A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORDPRIVATE 

Proverbs 31:1-31

Key Verse 31:30

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

This passage describes the image of an ideal woman.

1.  Read v. 1.  One of the meanings of the word "oracle" is prophecy. What does this meaning suggest about the significance of the message described in this chapter?

** Prophecy speaks of the things to happen down the road, indicating that obedience to the teachings described in the passage has a far reaching effect, affecting the destiny of a man, a family, a society, a nation, and the whole world. A woman makes a history. A spiritual woman can make the world prosperous, whereas a fleshly woman can ruin the wellbeing of all humanity, beginning with the man who comes in contact with her.

2. Read v. 2 and consider the ways the mother describes her son who later became a king.  What does “O son of my vows” indicate to us about the mother’s motive in sharing this oracle with her son?  (Lev 27:2; Num 6:2, 30:2; Judges 13:7)

** My son, a son of my womb, a son of my vows. 

** Her motive is to see his son serving the Lord fully. 

The mother is the mother of the king named Lemuel. In Hebrew, Lemuel means the one devoted to the Lord. The word "vows" suggests that the mother prayed to God that if the Lord God grants her a son, she would devote her son to God for the Lord to use for the Lord's purposes. 

3.  Read v. 3.  What does it mean to spend one’s strength on women?  Why should he not do so?

** It means simply to indulge in sexual immorality. Sex has its own purpose, that is, to establish a bond between a husband and a wife, and to produce children bearing God's image who will come in God's spirit. Sexual immorality refers to the wrong use of sex. Every gift that is from God is subject to abuse. Sex is God's gift. But it can be greatly abused. 

** It ruins one's life. It causes man to fall even below the animal level. If you are addicted to sexual pleasures, God's spirit cannot be and work with you properly. Physically as well, sooner or later, one will be quickly worn out, losing the strength and spirit to do anything noble. 

4. Read vs. 4-9.  This passage inhibits the king from becoming a party animal.  Why should he stay away from drinking wine or craving beer?  

** He will fail to function as a "ruler", for a "ruler" is meant to serve the interest of others, especially the interests of those who are underprivileged, under-represented, or oppressed, such as the poor. 

Once one indulges in a pleasure seeking life style, he will crave more pleasures. Then he will lose sensibility. Soon he will be a small slave to fleshly desires. He will never be able to exercise self control, and look to the interest of others. 

5. Read v. 10.  What does the question “who can find” reveal about the practice of many brothers in looking for a wife?  The expression “noble character” seems more than sufficient in describing the desired value of a wife.  So why do you think the passage goes on to say, “She is worth far more than rubies”? 

 

** Not many are able to find, for in the first place they are not capable of perceiving the value of a really valuable woman, i.e., the woman with noble character. 

** The passage goes on to say that in order to help many fleshly brothers open their spiritual eyes about the true value of  a woman such as this, a woman with noble character. Notice the point of her value - noble character (not outward appearance such as how pretty or glamorous her body is). 

6. Read vs. 11-29.  What kind of image do you think the woman in this passage portrays?  How are all the things she does surpassingly “noble”?

** She reminds us of Rebekah in Genesis 24  who full of loving concern for others, even for camels. She exudes the image of a mother of many nations, qualified to become a true queen of queens, so that under her leadership and motherhood, a multitude of people would be blessed, finding themselves at home, in great ease and comfort. 

** She is surpassingly noble, in that she sacrifices herself to fill the needs  others have such as her husband, her children, or anyone coming in and out of her household. 

7.  Read vs. 30-31.  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting. Yet why do many people (brothers in particular) go after these superficial qualities?  Why is it that a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised? 

** They are after these for two reasons: 1) they are deceived by the devil's deceptions. After all the devil is called a serpent  who is also known to be a charmer. (Charmer = one who lures) 2) They have no vision. They look for immediate gratification, with no interest in the future, like in the lives of the generations to come. They are like Esau who goes by the philosophy that says, "Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die." 

Read Genesis 25:32 to see what Esau said to Jacob:

"Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"

** She is to be praised, because fear of the Lord is the source of all the good and perfect gifts she is bringing to her life. The praise must be given to her just for the same reason that the Lord must be praised for all the good things he is doing for, in, and through those who fear the Lord. 

The end. 

 

 

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