Proverbs 9:18

 The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about the snares of rejecting truth:

Proverbs 9:18

But he does not know that the dead are there,

That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Solomon, in this proverb, is telling us about the person who lacks understanding and is naive.   He rejects truth so he has no understanding about certain things ... many things, in life.   In this proverb he tells us that one of the things they surely lack knowledge about is that those, like him, who follow after folly, are actually entering the entrance to death and hell.   There is one thing to reject truth.   There is another thing to jump on a path and not care or worry about where it leads.   In this case it always leads to a dead-end.   Truth leads to life and, according to Christ, sets you free.   The lack of truth leads to deception and falsehood and death.   When we pursue the things of the world we must realize the journey leads to a dead-end ... literally.

This is not the first time in the first nine chapters of this book that Solomon talked about this truth.  Note:

Proverbs 8:35-36 (ESV)

For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains favor from the LORD,

but he who fails to find me injures himself;

all who hate me love death.”

Proverbs 7:24-27 (ESV)

And now, O sons, listen to me,

and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths,

for many a victim has she laid low,

and all her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is the way to Sheol,

going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 6:12-15 (ESV)

A worthless person, a wicked man,

goes about with crooked speech,

winks with his eyes, signals with his feet,

points with his finger,

with perverted heart devises evil,

continually sowing discord;

therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;

in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

Proverbs 5:22-23 (ESV)

The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,

and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.

He dies for lack of discipline,

and because of his great folly he is led astray.

You get the point!