Proverbs A Matter of Life and Death

Lesson #3 for January 17, 2015

Scriptures: [Matthew 5:21-30; Proverbs 6:21,23-24,30-31; 7:2-3,26-27].[i]

1.    How many issues do we face each day which are a matter of life and death? What about driving on the freeway? Some of Satan’s most successful temptations involve desires and appetites which God has given us and which are natural but which Satan has perverted.

2.    Read Matthew 5:21-30ii. These words from Jesus are simply an in-depth expansion of Proverbs 6 and 7. The issue of how men and women should relate to each other is illustrated well by how Jesus related to people in His day. He was so gracious even to flagrant sinners. (See John 4:5-42; 8:1-11.)iii Jesus was breaking down barriers. And He felt comfortable talking to the woman at the well of Samaria. To understand how incredible this was in contrast to the thinking in His day, consider these words from Barclay’s commentary.

But there was still another way in which Jesus was taking down the barriers. The Samaritan was a woman. The strict Rabbis forbade a Rabbi to greet a woman in public. A Rabbi might not even speak to his own wife or daughter or sister in public. There were even Pharisees who were called “the bruised and bleeding Pharisees” because they shut their eyes when they saw a woman on the street and so walked into walls and houses! For a Rabbi to be seen speaking to a woman in public was the end of his reputation-and yet Jesus spoke to this woman. Not only was she a woman; she was also a woman of notorious character. No decent man, let alone a Rabbi, would have been seen in her company, or even exchanging a word with her-and yet Jesus spoke to her.—Barclay, W. (Ed.). (1975). The Gospel of John (Vol. 1, p. 151). Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster John Knox Press.

3.    What the Pharisees did in private was very different from how they wanted themselves to be seen in public. How did they trap the woman in John 8:1-11? What did Jesus write?

4.    We all know and understand the fact that the law defines sin. (See Exodus 20:3-17iv [the Ten Commandments]; [1 John 3:4; Romans 2:14; 7:7; 14:23; James 4:17.)][v] Proverbs and Jeremiah 31:31-34 suggest that just as God wrote His law on tables of stone, He wants to write His law on our hearts. What does it mean to write God’s law on our hearts? Read Christ’s Object Lessons 69.1; 97.3; and Desire of Ages 668.3. If we could reach these standards, wouldn’t that represent having the law written on our hearts?

5.    Read Proverbs 6:21; 7:3vi in one of the more traditional translations. Compare Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 17:14-20.vii How different would their story had been if the Israelites had followed that advice from Deuteronomy? Jews, Muslims, and Christians have taken this idea and worn symbols of their beliefs around their necks, around their arms, and even on their foreheads. Crucifixes, phylacteries, and prayer beads are not going to save anyone. These ideas were to be taken symbolically to mean that just as the neck and throat are the means by which we take in nourishment and air, the eyes and the ears should be guarded against taking wrong things into our brains.

6.    It is very interesting to notice that at one point, a cross was a symbol of incredible shame-the result of being killed as a traitor to the Roman government. Today, it is recognized by Christians as a proud symbol of adherence to the principles of the gospel.

7.    So, our challenge in this lesson is to find ways that we can write God’s laws on our minds and hearts so as to avoid some of Satan’s most pervasive temptations. Proverbs suggests that we can do that by keeping the law ever before us. It is like a light (Proverbs 6:23; Psalm 119:105)viii that is to guide us every day throughout our lives. There are some incredible examples in the

Bible of people who unswervingly obeyed God’s directions for their lives despite imminent threats for doing so. Consider the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as recorded in Daniel 3 and Daniel’s own experience in the den of lions as recorded in Daniel 6ix. Did Joseph have any idea what would happen to him when he rejected the advances of Potiphar’s wife? (Genesis 3[x]9; Patriarchs and Prophets 218.1xi)

8.    What is the “apple of the eye”? (Proverbs 7:2xii) Surely, we protect our eyes more carefully than any other part of our body because they are so delicate. We should be just as cautious in avoiding sin.

9.    Many young people living in our day would consider the advice provided in Proverbs 6 and 7 as a way to kill a lot of fun in life. Why do so many people think that sinning is fun? (Hebrews 11:24-25xiii) Notice this interesting paragraph from the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, page 25.

When a religious person is tempted, the greatest temptation is to find a religious reason to justify the iniquity. Using God to rationalize bad behavior is not only a terrible form of blasphemy-it’s powerfully deceptive. After all, if someone thinks that “God is with me,” then what can you say in reply? This can happen even in cases of adultery. “God has shown me that this [man or woman] is the one I should be with.” If that’s what they believe, who or what can trump what “God” has shown them? [Brackets and content in brackets above are in the original.]

10.    No doubt, Satan will use every conceivable attraction that he can dream up to tempt us to sin. Could spiritual reasons ever be used to give us excuses for moral improprieties? Fortunately, God’s law is not negotiable. It is simple, straightforward, and universally applicable.

11.    Why do you think Proverbs 6:30-31xiv, dealing with stealing, follows immediately after Proverbs 6:24-29, dealing with adultery? Is there a relationship between stealing and adultery? Is it more than just the fact that when we violate one of God’s commandments and recognize that we are out of compliance, then it is easier to sin in another way?

12.    Notice these incredible words from Ellen White.

The strongest bulwark of vice in our world is not the iniquitous life of the abandoned sinner or the degraded outcast; it is that life which otherwise appears virtuous, honorable, and noble, but in which one sin is fostered, one vice indulged. . . . He who, endowed with high conceptions of life and truth and honor, does yet willfully transgress one precept of God’s holy law, has perverted his noble gifts into a lure to sin.—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 150.2; MB 94.2-95.1.

13.    In light of Proverbs 6:30-31, is it justified for a person to steal if he is starving? Why do some translations approached this passage very differently? (Compare Exodus 22:1-4xv; Deuteronomy 15:7-8.xvi) Of course, the Deuteronomy passage points out that we should help those who are in need.

14.    And then the passage goes back to talking about adultery. (Proverbs 6:32-35xvii) Is the most dangerous thing about adultery that if the husband finds out about it, he becomes angry? Is the most dangerous aspect of sin that if God finds out about it, He becomes angry?

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” This commandment forbids not only acts of impurity, but sensual thoughts and desires, or any practice that tends to excite them. Purity is demanded not only in the outward life but in the secret intents and emotions of the heart. Christ, who taught the far-reaching obligation of the law of God, declared the evil thought or look to be as truly sin as is the unlawful deed.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 308.6-7.

15.    What is an “evil thought or look”? In our world of sensual advertisements, is it possible to avoid temptation? We live in a world steeped in and awash in sin. What does it take to convince us that sin is deadly? Why is it attractive and pleasant? Has Satan hijacked good things designed by God to promote his agenda? Aren’t men and women supposed to be attracted to each other? If not, would there be any marriages?

16.    When you are tempted to sin, do you think about the fact that it might result in death? (Romans 6:23xviii) If you could spend a full 24-hour period watching the most popular channels on television, you would probably see hundreds of examples of adultery and other related iniquities. There are very few products today that are not advertised using sex appeal.

17.    But, Proverbs 7:6-23xix tells us the true story. The adulterer is walking blindly into a trap, and he certainly is not thinking clearly at that moment.

18.    We do not know when this passage in the book of Proverbs was actually written. Was it before Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines? Were those 1000 women in constant competition for his attention? Is that what led to his writing this passage in Scripture?

19.    In a larger sense, surely this enticing woman represents temptation in all its forms. “The righteousness of Christ will not cover one cherished sin.” (Christ’s Object Lessons 316.2) “If one sin is cherished in the soul, or one wrong practice retained in the life, the whole being is contaminated. The man becomes an instrument of unrighteousness.” (Desire of Ages 313.1)

Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. The prevalence of a sinful desire shows the delusion of the soul. Every indulgence of that desire strengthens the soul’s aversion to God. The pains of duty and the pleasures of sin are the cords with which Satan binds men in his snares. Those who would rather die than perform a wrong act are the only ones who will be found faithful. 5Testimonies 53.2. See also Steps to Christ 34.1. [Bold type is added.]

20.    The Bible illustrates the fact that some very important people have fallen to temptation. Some of the giants in the Bible have fallen hard for sin. Think of David and Solomon. And what about Saul who had been given a new heart by God? Our only safety is carefully following God’s law.

Satan offers to men the kingdoms of the world if they will yield to him the supremacy. Many do this and sacrifice heaven. It is better to die than to sin; better to want than to defraud; better to hunger than to lie. Let all who are tempted meet Satan with these words: “Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” Here is a condition and a promise which will be unmistakably realized. Happiness and prosperity will be the result of serving the Lord.—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 495.1; CC 119.6; LDE 142.2.

Choose poverty, reproach, separation from friends, or any suffering rather than to defile the soul with sin. Death before dishonor or the transgression of God’s law should be the motto of every Christian. As a people professing to be reformers, treasuring the most solemn, purifying truths of God’s word, we must elevate the standard far higher than it is at the present time.—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 147.1; CH 626.2; MYP 80.2.

21.    Christians should all know that our continual focus of attention should be on Jesus Christ. Focusing on one’s sins is a deadly trap because by beholding we become changed. (GC 555; 2 Corinthians 3:18) In whatever form it takes, sin must be avoided.

22.    Do some of these quotations sound like fanaticism? If we believe God’s Word and try to follow it precisely, are we falling into legalism?

23.    Do we really believe that sinning leads to death? What is the relationship between God’s character of love and His law? If God is infinitely forgiving, do we really need to worry about obeying His law? Won’t He always forgive our transgressions? In your daily Christian life, have you found that following God’s directions leads to the most happiness? Are God’s rules always for our best good? Proverbs 6 and 7 are explicit about the dangers of adultery.

24.    Considering that the average American male aged 25-44 has had 6.1 sexual partners and the average American female of those ages has had 3.6, this is a serious issue. How many Americans would still be alive if we enforced the rules in [Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22]xx? Do we really believe that God has our ultimate happiness in mind? Do we really believe that His ideas are what is best for us?

25.    As parents, do we clearly live out God’s principles before our children? Parents must live exemplary lives in order to be good examples to their children. “Do as I say and not as I do” does not work very well. People learn by repetition. “Repetitio est mater studiorum.” (A Latin proverb)

26.    God’s law is described as a lamp, a light, and a way of life. (Proverbs 4:23xxi) How does God create a clean heart within us? (Psalm 51:10; Jeremiah 31:31-34)

27.    The Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, page 38 says:

Putting a clean heart within us is a miracle of God’s creative power (Ps. 51:10xxii).

To receive it, we must acknowledge our weakness and accept the forgiveness and moral cleansing that God offers through Jesus Christ (Psalm 51, Jer. 31:34; 1 John 1:7-9)xxiii. God transforms us, making us new people through His Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8, Titus 3:4-7)xxiv.

28.    By beholding we become changed. (See #21 above.) If parents are sinning (and who does not), how are they to be good examples for their children? Would it be fair for our children to say to us, “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say”?

29.    Consider the following words about how temptation works.

It can be desirable to the ears and mind (Prov. 6:24; 7:21xxv), to the eyes (6:25xxvi), to one’s appetite for food (7:14xxvii, here sacrificial meat eaten at home by the offerer; compare Lev. 7:16xxviii), to fulfill a desire for companionship (Prov. 7:15xxix), to satisfy a yearning for touch (vs. 16xxx), and can appeal to one’s sense of smell (vs. 17xxxi) and sexual appetite (vs. 18xxxii). Of themselves, these are good desires that God has given. But temptations are effective, because they present attractive ways to fulfill them by violating the boundaries that God has established for our protection (James 1:14, 15; Gen. 3:6; 1 John 2:16)xxxiii. By appealing to several desires and offering assurance that there is no danger (Prov. 7:19, 20xxxiv; compare food and sex in Num. 25:1, 2; Rev. 2:14)xxxv, Proverbs 7 illustrates how strong temptations can be. (Ibid. 39)

30.    What sins are attractive to each one of us? Why do they attract us? Why are they dangerous?

31.    It does no good to claim, “The Devil made me do it!” Sin is a choice that we do not have to make. God will provide a way of escape. (1 Corinthians 10:13xxxvi)

32.    Do the standards suggested by this lesson seem impossibly high to you? Jesus certainly experienced more temptations than we will ever realize. That does not make it any easier. But, He has promised to help us. What can we learn from the wise counsel in this lesson to help us live better lives, closer to Jesus, and prepare ourselves for the coming kingdom?

© 2014, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.

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Last Modified: December 21, 2014

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i-Matthew 5:21 "You have heard that people were told in the past, "Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.' 22 But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother "You good-for-nothing!' you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell. 23 So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God. 25 "If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you will be turned over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail. 26 There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine. 27 "You have heard that it was said, "Do not commit adultery.' 28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell

Proverbs 6:21 Keep their words with you always, locked in your heart 23 Their instructions are a shining light; their correction can teach you how to live. 24 It can keep you away from bad women, from the seductive words of other men's wives. 30 People don't despise a thief if he steals food when he is hungry; 31 yet if he is caught, he must pay back seven times more - he must give up everything he has.

7:2 Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes. 3 Keep my teaching with you all the time; write it on your heart. 26 She has been the ruin of many men and caused the death of too many to count. 27 If you go to her house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a shortcut to death.

ii-Matthew 5:21 "You have heard that people were told in the past, "Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.' 22 But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother "You good-for-nothing!' you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell. 23 So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God. 25 "If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you will be turned over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail. 26 There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine. 27 "You have heard that it was said, "Do not commit adultery.' 28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell.

iii-John 4:5 In Samaria he came to a town named Sychar, which was not far from the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by the trip, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 (A Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink of water. 8 His disciples had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman answered, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan - so how can you ask me for a drink?" (Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.) 10 Jesus answered, "If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you life-giving water." 11 "Sir," the woman said, "you don't have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where would you get that life-giving water? 12 It was our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well; he and his children and his flocks all drank from it. You don't claim to be greater than Jacob, do you?" 13 Jesus answered, "Those who drink this water will get thirsty again, 14 but those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring which will provide them with life-giving water and give them eternal life." 15 "Sir," the woman said, "give me that water! Then I will never be thirsty again, nor will I have to come here to draw water." 16 "Go and call your husband," Jesus told her, "and come back." 17 "I don't have a husband," she answered. Jesus replied, "You are right when you say you don't have a husband. 18 You have been married to five men, and the man you live with now is not really your husband. You have told me the truth." 19 "I see you are a prophet, sir," the woman said. 20 "My Samaritan ancestors worshiped God on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where we should worship God." 21 Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans do not really know whom you worship; but we Jews know whom we worship, because it is from the Jews that salvation comes. 23 But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God's Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants. 24 God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah will come, and when he comes, he will tell us everything." 26 Jesus answered, "I am he, I who am talking with you." 27 At that moment Jesus' disciples returned, and they were greatly surprised to find him talking with a woman. But none of them said to her, "What do you want?" or asked him, "Why are you talking with her?" 28 Then the woman left her water jar, went back to the town, and said to the people there, 29 "Come and see the man who told me everything I have ever done. Could he be the Messiah?" 30 So they left the town and went to Jesus. 31 In the meantime the disciples were begging Jesus, "Teacher, have something to eat!" 32 But he answered, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33 So the disciples started asking among themselves, "Could somebody have brought him food?" 34 "My food," Jesus said to them, "is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do. 35 You have a saying, "Four more months and then the harvest.' But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! 36 The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. 37 For the saying is true, "Someone plants, someone else reaps.' 38 I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work." 39 Many of the Samaritans in that town believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I have ever done." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them, and Jesus stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of his message, 42 and they told the woman, "We believe now, not because of what you said, but because we ourselves have heard him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world."

8:1 [Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. 4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" 6 They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her." 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. 10 He straightened up and said to her, "Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?" 11 "No one, sir," she answered. "Well, then," Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again."]

iv-Exodus 20:3 "Worship no god but me. 4 "Do not make for yourselves images of anything in heaven or on earth or in the water under the earth. 5 Do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the Lord your God and I tolerate no rivals. I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation. 6 But I show my love to thousands of generations of those who love me and obey my laws. 7 "Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the Lord your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name. 8 "Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. 9 You have six days in which to do your work, 10 but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work - neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. 11 In six days I, the Lord, made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That is why I, the Lord, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy. 12 "Respect your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that I am giving you. 13 "Do not commit murder. 14 "Do not commit adultery. 15 "Do not steal. 16 "Do not accuse anyone falsely. 17 "Do not desire another man's house; do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns."

v-1 John 3:4 Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God's law, because sin is a breaking of the law

Romans 2:14 The Gentiles do not have the Law; but whenever they do by instinct what the Law commands, they are their own law, even though they do not have the Law.

7:7 Shall we say, then, that the Law itself is sinful? Of course not! But it was the Law that made me know what sin is. If the Law had not said, "Do not desire what belongs to someone else," I would not have known such a desire.

14:23 But if they have doubts about what they eat, God condemns them when they eat it, because their action is not based on faith. And anything that is not based on faith is sin.

James 4:17 So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin.

vi-Proverbs 6:21 Keep their words with you always, locked in your heart.

7:3 Keep my teaching with you all the time; write it on your heart.

vii-Deuteronomy 6:4 "Israel, remember this! The Lord - and the Lord alone - is our God. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 Never forget these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. 8 Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.

17:14 "After you have taken possession of the land that the Lord your God is going to give you and have settled there, then you will decide you need a king like all the nations around you. 15 Be sure that the man you choose to be king is the one whom the Lord has chosen. He must be one of your own people; do not make a foreigner your king. 16 The king is not to have a large number of horses for his army, and he is not to send people to Egypt to buy horses, because the Lord has said that his people are never to return there. 17 The king is not to have many wives, because this would make him turn away from the Lord; and he is not to make himself rich with silver and gold. 18 When he becomes king, he is to have a copy of the book of God's laws and teachings made from the original copy kept by the levitical priests. 19 He is to keep this book near him and read from it all his life, so that he will learn to honor the Lord and to obey faithfully everything that is commanded in it. 20 This will keep him from thinking that he is better than other Israelites and from disobeying the Lord's commands in any way. Then he will reign for many years, and his descendants will rule Israel for many generations.

viii-Proverbs 6:23 Their instructions are a shining light; their correction can teach you how to live.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.

ix-Daniel 6:1 Darius decided to appoint a hundred and twenty governors to hold office throughout his empire. 2 In addition, he chose Daniel and two others to supervise the governors and to look after the king's interests. 3 Daniel soon showed that he could do better work than the other supervisors or the governors. Because he was so outstanding, the king considered putting him in charge of the whole empire. 4 Then the other supervisors and the governors tried to find something wrong with the way Daniel administered the empire, but they couldn't, because Daniel was reliable and did not do anything wrong or dishonest. 5 They said to each other, "We are not going to find anything of which to accuse Daniel unless it is something in connection with his religion." 6 So they went to see the king and said, "King Darius, may Your Majesty live forever! 7 All of us who administer your empire - the supervisors, the governors, the lieutenant governors, and the other officials - have agreed that Your Majesty should issue an order and enforce it strictly. Give orders that for thirty days no one be permitted to request anything from any god or from any human being except from Your Majesty. Anyone who violates this order is to be thrown into a pit filled with lions. 8 So let Your Majesty issue this order and sign it, and it will be in force, a law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed." 9 And so King Darius signed the order. 10 When Daniel learned that the order had been signed, he went home. In an upstairs room of his house there were windows that faced toward Jerusalem. There, just as he had always done, he knelt down at the open windows and prayed to God three times a day. 11 When Daniel's enemies observed him praying to God, 12 all of them went together to the king to accuse Daniel. They said, "Your Majesty, you signed an order that for the next thirty days anyone who requested anything from any god or from any human being except you, would be thrown into a pit filled with lions." The king replied, "Yes, that is a strict order, a law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed." 13 Then they said to the king, "Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, does not respect Your Majesty or obey the order you issued. He prays regularly three times a day." 14 When the king heard this, he was upset and did his best to find some way to rescue Daniel. He kept trying until sunset. 15 Then Daniel's enemies came back to the king and said to him, "Your Majesty knows that according to the laws of the Medes and Persians no order which the king issues can be changed." 16 So the king gave orders for Daniel to be taken and thrown into the pit filled with lions. He said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve so loyally, rescue you." 17 A stone was put over the mouth of the pit, and the king placed his own royal seal and the seal of his noblemen on the stone, so that no one could rescue Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to the palace and spent a sleepless night, without food or any form of entertainment. 19 At dawn the king got up and hurried to the pit. 20 When he got there, he called out anxiously, "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was the God you serve so loyally able to save you from the lions?" 21 Daniel answered, "May Your Majesty live forever! 22 God sent his angel to shut the mouths of the lions so that they would not hurt me. He did this because he knew that I was innocent and because I have not wronged you, Your Majesty." 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders for Daniel to be pulled up out of the pit. So they pulled him up and saw that he had not been hurt at all, for he trusted God. 24 Then the king gave orders to arrest all those who had accused Daniel, and he had them thrown, together with their wives and children, into the pit filled with lions. Before they even reached the bottom of the pit, the lions pounced on them and broke all their bones. 25 Then King Darius wrote to the people of all nations, races, and languages on earth: "Greetings! 26 I command that throughout my empire everyone should fear and respect Daniel's God. "He is a living God, and he will rule forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his power will never come to an end. 27 He saves and rescues; he performs wonders and miracles in heaven and on earth. He saved Daniel from being killed by the lions." 28 Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

x-Genesis 39:1 Now the Ishmaelites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard. 2 The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master, 3 who saw that the Lord was with Joseph and had made him successful in everything he did. 4 Potiphar was pleased with him and made him his personal servant; so he put him in charge of his house and everything he owned. 5 From then on, because of Joseph the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian and everything that he had in his house and in his fields. 6 Potiphar turned over everything he had to the care of Joseph and did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Joseph was well-built and good-looking, 7 and after a while his master's wife began to desire Joseph and asked him to go to bed with her. 8 He refused and said to her, "Look, my master does not have to concern himself with anything in the house, because I am here. He has put me in charge of everything he has. 9 I have as much authority in this house as he has, and he has not kept back anything from me except you. How then could I do such an immoral thing and sin against God?" 10 Although she asked Joseph day after day, he would not go to bed with her. 11 But one day when Joseph went into the house to do his work, none of the house servants was there. 12 She caught him by his robe and said, "Come to bed with me." But he escaped and ran outside, leaving his robe in her hand. 13 When she saw that he had left his robe and had run out of the house, 14 she called to her house servants and said, "Look at this! This Hebrew that my husband brought to the house is insulting us. He came into my room and tried to rape me, but I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me scream, he ran outside, leaving his robe beside me." 16 She kept his robe with her until Joseph's master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: "That Hebrew slave that you brought here came into my room and insulted me. 18 But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his robe beside me." 19 Joseph's master was furious 20 and had Joseph arrested and put in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and blessed him, so that the jailer was pleased with him. 22 He put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and made him responsible for everything that was done in the prison. 23 The jailer did not have to look after anything for which Joseph was responsible, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him succeed in everything he did.

xi-Patriarchs and Prophets 218.1 Joseph gradually gained the confidence of the keeper of the prison, and was finally entrusted with the charge of all the prisoners. It was the part he acted in the prison—the integrity of his daily life and his sympathy for those who were in trouble and distress—that opened the way for his future prosperity and honor. Every ray of light that we shed upon others is reflected upon ourselves. Every kind and sympathizing word spoken to the sorrowful, every act to relieve the oppressed, and every gift to the needy, if prompted by a right motive, will result in blessings to the giver.{PP 218.3}

xii-Proverbs 7:2 Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes.

xiii-Hebrews 11:24 It was faith that made Moses, when he had grown up, refuse to be called the son of the king's daughter. 25 He preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while.

xiv-Proverbs 6:30 People don't despise a thief if he steals food when he is hungry; 31 yet if he is caught, he must pay back seven times more - he must give up everything he has.

xv-Exodus 22:1 "If someone steals a cow or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay five cows for one cow and four sheep for one sheep. 2 He must pay for what he stole. If he owns nothing, he shall be sold as a slave to pay for what he has stolen. If the stolen animal, whether a cow, a donkey, or a sheep, is found alive in his possession, he shall pay two for one. "If a thief is caught breaking into a house at night and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty of murder. But if it happens during the day, he is guilty of murder.

xvi-Deuteronomy 15:7 "If in any of the towns in the land that the Lord your God is giving you there are Israelites in need, then do not be selfish and refuse to help them. 8 Instead, be generous and lend them as much as they need.

xvii-Proverbs 6:32 But a man who commits adultery doesn't have any sense. He is just destroying himself. 33 He will be dishonored and beaten up; he will be permanently disgraced. 34 A husband is never angrier than when he is jealous; his revenge knows no limits. 35 He will not accept any payment; no amount of gifts will satisfy his anger.

xviii-Romans 6:23 For sin pays its wage - death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

xix-Proverbs 7:6 Once I was looking out the window of my house, 7 and I saw many inexperienced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular. 8 He was walking along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing near her house 9 in the evening after it was dark. 10 And then she met him; she was dressed like a prostitute and was making plans. 11 She was a bold and shameless woman who always walked the streets 12 or stood waiting at a corner, sometimes in the streets, sometimes in the marketplace. 13 She threw her arms around the young man, kissed him, looked him straight in the eye, and said, 14 "I made my offerings today and have the meat from the sacrifices. 15 So I came out looking for you. I wanted to find you, and here you are! 16 I've covered my bed with sheets of colored linen from Egypt. 17 I've perfumed it with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come on! Let's make love all night long. We'll be happy in each other's arms. 19 My husband isn't at home. He's on a long trip. 20 He took plenty of money with him and won't be back for two weeks." 21 So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk. 22 Suddenly he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap 23 where an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net - he did not know that his life was in danger.

xx-Leviticus 20:10 If a man commits adultery with the wife of an Israelite, both he and the woman shall be put to death.

Deuteronomy 22:22 "If a man is caught having intercourse with another man's wife, both of them are to be put to death. In this way you will get rid of this evil.

xxi-Proverbs 4:23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.

xxii-Ps. 51:10 Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.

xxiii-Psalm 51:1 Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love. Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins! 2 Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin! 3 I recognize my faults; I am always conscious of my sins. 4 I have sinned against you - only against you - and done what you consider evil. So you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me. 5 I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful. 6 Sincerity and truth are what you require; fill my mind with your wisdom. 7 Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; and though you have crushed me and broken me, I will be happy once again. 9 Close your eyes to my sins and wipe out all my evil. 10 Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence; do not take your holy spirit away from me. 12 Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach sinners your commands, and they will turn back to you. 14 Spare my life, O God, and save me, and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness. 15 Help me to speak, Lord, and I will praise you. 16 You do not want sacrifices, or I would offer them; you are not pleased with burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart. 18 O God, be kind to Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices and with our burnt offerings; and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.

Jer. 31:34:34 None of them will have to teach a neighbor to know the Lord, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the Lord, have spoken."

1 John 1:7 But if we live in the light - just as he is in the light - then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. 9 But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.

xxiv-John 3:3 Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again." 4 "How can a grown man be born again?" Nicodemus asked. "He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!" 5 "I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. 7 Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again. 8 The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, 5 he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us. 6 God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.

xxv-Prov. 6:24 It can keep you away from bad women, from the seductive words of other men's wives.

7:21 So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk.

xxvi-Prov. 6:25 Don't be tempted by their beauty; don't be trapped by their flirting eyes.

xxvii-7:14 You shall present one part of each kind of bread as a special contribution to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who takes the blood of the animal and throws it against the altar.

xxviii-Lev. 7:16 If you bring a fellowship offering as fulfillment of a vow or as your own freewill offering, not all of it has to be eaten on the day it is offered, but any that is left over may be eaten on the following day.

xxix-Prov. 7:15 The flesh of the animal must be eaten on the day it is sacrificed; none of it may be left until the next morning.

xxx-16 If you bring a fellowship offering as fulfillment of a vow or as your own freewill offering, not all of it has to be eaten on the day it is offered, but any that is left over may be eaten on the following day.

xxxi-17 Any meat that still remains on the third day must be burned.

xxxii-18 If any of it is eaten on the third day, God will not accept your offering. The offering will not be counted to your credit but will be considered unclean, and whoever eats it will suffer the consequences.

xxxiii-James 1:14 But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. 15 Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Gen. 3:6 The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it.

1 John 2:16 Everything that belongs to the world - what the sinful self desires, what people see and want, and everything in this world that people are so proud of - none of this comes from the Father; it all comes from the world.

xxxiv-Prov. 7:19 My husband isn't at home. He's on a long trip. 20 He took plenty of money with him and won't be back for two weeks."

xxxv-Num. 25:1 When the Israelites were camped at Acacia Valley, the men began to have sexual intercourse with the Moabite women who were there. 2 These women invited them to sacrificial feasts, where the god of Moab was worshiped. The Israelites ate the food and worshiped the god

Rev. 2:14 But there are a few things I have against you: there are some among you who follow the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak how to lead the people of Israel into sin by persuading them to eat food that had been offered to idols and to practice sexual immorality.

xxxvi-1 Corinthians 10:13 Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.

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