Proverbs 7:27 (NKJV) — 27 Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

The road to death and hell. Those who choose folly have made their decision to walk toward hell and death.

These daily “wisdom” posts are excerpted from my book Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World: Proverbs. The book is published by Word Aflame Press and is available at pentecostalpublishing.com as a hard copy and as an e-book. It is also available as a Kindle download at amazon.com and as an Apple Book.

An image of the book can be seen at the top of this website.

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Proverbs 7:26 (NKJV) — 26 For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men.

Learning from others’ mistakes. Everyone who is deceived by folly is destroyed. There are no exceptions, but there are many examples. Only a fool says, “I must see for myself.”

Those who are destroyed by folly are not necessarily weak: “All who were slain by her were strong men.”

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Proverbs 7:24–25 (NKJV) — 24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: 25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths;

Controlling the heart. Instead of following the heart into folly, we are to heed the words of wisdom and order our heart to follow the right paths.

Proverbs 18:2 (NKJV) — 2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.

Proverbs 28:26 (NKJV) — 26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

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Proverbs 7:23 (KJV 1900) — 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life.

Wisdom too late. He sees only the beautiful picture; he does not see or hear the dart slipping through the air. He hurries to sin in the way a bird hurries to get the food in the trap. He does not realize until it is too late that he will pay with his life for a few moments of physical pleasure.

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Proverbs 7:22 (KJV 1900) — 22 He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

Forsaking the path of wisdom. As an ox to the slaughter, the man who forsakes wisdom for folly walks to his own destruction. As a fool to the stocks (an ancient punishment), he has chosen his path by his actions. In other words, the results of forsaking wisdom are detrimental and predictable. When one forsakes the path of wisdom, he behaves with the ignorance of an animal or the folly of a fool.

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Proverbs 7:19–20 (NKJV) — 19 For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey; 20 He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed day.”

The false assurance of sin. The characteristic statement of temptation is, “No one will ever know.”

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Proverbs 7:16–18 (NKJV) — 16 I have spread my bed with tapestry, Colored coverings of Egyptian linen. 17 I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love.

The enticing picture of sin. Temptation is enticing and alluring. Like a whited sepulchre, sin puts on a false front. It does not mention its certain results. (See Proverbs 5:9-11.)

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Proverbs 7:15 (NKJV) — 15 So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you.

The lying tongue of folly. Folly flatters her victim by saying she was looking specifically for him. But this is a lie. She would have said the same to anyone.

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Proverbs 7:14 (NKJV) — 14 “I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows.

Hypocritical righteousness. Those who are involved in moral impurity often make an outward show of religiosity, and they are inventive at justifying their actions. (See Proverbs 16:2.) But no excuse will suffice when a person stands before the holy God in judgment.

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