25 min

What Is Temptation? (Proverbs 7‪)‬ Scott LaPierre Ministries

    • Christianity

What is temptation? The harlot in Proverbs 7 personifies temptation. The harlot pursues the foolish young man like temptation pursues us. The foolish young man should have resisted the harlot like we should resist temptation. Studying her helps us understand how temptation works and better equips us to resist.







Table of contents* Foolish People Are Outmatched Against Temptation* The Harlot in Proverbs 7 Personifies Temptation* Temptation Is Aggressive* Temptation Makes Itself Sound Good* Justifying Giving In* Temptation Appeals to Our Pride* Balak Appealed to Balam's Pride* Why Would Temptation Want to Appeal to Our Pride?* Temptation Appeals to Our Senses* Temptation Appeals Most Often to Our Sight* Look to the Great High Priest









https://youtu.be/p8pRdQz8afA

What is temptation? The harlot in Proverbs 7 personifies temptation. The harlot pursues the foolish young man like temptation pursues us. The foolish young man should have resisted the harlot like we should resist temptation. Studying her helps us understand how temptation works and better equips us to resist.







We like showdowns. When I say the word, our minds probably go to Westerns with two cowboys staring each other down while they stand on a dirt road in the middle of a small town with a saloon on one side, a bank on the other, and a few other buildings scattered about. A tumbleweed rolls by, and we hear the familiar whistling sound while we wait to see who draws first.







There are many famous showdowns in fiction outside of Westerns. For example, Achilles and Hector’s fight in the Illiad. My favorite showdown is Gandalf’s fight with the Balrog in the Lord of the Rings.







There are also famous showdowns in Scripture. The first few chapters of 2 Samuel record the conflict between the House of Saul and the House of David. Saul’s forces, led by Abner, ran into David’s forces, led by Joab:









2 Samuel 2:12 Abner and the servants of Saul and Joab and the servants of David met by the pool of Gibeon…one on one side…and the other on the other side. Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” 15 Then they arose…16 And each caught HIS OPPONENT BY THE HEAD AND THRUST HIS SWORD IN HIS OPPONENT'S SIDE, SO THEY FELL DOWN TOGETHER…17 And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.









Some other showdowns in Scripture are David and Goliath, Elijah and the prophets of Baal, and Jesus in the wilderness with the devil. I could go one step further and say Jesus’ earthly ministry was a showdown between the kingdom of God that Jesus rules over and the kingdom of darkness that Satan rules over.







Foolish People Are Outmatched Against Temptation

What is temptation? The harlot in Proverbs 7 personifies temptation. The harlot pursues the foolish young man like temptation pursues us. The foolish young man should have resisted the harlot like we should resist temptation. Studying her helps us understand how temptation works and better equips us to resist.







Table of contents* Foolish People Are Outmatched Against Temptation* The Harlot in Proverbs 7 Personifies Temptation* Temptation Is Aggressive* Temptation Makes Itself Sound Good* Justifying Giving In* Temptation Appeals to Our Pride* Balak Appealed to Balam's Pride* Why Would Temptation Want to Appeal to Our Pride?* Temptation Appeals to Our Senses* Temptation Appeals Most Often to Our Sight* Look to the Great High Priest









https://youtu.be/p8pRdQz8afA

What is temptation? The harlot in Proverbs 7 personifies temptation. The harlot pursues the foolish young man like temptation pursues us. The foolish young man should have resisted the harlot like we should resist temptation. Studying her helps us understand how temptation works and better equips us to resist.







We like showdowns. When I say the word, our minds probably go to Westerns with two cowboys staring each other down while they stand on a dirt road in the middle of a small town with a saloon on one side, a bank on the other, and a few other buildings scattered about. A tumbleweed rolls by, and we hear the familiar whistling sound while we wait to see who draws first.







There are many famous showdowns in fiction outside of Westerns. For example, Achilles and Hector’s fight in the Illiad. My favorite showdown is Gandalf’s fight with the Balrog in the Lord of the Rings.







There are also famous showdowns in Scripture. The first few chapters of 2 Samuel record the conflict between the House of Saul and the House of David. Saul’s forces, led by Abner, ran into David’s forces, led by Joab:









2 Samuel 2:12 Abner and the servants of Saul and Joab and the servants of David met by the pool of Gibeon…one on one side…and the other on the other side. Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” 15 Then they arose…16 And each caught HIS OPPONENT BY THE HEAD AND THRUST HIS SWORD IN HIS OPPONENT'S SIDE, SO THEY FELL DOWN TOGETHER…17 And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.









Some other showdowns in Scripture are David and Goliath, Elijah and the prophets of Baal, and Jesus in the wilderness with the devil. I could go one step further and say Jesus’ earthly ministry was a showdown between the kingdom of God that Jesus rules over and the kingdom of darkness that Satan rules over.







Foolish People Are Outmatched Against Temptation

25 min