Proverbs 7:15
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Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
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A whore speaks. Her words are precious. She describes her passion, efforts, and success at finding her lover. She romantically seduces him from his conscience and training. She flatters him with eager desire, and he falls for it as easily and quickly as a bird flies into a trap. She knows how to kiss and flatter her prey into the numbing nightmare of false love.
Any woman other than your wife can be the strange woman. And she is the strange woman - and an enemy - if she does anything to excite or invite your lusts for intimacy with her. Her kisses or words are a lie, for they tell of affection and pleasure, where there is only hatred and pain. Do not get near her kisses, and do not listen to her words.
The wise man uses this chapter also to warn against the strange woman. He describes her seduction in detail: her subtle character, her romantic actions, her flattering words, and her careful precautions (7:10-21). As the perfect example of a wise father, he takes pains to warn his son against one of the most dangerous temptations in life - whorish women.
Solomon's extensive experience with women - 700 wives and 300 concubines - gives him a unique advantage (I Kgs 11:3). He warns often of the appeal and power of a woman's flattering speech (2:16; 5:3; 6:24; 7:5,21). But here is a preview of some of the very words - her flattering expressions of ardent passion and fervent love for her victim!
Let every man tremble in fear of this enemy! Joseph ran from a seductive whore, even though it landed him in prison (Gen 39:7-20). Samson listened to the enticing lies, and it cost him his hair - and his life (Judges 16:4-21)! See the comments on 7:18.
Safety is simple. Avoid desirable women you have not married. Reject any words or correspondence that even hint of affection, and end the relationship altogether. Recall that kisses and flattery from other than a wife are simply an alluring guise for your destruction, no matter whether they were given in malice or ignorance.
Christian wife, if you starve your husband of flattering affection and praise, you will be an accomplice in his adultery, for you make him vulnerable to the thing that other women know to give! When was the last time you praised his good features of appearance and character (Song 5:9-16)? Even Paul encouraged it (I Cor 7:3). See the comments on 5:3.
The warning here extends to belly worshippers and compromisers - Christians with a form of godliness, but not living true and holy lives. Their good words and fair speeches deceive the simple, just as the whore deceives the young man here. So Paul warns to mark and avoid all such persons (Rom 16:17-18; Phil 3:17-20; I Tim 6:3-5).
Remember, the kisses and words of an enemy are deceitful (27:6; 26:24-28). Their lives are false, so it is no surprise their words and affection are false (Ps 28:3; 55:21). As with the harlot, their hearts are subtle (7:10); they have compromised truth and integrity in their souls, so their words are compromising as well. Their great swelling words of vanity are just so much lying foam (II Pet 2:18; Jude 1:16). Judge them by their lives!
When they say, "It is so good to see you," what in the world do they mean? What is good? What good have they done for you, or what good have they received from you? What good do they want to give you, or what good are they expecting from you? Instead of talking about good, they ought to be doing good, by either joining in your good worship of God or correcting your worship so it might be good!
True love is found only in Jesus Christ and exists only in truth (I Cor 13:4-7; Phil 1:9-11; I John 4:7-13). It is amazing how often big smiles, warm greetings, affectionate hugs, and tearful eyes are totally lacking anything about Jesus Christ or His gospel! What is this unholy friendliness? It is the lying deceit of self-deceived men, who have chosen the love of pleasure over the love of God (II Tim 3:4,13). Beware of their kisses and words (27:6)!
Is it any wonder that David prayed twice in one psalm to be delivered from strange children - false brethren - whose mouths speak vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood (Ps 144:7-8,11)? Sober reader, David prayed for deliverance from such flattering men that he might enjoy the blessings of God upon his family (Ps 144:12-15)!
The Church of Rome and all false churches follow the same course. They use the deceit learned from their father (John 8:44). They pretend to be just men - apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness - but they are ravening wolves (Matt 7:15; Luke 20:20-22; Acts 20:29-30; II Cor 11:13-15). As a whore will seduce a man for his money, so these churches make merchandise of simple saints by their feigned words (II Pet 2:3).
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