TEXT: PROVERBS 7: 5- 27 5 That they may keep thee from the strange women, from the strangers, which flattereth with her words.

6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

12 Now is he without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my youth.

25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. (KJV)

Today I would like to deliver a message entitled “THE CHURCH OF ADULTERY.” A woman is the metaphor of a church. There are actually many kinds of churches. There are faithful and unfaithful churches, and churches that commit adultery to this world. The Bible warns such churches. We would like to learn about them.

Let’s look at the text.

5 “That they may keep thee from the strange women, from the strangers, which flattereth with her words.”

This woman, the church, should have been essentially faithful to the strange woman, that is, Christ as her husband. But she betrays her husband, Christ, and commits adultery in the end time.

6 “For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding.”

It is also adultery to have relation with the woman (the church), that forsakes her husband, but a young man void of understanding is deceived by her.

8 “Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.”

The black and dark night is not the period of brightness or with light. This will happen in the end time that Christ called the light of the world, the Holy Spirit, is driven out of the Church.

10 “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.”

This is a woman with attire of a harlot. This corresponds to harlot Babylon, for Babylon is also called a harlot.

11 “(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

12 Now is he without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)”

It is written, “She, the church, is stubborn,” She does not follow the teaching of God or commandments.

13 “So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.”

She offers peace offerings. The Church also gives offers to God. So, she looks to do well as a matter of form before God.

16 “I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.”

It is written “fine linen of Egypt.” Egypt represents this world. She is the church attached to this world.

19 “For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.”

The Goodman who is gone a long journey means Christ. This church says that they solace themselves with loves because Christ comes late.

21 “With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.”

Those who follow the church of adultery are fools.

23 “Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.”

It is not just such simple issue of a mistake on the doctrine or a lack of knowledge to follow the woman (the church) like this. It is none other than the issue concerning the eternal life, as it is written, “knoweth not that it is for his life.” Therefore, our lives depend on our choice of the churches. It may be more important choice than that of schools, companies, or in case companions to marry.

24 “Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my youth.”

It is the important point not to follow the woman (the church) but the Lord, the voice of the Holy Spirit.

25 “Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.”

Her ways, the ways of the woman of adultery, is different from the way of the Person who says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Though the words of the Bible are told in the church, they are all actually perverted.

Although the Bible says, “Do not worship idols,” the people worship the image of Mary in the church. Though the Bible says, “Call no man your father, teacher or Rabbi upon the earth,” the church calls Pope “Father”. They call pastor a “teacher” in some church. These are clearly perverted words.

26 “For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.”

It means to be cast down by the sword that she hath cast down many wounded. The sword is the metaphor of the Word, and so it is suggested that the Word is perverted in this church. There are many believers who are cast down by the churches that say to them such a lie as, “There will be in fact two times of Christ coming and the first one is the secret one that is not written in the Bible,” and deprive them of their preparation for the end time. It is written, “many strong men have been slain by her.” Therefore, there are so many believers who follow the church of adultery and as a result, they lose their spiritual lives. They should properly choose their churches.

27 “Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.”

She is the metaphor of the church, and we know there are churches that lead the believers to the chambers of death.

We should never have relation to such churches. We should know the Bible never says any church all right. To the contrary, there are churches that lead us to the chambers of death. We should discern and choose our church.

Let us do the will of the Lord in the end time.

End.