Grace Fellowship    03/09/08    The Marks of a Perverse Man       Proverbs 6

This next section in the book of Wisdom is somewhat different that the first five chapters.  Those chapters were more or less topical, usually covering a few different issues.  Chapter six begins with what is sometimes called the shotgun approach.  That is the way much of the book of Proverbs is presented, with a variety of topics within one chapter.  There are five different topics addressed in this chapter.  Those topics are:

Rash pledges - vs. 1-5        Perverseness - vs. 12-15        Adultery - vs. 20-35
Laziness - vs. 6-11             Disruptiveness - vs. 16-19

Let’s read the text together.

Rash Pledges

1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Laziness

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep-- 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

Perverseness

12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; 13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; 14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. 15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

Disruptiveness/Discord

16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

Adultery (i.e theft)

20 My son, keep your father's command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. 25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. 27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. 32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. 33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy is a husband's fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts. (Proverbs 6:1-35, NKJV).

Rash Pledges (vs. 1-5) - “Surety” is not a word we use very often any more, but the concept is something with which we are very familiar.  The word has to do with being sure, or with making sure something will happen, or something will be paid for.  For instance, have you ever had to pay a security deposit on a house or an apartment?  That money is surety for the landlord.  If you wreck the place, he has made provision for himself so that he does not get stuck with a large repair bill that isn’t his fault.  On the other hand, if the renter treats the property well, the security deposit is returned.  That money is a kind of insurance, it makes sure that the renter doesn’t become irresponsible and abuse property that isn’t his.

The kind of surety that Solomon speaks of here is when one person becomes surety for another.  It is a legal transaction, where a person is “bound with and for another who is primarily liable, and who is called the principal; one who engages to answer for another's appearance in court, or for his payment of a debt, or for performance of some act; a bondsman; a bail.” (Webster).  Co-signing for a loan is a kind of surety.  If the person for which you have become his surety doesn’t show up in court, or if he doesn’t make his house payment, or if he fails to meet some other obligation, guess who the sheriff comes looking for?

Notice Solomon says, “My son, if you have become surety for your friend or a stranger . . . .”  Becoming surety for someone, whether it’s for a friend or not, is a bad idea.  I’m not sure why you would ever become surety for a stranger except as an act of mercy in a desperate situation.  But in such cases, what has happened?  You are trapped!  Like a gazelle by a hunter or a bird by a fowler, your own words have caused you to “come into the hand of your friend.”  In other words, your friend now has complete control of your life.  You are not your own, but you have given your life to another.

Here is what it comes down to: Don’t co-sign for a loan, don’t put your money up for bail for a friend, don’t agree to be anyone’s legal representative, don’t place yourself in a position where you must answer for the actions of another.  If you find yourself in that scenario, here’s what Solomon says: “Deliver yourself, humble yourself, plead with your friend, do not sleep, do not rest, until you are released from that responsibility.”

15 He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure. (Proverbs 11:15, NKJV).

18 A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend. (Proverbs 17:18, NKJV).

26 Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? (Proverbs 22:26-27, NKJV).

What is the purpose of surety?  It is protection for someone who cannot be trusted.  It is to guarantee that a questionable person will do what he says, pay what he owes, be where he is supposed to be.  It is to make sure that a person is responsible to keep his word.  Therefore, the person who needs someone to be surety for them is considered a high risk, untrustworthy, unreliable, not a sure bet.

There is one sure bet.  An old hymn by Charles Wesley put it this way:  “Arise my soul, arise!  Shake off thy guilty fears;  The bleeding Sacrifice In my behalf appears.  Before the throne my Surety stands;  My name is written on His hands, My name is written on His hands.”  The book of Hebrews tells us Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant (Heb 7:22).  He is our surety.  He stands in the place of sinners, He answers to God on our behalf, He takes the punishment our sinfulness deserves, He is our legal representative and He is declared guilty in our stead.  

If we are betting on our own merits to gain us access to Heaven, that is a dangerous bet.  If we lose that bet (and we will), we not only lose Heaven.  We gain Hell.  But Jesus has voluntarily become our surety for us so that when our good works and our righteous deeds don’t pay the bill, can’t pay the debt we owe to God, Jesus Christ steps in and pays the debt in full.  “Before the throne my Surety stands.  My name is written on His hands.”  Don’t become surety for another. 

Laziness (vs. 6-11)  This section is related to the first section.  I believe Solomon may be speaking of laziness here because of the great danger of laziness when one has become surety for another.  Notice he says in verse 4, “Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.”  Then in verse 10, he likens such sleep and slumber to laziness.  So this isn’t just about laziness in general.  This is about laziness in the particular context of becoming surety for someone.  Don’t lie around thinking one day you’ll go talk to that friend with whom you struck a pledge to be surety for him!  Get up!  Get out of that situation as fast as you can, and don’t sleep until you ARE out!  Laziness is the worst enemy of such a person.  It may be that if you do not tend to this matter, you will find yourself completely wiped out financially.

He uses the illustration of ants.  This is merely a device to clarify his main point.  Even ants know when to work and when to sleep.  They have no captain, no boss, no supervisor to force them to work.  They just know there is a time to reap and a time to store up for the future.  The person who has shaken hands in pledge for a stranger better have a lot stored up, or else they need to get out of the agreement as soon as possible.  Because they are in danger of losing it all.

Many years ago, I asked a businessman in our church in Columbia if he would co-sign a loan with me so I could buy a car.  He did not hesitate to refuse.  I did not hesitate to be offended.  I thought I was trustworthy.  But apparently the dealership didn’t think so or else I wouldn’t have needed a co-signer.  The businessman was not being cruel or rude.  He was being wise.  I was not wise enough at the time to recognize it.  But I have never forgotten it, and I have told more than one person that I could not co-sign a loan for them.  It is not a wise thing to do.  The only thing worse would be to allow your own laziness to prevent you from getting out of it.  Laziness is sinful in itself.  Laziness in this context can be absolutely disastrous.

Perverseness  12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; 13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; 14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. 15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

The KJV uses the unfamiliar word “froward” instead of perverse.  

Froward /Fro´ward/ (?), a. [Fro + - ward. See Fro, and cf. Fromward.] Not willing to yield or compIy with what is required or is reasonable; perverse; disobedient; peevish; as, a froward child.

A froward man soweth strife.  Prov. xvi. 28.

Syn. -- Untoward; wayward; unyielding; ungovernable: refractory; obstinate; petulant; cross; peevish. See Perverse.

Perverse /Per·verse´/ (?), a. [L. perversus turned the wrong way, not right, p. p. of pervertere to turn around, to overturn: cf. F. pervers. See Pervert.] 1. Turned aside; hence, specifically, turned away from the right; willfully erring; wicked; perverted.

2. Obstinate in the wrong; stubborn; intractable; hence, wayward; vexing; contrary.

Syn. -- Froward; untoward; wayward; stubborn; ungovernable; intractable; cross; petulant; vexatious. -- Perverse, Froward. One who is froward is capricious, and reluctant to obey. One who is perverse has a settled obstinacy of will, and likes or dislikes by the rule of contradiction to the will of others. (Webster)

All of this may have something to do with the untrustworthy man who needs someone to be surety for him.  What is such a man like?  How can you recognize him?  He is perverse.  In other words, he is contrary, rebellious, obstinate, and intentionally so.  Therefore he cannot be trusted.  And he wants you to stand in the gap for him and to grant him credibility when he has none himself.  Here’s what one commentator says:

“His manners are malicious (v.13).  The body language probably implies more than shiftiness or subterfuge, though both are involved.  The signs made by ”eyes,” “feet,” and “fingers” may suggest magic or witchcraft.  Hexes, spells, evil eyes, harmful omens -- these are all part of his bag of tricks.”  ¹

No wonder no one trusts him!  “He devises evil continually.  He sows discord.”  Be on the lookout for such a person and avoid him at all costs.  

Disruptiveness/Discord
16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

This is another literary tool used by Solomon to draw particular attention to this matter of sowing discord.  Why doesn’t he just say, “There are seven things the Lord hates”?  Because he is trying to emphasize number seven.  So he says “there are six things, yes, even seven things that are an abomination to Him.”  The word “abomination” means disgusting, intolerable.  There are degrees of hatred, and this appears to be among the most hated sins of all: a man who intentionally and deliberately stirs up trouble among brethren.  Proverbs talks a LOT about this:

Pr 15:18 A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.
Pr 16:28 A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
Pr 17:14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.
Pr 18:19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
Pr 21:9 Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Pr 21:19 Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.
Pr 22:10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
Pr 25:24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Pr 26:20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
Pr 26:21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
Pr 27:15 A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike;
Pr 28:25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
Pr 29:22 An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.

This is something God hates.  I believe there are many people within churches today whom God hates because of their contentious, divisive, perversity.  You see it most clearly in politically motivated church power struggles.  “The pastor isn’t doing his job right.  I should be in a position of leadership.  If I can just get enough votes on my side, we can turn this thing around and I will have my way.  Maybe I can get a fight going among the elders or the deacons!”

You know the kind of thing I’m talking about.  It is the same sort of thing that Paul did when he stood before the Sanhedrin.  He said he was on trial because of his belief in the resurrection.  Immediately a fight broke out among the Pharisees (who believed in the resurrection) and the Saducees (who didn’t).  Paul was contentious, but for good reason.  You can read all about it in Acts 23.

This contention loves strife, loves trouble, loves to stir the pot.  God hates it.  It is despicable.  Don’t do it, and don’t hang out with those who do.

Then finally, we come to what has become a familiar topic in Proverbs already.

Adultery (i.e theft)

20 My son, keep your father's command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. 25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. 27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

Notice the rhetorical questions.  The answers are not necessary because they are so obvious.  If a man takes firewood that is actually on fire and holds it close to his chest, do you think he will get burned?  Can you walk through burning coals and not get your feet burned?  But notice that both illustrations have to do with burning.  A burn is one of the most painful injuries you can get, and one of the most difficult to treat.  Infections are extremely easy to get, the healing is slow, and the scars always remain.  I worked with a kid many years ago that had a scar on his face that looked like a checker board.  As a toddler, he fell on a floor furnace and the grid of the furnace left its imprint on his face permanently.

The adulterer is in the same kind of danger.  He is quite literally playing with fire and the wounds never completely heal.  Then Solomon concludes with a comparison of two men:

30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. 32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. 33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy is a husband's fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts. (Proverbs 6:1-35, NKJV).

While no one hates a thief for stealing when he is starving, even though he is held accountable for his crime, an adulterer steals men's wives, and is universally hated because he does so simply to satisfy his own lust.  The man who loves to sow discord among brethren is also the man who would sow discord between a man and his wife.  He is a despicable man, one who is abominable to the Lord.  It is little wonder that he cannot satidfy justice in the eyes of the jealous husband.  Nothing he can do will appease him.

All of these charateristics are the marks of a perverse man.  He is untrustworthy, and therefore he needs someone as surety in order to lend him the credibility he doesn't have.  He ruins the lives of those of whom he takes advantage.  He is shiftless, unreliable, contentious, intentionally contrary to others, and more than willing to steal another man's wife. 

Sounds like half the population of the men on prime time TV.  But we're not talking about Hollywood.  This is the world in which we live.  We must beware of such people.  We must be wise in discerning them.  May the Lord grant us the grace to avoid evil men, and to also avoid evil within ourselves.

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¹ David Hubbard, Proverbs, Word Publishing, 1989, p. 101.