Genesis 46:3-4
3 He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. 
4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes." 

God is in control.  Notice where God told Israel that Joseph will close your eyes.  This is God telling Israel that he will die in Egypt, but notice that God promises to bring you up again.  Does that apply to the physical, spiritual or both?  Israel was physically taken back for burial.  If you are dead what does it matter?  It must matter because God makes a point to mention it to Israel.

Genesis 45:1-8
1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, "Have everyone go out from me." So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 
2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. 
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. 
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they came closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 
5 Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 
6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 
7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 
8 Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

What is circumcision?  This was God's covenant which Abraham was commanded to keep as seen in Genesis 17:10.  We must look at this like God looks at this and not like a child.  When I discuss this subject with my 5th grade Sunday School class, I hear giggles and laughter because these are children and we are talking about a penis.  God made man and God gave man a penis for the purpose of interacting with his wife.  Man produces seed during this interaction with his wife.  God gave a command for man to cut off the layer of excess skin on the most sensitive organ on his body because that is where the seed comes from.  This was God's covenant, not man's.  What man in his right mind would come up with such a religious practice?  This had to be from God because a normal man would not have designed this religious act.

Circumcision is God giving a sign that mankind can not miss.  Circumcision is typically associated with the Nation of Israel, but it is larger than that.  It was given to the Hebrew.  Abram was a Hebrew as seen in Genesis 14:13.  Logically he could not be an Israelite because that would mean that all his offspring would also be Jewish.  The bible does not say that Ishmael, or Isaac, or Esau were  Israelite, but Genesis 32:28 and again 35:10 tells us that Jacob's name was changed after he removed the idols from his household.  Circumcision is a sign that the seed of woman will crush the head of Satan.  What?  Seed of woman?  Seed comes from man.  That was the sign of the circumcision.  Yes, and that leads us back to the virgin birth of Jesus.  He was man, but He was also God.  Jesus was God in the flesh of man coming as the Anointed One to redeem mankind back to the Living God.  That is what this whole life is all about.

Theologians have discussed what the phrase 'Joseph made himself known to his brothers' actually refers to.  Some think that it might be that Joseph showed his brothers that he too was circumcised.  This would not have been a practice for the Egyptians and none of Ishmael's family or Esau's family were in the region.  They would have been the only circumcised men in the entire country of Egypt.  Remember two things: first, circumcision was a sign that the seed from Genesis 3:15 would come from the line of Abraham.  Second, Genesis is God telling Moses what to write down.  This is not like Exodus were Moses had actual experience in the events.  The details provided in Genesis are provided by God for you and I to know and understand what is taking place. 

Joseph tells his brothers to come closer.  This is a theme in God's Word for man to come closer to Him.  God provided the nation of Israel the system of sacrifice so He could be among them.  God provided a way for you and I to get closer to Him by Jesus.  Not that He can be among us, but so that He can be in us.  We can have a closer relationship and a deeper access to God than any Israelite ever had even when Aaron went into the Most Holy Place.  He could only go into the Holy of Holies once a year, but we go every time we prayer in Jesus name. Jesus is our access to God because He is God.  We will discuss the Tabernacle and the system of sacrifice later in the program.

Notice where Joseph understands that God sent him into Egypt to prepare a place for God's remnant.  God is in control.  Does that mean that the trip was easy?  No, the life experiences of Joseph would have been terrifying.  His story starts off with a coat of many colors.  He was rejected by his brethren. They thought he was dead only to find out later that he was alive.  Not only was he alive, but he was in command of all the land and that he had prepared a way of salvation for his people.  Sounds a lot like Jesus' life.  The throne of God is described as having a rainbow around the thrown in Ezekiel 1:28 and Revelation 4:3.  Revelation 10:1 describes Jesus as having a rainbow around His head.  Jesus was rejected by the nation of Israel and crucified.  They thought He was dead, but only to find Him on the throne of God providing a way of salvation to the entire world as seen in John 14:6.

Genesis 44:1-5
1 Then he commanded his house steward, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. 
2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain." And he did as Joseph had told him. 
3 As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys. 
4 They had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, "Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good? 
5 Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination?  You have done wrong in doing this.'" 

Divination is not a good thing.  God can use a man regardless of the mess he makes of his own life if he is in God's plan.  As an example think about Abraham and Hagar, Jacob with Leah, Rachel and the two concubines or David and his multiple wives or Soloman and his multiple wives.  Man is weak.  God is strong.  Man must learn to lean on God for strength just like Abraham, Israel, and David.  Later in history God describes how He feels about divination and witchcraft.  I must really extend grace to Joseph because he is living in a society where this is common practice.  God had not yet sent Moses and the Torah had not been written.  The earliest record I can find of this activity was Genesis 30:27 where Laban says he divined that the Lord blessed him because of Jacob.

Genesis 44:14-15
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. 
15 Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?" 

I have always marveled at the lack of references in the bible to Joseph.  Considering the role he played in the salvation of his people you would think that he would be mentioned all over the place, but God rarely mentions Joseph outside the story in Genesis.  I personally feel it was Joseph's practice of divination that caused this.  Is it any different with man today.  God will use you as you make yourself dependent upon Him.  If you allow sin into your life, God will use someone else.  You will miss out on God's blessing because of your decisions in this life.  James 2:18 says ... I will show you my faith by my works.  This is not a system where you earn points by your christian actions, but your walk will show Who you follow which identifies who you are and what you are. 

Another person identified with divination was Balaam. 
Numbers 22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam and repeated Balak's words to him.
God judges the practice of divination in 
Deuteronomy 18:10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, ... & 18:14 For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practicewitchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so.
God used the nation of Israel has His tool for judgment and eliminated those people from the land and gave it to Israel.  What happened to Balaam? 
Joshua 13:22 The sons of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the diviner, with the sword among the rest of their slain.

Genesis 42:16-18
16 Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies." 
17 So he put them all together in prison for three days. 
18 Now Joseph said to them on the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God: 

Here is Joseph declaring his fear of God.  Like I said, I want to extend Joseph grace considering how God used him in such a great way.  Psalm tells us that God chose another path for His purposes.  He could have used Joseph, but He chose Judah.  Notice the reference to how God chose David to shepherd Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance.  Why make a division between Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance?  God sees them as two different things;  the people and the path or maybe the physical and the spiritual. 
Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

Psalm 78:67-71
67 He also rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, 
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.
69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has founded forever.
70 He also chose David His servant And took him from the sheepfolds; 
71 From the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.

In 1 Chronicles 5 we see the description of the birth right.  Ruben was the first born son of Leah, but he lost the birth right due to sexual misconduct. We are told that the birth right went to Joseph who was the first born of Rachel, but Joseph was passed over and the birth right went to Judah. 1 Chronicles 5:2 Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph ...  Who is this leader and why was Joseph passed over?  God is in control regardless of the actions of man.  God does not need us, but we need Him.  The leader is the Messiah which is Jesus.  We are not told point blank why Joseph was passed over, but we know that Joseph was not blessed to have the Messiah come from his children.

SEX 

Job 1:8
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job?  For these is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” 

This verse provides a wide variety of topics we could discuss, but I want to focus on God's opinion of Job and his character.  I hope you have noticed a logical transition to this program so far.  The first week was an introduction.  Then we addressed God.  Who He is and what He says about Himself in the bible.  The greatest commandment for man is to love God.  We must see Him for who He says He is and for man to adore Him.  Then we must address mankind for who God says we are.  Last week we discussed God's chosen people and that Jesus has called all Christians to act as His priest under a new covenant to the world.  This was Israel's original responsibility and now Jesus has shifted that task to His followers.  This week we will be discussing what I believe is the greatest struggle for mankind today and that would be sex. 

Job 31:1
I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin? 

Chapter 31 of Job is a resume for Job's character.  He discussed his relationship with the poor, the needy, the orphan and his relationship to the world.  In my personal life, this verse is a cain I use for walking.  Now, let's look at what God says about sex. 

We are going to look at two verses from the Torah.  Moses wrote these stories from what God told him to write.  Moses was not around when Adam was in the garden, or when Noah built the ark, or when God made a covenant with Abraham.  The Angel of the Lord would meet with Moses and speak to him face to face.  Remember Exodus chapter 33?  We are going to look at two illustrations from God and His view of sex.  We will see a story of King Abimelech and a story about Joseph.

Genesis 20:2-7 (3 & 6)
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister."  So Abimelech King of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman you have taken, for she is married." 
4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, wilt thou slay a nation, even though blameless? 
5 "Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'?  And she herself said, 'He is my brother.'  In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this." 
6 Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the intregity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 
7 "Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live.  But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours." 

Did you see it? God says sex with a married woman is sin against Him.  God says you are a dead man to sin against Him.  Look at verse three.  Why?  Think about this; marriage between Adam and Eve was before the fall.  Marriage is a holy covenant in the sight of God. 

Genesis 39:9
"There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife.  How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?" 

Joseph just said that sex with a married woman was a sin against God.  Joseph would not be going to bed with God, but with a woman.  Remember the Angel of the Lord is telling Moses what to write in the Torah.  Do you see what God thinks about sex and marriage?  How does that differ from what mankind thinks? 

We are going to look at a comparison of the New Testament and the Torah.  In John chapter eight, Jesus teaches us how to deal with an adulterous woman. In Leviticus chapter twenty, the Old Testament teaches us how to deal with an adulterous woman.  As a review, who wrote the Torah?  That's right Moses, but who told Moses what to write?  Remember Exodus 33 where the Angel of the Lord would speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to a friend.  Who is the Angel of the Lord?  Realize that this is not just an angel, but this is the one and only Angel of the Lord.  That's right, the Angel of the Lord is Jesus before he was born to the virgin Mary.  So comparing John and Leviticus gives us a clear picture of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.

Isaiah 63:9
In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His presence saved them; And His love and in His mercy He redeemed them; And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. 

John 8:1-5
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 
2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,
4 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 
5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" 

Remember the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) told Moses what to write so He knows the law.  Let's look at the law. 

Leviticus 20:10
"If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. 

This death sentence was applied to a variety of actions related to misconduct.  See 20:4 for offering a child to Molech, 20:9 for cursing father or mother, 20:11 for lying with his father's wife, 20:12 for lying with his daughter-in-law, 20:13 for man lying with another male, 20:14 for marriage to both mother and daughter, and 20:15-16 man or woman lying with an animal.  These are very specific instructions.  Now look at 20:23 and you will see why. 

In Leviticus chapter twenty, God details what is off limits as it relates to man's sexuality.  God will show some very graphic relations that actually existed with the people God was about to judge.  Just like the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, God is judging a people for their behavior, but this time He is using the nation of Israel to destroy the evil.  Below is just 10-13. Read 14-21 and ask yourself about pornography.  Is pornography revealing the nakedness of another person? 

What about homosexuals?  In verse 13, God says that it is a detestable act and worthy of death just like adultery and incest.  Homosexuality is a perversion just like adultery and incest.  We need to see things as God sees them and put aside how man sees things.  It is for man's good that man should obey God.  God gives us the law to see sin for what sin is.  Sin is destruction to our lives.  Life is a precious gift from God and sin takes away what sweetness life has to offer. Sin is death.  Submit to God and live by the blood of Jesus and the Spirit of Truth will show you life. 

Leviticus 20:11-23
11 If there is a man who lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 
12 If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 
13 If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 
14 If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst. 
15 If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal. 
16 If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 
17 'If there is a man who takes his sister, his father's daughter or his mother's daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people.  He has uncovered his sister's nakedness; he bears his guilt. 
18 If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has exposed the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 
19 You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or of your father's sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt. 
20 If there is a man who lies with his uncle's wife he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless. 
21 If there is a man who takes his brother's wife, it is abhorrent; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness. They will be childless. 
22 'You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out. 
23 Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them. 

So based upon the Torah, Jesus should have killed the woman. 

Wrong, the Old Testament was suppose to show the people they can not keep the law.  They must seek God's mercy.  The law was given to show the standard for living a righteous life.  I like to illustrate the point this way.  Thou shall not play in the street.  I do not want you to get run over, I love you, so this is your law.  Thou shall not play in the street.  What if another person sees you playing in the street and decides not to follow the law?  Both of you might get hurt.  So, in response to your disobedience I decide to send a truck your way to scare you out of the street.  Thou shall not commit adultery.  God loves you and does not want you to get hit by a truck.  In John, Jesus was showing man that God desires mercy not sacrifice. 

Now, let us go one step closer to understanding God's point of view on the relationship between a man and a woman.  For this illustration, you will need to read the story of when Solomon became king in 1 Kings chapters one and two.  David was old and could not keep warm.  David's servants suggested that the King bring in a young virgin to nurse him and keep him warm.  Now in verse four of chapter one, we read that the king did not know her (sexually).  Solomon is crowned king and extends grace to his older step-brother to live even though he had tried to proclaim himself king.  Afterwards, his brother is put to death for asking for the hand of the young virgin girl who had nursed to his father King David.  Why did Solomon put him to death?  Open your bibles to . . .

1 Kings 2:22
King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "And why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him also the kingdom--for he is my older brother--even for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!" 

Solomon saw this request for marriage as asking for the hand of the Queen in marriage which is the same as asking for the kingdom.  This request cost Solomon's older step-brother his life.  Solomon considered the young virgin nurse to be David's wife.  Another interesting point from this story is that King David had several wives, but he was alone and cold at the end of his life.  The bible tells us that David was married to Michal, Abigail, Ahinoam, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah and Bathsheba.  2 Samuel 5:13 tells us that David took more concubines and wives.  In 2 Samuel 20:3 David had ten concubines who were left to take care of his household, but these were defiled by Absalom when he tried to take the throne.  These concubines lived as widows for the rest of their lives.

SOLOMON & THE HOLY SPIRIT
1 Kings 2:1-3
1 As David's time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, 
2 "I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. 
3 Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, . . . 

1 Kings 3:1-5
1Then Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 
2 The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days. 
3 Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 
4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 
5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask what you wish Me to give you." 

1 Kings 9:1-7
1 Now it came about when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all that Solomon desired to do, 
2 that the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. 
3 The Lord said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 
4 As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, 
5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, 'You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.' 
6 "But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 
7 then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight.  So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

1 Kings 3:10-15
10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 
11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 
12 behold, I have done according to your words.  Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 
13 I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 
14 If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days." 
15 Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. 

Now where is the Holy Spirit in Solomon's life?  I see Him in the wisdom given to Solomon by God.  Solomon's wisdom was a gift from God.  As a Christian, the Holy Spirit is a gift from God.  My disobedience can quench the Holy Spirit.  Solomon's disobedience quenched his wisdom later in life.  Because of Solomon's disobedience, the nation was split into two.  God spoke to Solomon in a dream twice.  God sent fire from heaven after Solomon's dedication of the temple and he observed along with the nation of Israel the Shekinah glory of God fill the temple.

Open your bibles to . . .

Exodus 35:31-33
31 And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship; 
32 to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze, 
33 and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work.

This was Bezalel who God called to make the articles inside the temple.  Open your bibles to . . .

Psalms 37:29-31
29 The righteous will inherit the land And dwell in it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22
14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 
15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 
16 Rejoice always; 
17 pray without ceasing; 
18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 
19 Do not quench the Spirit; 
20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 
21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 
22 abstain from every form of evil. 

James 3:13-18
13 Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 
18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

Ecclesiates 1:12-18
12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 
13 And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven.  It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 
14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. 
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. 
16 I said to myself, "Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge." 
17 And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. 
18 Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain. 

Solomon writes more about wisdom in the Proverbs and in Ecclesiates than any other writer of scripture.  James identifies evil wisdom and Godly wisdom.  Notice Solomon's tone in Ecclesiates where he says 'I set my mind' and "I have magnified and increased wisdom'.  I remember someone in scripture who said 'I will ascend', 'I will raise', 'I will sit', and 'I will make'.  That was Satan described in Isaiah 14:12-14.  The writings of Solomon must be tempered when read because some of Solomon's writings are without the wisdom given from God.  It is written in the wisdom from man.  Man is limited in our understanding.  The most intelligent man on earth can not understand the things of God unless the Holy Spirit of the Living God opens his heart and mind to understand God's truths.  See also Luke 24:44-45 as an example.

Open your bibles to . . .

Matthew 15:18-20
18 "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 
19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 
20 "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." 

Jesus lists seven items that come from the heart of man.  Two of the seven deal with sexual issues.  That is 28% of what comes out of the heart.  Open your bibles to . . . 

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 
5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 
6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 
7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. 
8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you. 

God hates sin, but loves the sinner.  God will judge the sinner and comfort the broken hearted.  Prison stastics tell me that in a class of one hundred male inmates that thirty have been sexually abused as a child.  This just breaks my heart.  If I were teaching in a female prison, ninety of the one hundred female inmates would have suffered sexual abuse as a child.  God sees all sexual misconduct as bad, but when I see or hear of a homosexual it always makes me wonder if that person was abused as an innocent child and introduced into perversion at the innocent age. What a terrible crime to rob a child of their innocence.  This terrible crime not only could destroy this child's life, but countless generations if the cycle of perversion continues.  Sin is so ugly and so destructive.  Hate the sin, not the sinner.  This type of love is the hardest thing in ministry and in any Christian walk.

If you are struggling with homosexuality or have sexual desires toward children, please seek help from a qualified professional counselor immediately.  Stop the cycle now.

Matthew 18:3-6
3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 
4 Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 
5 And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 

Matthew 18:10
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.