The Place of No Return

Since October of 1989 I have made it my daily practice to begin my day by reading a chapter of Proverbs. I read the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month. It was on October 2, some years ago, that I was reading Proverbs chapter 2 as I sat in the early morning coolness on my back deck. Then, a thought captured my mind.

As I read my Proverb for the day, I came to the passage of Proverbs 2:16-19. Although I had read this portion of the Scriptures countless times, the first phrase of verse 19 leapt off of the page at me.  “None that go unto her return again…” This is a strongly disconcerting thought. It is disconcerting because of the untold thousands of men who have been swept to their eternal doom and destruction because of the “strange” woman.

This reminds me of some of the old scary movies from the days of my childhood.  In those movies, there would be an entrance way marked with a sign that would say something akin to, “Beware all ye who would enter it, for none dare ever return again.”  Yet, for some reason, those in the movie always felt compelled to enter in. Of course, the hero or heroine of the movie would prove the dire warning to be untrue, for they would emerge victorious at the end of the movie.

Likewise, there are many today who count the warning of Scripture to be nothing more than a scare tactic of God, to keep man from his fun. Oh, how wrong they are! The entrance ramp to the highway of sexual promiscuity is clearly marked with this warning sign…”None that go unto her return again” (emphasis added). “None.”  It did not say “few,” or “not many.” It said “None.”

As I begin to walk through the corridors of my hall of memory, I can recall the names of men who have disregarded this solemn warning. These are men who have given themselves to the pleasures of brief moments of satisfaction. They have been lured by the charm of the “strange woman” with her flattering lips (Proverbs 2:16; 7:21), fancy lips (Proverbs 7:13), and fluttering eyes (Proverbs 6:25). They are deceived by her outward beauty (Proverbs 6:25). Yet, the Word of God is plain. Her house is the house of death (Proverbs 2:18), her ways lead to death (Proverbs 2:18; 7:27). These men have blindly followed her path and have given their soul to that which will damn for all eternity.

This “strange” woman is not a woman of peculiar looks, or worldly actions. Rather, the term “strange” implies a “woman not belonging to you.” In other words, men are destroyed because they fail to permit God to give them the woman of His choice. They are not satisfied with the plan of God.  They are not content to give themselves to chastity and holiness. Rather, they acquiesce to the desires of the flesh, and seek fulfillment in the fleeting pleasures of the immoral lifestyle.

Thus, men willingly risk their souls when they “go unto her.” They enter into a one-way avenue that, according to the verse, has no return lane.  The latter part of the verse provides an equally disturbing thought…”neither take they hold of the paths of life.” Here is seen a cause and effect relationship. A man cannot pursue lustful fulfillment and walk in the path of life at the same time. They are mutually exclusive. Once men “go unto her,” they lose all desire and/or ability to “take hold” of the “paths of life.”  The Hebrew word translated “paths” communicates more than simply direction. It speaks of the “manner of life.” It is impossible to live two lifestyles.

Therefore, men must deliberately and carefully chose their ways. The choices are two…”go unto her” or choose the “paths of life.”  Right or wrong…Spiritual or carnal…Eternal or temporal.