbs 12, four, an excellent wife is the crown of her husband. And Proverbs 18, 22, he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from Yahweh. And don't forget this instruction, this short instruction that's in Proverbs 5, verses 18 and 19, let your fountain be blessed and be glad in the wife of your youth.
As a loving hind and a graceful doe, let her breast satisfy you at all times. Be intoxicated always with her love. This is the kind of way that an excellent wife deals bountifully with her husband. For good and not evil all the days of her life.
Remember back to 1 Corinthians 7, 2, where Paul said, because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have his own wife and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife and likewise also the wife to her husband.
We're talking about sex there. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another except by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
And that's what's in mind here when we read in verse 12, in Proverbs 31, 12. She, this godly wife, deals bountifully with her husband. He's satisfied with her. Just as was said earlier in Proverbs chapter five.
She does this for good and not evil. She helps to satisfy that sexual desire that he has, but doing so in a way that is loving of one another and honoring to the Lord. As again, Lemuel's mother gives this warning, do not give your excellence to false women, but instead go after this true woman of God who deals bountifully with her husband for good and not for evil.
This is sex that is honoring to God. It's exactly how he made it to be, to be enjoyed between a husband and a wife in marriage. And so she deals for good all the days of her life with this husband whom she loves.
We go on to verse 13. She searches for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. So this is a woman who is not lazy, but she continues to work and labor in her own ways. And we see that she works first for the benefit of her household.
Yes, she gives to the poor and the needy. Verse 20, but the work that she does for those outside her household, it's mentioned so much less than the work that she does for her husband and her children and the people that are of her house.
And notice, this is not a woman who lacks contentment. She is a stay-at-home wife and mother. And it is her delight to do these things. She's not sitting at home, feeling like she's missing out on the feminist movement.
No, she loves to do the work that she is doing because it is work that she is doing first and foremost for the Lord, and it is her delight to do so. She is like merchant ships. She brings her food from afar.
She goes shopping, as it says there in verse 14. And she rises while it is still night. She's up before the sun and gives food to her household and a portion to her young women. So there are other women in the house who tend to her and she also serves and look up to her and learn from her.
And friends, this is an instruction that is given to the older women in the church as well. You know this, you've heard this before. In Titus chapter two, verses three through five, we read, older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands so that the word of God will not be slandered.
That's the Proverbs 31 woman right there in Titus chapter two, verses three through five. So this woman is teaching even the young women in her house. Verse 16, she makes plans for a field and buys it.
From the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. Now I've heard people take that particular verse and say, look, this woman is an entrepreneur. Sure, she can make good investments, but who does this benefit first?
This is not a woman going out and making a career for herself. This is a woman who is benefiting her husband and her own household, even when she goes and buys a field and plants in it. Verse 17, she girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
Again, we're seeing a picture of a woman who is not lazy, but is continually diligently working, not giving herself over to weakness, but keeping her body even in such a way that she may continue to labor well.
Verse 18, she senses that her gain is good. This is a confident woman. Her lamp does not go out at night. Now that's poetic. It's not necessarily talking about how she's literally keeping the lamps lit, but this is a woman who has a vitality and a vigor about herself, an energy and a spiritual strength.
She is focused and determined and is not put out by the times. She is not discouraged by things that are going on in the world. As a matter of fact, it says that she laughs at the days that are to come.
Some translations say laugh, some say smile, but we go on here. She stretches out her hands to the distaff and her hands hold fast the spindle. One who makes clothing, who makes garments and blankets.
She extends her hands to the poor and she stretches out her hands to the needy. So with the abundance that she has helped to accumulate for her household, she takes from that abundance and even gives to those who are in need.
A woman whose heart is compassionate and cares for those who have little. Verse 21, she is not afraid of the snow for her household for all her household are clothed with scarlet. This is a woman who is constantly in preparation so that when days come, like when the seasons change and the weather gets colder, she's already ready for it.
She's been preparing for it the entire time. So none of these days that come upon her take her or her household by surprise. Everybody in the home is secure because of the labor and the intentions and the prudence of this woman.
She makes coverings for herself. Ah, now we have modesty that comes into this even. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Now notice that purple was the most expensive kind of garment at that time. If somebody was wearing a purple, they were wearing the most expensive of clothing.
So it's not saying that in clothing herself with modesty, that she can't clothe herself richly and finely, she certainly does. But this can also be poetic in the sense that what she is clothing herself is the richness of good works, not necessarily flashy clothing, but with godliness.
That's the instruction that's given in 1 Timothy 2, verse nine. I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, with modesty and self-restraint, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women professing godliness.
So when we consider that poetically even here, the fine royal linens that she clothes herself are the good godly works of the Lord. Verse 23, her husband is known in the gates when he sits with the elders of the land.
This is a woman who encourages the work that he does and helps to make him wise, that he is known. And some of you know men with good wives. And when you speak about the good character of that man, you also talk about, but what a great wife he has as well, right?
And that's this godly woman who fears the Lord, helps to make his name great, her husband's name great. And with the work that she tends to at home, she cares for and manages the home, he is able to work for the benefit of other people.
So with what this godly wife does for her husband, there are others within a community and a society that benefit from her good work, even as a stay-at-home wife and mom, that he may be successful in the place where he works.
And again, as Lemuel has been warned by his mother to stay away from those things that his flesh would go after, one of those things was strong drink, right? Well, if he's getting drunk all the time, he's not fulfilling his duty as a king as he needs to do.
If he is doing what he should be doing as a king, then he's gonna be in the gates helping to issue those judgments. And this woman is keeping him on the straight and narrow that he would be known there.
He's present there continuing to work for the benefit of the people of that city. Verse 24, she makes linen garments and sells them. She gives belts to the tradesmen. Strength and majesty are her clothing.
That's the purple garment mentioned again in verse 22. She is clothed in royalty because she is a daughter of God and she smiles at the future. Jesus saying in Matthew chapter six, do not be anxious about tomorrow.
How many of you add one hour to your life by being anxious, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the things that you need will be added to you as well. That's this woman here who is smiling at the days to come.
She opens her mouth in wisdom and the instruction of loving kindness is on her tongue. She knows how to respond. Wisely and kindly. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
That's the instruction back to Titus chapter two again. And Paul gives the same instruction regarding women in first Timothy chapter five. Her children rise up and bless her because she teaches her children the ways of the Lord.
As for her husband, he also praises her saying, many daughters have done excellently, but you have gone above them all. Amen, that's the way I feel about my wife. Verse 30, charm is deceitful and beauty is vain.
What are most women, most worldly women gonna be going after? They're gonna be going after the attention of the world, the congratulations of other people and beauty that they may gain attention to themselves.
But a woman who fears Yahweh, she is to be praised. Give to her from the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates. Let her works praise her in the gates of heaven. For a woman who behaves in this way, who submits to her own husband, who delights to work in the way of God, who cares for her household, cares for her husband and everybody in her home, who doesn't eat the bread of idleness, but provides bread for others, extends her hands to the poor and the needy.
This woman who does all of this unto the Lord, who fears God and walks in the ways of the Lord Christ, her ways will be praised in the gates of heaven when she enters through and hears, well done, good and faithful servant, now great is your reward.
Lots of stay at home, wives and moms are gonna be praised in the gates of heaven on that day because they feared the Lord and honored him in all that they did. Amen, ladies. And that's the advice from a mother to her son on finding a godly wife.
That concludes our study of the book of Proverbs. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this wisdom that has been given to us, the wisdom of God written down in the pages of scripture, that we may know the way that we should live, delighting in God and in the blessings that you have given to us, especially the blessings and wisdom that have been given in our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again from the grave so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.
Teach us to walk in his ways all of our days, man or woman, that we may be sons and daughters of God. And it's in Jesus' name that we pray, amen.
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