Proverbs 7:14-23

¹⁴ “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶ I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed
    with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
¹⁹ My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.
²² All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer^[a] stepping into a noose^[b]
23     till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.

Here we see how seduction works. It is interesting to see these passages unfold and to know the schemes of the enemy.  Let’s look at what seduction looks like – and know this, this is speaking of sexual sin- but, I would offer that seduction looks the same no matter what our poison is. Satan is not that crafty to reinvent what works so well in our feeble stands against temptation.

She looked for HIM and found him, after preparing a feast meant for HIM.  Can you see self importance, flattery and pride entering into our busy square to entertain our simple boy?   She came out to meet Him. In that moment, there is no other, all of the attention is focused on our boy to ensnare him through her manipulative attention and flattery.

Promises of comfort, opulence and indulgence of all of the senses.  Sight, touch, smell all will be fulfilled and satiated.

She calls it “love” she makes it admirable, insinuating that he is her beloved.  Sin always comes disguised as palatable and justifiable. Call it lust and it looses the romance, the flowers and the lure. Disguise it, though our hearts know better, but….- disguise it in the moment as something that is honorable and true ----and we can lick our lips and entertain the thoughts of allowing seduction to continue.

She promises a good time, fun and intoxicating the senses with pleasure.  Our resolve begins to slip away  as temptation soothes our consciences with words that coat us with honey.  We can turn off our internal dialogue- after all, this is love, and a feast, and prepared just for us……what is your temptation?  What does your inner dialogue sound like?

She promises safety – that they wont get caught. What do we have to loose?  Each promises builds on itself, from vanity of self, to indulgence of the senses, to validation through honorable words, such as love – to the promise that you will not be caught.

…..and the deed is done……our simple boy falls like a house of cards. His goose is cooked.  He can not hold up to the persuasion that she presents and he is led astray. “All at once” he followed her..because the battle was in his mind.  We were watching his battle unfold as each decision was compromised, we saw his mind, his simple mind, open up to all the  possibilities. Once his mind gave in, his feet were quick to follow….

    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer^[a] stepping into a noose^[b]
23     till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.