Reflections From The Proverbs: Spiritual Adultery

Spiritual Adultery

Proverbs Chapter Two:
16. It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,
17. Who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. NIV

At first glance one would think that this is simply a caution and call for marital faithfulness and moral purity. It is that I’m sure, but in addition, there is a bigger picture that God seems to be always looking at. That is man’s relationship to Him.

There are many passages that speak of spiritual prostitution. The unfaithfulness of God’s people to their God. In the book of Hosea chapter 5 starting with verse 3 it says: I know all about Ephraim; Israel is not hidden from me. Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution; Israel is corrupt. Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the Lord.

It is God’s desire to be our all in all. He wants and deserves to be acknowledged in all things. He wants to love and provide and shelter as a loving husband would. He wants to love and provide and shelter as a loving father would. The Old Testament records that His chosen ones turned to other gods and the one and only true God called it prostitution. He refers to Himself as a jealous God. He has no intention of sharing us with any other god.

In Exodus 34 God spoke to Moses when he went up on Mount Sinai to get the second set of commandments (after breaking the first set).12; Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is jealous, is a jealous God.

His great love and His infinite wisdom make the empty trappings of false gods seem so foolish. But the trouble is that we don’t stay focused on God’s love and wisdom. We can so easily get caught up in things that take God’s rightful place. When we pour ourselves into careers or entertainment and set God aside for some more convenient time, we are allowing something to become a god in our life. Earning more and having more or doing more, these are seductive voices calling to us all the time.

We downplay our priority choices. We find excuses for our choices. We can even justify them. We certainly don’t want to think of them as spiritual adultery. What is God’s view of our priorities, our choices. Does He watch our life and say, " There is a spirit of prostitution in your heart, you do not acknowledge the Lord."

I pray that we will be a people who understand that we offend God when we do not allow Him to be Lord. I pray that He will reveal to us areas where our hearts are turned towards something other than Him. I pray that He will help us to submit these areas to Him.