The Virtuous Wife- Lesson Eleven

"Your word is a map unto my feet, and light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

Good morning! Let's seek the Lord in prayer.......

Father, I am so thankful to You today for so many things like my health, my marriage, my son. I pray, Lord, that you will once again teach us Your precepts this day and strengthen us through Your word. Oh how we love Your law! It is our meditation all the day. Help make us wiser through Your commandments. Make us wiser than our enemy.

I pray for forgiveness of sin this morning. I seek Your forgiveness. I ask that You purge me of my sin with Your hyssop and make me new again so I can hear from You this day. I know that You created to be known because knowing You is the greatest good for Your creation. I pray that through this study I will learn more about You.

In Jesus' name...Amen.

*****************

Today's passage: Prov. 31:18 "She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night."

The Virtuous Wife lives in harmony with God's covenant. She has blessings (provisions), protection (her husband), and is in God's presence.

Understanding all this is what makes her a Virtuous Wife. The sooner we begin to understand this is the sooner we get closer to being a Virtuous Woman too.

Please read:

Prov. 13:9

Notice one light rejoices while the other will be put out. Which one do you want for your home?

Prov. 10:27

What does it mean here by "fear of the Lord"?

The Virtuous Wife "perceives that her merchandise is good" because she is a good business woman.

Let's look at another business woman who served the Lord:

Acts 16:11-15

Where was prayer "customarily made"?

What did Lydia do?

Where was she from?

Please read:

Rev 1:11

Rev 2:18 & 24

Here we see she was from a city that had some believers but was corrupt. She is labled here as a worshipped in God. Did that make her "saved"?

She is now in Philippi.....

"The city of Philippi was named for Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. One reason for its importance is that it lay on the main road between the eastern provinces and Rome. A Roman colony populated in part by retired Roman soldiers, its inhabitants enjoyed the privileges of Roman citizenship. The absence of Old Testament quotations and Jewish names in the letter indicates that the church of Philippi was largely Gentile" (New Geneva Study Bible, 1995, commentary).

We see that she is now in a popular Gentile city where the church was growing yet facing assaults and opposition. We can see how it would be hard to be a believer there.

Please re-read:

Acts 16:14

What happened to her heart?

Luke 24:44-45

What does the Lord do to our hearts in order for us to hear Him?

Mark 9:7

Do you think it is important to "hear Him"?

Continue reading....

Acts 16:15

How was Lydia and her household changed once she heard the "things spoken by Paul"?

How did Lydia respond?

Lydia came from Thyatira, a city in Asia Minor. They were known for wool and dying of fabrics. Purple was an expensive dye used. The fact that she was a "seller of Purple" indicates she had a good business there in Philippi among Roman citizens. (New Geneva Study Bible, 1995, commentary)

Acts 16:20-40

Was it risky for the jailer to be saved as a Roman guard?

Was it risky to have Paul come into his house?

What about Lydia? Was it risky to have the brethren in her house? Could it have harmed her business dealings with Roman Citizens?

We learn here about the Virtuous Woman, Lydia, who perceived her merchandise was good (material things) as well as the good of worshipping the Lord (eternal things). She did not let her lamp go out at night in that she welcomed Paul and the brethren into her home at some risk to her and her family.

The Virtuous Wife of Prov. 31:18 also does the same thing. Jewish custom was that if you could provide a bed for a stranger, then your light stayed on at night. Also, this verse could imply that she was so diligent in her work that she worked at night.

**************

Life Application

Now that we have seen two Women of Virtue with similar characteristics in scripture, how are we to apply what we have learned?

Please read:

Deut. 5:16

What benefit is there in honoring the Lord's commandments?

Prov. 1:7

Prov. 9:10

What benefit is there in fearing the Lord?

Prov. 2:20

Prov 3:1-2

By remembering that we have a Covenant with God, we can have provisions, protection, and presence with the Lord. Remember Noah? How God "shut them in" ?

If we heed the word of the Lord, we too can have that wisdom and understanding of what His covenant is with us.

Perceive that your merchandise is good: both the material and the eternal. Then do not let your lamp go out by night: be willing and able to serve the Lord at all times. Be willing to do your work throughout the night if need be.

Be willing to take that risk of persecution (loss of friends, rejection of family, hurt feelings, possible legal implications....) for the Lord:

Please read:

Matt 5:11

Be willing to let your light shine:

Matt 5:14-16

Knowing that the word of the Lord is our lamp and our light.

Psalm 119:105

Until next time...........

"After all, the Word of God is designed to lead us to God, so thinking on His truth will mean being in a closer relationship with Him. As we walk closely with Him, we will also experience His power in our life; power that can lift us out of the depths of defeat, discouragement, despair, doubt, and depression and enable us to better deal with the challenges that come our way. With our thoughts based on the Word and Person of God and, therefore, our heart drawn closer to Him, we will find strength, hope, joy, faith, and peace of heart, soul, and mind."

-Elizabeth George, Loving God With All Your Mind, 1994, p. 23

Blessings,

Ruth