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“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly”

(Pro 31:1-11)

[Study Aired July 2, 2026]

Pro 31:1  The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
Pro 31:2  What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
Pro 31:3  Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Pro 31:4  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Pro 31:5  Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Pro 31:6  Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7  Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Pro 31:8  Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Pro 31:9  Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Pro 31:11  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

This last chapter of the book of proverbs starts off by contrasting the wine of Babylon that we were drunken on at first (Pro 31:4-5 , Rev 17:5-6), to then speak about the strong drink of God’s word which the elect are blessed to be able to partake of (Pro 31:6-7) in this age (Heb 5:14 , Heb 13:10).

Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Heb 5:14  But strong meat [strong drink] belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

These first few verses we will look at set the stage for what is required in the life of God’s children in order to bring forth the spiritual exploits that He has ordained for Christ’s wife from the foundation of the world (Eph 2:8-10 , Tit 3:7-8). Those exploits or spiritual works are discussed in the remainder of this chapter, in (Pro 31:12-31).

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Tit 3:8  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works (Pro 30:12-31). These things are good and profitable unto men.

Judgement is upon the body of Christ today (1Pe 4:17), and judgement in biblical parlance is found happening “in the gates”. The last verse of this 31st chapter of proverbs makes clear to us that God’s elect is His workmanship, and that it is God who is giving the increase to Christ’s bride (1Co 3:6) as He works in her both to will and to do of His good pleasure, which happens “in the gates” of our hearts and minds (Pro 31:31 , Php 2:12-13).

Pro 31:31  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

There is no greater honour that could be bestowed on anyone in this life than to be that wife, ordained and chosen by God the Father for His Son Jesus Christ (Joh 6:44). The ‘Proverbs 31 Woman’, as Christians have named this chapter, represents the spiritual fruit produced in the lives of those who are the Sons of God in this age, by the grace and faith of Christ (1Jn 3:1-2).

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace^G5485 and truth.

Luk 1:28  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured ^G5487,(Eph 1:6) the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Luk 1:29  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour^G5485 with God.

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted ^G5487 G2248 in the beloved.

Pro 31:1  The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

God’s elect belong to Him, and so we read of “Lemuel”^H3927 whose name means “for God” or “belonging to God” (1Co 6:19-20 , 1Pe 1:16-20).

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?(1Co 3:16-19)
1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1Pe 1:17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: (Heb 11:7)
1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:(Heb 10:29)
1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

“the prophecy that his mother taught him” represents the words  of encouragement that God’s elect are blessed to hold fast to in this age (Rev 1:3 , Rev 20:6 , Rev 2:25 , Rev 3:3) and are given from Jerusalem above the “mother” of us all (Gal 4:26 , Eph 3:10).

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev 2:25  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Pro 31:2  What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
Pro 31:3  Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

The admonition is for the elect, being called 1) “my son” and 2) “the son of my womb” and 3) “the son of my vows”, and describes what are “thy ways to that which destroyeth kings” in the verses that follow (Pro 31:4-11), reminding us of how king Solomon’s judgement (‘son’ mentioned 3 times) was eventually perverted by giving his strength unto women, “Give not thy strength unto women”, that represent the churches and false doctrines of this world.

This is an admonition for God’s elect reminding us that just because we are anointed and called “sons of my womb”, which represents the church, and just because we have tasted of the heavenly things of God’s word as “the son of my vows”(Heb 6:4-6), does not mean that we cannot be rejected if we cease from fearing God and stop keeping His commandments (Rom 11:21-22).

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness:(Rom 2:4) otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

All Israel will be saved and God has called us to not be ignorant of that truth so that we don’t start to take on a superiority complex against a world that He tells us this, “that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in”(Eze 16:55).

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:(Oba 1:21 , 1Jn 4:17 , Joh 20:21 , Joh 3:17)

Pro 31:4  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Pro 31:5  Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

The wine in this instance represents the defiled word of God in Babylon where there is no stay of bread or water (Isa 3:1). That is the drink that Lemuel is being told to avoid, which is given from the aforementioned woman [Babylon] who he is not to give his strength to (Pro 31:3 , Heb 13:10 , 1Jn 4:6).

Pro 31:3  Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Babylon does have “wine” or another spirit or gospel, and there is also strong delusion in Babylon that could be likened here unto “strong drink” (Isa 28:7 , 2Co 11:4 , 2Th 2:11).

Isa 28:7  But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Christ warns us to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees that only requires a little in order for the whole lump to be leavened, “Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted” (Deu 29:6 , Gal 5:9).

Deu 29:6  Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.

Forgetting the law, and perverting the judgement of any of the afflicted is forgetting the law of Christ which tells us we are to bear each other’s burdens and afflictions by stirring up the spirit of God within us and not neglecting so great a salvation (Gal 6:2-3 , Luk 17:10 , Heb 2:3). If we are preoccupied with anything (Mat 24:48-50) other than doing the will of God (Luk 2:49), we will begin to “forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted”.

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Mat 24:48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Mat 24:49  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Mat 24:51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Pro 31:6  Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7  Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

God’s elect are dying daily and this proverb reveals the spiritual benefit of His word upon our bodies that are blessed to be ready to die daily unto the Lord (1Co 15:31). With the mind of Christ we are as our Saviour, who was a man acquainted with sorrow and suffering (Isa 53:3 , 1Jn 4:17). Christ was sorrowful near unto death and the “strong drink” that he received before dying was symbolized by the ointment that was poured out on him prior to his death (Mat 26:38 , Mat 26:12). The strong drink and the ointment symbolizes the same thing, the word of God that quickens us (Joh 6:63) and gives us the strength we need in our time of need (1Jn 2:27).

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

We drink the word of God that we can now rightly divide having been given eyes that see and ears that hear, and this helps us forget our poverty when we were in Babylon with no stay of bread or water, “forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more”. Every joint supplies this drink that helps us bear our cross and remember our misery no more (Eph 4:16).

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Pro 31:8  Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Pro 31:9  Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The dumb represent the speechless, “Open thy mouth for the dumb”, those who are appointed to destruction as all of our old men within are for defiling the temple of God which we are (1Co 3:16-18). When we are granted to have a ready heart to receive the words of God, we will “Open thy mouth” in love and concern for others, as we receive His word that will make it possible for us to bring healing to the spiritually dumb (1Ti 4:14-16).

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1Co 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

1Ti 4:14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Ti 4:15  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

God tells us that a seed must fall into the ground and die (Joh 12:24) in order for life to spring forth from us. It is via the judgments of God’s word, that if we are given a hunger and thirst, that this will be accomplished in the elect. If we are blessed to “open thy mouth” and receive His word (Rev 1:3), then we can be sent to heal others through the healing we have received, which makes it possible for us to “judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy” (1Ti 4:16).

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Pro 31:11  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

The only “virtuous woman” to be found is the one that is being dragged to Christ in this age (Joh 6:44). Our Father sees the bride of Christ as being “far above rubies”^{H4480 H6443} in “her price” and God places great value on His workmanship that will be used to save the entire world (Mat 11:11 , Luk 12:7 , Oba 1:21).

Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Luk 12:7  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Christ is not fretting about the outcome of any of the elect of which none will be lost. That is what this last verse we are looking at today is telling us, “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil^H7998”. We are Christ’s inheritance, and he has no need of another woman, another spirit, another gospel. This wife that the Father has provided for Christ is His inheritance in the saints that we will share with Him spoken of in (Eph 1:18-23).

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.