WEBVTT

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 Please turn with me to Proverbs chapter 31.

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 And let me pray now for the reading and preaching of God's Word.

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 God, we come before you

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 knowing that

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 we live in a confused world,

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 that we are aware that we are bombarded with conflicting messages

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 about what a man should be,

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 about what a woman should be,

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 about what a husband should be,

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 about what a wife should be.

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 But these things

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 have

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 implications that stretch

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 well beyond our own personal lives.

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 They affect society.

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 They affect profoundly

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 those who are in our lives.

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 And Lord, we want to be conformed to your will.

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 So we come to you humbly.

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 We incline our ears toward you.

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 So address us.

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 Humble us.

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 Humble us.

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 Humble us.

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 convince us.

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 Convince us.

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 Not only of the truth of your vision,

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 but of its goodness,

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 of its beauty.

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 We ask in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Proverbs 31,

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 verses 1 to 31.

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 The words of King Lemuel,

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 an oracle that his mother taught him.

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 What are you doing, my son?

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 What are you doing, son of my womb?

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 What are you doing, son of my vows?

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 Do not give your strength to women,

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 your ways to those who destroy kings.

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 It is not for kings, O Lemuel.

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 It is not for kings to drink wine,

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 or for rulers to take strong drink,

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 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,

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 and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

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 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,

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 and wine to those in bitter distress.

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 Let them drink and forget their poverty,

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 and remember their misery no more.

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 Open your mouth for the mute,

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 for the rights of all who are destitute.

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 Open your mouth, judge righteously,

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 defend the rights of the poor and needy.

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 An excellent wife, who can find?

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 She is far more precious than jewels.

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 The heart of her husband trusts in her,

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 and he will have no lack of gain.

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 She does him good and not harm

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 all the days of her life.

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 She seeks wool and flax

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 and works with willing hands.

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 She is like the ships of the merchant.

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 She brings her food from afar.

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 She rises while it is yet night

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 and provides food for her household

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 and portions for her maidens.

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 She considers a field and buys it.

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 With the fruit of her hands,

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 she plants a vineyard.

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 She dresses herself with strength

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 and makes her arms strong.

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 She perceives that her merchandise

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 is profitable.

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 Her lamp does not go out at night.

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 She puts her hands to the distaff

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 and her hands hold the spindle.

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 She opens her hand to the poor

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 and reaches out her hands to the needy.

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 She is not afraid of snow for her household,

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 for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

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 She makes bed coverings for herself.

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 Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

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 Her husband is known in the gates

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 when he sits among the elders of the land.

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 She makes linen garments and sells them.

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 She delivers sashes to the merchant.

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 Strength and dignity are her clothing

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 and she laughs at the time to come.

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 She opens her mouth with wisdom

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 and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

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 She looks well to the ways of her household

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 and does not eat the bread of idleness.

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 Her children rise up and call her blessed.

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 Her husband also and he praises her.

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 Many women have done excellently,

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 but you surpassed them all.

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 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,

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 but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

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 Give her of the fruit of her hands

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 and let her works praise her in the gates.

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 This is God's holy and authoritative word.

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 We're in the last chapter of the book of Proverbs.

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 We've been in this series for a total of 34 weeks

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 and most of the book we've seen

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 is written from the perspective of a father addressing his son.

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 But scattered throughout,

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 we have seen hints that not only the father,

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 but also the mother

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 is responsible for instructing her children

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 in the wisdom of God.

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 We saw in Proverbs 1.8,

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 Hear, my son, your father's instruction

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 and forsake not your mother's teaching.

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 We saw in Proverbs 6.20,

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 My son, keep your father's commandment

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 and forsake not your mother's teaching.

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 Interestingly enough,

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 at the conclusion of this book,

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 the author of this section, King Lemuel,

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 relays an oracle that his mother taught him.

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 And the main lesson

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 that she conveyed to King Lemuel is this,

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 a man should give his worth

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 to a worthy woman who fears the Lord.

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 First, in verses 1-9,

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 she tells King Lemuel

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 what kind of man he should be.

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 And then in verses 10-31,

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 what kind of woman he should marry.

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 So let's look at the first section,

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 to be the man.

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 Using her special status as his mother,

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 she implores King Lemuel in verse 2,

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 What are you doing, my son?

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 There's this affectionate reproach in her tone.

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 What are you doing, son of my womb?

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 What are you doing, son of my vows?

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 So the way she addresses her son

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 gets progressively more intimate.

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 So first, it's just son.

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 And then it's son of my womb,

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 recalling the time before Lemuel's birth,

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 when she was carrying him in her womb.

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 And then third, it's son of my vows,

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 likely referring to the vow

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 that she made before God prior to conception.

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 In much the same way,

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 Hannah in 1 Samuel chapter 1

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 makes a vow to God saying,

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 If you will give your servant a son,

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 then I will give him to the Lord

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 all the days of his life.

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 That might be why the king's name is Lemuel,

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 which means belonging to God.

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 If that's the case,

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 then Lemuel was a special son

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 that her mother had dedicated to the Lord

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 even before he was conceived.

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 So then this progressively intensifying address

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 to the son shows just how deeply concerned

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 his mother is for her son's welfare.

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 There's perhaps no human being in the world

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 that's more concerned for the welfare of a man

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 than his mother,

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 who loves him,

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 save except the excellent wife we'll get to later.

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 It would bring her endless sorrow

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 to see her son reduced to folly and shame.

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 And so she warns him in verses 3 to 7

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 about the dangers of womanizing and over-drinking.

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 She says in verse 3,

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 Do not give your strength to women,

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 your ways to those who destroy kings.

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 The Hebrew word that is translated strength here

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 is a very versatile word.

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 It could mean a lot of different things

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 depending on the context.

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 It can refer to a person's wealth

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 as a reflection of someone's fiscal power.

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 It can refer to an army

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 as a reflection of someone's military power.

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 It can refer also, as it does here,

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 to a man's sexual power.

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 And so Lemuel's mother warns him,

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 Do not give your strength to women.

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 Notice that the word woman is plural.

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 This is not a prohibition

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 of a godly monogamous marriage,

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 but a warning against womanizing,

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 consorting with multiple women.

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 Indulging your sexual appetite in sinful ways.

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 And she gives the reason

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 in the second half of the verse,

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 Because such women destroy kings.

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 Notice that the word king is also plural,

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 indicating that not one king,

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 but many kings have been destroyed

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 by such women.

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 The king destroyer

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 is not always the mighty army

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 of a foreign kingdom.

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 Often it's the charming adulteress.

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 Israel's history bears this out.

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 Even King Solomon,

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 the sage who wrote

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 much of the book of Proverbs,

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 according to 1 Kings 11,

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 loved many foreign women

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 who were from nations

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 concerning which God had said,

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 You shall not enter into marriage with them.

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 And as a result,

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 when he was old,

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 when Solomon was old,

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 it says his wives

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 turned away his heart

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 after other gods.

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 The queen mother

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 understands this grave danger.

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 So she solemnly warns her son,

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 Don't waste your manhood

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 on unworthy woman.

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 And then,

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 in verses 4 to 7,

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 she transitions

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 to warning her son

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 about drinking too much alcohol.

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 This seems abrupt,

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 but this is not the first time

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 that the book of Proverbs

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 juxtaposed

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 the seductive powers of women

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 along with the addictive powers

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 of alcohol.

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 Chapter 23

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 similarly compared

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 red wine

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 that sparkles in the cup

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 to the temptations

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 of an adulteress

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 and warn the son

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 to be wary

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 of their seductive charm.

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 So Lemuel's mother

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 continues in verse 4,

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 It is not for kings,

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 O Lemuel.

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 It is not for kings

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 to drink wine

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 or for rulers

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 to take strong drink.

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 Picking up on the word

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 kings

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 from verse 3,

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 verse 4 repeats

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 that word two more times

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 and adds the word rulers

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 to emphasize

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 that it is especially

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 unbecoming

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 unbecoming

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 of a king

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 to indulge in wine.

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 His charge

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 is too great,

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 his command

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 too weighty

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 for him to fritter away

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 his life

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 on woman

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 and wine.

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 Israel's history

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 also bears out

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 this truth

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 that drunkenness

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 is often the undoing

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 of kings.

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 She gives a more

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 specific reason

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 in verse 5,

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 Lest they drink

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 and forget

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 what has been decreed

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 and pervert the rights

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 of all the afflicted.

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 The king

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 is entrusted

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 with executing

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 the righteousness

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 and justice of God.

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 If the king

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 becomes intoxicated

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 and therefore

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 incapacitated,

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 the people

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 who depend

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 on him,

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 the afflicted,

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 the powerless,

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 whose cost

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 he must champion

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 as the one

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 who has power

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 will be neglected.

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 Isaiah chapter 5,

00:11:39.139 --> 00:11:40.100
 22 to 23

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 put it this way,

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 woe to those

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 who are heroes

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 at drinking wine

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 and valiant men

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 in mixing strong drink

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 who acquit the guilty

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 for a bribe

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 and deprive the innocent

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 of his right.

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 To the drunkard,

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 his thirst for alcohol

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 becomes a god

00:11:56.820 --> 00:11:57.799
 that he must appease

00:11:57.799 --> 00:11:58.600
 at all costs

00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:00.220
 and everything else

00:12:00.220 --> 00:12:01.039
 gets sacrificed

00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:01.860
 at its altar.

00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:03.419
 If cunning people

00:12:03.419 --> 00:12:04.360
 offer bribes

00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:04.840
 that promise

00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:05.460
 to sustain

00:12:05.460 --> 00:12:07.100
 the king's drinking habits

00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:08.159
 a little while longer,

00:12:08.259 --> 00:12:08.799
 then the king

00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:09.879
 might succumb to that.

00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:12.220
 If he is too distracted

00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:13.700
 with merrymaking

00:12:13.700 --> 00:12:14.539
 and drinking

00:12:14.539 --> 00:12:15.279
 and getting drunk,

00:12:15.379 --> 00:12:16.379
 he will not attend

00:12:16.379 --> 00:12:17.419
 to the cause

00:12:17.419 --> 00:12:18.320
 of the afflicted.

00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:20.639
 For these reasons,

00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:21.439
 drunkenness,

00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:22.379
 she says,

00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:23.279
 is not for kings.

00:12:23.899 --> 00:12:24.379
 Rather,

00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:25.500
 it's for the perishing.

00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:27.559
 Verses 6 to 7

00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:28.100
 say this,

00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.519
 Give strong drink

00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:30.039
 to the one

00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:31.240
 who is perishing

00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:32.679
 and wine to those

00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:33.940
 in bitter distress.

00:12:34.700 --> 00:12:35.940
 Let them drink

00:12:35.940 --> 00:12:38.080
 and forget

00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:38.820
 their poverty

00:12:38.820 --> 00:12:39.800
 and remember

00:12:39.800 --> 00:12:40.360
 their misery

00:12:40.360 --> 00:12:40.820
 no more.

00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:42.160
 It's important

00:12:42.160 --> 00:12:42.540
 to note

00:12:42.540 --> 00:12:43.620
 that this is not

00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:45.200
 a policy recommendation.

00:12:46.580 --> 00:12:47.860
 It's not saying

00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:48.440
 that kings

00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:49.140
 should give out

00:12:49.140 --> 00:12:49.720
 free beer

00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:50.180
 to people

00:12:50.180 --> 00:12:50.740
 in distress

00:12:50.740 --> 00:12:51.640
 to numb their pain.

00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:53.320
 It's important

00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:54.240
 to understand this

00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:54.740
 in light of

00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:55.800
 the poetic contrast

00:12:55.800 --> 00:12:57.240
 with verses 4 to 5.

00:12:57.879 --> 00:12:58.760
 Verse 4 says

00:12:58.760 --> 00:13:00.460
 kings should not drink

00:13:00.460 --> 00:13:01.520
 and verse 5

00:13:01.520 --> 00:13:02.240
 gives a reason

00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:03.700
 lest they forget.

00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.340
 Similarly,

00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:06.260
 verse 6 says

00:13:06.260 --> 00:13:07.440
 wine should be left

00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:07.940
 to those

00:13:07.940 --> 00:13:08.980
 who are in bitter distress

00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:10.200
 and verse 7

00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:10.860
 gives a reason

00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:11.940
 so that they might

00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:12.840
 forget

00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:14.180
 their poverty

00:13:14.180 --> 00:13:14.760
 and misery.

00:13:15.460 --> 00:13:16.200
 In other words,

00:13:16.880 --> 00:13:17.860
 verses 6 to 7

00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:18.460
 are less

00:13:18.460 --> 00:13:19.560
 a literal command

00:13:19.560 --> 00:13:20.120
 and more

00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:21.400
 a literary foil,

00:13:21.820 --> 00:13:22.540
 a contrast

00:13:22.540 --> 00:13:23.440
 that highlights

00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:24.360
 why kings

00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:25.440
 should not drink.

00:13:26.560 --> 00:13:27.160
 Forgetfulness

00:13:27.160 --> 00:13:28.720
 induced by drunkenness

00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:29.700
 should be left

00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:30.180
 for those

00:13:30.180 --> 00:13:31.360
 who have no hope

00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:31.800
 at all,

00:13:32.260 --> 00:13:32.780
 those who are

00:13:32.780 --> 00:13:33.940
 trying to forget.

00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:35.720
 but that's not you,

00:13:35.900 --> 00:13:36.200
 Lemuel.

00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:37.460
 That's what his mother

00:13:37.460 --> 00:13:37.920
 is saying.

00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:39.740
 Especially as a king

00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:40.940
 who should have

00:13:40.940 --> 00:13:41.580
 the faculty,

00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:42.780
 the clarity of mind

00:13:42.780 --> 00:13:44.220
 to execute justice

00:13:44.220 --> 00:13:44.960
 and righteousness,

00:13:45.680 --> 00:13:46.860
 a drunken stupor

00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:48.600
 is unbecoming of him.

00:13:50.780 --> 00:13:51.940
 The king's mouth

00:13:51.940 --> 00:13:52.860
 instead should be used

00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:53.700
 for something else.

00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:55.480
 It says in verses 8 to 9,

00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:56.780
 open your mouth

00:13:56.780 --> 00:13:57.480
 for the mute,

00:13:58.180 --> 00:13:58.820
 for the rights

00:13:58.820 --> 00:14:00.060
 of all who are destitute.

00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:01.280
 Open your mouth,

00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:02.640
 judge righteously,

00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:03.960
 defend the rights

00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:04.439
 of the poor

00:14:04.439 --> 00:14:05.039
 and needy.

00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:07.120
 Drunkenness

00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:08.399
 slurs a person's speech,

00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:09.600
 makes them incoherent,

00:14:09.699 --> 00:14:10.679
 it cripples a person's

00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:11.519
 ability to think.

00:14:12.139 --> 00:14:13.039
 Though this passage

00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:13.639
 addresses

00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.139
 the dangers

00:14:15.139 --> 00:14:16.319
 of alcohol specifically,

00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:17.600
 we can apply

00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:19.000
 this general principle

00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.259
 to other things

00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:21.139
 in our lives,

00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:22.819
 to any form

00:14:22.819 --> 00:14:23.840
 of diversion

00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:25.399
 that we use,

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:26.759
 especially addictive

00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:27.639
 diversions

00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:28.580
 we use

00:14:28.580 --> 00:14:29.939
 in order to escape

00:14:29.939 --> 00:14:30.759
 our realities

00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:31.460
 and shirk

00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:32.379
 our responsibilities.

00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:34.939
 What do you

00:14:34.939 --> 00:14:35.860
 typically do

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:37.319
 when you procrastinate

00:14:37.319 --> 00:14:39.080
 as a way

00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:39.580
 of coping

00:14:39.580 --> 00:14:40.259
 with stress?

00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:43.699
 What do you do

00:14:43.699 --> 00:14:44.419
 to escape

00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:45.120
 your realities

00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:45.740
 and shirk

00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:46.639
 your responsibilities?

00:14:47.379 --> 00:14:48.059
 Do you surf

00:14:48.059 --> 00:14:48.819
 the web,

00:14:49.819 --> 00:14:50.379
 scroll through

00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:50.799
 Facebook,

00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:51.259
 Twitter,

00:14:51.419 --> 00:14:51.740
 Instagram,

00:14:52.500 --> 00:14:53.519
 or the New York Times?

00:14:54.340 --> 00:14:55.139
 Do you watch

00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:56.059
 show after show

00:14:56.059 --> 00:14:56.620
 on Netflix

00:14:56.620 --> 00:14:57.279
 or YouTube

00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:58.139
 or do you play

00:14:58.139 --> 00:14:58.860
 video games

00:14:58.860 --> 00:14:59.620
 that are designed

00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:00.179
 to keep you

00:15:00.179 --> 00:15:01.159
 glued to the screen

00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:02.659
 going after

00:15:02.659 --> 00:15:03.360
 one level

00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:04.059
 after another?

00:15:05.539 --> 00:15:06.719
 What distractions

00:15:06.719 --> 00:15:07.779
 or diversions

00:15:07.779 --> 00:15:08.860
 in your life

00:15:08.860 --> 00:15:10.299
 delay you

00:15:10.299 --> 00:15:11.259
 from keeping

00:15:11.259 --> 00:15:12.559
 and fulfilling

00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:13.939
 your responsibilities

00:15:13.939 --> 00:15:15.019
 to your family,

00:15:15.219 --> 00:15:16.179
 to your church,

00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:17.339
 to your school,

00:15:17.459 --> 00:15:18.419
 to your work?

00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:22.179
 That's the point

00:15:22.179 --> 00:15:22.899
 that Lemuel's mother

00:15:22.899 --> 00:15:23.379
 is making.

00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:24.459
 She warns him,

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:25.740
 if you open

00:15:25.740 --> 00:15:26.219
 your mouth

00:15:26.219 --> 00:15:26.839
 to drink,

00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:27.939
 you will be

00:15:27.939 --> 00:15:28.500
 incapable

00:15:28.500 --> 00:15:29.259
 of opening

00:15:29.259 --> 00:15:29.879
 your mouth

00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:30.819
 to speak

00:15:30.819 --> 00:15:31.439
 on behalf

00:15:31.439 --> 00:15:32.019
 of the voiceless.

00:15:32.019 --> 00:15:34.840
 This has been

00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:35.659
 a recurring lesson

00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:36.379
 on leadership

00:15:36.379 --> 00:15:37.220
 throughout the book

00:15:37.220 --> 00:15:37.779
 of Proverbs.

00:15:38.199 --> 00:15:39.079
 One of the main

00:15:39.079 --> 00:15:41.000
 purposes of power

00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:42.100
 is this,

00:15:42.579 --> 00:15:44.220
 defend the powerless.

00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:47.299
 If you have a voice,

00:15:47.659 --> 00:15:48.960
 you have a responsibility

00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:50.500
 to speak on behalf

00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:51.480
 of the voiceless.

00:15:52.179 --> 00:15:53.759
 If you have influence,

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:54.840
 you have a responsibility

00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:56.259
 to use that influence

00:15:56.259 --> 00:15:57.600
 on behalf of those

00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.299
 who are mute

00:15:58.299 --> 00:15:59.480
 and destitute,

00:15:59.899 --> 00:16:01.340
 poor and needy.

00:16:02.019 --> 00:16:03.299
 The rich,

00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:04.759
 the self-sufficient,

00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:06.299
 the powerful people

00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:07.600
 already have a voice.

00:16:08.699 --> 00:16:11.299
 People with cultural cachet

00:16:11.299 --> 00:16:13.460
 already have a voice.

00:16:14.319 --> 00:16:16.039
 They can blare out

00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:17.579
 their agenda on media.

00:16:18.379 --> 00:16:19.639
 They can spend their money

00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:21.460
 to lobby politicians

00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:23.579
 and maybe even bribe them.

00:16:24.079 --> 00:16:25.059
 They have lawyers

00:16:25.059 --> 00:16:26.039
 in their pocketbooks.

00:16:26.139 --> 00:16:27.000
 They can pull on

00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:28.139
 their relational strings

00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:29.019
 to get an audience

00:16:29.019 --> 00:16:29.960
 with people

00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:31.199
 in strategic posts.

00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:33.320
 But the poor and needy

00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:34.259
 are voiceless.

00:16:35.420 --> 00:16:37.120
 They are powerless

00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:38.420
 to demand respect

00:16:38.420 --> 00:16:39.680
 and command an audience.

00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:42.220
 Who will speak up for them?

00:16:43.180 --> 00:16:44.660
 That's the responsibility

00:16:44.660 --> 00:16:45.420
 of those

00:16:45.420 --> 00:16:46.759
 to whom God

00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:48.340
 has entrusted power.

00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:52.060
 Before speaking

00:16:52.060 --> 00:16:53.320
 of the kind of woman

00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:53.980
 that her son

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:54.940
 should seek to marry,

00:16:55.540 --> 00:16:56.200
 Lemuel's mother

00:16:56.200 --> 00:16:58.660
 tells her son first,

00:16:58.659 --> 00:17:00.319
 be the man.

00:17:02.199 --> 00:17:03.319
 This is the kind

00:17:03.319 --> 00:17:04.460
 of king you should be.

00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:05.980
 Instead of being

00:17:05.980 --> 00:17:07.599
 preoccupied only with

00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:08.339
 the kind of woman

00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:09.119
 you want to marry,

00:17:09.779 --> 00:17:11.200
 be the kind of man

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:12.960
 she would want to marry.

00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:16.200
 And vice versa.

00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:18.720
 If you are a single,

00:17:18.879 --> 00:17:20.659
 this is a good lesson

00:17:20.659 --> 00:17:21.420
 for you to heed.

00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:23.460
 But even if you are married,

00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:24.559
 you should ask yourself,

00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:26.839
 what would it look like

00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:28.279
 for you to be preoccupied

00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:29.799
 more with the kind

00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:30.399
 of spouse

00:17:30.399 --> 00:17:31.619
 you should be

00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:32.740
 rather than

00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:33.339
 with the kind

00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:33.879
 of person

00:17:33.879 --> 00:17:35.399
 you want your spouse

00:17:35.399 --> 00:17:35.799
 to be?

00:17:38.679 --> 00:17:40.000
 That kind of humility

00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.039
 breeds peace

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:41.980
 and unity

00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:42.539
 in the home.

00:17:44.919 --> 00:17:46.000
 But Lemuel's mother

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:46.679
 knows that

00:17:46.679 --> 00:17:47.259
 if her son

00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:48.119
 is to succeed,

00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:49.899
 he needs

00:17:49.899 --> 00:17:51.519
 to find a good wife.

00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:54.119
 Now that brings us

00:17:54.119 --> 00:17:54.720
 to the part

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:56.200
 of the passage

00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:57.339
 that all of you women

00:17:57.339 --> 00:17:58.259
 were looking forward to

00:17:58.259 --> 00:17:59.619
 with breathless anticipation.

00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:04.759
 I've noticed

00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:05.500
 in recent years

00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.220
 that there's a kind

00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:06.779
 of dread

00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:07.720
 that women feel

00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:08.859
 about Proverbs 31,

00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:09.879
 support shared

00:18:09.879 --> 00:18:10.900
 of the excellent wife.

00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:12.279
 I think that could be

00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:13.139
 for a number of reasons.

00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:14.480
 I think for some,

00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:16.019
 not many of you here,

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.160
 I think for some

00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:17.900
 it may be because

00:18:17.900 --> 00:18:18.720
 they have assimilated

00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:20.119
 some of our culture's

00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:20.519
 judgments

00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:22.139
 about the Bible's

00:18:22.139 --> 00:18:23.119
 teaching on womanhood.

00:18:24.619 --> 00:18:25.759
 They wrongly think

00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:26.279
 that the Bible

00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:27.680
 promotes a regressive,

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:28.740
 even repressive

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.700
 standard for women

00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:30.759
 that they don't want

00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:31.639
 to hear any more of.

00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:33.839
 If that's you,

00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:34.700
 let this passage

00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:35.960
 serve as a corrective.

00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:37.200
 Remember what I said

00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.240
 about the word oracle

00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:38.819
 last week

00:18:38.819 --> 00:18:39.639
 in chapter 30,

00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:40.259
 verse 1.

00:18:40.819 --> 00:18:42.000
 The word oracle

00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:43.079
 in chapter 31,

00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:44.539
 verse 1

00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:45.799
 is the same word.

00:18:45.900 --> 00:18:46.579
 This is a word

00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:47.539
 from God.

00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:49.279
 And as citizens

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.240
 of God's kingdom,

00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:50.880
 then we are to let

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.279
 the mold of Scripture

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:53.519
 shape us

00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.339
 rather than being

00:18:54.339 --> 00:18:55.620
 conformed to the

00:18:55.620 --> 00:18:56.539
 cookie-cutter shapes

00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:58.420
 of the woman

00:18:58.420 --> 00:18:59.039
 of this world.

00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:02.319
 But I don't think

00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:03.059
 that's the only reason.

00:19:03.140 --> 00:19:03.819
 For other women,

00:19:03.900 --> 00:19:04.279
 I think,

00:19:04.940 --> 00:19:05.960
 it's less a doubt

00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:06.880
 about the truth

00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:08.019
 and the goodness

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.880
 of God's word,

00:19:09.059 --> 00:19:09.960
 but more of a

00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:10.779
 discouragement

00:19:10.779 --> 00:19:12.420
 from feeling like

00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:13.380
 they fall short

00:19:13.380 --> 00:19:14.539
 of this glorious standard.

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:17.359
 If that's you,

00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:18.039
 I want to encourage

00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:18.879
 you from the outset.

00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:20.919
 Verses 10 to 31

00:19:20.919 --> 00:19:21.500
 are written

00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:22.719
 as an acrostic.

00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:24.979
 Verse 10 begins

00:19:24.979 --> 00:19:26.039
 with the first letter

00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:26.959
 of the Hebrew alphabet

00:19:26.959 --> 00:19:28.359
 and then verse 11

00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:29.699
 begins with the second letter

00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:30.319
 and so on

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:31.039
 all the way through

00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:32.519
 ending with the last letter

00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:33.019
 of the alphabet

00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:33.959
 in verse 31.

00:19:34.959 --> 00:19:35.599
 In other words,

00:19:35.679 --> 00:19:37.099
 this poem is literally

00:19:37.099 --> 00:19:38.659
 the A to Z

00:19:38.659 --> 00:19:40.779
 of biblical womanhood.

00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:42.759
 It's the textbook,

00:19:43.459 --> 00:19:44.259
 the ideal,

00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:45.799
 which means

00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:46.640
 all women,

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:47.879
 one way or another,

00:19:48.379 --> 00:19:49.819
 is going to fall short

00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:50.700
 of this.

00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:54.000
 Imagine that you are

00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:55.420
 painting a portrait

00:19:55.420 --> 00:19:56.539
 of this godly woman.

00:19:57.180 --> 00:19:58.200
 You take a look

00:19:58.200 --> 00:19:59.799
 at this portrait

00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:00.700
 in chapter 31

00:20:00.700 --> 00:20:01.779
 and then you look

00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:02.379
 at the canvas

00:20:02.379 --> 00:20:03.379
 of your own life

00:20:03.379 --> 00:20:04.299
 as you paint.

00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.539
 There's always going

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:07.319
 to be adjustments

00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:08.539
 you need to make,

00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:10.619
 but if the painting

00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:11.259
 of your life

00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:13.319
 is based on her,

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:15.700
 and not on some other woman

00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:16.980
 that you see in the world,

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.700
 then you should be commended.

00:20:20.639 --> 00:20:21.819
 Let all the ways

00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:22.799
 in which you fall short

00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:23.639
 then drive you

00:20:23.639 --> 00:20:24.619
 to deeper humility

00:20:24.619 --> 00:20:25.859
 and greater dependence

00:20:25.859 --> 00:20:26.379
 on God.

00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:28.139
 Then you will become

00:20:28.139 --> 00:20:29.079
 more and more like her.

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.539
 First, verses 10 to 12

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:33.099
 tell us about

00:20:33.099 --> 00:20:34.980
 the excellent wife's worth.

00:20:36.879 --> 00:20:38.259
 An excellent wife,

00:20:38.439 --> 00:20:39.379
 who can find?

00:20:39.939 --> 00:20:41.579
 She is far more precious

00:20:41.579 --> 00:20:42.259
 than jewels.

00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:43.799
 The heart of her husband

00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:44.660
 trusts in her

00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:45.400
 and he will have

00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:46.539
 no lack of gain.

00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:48.299
 She does him good

00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:49.180
 and not harm

00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:50.559
 all the days of her life.

00:20:51.619 --> 00:20:53.319
 An excellent woman,

00:20:54.379 --> 00:20:55.680
 an excellent wife,

00:20:55.900 --> 00:20:56.480
 who can find?

00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:58.799
 The implied answer is

00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:00.059
 almost no one.

00:21:01.240 --> 00:21:02.960
 That's how rare she is.

00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:06.079
 She is far more precious

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:08.559
 than even rare jewels.

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:10.659
 That's the poetic way

00:21:10.659 --> 00:21:12.059
 of saying that a wife

00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:14.220
 like that is priceless.

00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:16.639
 You can't place

00:21:16.639 --> 00:21:17.819
 a monetary value

00:21:17.819 --> 00:21:19.599
 on an excellent wife

00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:22.619
 because the jewels

00:21:22.619 --> 00:21:24.419
 are the most precious commodity.

00:21:24.899 --> 00:21:26.179
 If she far exceeds

00:21:26.179 --> 00:21:26.819
 their value,

00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:27.779
 how do you measure

00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:28.659
 that kind of worth?

00:21:29.159 --> 00:21:29.819
 You can't.

00:21:30.500 --> 00:21:31.279
 She is priceless.

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:31.480
 Yes.

00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:34.500
 Earlier in Proverbs 3,

00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:35.279
 13 to 15,

00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:36.160
 Solomon said this

00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.779
 about gaining God's wisdom.

00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:39.139
 Blessed is the one

00:21:39.139 --> 00:21:40.220
 who finds wisdom

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:40.660
 and the one

00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:41.859
 who gets understanding.

00:21:41.859 --> 00:21:43.339
 For the gain from her

00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:45.240
 is better than gain from silver

00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:46.480
 and her profit

00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:47.579
 better than gold.

00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:49.180
 She is more precious

00:21:49.180 --> 00:21:50.200
 than jewels

00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:52.099
 and nothing you desire

00:21:52.099 --> 00:21:53.399
 can compare with her.

00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:56.400
 In other words,

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.540
 marrying a wise,

00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:58.640
 excellent wife

00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:00.140
 is like gaining

00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:01.720
 God's wisdom

00:22:01.720 --> 00:22:03.620
 that is more precious

00:22:03.620 --> 00:22:04.320
 than jewels.

00:22:06.259 --> 00:22:07.220
 And this is why

00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:08.720
 if you desire a wife,

00:22:08.800 --> 00:22:09.660
 you must pray

00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:11.300
 and beg the Lord.

00:22:12.780 --> 00:22:14.080
 Proverbs 19, 14

00:22:14.080 --> 00:22:15.340
 said very clearly,

00:22:15.800 --> 00:22:16.880
 house and wealth

00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:18.420
 are inherited from fathers,

00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:19.880
 but a prudent wife

00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:21.500
 is from the Lord.

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:23.920
 If this passage

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:25.039
 fills you with longing

00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:25.980
 for such a woman,

00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:27.319
 you should pray,

00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:28.799
 cling to the feet

00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:29.500
 of our Father.

00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:30.480
 Ask Him.

00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:33.680
 The word excellent

00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:34.460
 is the same word

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.099
 that was translated

00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:36.779
 strength early in verse 3

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:38.539
 when Lemuel's mother

00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:39.279
 exhorted her son

00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.660
 not to give his strength

00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:41.079
 to women

00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:42.359
 who destroy kings.

00:22:43.299 --> 00:22:44.500
 As I mentioned then

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.380
 that the word excellent

00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:46.500
 means power,

00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:47.279
 strength,

00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:48.420
 or worth.

00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:50.099
 Notably,

00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:50.900
 the same word

00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:51.840
 is used in Ruth

00:22:51.840 --> 00:22:53.000
 chapter 2, verse 1

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:54.580
 to describe Boaz

00:22:54.580 --> 00:22:56.480
 as a worthy man.

00:22:57.100 --> 00:22:57.900
 And then, again,

00:22:58.000 --> 00:22:59.620
 in chapter 3 of Ruth,

00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:00.560
 Ruth 3, 11

00:23:00.560 --> 00:23:01.600
 to describe Ruth

00:23:01.600 --> 00:23:03.340
 as a worthy woman.

00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:04.720
 So then,

00:23:04.780 --> 00:23:05.920
 the excellent wife

00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:07.180
 is a worthy wife,

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:08.120
 the one whom

00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:09.080
 the man should give

00:23:09.080 --> 00:23:09.860
 his worth to.

00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:12.160
 Interestingly,

00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:13.000
 it's also a word

00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:13.700
 that is often used

00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:14.880
 in military contexts.

00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.519
 So it could be rendered

00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:18.519
 strong or valiant,

00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:19.360
 as is the case

00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:20.240
 in some translations.

00:23:21.179 --> 00:23:22.119
 This is consistent

00:23:22.119 --> 00:23:22.799
 with the imagery

00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.859
 in verse 11.

00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:25.259
 The heart of her husband

00:23:25.259 --> 00:23:26.079
 trusts in her

00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:26.679
 and he will have

00:23:26.679 --> 00:23:28.000
 no lack of gain.

00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:29.819
 The word gain

00:23:29.819 --> 00:23:31.039
 here is more literally

00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:32.359
 spoils,

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:34.579
 the plunder of war.

00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:36.879
 So then,

00:23:37.139 --> 00:23:38.599
 what's in view here

00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:40.279
 is a warrior wife

00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:42.799
 who brings back

00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:43.699
 the spoils

00:23:43.699 --> 00:23:45.119
 of her battles,

00:23:45.179 --> 00:23:45.959
 from her battles

00:23:45.959 --> 00:23:46.579
 to her husband.

00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:49.139
 Lemuel's mother

00:23:49.139 --> 00:23:49.879
 is doing this

00:23:49.879 --> 00:23:50.419
 intentionally

00:23:50.419 --> 00:23:51.259
 to elevate

00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:51.980
 wifehood

00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:53.159
 in our minds.

00:23:54.179 --> 00:23:54.679
 Wifeliness

00:23:54.679 --> 00:23:56.139
 is not about

00:23:56.139 --> 00:23:56.659
 weakness,

00:23:57.480 --> 00:23:58.480
 it's not about

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:58.980
 timidity,

00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:00.399
 it's not about

00:24:00.399 --> 00:24:01.000
 dependence,

00:24:01.439 --> 00:24:02.460
 it's the stuff

00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:03.379
 of wars,

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:04.220
 heroes,

00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:05.460
 and legends.

00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.980
 It requires

00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:08.460
 might,

00:24:09.139 --> 00:24:09.480
 grit,

00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:10.720
 courage,

00:24:11.199 --> 00:24:12.079
 and resilience.

00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:13.779
 Earlier,

00:24:13.859 --> 00:24:14.579
 she told Lemuel

00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:15.339
 not to give

00:24:15.339 --> 00:24:15.960
 his strength

00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:16.299
 to women

00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:17.519
 who destroy kings,

00:24:17.699 --> 00:24:18.759
 but now she tells

00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.480
 him to find

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.839
 a strong wife

00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:21.559
 who is worthy

00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:22.259
 of his strength.

00:24:23.099 --> 00:24:23.679
 This woman

00:24:23.679 --> 00:24:25.339
 is a king maker,

00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:27.220
 not a king destroyer.

00:24:29.439 --> 00:24:30.740
 And the first evidence

00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:31.419
 of this woman's

00:24:31.419 --> 00:24:32.000
 preciousness

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:32.519
 is this,

00:24:32.879 --> 00:24:34.159
 the heart of her husband

00:24:34.159 --> 00:24:35.539
 trusts in her

00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:37.259
 and he will have

00:24:37.259 --> 00:24:38.419
 no lack of gain.

00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:40.199
 She does him good

00:24:40.199 --> 00:24:41.319
 and not harm

00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:42.559
 all the days

00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:43.240
 of her life.

00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:45.259
 Her husband

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.660
 trusts in her.

00:24:47.620 --> 00:24:48.420
 This is shocking

00:24:48.420 --> 00:24:49.319
 because that expression

00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:50.279
 is rarely used

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.039
 with anyone

00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.579
 other than

00:24:51.579 --> 00:24:52.900
 God as the object.

00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:54.779
 You're not supposed

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.400
 to trust

00:24:55.400 --> 00:24:56.620
 other things,

00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:57.579
 other people

00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:58.440
 besides God.

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:01.140
 Yet this wife

00:25:01.140 --> 00:25:01.940
 is the rare

00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:02.839
 human being

00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:03.819
 who proves

00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:04.640
 dependable

00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:05.900
 to her husband

00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:06.900
 time and time

00:25:06.900 --> 00:25:07.180
 again.

00:25:09.620 --> 00:25:10.940
 This wife's worth

00:25:10.940 --> 00:25:11.720
 is explained

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.480
 here in terms

00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:13.319
 of the good

00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:13.860
 she does

00:25:13.860 --> 00:25:14.660
 to her husband

00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:15.940
 because in

00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:16.900
 Genesis chapter 2

00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:17.559
 verse 18

00:25:17.559 --> 00:25:18.759
 God gave the woman

00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:20.460
 to be the man's helper.

00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:23.059
 This is not to say

00:25:23.059 --> 00:25:23.600
 that the man

00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:24.240
 never helps

00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:24.700
 the woman

00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:25.620
 in marriage.

00:25:26.120 --> 00:25:27.019
 The man too

00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:27.799
 must make

00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:30.140
 many costly sacrifices

00:25:30.140 --> 00:25:31.180
 and love his wife

00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:31.920
 as Christ loved

00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:32.400
 the church.

00:25:33.100 --> 00:25:34.059
 But there are

00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:34.460
 nevertheless

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:35.579
 distinct roles.

00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:37.140
 The wife

00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:38.360
 is her husband's

00:25:38.360 --> 00:25:38.720
 helper

00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.740
 in a way

00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:40.460
 that the husband

00:25:40.460 --> 00:25:41.259
 is not

00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:42.100
 his wife's

00:25:42.100 --> 00:25:42.400
 helper.

00:25:43.860 --> 00:25:44.299
 Wifeliness

00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:45.220
 has a

00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:46.339
 self-effacing

00:25:46.339 --> 00:25:46.839
 nature.

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.120
 Look at

00:25:49.120 --> 00:25:49.839
 verse 23.

00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:51.200
 Her husband

00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:51.880
 is known

00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:52.500
 in the gates

00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:53.500
 when he sits

00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:54.480
 among the elders

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:55.279
 of the land.

00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:59.519
 The city gates

00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:00.360
 is where

00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:00.900
 the civic

00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:01.819
 and economic

00:26:01.819 --> 00:26:02.299
 decisions

00:26:02.299 --> 00:26:03.140
 of the ancient

00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:03.480
 world

00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:04.380
 are made.

00:26:05.380 --> 00:26:06.120
 Where the leading

00:26:06.120 --> 00:26:06.860
 men of the city

00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:07.339
 gather

00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:08.199
 to exchange

00:26:08.199 --> 00:26:08.759
 ideas

00:26:08.759 --> 00:26:09.219
 and make

00:26:09.219 --> 00:26:09.719
 decisions.

00:26:10.459 --> 00:26:11.059
 According to

00:26:11.059 --> 00:26:11.799
 this passage

00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:12.559
 one of the

00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:13.759
 main reasons

00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:15.119
 why this man

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.159
 occupies that

00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:17.279
 prominent seat

00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:19.039
 among the elders

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:19.659
 of the land

00:26:19.659 --> 00:26:20.719
 is because

00:26:20.719 --> 00:26:21.899
 of his

00:26:21.899 --> 00:26:22.579
 excellent

00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:23.759
 strong

00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:24.779
 and valiant

00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.219
 wife.

00:26:26.859 --> 00:26:27.759
 She is the

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.159
 reason

00:26:28.159 --> 00:26:29.879
 he can hold

00:26:29.879 --> 00:26:30.419
 up his head

00:26:30.419 --> 00:26:30.799
 high

00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.500
 among the

00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:31.859
 movers

00:26:31.859 --> 00:26:32.639
 and shakers

00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:33.240
 of his city.

00:26:34.219 --> 00:26:35.659
 He excels

00:26:35.660 --> 00:26:36.860
 because

00:26:36.860 --> 00:26:37.860
 of his

00:26:37.860 --> 00:26:38.279
 excellent

00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:39.340
 wife.

00:26:41.040 --> 00:26:41.920
 As Proverbs

00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:42.560
 chapter 12

00:26:42.560 --> 00:26:43.040
 verse 4

00:26:43.040 --> 00:26:43.300
 said,

00:26:43.360 --> 00:26:43.840
 an excellent

00:26:43.840 --> 00:26:44.800
 wife is

00:26:44.800 --> 00:26:45.519
 the crown

00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:46.540
 of her

00:26:46.540 --> 00:26:46.860
 husband,

00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:48.019
 but she

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.460
 who brings

00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:48.980
 shame

00:26:48.980 --> 00:26:49.500
 is like

00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.300
 rottenness

00:26:50.300 --> 00:26:50.759
 to his

00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:51.240
 bones.

00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:53.800
 This woman

00:26:53.800 --> 00:26:54.640
 is the crown

00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.140
 of her

00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:55.460
 husband.

00:26:56.740 --> 00:26:57.400
 As Winston

00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:57.900
 Churchill,

00:26:58.300 --> 00:26:58.759
 the British

00:26:58.759 --> 00:26:59.420
 prime minister

00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:00.019
 who defeated

00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:00.720
 Hitler and

00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:01.779
 defended Europe's

00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:02.480
 democracy from

00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:03.040
 the spread of

00:27:03.040 --> 00:27:03.500
 fascism,

00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:04.100
 once said,

00:27:04.099 --> 00:27:06.079
 my most

00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:06.480
 brilliant

00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:07.000
 achievement

00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.319
 was my

00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:08.939
 ability to

00:27:08.939 --> 00:27:09.859
 persuade my

00:27:09.859 --> 00:27:10.599
 wife to

00:27:10.599 --> 00:27:11.159
 marry me.

00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:14.219
 I don't

00:27:14.219 --> 00:27:14.500
 think he

00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:15.000
 was joking.

00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:18.299
 Her

00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:18.939
 wife was

00:27:18.939 --> 00:27:19.500
 his crown.

00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:21.399
 He was

00:27:21.399 --> 00:27:22.039
 able to

00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:22.539
 accomplish

00:27:22.539 --> 00:27:23.279
 all he

00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:24.219
 did and

00:27:24.219 --> 00:27:24.819
 garner all

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:25.459
 the respect

00:27:25.459 --> 00:27:26.079
 and honor

00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:26.799
 he enjoyed

00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:28.359
 because of

00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:29.019
 his wife.

00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.599
 The saying

00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:31.959
 that was

00:27:31.959 --> 00:27:32.779
 popularized in

00:27:32.779 --> 00:27:33.599
 the 1940s

00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:34.299
 to recognize

00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:34.819
 the often

00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:35.539
 unheralded

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.019
 contribution

00:27:36.019 --> 00:27:36.439
 of woman

00:27:36.439 --> 00:27:37.139
 is true.

00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:37.899
 Behind

00:27:37.899 --> 00:27:38.679
 every

00:27:38.679 --> 00:27:39.399
 great man

00:27:39.399 --> 00:27:40.139
 there is

00:27:40.139 --> 00:27:40.959
 a great

00:27:40.959 --> 00:27:41.279
 woman.

00:27:43.399 --> 00:27:43.959
 Ruth

00:27:43.959 --> 00:27:44.459
 McHugh

00:27:44.459 --> 00:27:44.839
 Bell

00:27:44.839 --> 00:27:46.179
 was born

00:27:46.179 --> 00:27:46.639
 in

00:27:46.639 --> 00:27:47.819
 Jiangsu

00:27:47.819 --> 00:27:48.399
 province

00:27:48.399 --> 00:27:49.159
 in China

00:27:49.159 --> 00:27:50.259
 1920.

00:27:51.419 --> 00:27:51.699
 She was

00:27:51.699 --> 00:27:52.059
 a daughter

00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:52.779
 of missionaries

00:27:52.779 --> 00:27:53.399
 Nelson and

00:27:53.399 --> 00:27:54.119
 Virginia Bell.

00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:55.439
 She enrolled

00:27:55.439 --> 00:27:55.759
 in Wheaton

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:56.319
 College at

00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:56.579
 the age

00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:57.119
 of 17

00:27:57.119 --> 00:27:57.899
 and though

00:27:57.899 --> 00:27:58.359
 she had

00:27:58.359 --> 00:27:58.740
 vowed

00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:59.179
 never to

00:27:59.179 --> 00:27:59.519
 marry

00:27:59.519 --> 00:27:59.799
 out of

00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:00.099
 a desire

00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:00.519
 to serve

00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:00.819
 the Lord

00:28:00.819 --> 00:28:01.519
 wholeheartedly,

00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:03.059
 a lanky

00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:03.559
 southern boy

00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:03.799
 named

00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.399
 Billy asked

00:28:04.399 --> 00:28:04.639
 her out

00:28:04.639 --> 00:28:04.879
 to go

00:28:04.879 --> 00:28:05.159
 watch

00:28:05.159 --> 00:28:05.559
 Hendel's

00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:05.919
 Messiah

00:28:05.919 --> 00:28:06.279
 together

00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:06.819
 in college.

00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:08.759
 After that

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.379
 faithful date

00:28:09.379 --> 00:28:09.939
 she told

00:28:09.939 --> 00:28:10.439
 God that

00:28:10.439 --> 00:28:10.659
 it would

00:28:10.659 --> 00:28:11.480
 be an

00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:12.599
 honor to

00:28:12.599 --> 00:28:13.119
 serve

00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:13.559
 God,

00:28:13.679 --> 00:28:13.939
 serve

00:28:13.939 --> 00:28:14.619
 him as

00:28:14.619 --> 00:28:15.019
 Billy's

00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:15.299
 wife.

00:28:16.899 --> 00:28:17.500
 Long

00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:18.119
 before the

00:28:18.119 --> 00:28:19.859
 1957 evangelistic

00:28:19.859 --> 00:28:20.379
 rally in

00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:20.799
 New York

00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:22.220
 that catapulted

00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:22.919
 Billy Graham

00:28:22.919 --> 00:28:23.319
 to his

00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:24.240
 worldwide fame,

00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:26.220
 long before

00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:26.839
 Graham's

00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:27.500
 travels to

00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:28.939
 185 countries

00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.480
 and territories

00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.000
 to preach

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:30.640
 to around

00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:32.180
 215 million

00:28:32.180 --> 00:28:33.380
 people live,

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:35.539
 around 2.2

00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:36.500
 billion people

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.299
 if you include

00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:38.059
 other media

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:38.500
 through which

00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:39.240
 he preached.

00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:40.840
 Long before

00:28:40.840 --> 00:28:41.559
 he was voted

00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:42.259
 into the top

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:43.100
 10 of Gallup

00:28:43.100 --> 00:28:43.500
 Poll's

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.200
 most admired

00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:44.620
 men,

00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:45.460
 a record

00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:46.759
 61 times

00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:47.400
 in a row

00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:48.259
 starting in

00:28:48.259 --> 00:28:49.140
 1955.

00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:51.279
 Ruth Bell

00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:51.880
 understood

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.720
 that marrying

00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:53.480
 Billy Graham

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.240
 would mean

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.220
 finding her

00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:55.799
 calling

00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:56.740
 in his.

00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:59.559
 If I

00:28:59.559 --> 00:28:59.839
 marry

00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:00.240
 Bill,

00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.240
 I marry

00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:01.740
 him with

00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.500
 my eyes

00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:03.640
 wide open.

00:29:04.599 --> 00:29:05.180
 She wrote

00:29:05.180 --> 00:29:05.440
 this in

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:05.819
 her journal.

00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:07.519
 He will

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.339
 be increasingly

00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:09.079
 burdened for

00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:09.819
 lost souls

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:10.920
 and increasingly

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:11.559
 active in

00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:12.000
 the Lord's

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:12.299
 work.

00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:13.400
 I will

00:29:13.400 --> 00:29:14.120
 slip into

00:29:14.120 --> 00:29:14.799
 the background.

00:29:15.660 --> 00:29:16.220
 In short,

00:29:16.839 --> 00:29:17.599
 be a lost

00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:18.140
 life,

00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:20.059
 lost in

00:29:20.059 --> 00:29:20.500
 bills.

00:29:23.460 --> 00:29:23.900
 Though she

00:29:23.900 --> 00:29:24.620
 had aspired

00:29:24.620 --> 00:29:25.440
 to be a

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.099
 missionary in

00:29:26.099 --> 00:29:26.440
 Tibet,

00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:27.640
 she surrendered

00:29:27.640 --> 00:29:28.359
 that dream

00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:28.940
 to be

00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:30.460
 her husband's

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:30.900
 helper.

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:34.380
 That's

00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:35.180
 worth far

00:29:35.180 --> 00:29:35.740
 more than

00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:36.079
 jewels.

00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:41.500
 The two

00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:42.059
 married in

00:29:42.059 --> 00:29:42.839
 1943,

00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:43.960
 and with

00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:44.440
 Billy Graham

00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:45.059
 traveling for

00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:45.620
 months at a

00:29:45.620 --> 00:29:46.019
 time to

00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:46.339
 preach,

00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:47.339
 Ruth Graham

00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:48.140
 anchored the

00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:48.740
 family and

00:29:48.740 --> 00:29:49.400
 took the

00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:49.819
 lead in

00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:50.380
 raising their

00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:51.059
 five children.

00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:51.960
 She

00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:52.420
 personally

00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:53.259
 supervised the

00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:54.000
 construction of

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:54.460
 their mountain

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:55.140
 homestead in

00:29:55.140 --> 00:29:55.620
 Montreat,

00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:56.500
 North Carolina.

00:29:57.660 --> 00:29:58.539
 When Ruth

00:29:58.539 --> 00:29:59.140
 Bell Graham

00:29:59.140 --> 00:29:59.720
 passed away

00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:00.539
 in 2007,

00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:01.519
 as it says

00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:01.859
 at the end

00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:02.120
 of this

00:30:02.120 --> 00:30:02.420
 chapter,

00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:03.299
 her children

00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:04.380
 rose up

00:30:04.380 --> 00:30:04.880
 and called

00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:05.519
 her blessed.

00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:06.920
 And her

00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:07.700
 husband also

00:30:07.700 --> 00:30:08.519
 praised her.

00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:09.940
 Her daughter,

00:30:10.120 --> 00:30:10.740
 Ann Graham

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.160
 Lotz,

00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:11.559
 said,

00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:12.259
 quote,

00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:13.019
 without Ruth

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:13.420
 Graham,

00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:14.599
 there wouldn't

00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:15.299
 have been a

00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:15.900
 Billy Graham.

00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:17.799
 Her husband

00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:18.180
 said,

00:30:18.259 --> 00:30:19.220
 Ruth was my

00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:20.079
 life partner,

00:30:20.579 --> 00:30:21.000
 and we were

00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:21.779
 called by God

00:30:21.779 --> 00:30:22.420
 as a team.

00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:23.859
 No one else

00:30:23.859 --> 00:30:24.240
 could have

00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:25.039
 borne the load

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:25.359
 that she

00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:25.759
 carried.

00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:27.039
 She was a

00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:28.019
 vital and

00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:28.960
 integral part

00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:29.220
 of our

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:29.599
 ministry,

00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:30.339
 and my

00:30:30.339 --> 00:30:30.899
 work through

00:30:30.899 --> 00:30:31.440
 the years

00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:31.940
 would have

00:30:31.940 --> 00:30:32.920
 been impossible

00:30:32.920 --> 00:30:34.000
 without her

00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:34.920
 encouragement and

00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:35.420
 support.

00:30:36.420 --> 00:30:37.619
 The heart of

00:30:37.619 --> 00:30:38.440
 her husband

00:30:38.440 --> 00:30:39.980
 trusted in her,

00:30:40.379 --> 00:30:41.399
 and he had

00:30:41.399 --> 00:30:42.279
 no lack of

00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:42.579
 gain.

00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:44.940
 She did him

00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:46.039
 good and not

00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:46.859
 harm all the

00:30:46.859 --> 00:30:47.339
 days of her

00:30:47.339 --> 00:30:48.019
 life, and

00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:49.019
 because of this,

00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:49.700
 her husband

00:30:49.700 --> 00:30:51.079
 was known in

00:30:51.079 --> 00:30:52.079
 the gates when

00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:52.839
 he sat among

00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:53.459
 the elders of

00:30:53.459 --> 00:30:53.939
 the land.

00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:55.939
 Ruth Bell

00:30:55.939 --> 00:30:56.740
 Graham was an

00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:57.480
 excellent wife.

00:30:59.919 --> 00:31:01.039
 A wife who

00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:01.959
 makes it her

00:31:01.959 --> 00:31:03.299
 calling to do

00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:04.139
 good to her

00:31:04.139 --> 00:31:05.279
 husband, who

00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:06.119
 beams with

00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:07.599
 pride at her

00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:08.559
 husband's

00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:09.279
 accomplishments,

00:31:09.459 --> 00:31:10.599
 who loves her

00:31:10.599 --> 00:31:11.619
 husband, who

00:31:11.619 --> 00:31:12.539
 supports her

00:31:12.539 --> 00:31:13.720
 husband, who

00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:14.599
 counsels her

00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:15.679
 husband, who

00:31:15.679 --> 00:31:16.659
 prays for her

00:31:16.659 --> 00:31:17.039
 husband.

00:31:17.379 --> 00:31:18.279
 That kind of

00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:20.559
 woman is far

00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:21.319
 more precious

00:31:21.319 --> 00:31:21.859
 essentials.

00:31:26.679 --> 00:31:27.419
 That's the

00:31:27.419 --> 00:31:28.279
 excellent wife's

00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:28.639
 worth.

00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:40.799
 And then

00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:41.579
 verses 13 to

00:31:41.579 --> 00:31:43.039
 25 speak of

00:31:43.039 --> 00:31:43.659
 her works.

00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:46.319
 This woman is a

00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:46.919
 hard worker.

00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:49.460
 The word hand

00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:50.399
 is repeated,

00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:52.400
 seven times in

00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:52.880
 this passage,

00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:55.600
 to emphasize her

00:31:55.600 --> 00:31:56.820
 industry and

00:31:56.820 --> 00:31:57.480
 generosity.

00:31:58.600 --> 00:31:59.560
 Proverbs 24,

00:31:59.720 --> 00:32:00.880
 33, 34 said

00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:01.620
 this about the

00:32:01.620 --> 00:32:02.680
 foolish sluggard,

00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:04.000
 a little sleep,

00:32:04.080 --> 00:32:04.940
 a little slumber,

00:32:05.100 --> 00:32:05.880
 and a little

00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:07.000
 folding of the

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:07.840
 hands to rest,

00:32:08.360 --> 00:32:09.480
 and poverty will

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:10.160
 come upon you

00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:11.100
 like a robber and

00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:11.720
 want like an

00:32:11.720 --> 00:32:12.320
 armed man.

00:32:13.040 --> 00:32:14.040
 But the valiant

00:32:14.040 --> 00:32:15.680
 wife is not like

00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.320
 the sluggard.

00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:17.880
 No, she works

00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:19.240
 with willing hands.

00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:20.779
 She puts her

00:32:20.779 --> 00:32:21.380
 hands to the

00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:22.660
 distaff and her

00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:23.599
 hands hold the

00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:24.059
 spindle.

00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:24.980
 She does not

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:26.120
 oversleep like the

00:32:26.120 --> 00:32:26.480
 sluggard.

00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:27.120
 Instead, she is

00:32:27.120 --> 00:32:28.099
 often burning the

00:32:28.099 --> 00:32:28.819
 midnight oil.

00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:30.319
 Verse 15 says she

00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:32.039
 rises while it is

00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:32.859
 yet night and

00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:33.839
 provides food for

00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:34.339
 her household.

00:32:34.680 --> 00:32:35.599
 Verse 18 says her

00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:36.480
 lamp does not go

00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.200
 out at night.

00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:39.160
 If we take these

00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:40.019
 two verses literally,

00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:41.279
 we might wonder

00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:41.900
 whether she ever

00:32:41.900 --> 00:32:42.319
 sleeps.

00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:43.880
 But that's not

00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:44.359
 the point.

00:32:44.359 --> 00:32:45.900
 The point is that

00:32:45.900 --> 00:32:47.059
 she is often up

00:32:47.059 --> 00:32:48.140
 late and often

00:32:48.140 --> 00:32:50.120
 rises early because

00:32:50.120 --> 00:32:51.020
 she is busy

00:32:51.020 --> 00:32:51.780
 working.

00:32:53.320 --> 00:32:55.000
 As verse 27 says,

00:32:55.080 --> 00:32:56.220
 she does not eat

00:32:56.220 --> 00:32:57.060
 the bread of

00:32:57.060 --> 00:32:57.580
 idleness.

00:32:58.640 --> 00:32:59.360
 She is not

00:32:59.360 --> 00:33:00.300
 idle but

00:33:00.300 --> 00:33:01.180
 industrious.

00:33:01.660 --> 00:33:02.259
 She does not

00:33:02.259 --> 00:33:03.580
 pass time lazily

00:33:03.580 --> 00:33:05.020
 but labors for

00:33:05.020 --> 00:33:05.680
 the good of her

00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:06.320
 husband and her

00:33:06.320 --> 00:33:06.700
 household.

00:33:07.840 --> 00:33:08.920
 She puts the

00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:10.080
 flourishing of her

00:33:10.080 --> 00:33:11.400
 household above

00:33:11.400 --> 00:33:12.820
 her own comfort.

00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:16.940
 Verse 13 and

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:17.940
 verse 19 tells us

00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:18.660
 that this wife is

00:33:18.660 --> 00:33:19.580
 involved in making

00:33:19.580 --> 00:33:20.900
 and selling textiles.

00:33:21.519 --> 00:33:23.000
 She acquires wool

00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:24.180
 and flax and using

00:33:24.180 --> 00:33:25.180
 the distaff to hold

00:33:25.180 --> 00:33:26.000
 the fibers and the

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:26.980
 spindle to spin the

00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:28.440
 fibers into yarn.

00:33:28.820 --> 00:33:29.680
 And then later she

00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:30.460
 uses that yarn,

00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:32.640
 verse 24, to knit or

00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:34.240
 weave linen garments.

00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:35.519
 It says she makes

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:36.400
 linen garments and

00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:37.200
 sells them.

00:33:37.600 --> 00:33:38.740
 She delivers sashes to

00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.160
 the merchant.

00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:40.400
 She is not only

00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:41.000
 involved in the

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:41.759
 textile industry,

00:33:41.860 --> 00:33:42.640
 she is also involved

00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:44.440
 in commerce and real

00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:46.160
 estate and farming.

00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:48.779
 Like the ships of

00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:49.580
 the merchant, she

00:33:49.580 --> 00:33:50.820
 purchases and brings

00:33:50.820 --> 00:33:52.080
 her food from afar.

00:33:53.100 --> 00:33:54.180
 Using the money she

00:33:54.180 --> 00:33:55.100
 has earned, she not

00:33:55.100 --> 00:33:56.240
 only buys food, she

00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.759
 buys a field which

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.640
 can provide food and

00:33:58.640 --> 00:33:59.660
 drink for the future.

00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:01.120
 She has foresight.

00:34:02.019 --> 00:34:02.960
 It says she considers

00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:04.100
 a field and buys it

00:34:04.100 --> 00:34:04.820
 with the fruit of her

00:34:04.820 --> 00:34:06.360
 hand, she plants a

00:34:06.360 --> 00:34:06.820
 vineyard.

00:34:07.620 --> 00:34:08.900
 She prepares for the

00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:09.159
 future.

00:34:09.240 --> 00:34:10.059
 It says in verse 21,

00:34:10.440 --> 00:34:11.700
 she is not afraid of

00:34:11.700 --> 00:34:12.700
 snow for her household.

00:34:12.699 --> 00:34:14.399
 For all her household

00:34:14.399 --> 00:34:15.659
 are clothed in scarlet.

00:34:16.819 --> 00:34:18.239
 Verse 25, to strength

00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:19.279
 and dignity are her

00:34:19.279 --> 00:34:21.099
 clothing and she laughs

00:34:21.099 --> 00:34:22.559
 at the time to come.

00:34:23.919 --> 00:34:25.079
 She is not afraid of

00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:25.439
 tomorrow.

00:34:26.859 --> 00:34:27.919
 She is not anxious

00:34:27.919 --> 00:34:29.559
 because she has worked

00:34:29.559 --> 00:34:31.639
 hard today in preparation

00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:32.719
 for the future.

00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:36.019
 The way people dressed

00:34:36.019 --> 00:34:36.839
 in the ancient world

00:34:36.839 --> 00:34:38.059
 as they often do today

00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:40.519
 reveals a person's

00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:42.139
 identity, a person's

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:42.819
 status.

00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:45.940
 This woman is clothed

00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:47.440
 in strength and

00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:48.039
 dignity.

00:34:48.879 --> 00:34:50.379
 Clothing fit for

00:34:50.379 --> 00:34:50.799
 royalty.

00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:53.139
 Verse 17 says,

00:34:53.259 --> 00:34:54.440
 similarly, she dresses

00:34:54.440 --> 00:34:55.639
 herself with strength.

00:34:56.440 --> 00:34:57.440
 That phrase is literally

00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:59.059
 she girds up her loins

00:34:59.059 --> 00:35:00.039
 with strength.

00:35:00.960 --> 00:35:01.799
 Girding up your loin is

00:35:01.799 --> 00:35:02.819
 the ancient equivalent of

00:35:02.819 --> 00:35:03.799
 rolling up your sleeves.

00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:05.920
 She is strong and ready

00:35:05.920 --> 00:35:06.719
 for action.

00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:08.839
 This woman is a hard

00:35:08.839 --> 00:35:09.179
 worker.

00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:12.699
 Now this text challenges

00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:13.940
 two common misconceptions

00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:15.259
 about the role of woman,

00:35:15.759 --> 00:35:16.699
 the role of wives in

00:35:16.699 --> 00:35:17.159
 particular.

00:35:17.799 --> 00:35:18.579
 On the one hand,

00:35:18.659 --> 00:35:19.480
 some people say that

00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:20.619
 women should never work.

00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:23.279
 But the Proverbs 31

00:35:23.279 --> 00:35:24.699
 woman works.

00:35:25.879 --> 00:35:27.119
 She is involved in the

00:35:27.119 --> 00:35:28.059
 textile industry,

00:35:28.299 --> 00:35:29.419
 commerce, real estate,

00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:30.119
 and viticulture.

00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:32.239
 She is creative and

00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:33.079
 resourceful.

00:35:33.419 --> 00:35:34.419
 She can make things

00:35:34.419 --> 00:35:35.239
 with her hands.

00:35:35.759 --> 00:35:37.119
 She is business savvy.

00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:38.679
 She perceives that her

00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:40.039
 merchandise is profitable.

00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:41.539
 It says in verse 18,

00:35:41.659 --> 00:35:42.639
 she considers a field

00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:43.420
 and buys it.

00:35:43.719 --> 00:35:44.759
 It says in verse 16,

00:35:46.119 --> 00:35:47.380
 she's thoughtful and

00:35:47.380 --> 00:35:47.940
 competent.

00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:50.719
 And she's not afraid to

00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:51.559
 get her hands dirty.

00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:53.619
 She plants a vineyard.

00:35:54.739 --> 00:35:56.079
 She's not the kind of

00:35:56.079 --> 00:35:57.239
 delicate woman who can't

00:35:57.239 --> 00:35:58.179
 do any manual labor

00:35:58.179 --> 00:35:59.539
 because of her long

00:35:59.539 --> 00:36:00.460
 manicured nails.

00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:04.579
 This woman is strong.

00:36:04.579 --> 00:36:06.279
 She's a workhorse.

00:36:07.699 --> 00:36:08.860
 However, we must not

00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:10.199
 swing too far into

00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:11.179
 the other misconception.

00:36:12.659 --> 00:36:13.739
 It would not be

00:36:13.739 --> 00:36:14.860
 accurate to describe

00:36:14.860 --> 00:36:15.920
 the excellent wife

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:16.940
 as a career woman.

00:36:18.940 --> 00:36:20.599
 A career woman puts

00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:22.500
 her career first.

00:36:23.659 --> 00:36:25.139
 She prioritizes her

00:36:25.139 --> 00:36:27.360
 career over her family.

00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:29.599
 And that's decidedly

00:36:29.599 --> 00:36:30.579
 not the picture that we

00:36:30.579 --> 00:36:31.960
 see here in Proverbs 31.

00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:34.559
 Look at how many times

00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:35.440
 the word household

00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:36.099
 is mentioned.

00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:38.000
 Verse 15, she provides

00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:39.679
 food for her household

00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:41.880
 and portions for her

00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:42.440
 maidens.

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:43.820
 Verse 21, she's not

00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:45.159
 afraid of snow for her

00:36:45.159 --> 00:36:45.880
 household.

00:36:46.340 --> 00:36:47.800
 For all her household

00:36:47.800 --> 00:36:48.960
 are clothed in scarlet.

00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:50.519
 Verse 27, she looks

00:36:50.519 --> 00:36:51.880
 well to the ways of her

00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:53.280
 household and does not

00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:54.220
 eat the bread of

00:36:54.220 --> 00:36:54.639
 idleness.

00:36:55.760 --> 00:36:56.980
 Look at her orientation

00:36:56.980 --> 00:36:57.920
 toward her husband.

00:36:58.920 --> 00:37:00.380
 Verses 11 to 12, the

00:37:00.380 --> 00:37:00.960
 heart of her husband.

00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:02.679
 Her husband trusts in

00:37:02.679 --> 00:37:04.360
 her and he will have

00:37:04.360 --> 00:37:05.300
 no lack of gain.

00:37:05.740 --> 00:37:07.260
 She does him good and

00:37:07.260 --> 00:37:08.579
 not harm all the days

00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:09.579
 of her life.

00:37:10.340 --> 00:37:12.059
 Verse 23, her husband

00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:13.300
 is known in the gates

00:37:13.300 --> 00:37:14.659
 when he sits among the

00:37:14.659 --> 00:37:15.599
 elders of the land.

00:37:16.780 --> 00:37:17.940
 In fact, if you look

00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:19.760
 closely, verses 20 to 26,

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:21.360
 the entirety of it is

00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:22.500
 structured chiastically

00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:23.980
 for the purpose of

00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:26.220
 emphasizing verse 23.

00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:29.460
 The excellent wife opens

00:37:29.460 --> 00:37:30.679
 her hand in generosity.

00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:32.619
 Verse 20, and opens her

00:37:32.619 --> 00:37:33.840
 mouth in kindness.

00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:36.039
 In verse 26, the match.

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.059
 She is not afraid of

00:37:38.059 --> 00:37:38.380
 snow.

00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:39.920
 Verse 21, and laughs at

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:40.920
 the time to come.

00:37:41.860 --> 00:37:43.900
 In verse 25, she makes

00:37:43.900 --> 00:37:44.960
 bed coverings for

00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:45.380
 herself.

00:37:45.460 --> 00:37:46.900
 Verse 22, and makes

00:37:46.900 --> 00:37:48.240
 linen garments and

00:37:48.240 --> 00:37:48.679
 sells them.

00:37:48.740 --> 00:37:51.199
 Verse 24, she does all

00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:51.800
 of this.

00:37:52.059 --> 00:37:52.639
 Why?

00:37:52.639 --> 00:37:55.319
 The goal and effect of

00:37:55.319 --> 00:37:58.039
 all of this is verse 23.

00:37:58.940 --> 00:38:01.119
 Her husband is known in

00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:03.219
 the gates when he sits

00:38:03.219 --> 00:38:04.519
 among the elders of the

00:38:04.519 --> 00:38:04.819
 land.

00:38:06.179 --> 00:38:08.879
 The excellent wife dedicates

00:38:08.879 --> 00:38:10.879
 her life as her husband's

00:38:10.879 --> 00:38:11.119
 helper.

00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:16.940
 She is not homebound, but she

00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:18.980
 is home-oriented.

00:38:18.980 --> 00:38:24.179
 Her work is not limited to

00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:26.420
 her household, but that is

00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:28.740
 where her primary allegiance,

00:38:29.539 --> 00:38:31.039
 commitment, lie.

00:38:32.940 --> 00:38:35.260
 Her household is the primary

00:38:35.260 --> 00:38:38.159
 beneficiary of her strength.

00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:38.219
 life.

00:38:41.219 --> 00:38:43.559
 This is why in Genesis 1 to 3,

00:38:43.759 --> 00:38:45.559
 the man's name is Adam, which

00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:48.159
 means from the ground, and God

00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:49.899
 commissions him to work the

00:38:49.899 --> 00:38:51.739
 ground in Genesis 2, 5.

00:38:55.079 --> 00:38:57.480
 But the woman's name is Eve, which

00:38:57.480 --> 00:38:59.859
 means mother of all living, and

00:38:59.859 --> 00:39:01.559
 God commissions her to be Adam's

00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:03.480
 helper in being fruitful and

00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:05.319
 multiply and filling the earth and

00:39:05.319 --> 00:39:06.059
 subduing it.

00:39:06.059 --> 00:39:09.500
 That is why after they sin, God

00:39:09.500 --> 00:39:12.279
 tells Adam, cursed is the ground

00:39:12.279 --> 00:39:13.119
 because of you.

00:39:13.799 --> 00:39:15.539
 In pain you shall eat of it all

00:39:15.539 --> 00:39:16.400
 the days of your life.

00:39:16.679 --> 00:39:19.299
 But God tells Eve, I will surely

00:39:19.299 --> 00:39:21.860
 multiply your pain in child

00:39:21.860 --> 00:39:22.159
 bearing.

00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:24.659
 In pain you shall bring forth

00:39:24.659 --> 00:39:25.079
 children.

00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:28.159
 This is why in Titus 2, 3 to 5,

00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:31.000
 says that godly older women are to

00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:32.639
 teach the younger women to love

00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:35.039
 their husbands and children, to be

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:37.559
 self-controlled, pure, working at

00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:40.480
 home, kind and submissive to their

00:39:40.480 --> 00:39:41.099
 own husbands.

00:39:41.779 --> 00:39:44.019
 This is why in 1 Timothy 6, 9 to 10,

00:39:44.099 --> 00:39:46.139
 which lists the good works that

00:39:46.139 --> 00:39:47.840
 should characterize a godly woman,

00:39:48.199 --> 00:39:50.719
 the first item on that list is that

00:39:50.719 --> 00:39:52.059
 she has brought up children.

00:39:54.199 --> 00:39:56.840
 This is why 1 Timothy 2, 15, says

00:39:56.840 --> 00:39:58.539
 that women will be saved through

00:39:58.539 --> 00:40:00.559
 childbearing if they continue in

00:40:00.559 --> 00:40:02.860
 faith and love and holiness with

00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:03.740
 self-control.

00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:08.120
 This is not an isolated idea in one

00:40:08.120 --> 00:40:09.800
 extraneous text of Scripture.

00:40:10.579 --> 00:40:12.480
 It's a thread that runs through the

00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:14.039
 entire revelation of God.

00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:17.800
 This general division of labor

00:40:17.800 --> 00:40:21.380
 between a man and his wife was not

00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:23.360
 invented by prudish Victorians.

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:27.320
 It's a biblical idea, abetted by our

00:40:27.320 --> 00:40:28.059
 very biology.

00:40:28.059 --> 00:40:32.019
 So if we're going to be biblical

00:40:32.019 --> 00:40:34.739
 Christians, we must avoid both

00:40:34.739 --> 00:40:35.259
 extremes.

00:40:36.039 --> 00:40:39.179
 Let us not unduly tie up a gifted

00:40:39.179 --> 00:40:41.239
 woman, her creativity and

00:40:41.239 --> 00:40:43.099
 resourcefulness by telling her that

00:40:43.099 --> 00:40:44.820
 she should never do anything besides

00:40:44.820 --> 00:40:46.079
 cooking, cleaning, and raising

00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:46.519
 children.

00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:52.360
 But also let us not unduly sever the

00:40:52.360 --> 00:40:55.320
 wife from her household and deprive men

00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:58.219
 of strong wives and deprive children

00:40:58.219 --> 00:40:59.840
 of strong mothers.

00:40:59.840 --> 00:41:06.920
 But while the primary beneficiary of the

00:41:06.920 --> 00:41:09.019
 woman's work is her household, they are

00:41:09.019 --> 00:41:10.579
 not the only beneficiary.

00:41:11.160 --> 00:41:13.500
 It says in verse 20, she opens her hand

00:41:13.500 --> 00:41:16.100
 to the poor and reaches out her hands to

00:41:16.100 --> 00:41:16.640
 the needy.

00:41:17.640 --> 00:41:19.600
 This continues the repetition of the word

00:41:19.600 --> 00:41:21.039
 hand from verse 19.

00:41:21.579 --> 00:41:24.380
 She works hard with her hands in order to

00:41:24.380 --> 00:41:28.940
 earn, but she is not thereafter tight-fisted

00:41:28.940 --> 00:41:30.400
 with her hard-earned money.

00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:33.579
 She opens her hands in generosity to the

00:41:33.579 --> 00:41:34.300
 poor and needy.

00:41:35.460 --> 00:41:38.099
 And she not only opens her hands in

00:41:38.099 --> 00:41:40.099
 generosity, it says she also opens her

00:41:40.099 --> 00:41:41.500
 mouth with wisdom.

00:41:42.240 --> 00:41:45.059
 Verse 26, she opens her mouth with wisdom

00:41:45.059 --> 00:41:47.480
 and the teaching of kindness is on her

00:41:47.480 --> 00:41:47.760
 tongue.

00:41:48.539 --> 00:41:51.300
 When she opens her mouth, she does not

00:41:51.300 --> 00:41:54.320
 spew out gossip or idle chatter or

00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:54.980
 folly.

00:41:55.679 --> 00:41:58.039
 Instead, she speaks wisdom.

00:41:58.940 --> 00:42:01.480
 The teaching of kindness.

00:42:02.480 --> 00:42:05.159
 It's literally the law of love.

00:42:05.900 --> 00:42:07.559
 The word kindness is the word that's

00:42:07.559 --> 00:42:10.599
 translated elsewhere as steadfast love, one

00:42:10.599 --> 00:42:12.700
 of the core attributes of God.

00:42:14.900 --> 00:42:17.039
 It's the same word that the New Testament

00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:18.700
 renders grace.

00:42:18.699 --> 00:42:23.119
 The law of grace is on her tongue.

00:42:24.539 --> 00:42:26.619
 Colossians chapter 4 verse 6 says this,

00:42:26.719 --> 00:42:30.059
 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned

00:42:30.059 --> 00:42:30.759
 with salt.

00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:34.659
 Whenever she speaks, this woman's speech is

00:42:34.659 --> 00:42:35.179
 gracious.

00:42:36.179 --> 00:42:38.159
 Whenever she opens her mouth, she speaks

00:42:38.159 --> 00:42:40.919
 godly wisdom because she knows and fears

00:42:40.919 --> 00:42:41.339
 the Lord.

00:42:43.279 --> 00:42:46.179
 It says in verse 30, charm is deceitful and

00:42:46.179 --> 00:42:49.079
 beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the

00:42:49.079 --> 00:42:50.419
 Lord is to be praised.

00:42:52.719 --> 00:42:55.739
 Groupon ran, I don't know if people still

00:42:55.739 --> 00:42:56.359
 use Groupon.

00:42:56.940 --> 00:43:00.239
 Now, Groupon ran a survey a few years ago to

00:43:00.239 --> 00:43:02.699
 find out how much people spend on average on

00:43:02.699 --> 00:43:03.599
 their physical appearance.

00:43:04.719 --> 00:43:07.099
 They found out that American women spend an

00:43:07.099 --> 00:43:11.000
 average of $3,756 a year.

00:43:12.259 --> 00:43:15.000
 Add that up to, and then it's over a quarter

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:17.099
 of a million dollars in an average lifetime.

00:43:17.759 --> 00:43:19.159
 That's a huge sum of money.

00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:22.639
 The numbers are even more staggering if you look

00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:23.579
 at women in Hollywood.

00:43:24.759 --> 00:43:26.799
 Women like Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth

00:43:26.799 --> 00:43:29.480
 Paltrow, that's how you say your last name,

00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:32.619
 spend quarter of a million dollars on their

00:43:32.619 --> 00:43:34.119
 appearance in one year.

00:43:36.859 --> 00:43:39.859
 We live in a culture that's obsessed with

00:43:39.859 --> 00:43:40.980
 physical appearance.

00:43:41.619 --> 00:43:45.859
 But notice that in this entire chapter,

00:43:46.619 --> 00:43:50.719
 not once are we told of how this excellent

00:43:50.719 --> 00:43:51.839
 wife looks.

00:43:53.219 --> 00:43:57.440
 We don't know if she's tall or short, skinny or

00:43:57.440 --> 00:43:57.900
 fat.

00:43:58.619 --> 00:44:00.960
 We know neither the length of her hair or the

00:44:00.960 --> 00:44:02.039
 color of her eyes.

00:44:03.900 --> 00:44:06.199
 Yes, we're told in verse 22 that her clothing

00:44:06.199 --> 00:44:07.800
 is fine linen and purple.

00:44:08.400 --> 00:44:10.920
 But that detail is provided as evidence of

00:44:10.920 --> 00:44:14.079
 her industry, not of her taste for luxury or

00:44:14.079 --> 00:44:15.860
 preoccupation with physical appearance.

00:44:16.960 --> 00:44:20.099
 This feature of the poem is shocking, especially

00:44:20.099 --> 00:44:22.619
 when you compare it to contemporary ancient

00:44:22.619 --> 00:44:23.679
 Near Eastern literature.

00:44:25.360 --> 00:44:30.119
 They tend to fixate on the erotic appeal of

00:44:30.119 --> 00:44:33.440
 women, the poems that praise women in other

00:44:33.440 --> 00:44:34.619
 ancient Near Eastern literature.

00:44:36.920 --> 00:44:40.259
 Lemuel's mother, likely well advanced in age by

00:44:40.259 --> 00:44:43.960
 the time King Lemuel is writing this, knows from

00:44:43.960 --> 00:44:48.599
 experience that charm is deceitful and beauty

00:44:48.599 --> 00:44:49.219
 is vain.

00:44:51.159 --> 00:44:56.159
 Charm is deceitful because it does not last, does

00:44:56.159 --> 00:44:58.519
 not deliver on what it promises.

00:44:58.519 --> 00:45:02.500
 If you marry a woman for her external beauty, you will

00:45:02.500 --> 00:45:04.679
 learn in time that that beauty fades.

00:45:05.980 --> 00:45:07.059
 Beauty is vain.

00:45:07.159 --> 00:45:08.159
 It's a fleeting vapor.

00:45:09.360 --> 00:45:12.500
 But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

00:45:13.880 --> 00:45:18.259
 Because for the wise, wisdom grows with age.

00:45:18.260 --> 00:45:22.600
 I think folly also grows with age.

00:45:23.600 --> 00:45:27.500
 But for the wise, wisdom deepens with age.

00:45:28.360 --> 00:45:31.860
 And this is the ultimate reason why she is not afraid of

00:45:31.860 --> 00:45:32.980
 snow for her household.

00:45:33.480 --> 00:45:37.800
 This is why she laughs at the time to come because she fears

00:45:37.800 --> 00:45:38.240
 the Lord.

00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:44.519
 She does not fear the uncertainties of the future because she fears

00:45:44.519 --> 00:45:45.919
 something far greater.

00:45:46.259 --> 00:45:49.299
 Because she fears the Lord who takes care of her.

00:45:50.359 --> 00:45:54.859
 Come what may, she says, the Lord is with me.

00:45:55.859 --> 00:45:57.279
 Whom shall I fear?

00:45:57.859 --> 00:45:59.439
 What future shall I fear?

00:45:59.839 --> 00:46:02.299
 The Lord Almighty is with me.

00:46:02.300 --> 00:46:07.580
 Her fear of the Lord is what is truly praiseworthy.

00:46:08.580 --> 00:46:12.260
 So single men, I want to exhort you, don't fantasize about

00:46:12.260 --> 00:46:13.320
 beautiful woman.

00:46:14.440 --> 00:46:18.519
 Pray earnestly for a wise woman who fears the Lord because she

00:46:18.519 --> 00:46:19.920
 will surely do you good.

00:46:21.200 --> 00:46:22.960
 Remember Proverbs 11, 22.

00:46:23.400 --> 00:46:24.380
 You should memorize it.

00:46:24.380 --> 00:46:29.920
 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without

00:46:29.920 --> 00:46:30.579
 discretion.

00:46:32.300 --> 00:46:34.780
 A gold ring is pretty to look at, sure.

00:46:35.240 --> 00:46:37.800
 But what good is it if it's adorning a pig?

00:46:39.539 --> 00:46:42.420
 A beautiful woman is pleasing to look at, sure.

00:46:42.700 --> 00:46:46.380
 But what good is it if she is a fool who will be like rottenness in

00:46:46.380 --> 00:46:46.880
 your bones?

00:46:48.680 --> 00:46:51.079
 Don't ever marry a trophy wife.

00:46:51.079 --> 00:46:55.880
 A trophy wife is good for nothing but to be stored on a shelf and

00:46:55.880 --> 00:46:57.219
 looked at just like a trophy.

00:46:59.960 --> 00:47:03.559
 Of course, nobody says that the wise woman can't also be beautiful.

00:47:04.199 --> 00:47:07.799
 But the wise woman is already rare as it is.

00:47:09.119 --> 00:47:13.500
 So don't say when you meet a God-fearing woman, oh, she's not my

00:47:13.500 --> 00:47:13.860
 type.

00:47:16.239 --> 00:47:18.119
 God's word says she should be your type.

00:47:18.119 --> 00:47:24.159
 A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

00:47:25.920 --> 00:47:30.639
 Let's be a church that praises women for their wisdom, for their fear of the

00:47:30.639 --> 00:47:33.719
 Lord, and not merely for the way they look.

00:47:39.579 --> 00:47:44.339
 Let's be a church where women gain attention and respect not because of the

00:47:44.339 --> 00:47:47.059
 way they look, but because of their wisdom.

00:47:48.119 --> 00:47:58.920
 Speaking of praise, verses 28 to 31 conclude this poem by speaking of the

00:47:58.920 --> 00:48:02.980
 excellent wife's wage, her reward, her praise.

00:48:03.980 --> 00:48:04.500
 It says,

00:48:04.500 --> 00:48:29.860
 There's a wonderful reciprocation going on from the first part of this passage to the end.

00:48:29.860 --> 00:48:34.340
 this acrostic began with the question, an excellent wife who can find.

00:48:36.420 --> 00:48:38.240
 And it ends with the commendation.

00:48:38.760 --> 00:48:40.320
 Many women have done excellently.

00:48:40.460 --> 00:48:40.960
 Same word.

00:48:41.360 --> 00:48:42.680
 But you surpassed them all.

00:48:43.720 --> 00:48:47.340
 Because of his wife, the man was honored at the gates in verse 23.

00:48:47.840 --> 00:48:52.940
 And now this same man praises his wife at the gates in verse 31.

00:48:52.940 --> 00:48:57.380
 This woman rose to provide for her family in verse 15.

00:48:57.619 --> 00:49:01.880
 And now her family rises up and calls her blessed in verse 28.

00:49:02.400 --> 00:49:06.619
 She spent the fruit of her hands for the sake of her family in verse 16.

00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:10.700
 And now she receives the fruit of her hands in verse 31.

00:49:10.699 --> 00:49:19.219
 Due to the self-effacing nature of her role, the valiant wife might not get widespread recognition.

00:49:20.500 --> 00:49:26.739
 But her husband and her children rise up and call her blessed.

00:49:26.739 --> 00:49:33.799
 And there's a note of hope in that relative obscurity also.

00:49:35.059 --> 00:49:38.839
 Because Jesus teaches us in Matthew chapter 6 verses 1 to 4

00:49:38.839 --> 00:49:45.879
 that those whose good works are seen and praised by others have already received their reward.

00:49:46.819 --> 00:49:53.319
 But that those whose good works are not seen by men will be rewarded by our Heavenly Father.

00:49:53.320 --> 00:50:00.620
 The good that the wife does might not receive the recognition that it deserves.

00:50:01.200 --> 00:50:05.039
 It might not get the recognition that her husband's good works do.

00:50:05.660 --> 00:50:12.120
 But what is not rewarded here on earth will be rewarded more richly by our Heavenly Father.

00:50:13.240 --> 00:50:19.440
 And the valiant wife, the worthy wife who fears the Lord lives with that eternal perspective.

00:50:19.440 --> 00:50:26.159
 What man in his right mind would not marry such a woman?

00:50:27.720 --> 00:50:33.480
 But what fool would marry a woman who cares nothing for the man but only about herself?

00:50:34.860 --> 00:50:38.039
 What fool would marry a woman who would repeatedly cheat on him?

00:50:39.420 --> 00:50:45.679
 What fool would marry a woman who makes no provision for the future but lives only for instant gratification?

00:50:45.679 --> 00:50:50.960
 What fool would marry a woman who would do no good to him but only harm?

00:50:53.019 --> 00:50:59.319
 What kind of a fool would marry a woman who incurs only loss and brings no gain to her household?

00:51:00.259 --> 00:51:02.119
 You know what the answer to that question is?

00:51:04.599 --> 00:51:09.519
 Only our God whose foolishness is wiser than men.

00:51:09.519 --> 00:51:15.699
 Only our God who chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.

00:51:16.219 --> 00:51:19.960
 Only our God who chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

00:51:20.340 --> 00:51:24.519
 Only our God who chose what is low and despised in the world,

00:51:24.780 --> 00:51:28.440
 even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

00:51:28.980 --> 00:51:31.820
 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

00:51:32.059 --> 00:51:36.719
 Only he would court and betroth himself to such a woman.

00:51:36.719 --> 00:51:39.379
 Because that's exactly what he did.

00:51:40.079 --> 00:51:46.000
 Throughout the Old Testament, God describes himself as the husband or bridegroom of his chosen people.

00:51:46.619 --> 00:51:48.599
 It says in Isaiah 54 verse 5,

00:51:48.679 --> 00:51:51.319
 For your maker is your husband.

00:51:52.299 --> 00:51:54.939
 God says to his people in Hosea chapter 2 verse 19,

00:51:55.039 --> 00:51:58.799
 And I will betroth you to me forever.

00:52:00.179 --> 00:52:05.500
 Though we had only been a foolish woman with no potential or promise,

00:52:05.500 --> 00:52:09.480
 God repeatedly courts us despite our unfaithfulness.

00:52:10.360 --> 00:52:12.840
 And in his final overture,

00:52:13.280 --> 00:52:15.800
 Jesus Christ, the Son of God himself,

00:52:16.400 --> 00:52:18.619
 comes to redeem us, his bride.

00:52:19.480 --> 00:52:22.119
 It says in Ephesians 5, 25 to 27,

00:52:22.260 --> 00:52:26.679
 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church

00:52:26.679 --> 00:52:29.000
 and gave himself up for her,

00:52:29.360 --> 00:52:31.059
 that he might sanctify her,

00:52:31.400 --> 00:52:34.300
 having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

00:52:34.300 --> 00:52:37.440
 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor,

00:52:37.600 --> 00:52:39.900
 without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,

00:52:40.360 --> 00:52:43.640
 that she might be holy and without blemish.

00:52:44.780 --> 00:52:46.700
 Jesus, the wisdom of God,

00:52:47.240 --> 00:52:49.700
 paid the price of our folly on the cross.

00:52:50.560 --> 00:52:53.120
 And it's by this scandalous grace,

00:52:53.720 --> 00:52:56.480
 this wonderful folly of Christ crucified,

00:52:56.960 --> 00:52:58.280
 that we are saved.

00:52:58.280 --> 00:53:01.700
 In and of ourselves,

00:53:01.820 --> 00:53:04.600
 we do not have the power to be the kind of man

00:53:04.600 --> 00:53:07.140
 or the kind of woman we should be.

00:53:07.620 --> 00:53:09.680
 But when we trust in Christ

00:53:09.680 --> 00:53:11.660
 and submit ourselves to him

00:53:11.660 --> 00:53:13.340
 as our Lord,

00:53:13.620 --> 00:53:14.580
 as our husband,

00:53:15.580 --> 00:53:17.260
 he sanctifies us.

00:53:18.420 --> 00:53:20.100
 And he will one day

00:53:20.100 --> 00:53:22.060
 present us to himself

00:53:22.060 --> 00:53:23.400
 as a bride

00:53:23.400 --> 00:53:26.000
 without spot or wrinkle

00:53:26.000 --> 00:53:27.280
 or any such thing.

00:53:32.460 --> 00:53:33.500
 Please take a moment

00:53:33.500 --> 00:53:34.559
 to reflect on this truth.

00:53:36.840 --> 00:53:38.719
 How is the Lord,

00:53:39.219 --> 00:53:40.079
 your bridegroom,

00:53:40.179 --> 00:53:41.579
 calling you to greater allegiance

00:53:41.579 --> 00:53:42.619
 and submission to him?

00:53:45.039 --> 00:53:46.940
 As you ask yourself that question,

00:53:47.239 --> 00:53:48.260
 take a few moments

00:53:48.260 --> 00:53:50.000
 and then we're going to respond together by...