PROVERBS 6: (12-) 16-19
SEVEN ABOMINATIONS
[Psalms 133]
Man conceives of God as "one such as himself" (Ps. ) who looks at sin with indifference. It is not so. God is not nearly so neutral as man is concerning sin. There are actually sins which God absolutely hates.
This familiar list of "seven deadly sins" appears to be a commentary on the scoundrel in the previous paragraph. The scoundrel’s activities (12-14) depicted in the use of his body and the seven deadly sins both close with the same climactic line, who "sows discord" [or spreads strife] (vv. 14, 19). Here God evaluates man’s perverse conduct from His viewpoint.
The Lord made man and gave him great gifts and desires to see man use his abilities wisely. He is displeased when His gifts are distorted and exercised as tools of Satan. Our eyes, hands, feet, and tongue are instruments of surpassing skill and wonder. They declare God’s glory as articulately as the stars of heaven or the flowers of earth. Who would dare to corrupt the goodness of these abilities and make them rebel against their Creator? What kind of person would dare to use the good abilities God gave us for evil? God looks seriously at those who distort and use for evil what He intended for good. Every act which we perform is observed by God and He holds those accountable who refuse to use their body and life for the purposes for which He intended them (CIM).
Our outline will simply follow the seven abominable sins. God is a God of love, but Solomon will tell us in verse 16 that there are seven things He hates. And if God hates them, so must we. "There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him."
The Maker and giver cares about what we become and how we use the members of our body. Verses 16-19 are a further elaboration of why disaster will over take the previously described scoundrel (12-15). The numerical pattern—"six, seven"—plays several roles: (1) it aids memory by numbering the items in a list; (2) it encourages recitation or repetition of the items by making a game, almost a riddle, of the text. Third, it stresses the final item, here the seventh, as the climax and center of the list. The list though true is not exhaustive (30:15, 18).
Notice it says "things the Lord hates" meaning attitudes, actions or deeds and not people or kinds of people. God demonstrates love to sinners (Rom. 5:8), but He hates sin. He loves the saint who sins but He hates their sin and will discipline them to remove them from it. God does not desire that sinners perish in their sin. He wants them to repent, but His holy nature demands that He punish sin.
Abomination is used in Proverbs [and Deuteronomy] to describe what is utterly outrageous to God in its insolence or evil (see Prov. 3:32). [Hubbard, David. The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol 15: Proverbs. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1989, S. 103]
So here is a list of things that provoke God’s hate. This sins are especially enraging to God because of how they destroy lives and society. These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves, not simply hate them in others. Let us shun all such practices, and watch and pray against them. Let us avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their standing in society.
Let us look at this catalog of evils specially odious to the Holy One of Israel as well as insidiously injurious to mankind. The first three sins in verse 17 look at the body member by which the sin is exhibited. "Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,"
First on the "most detested list" is pride (a proud look; 8:13; 30:13; Ps. 18:27; 101:5). Eyes reveal the truth in our souls. They convey so many unspoken emotions and attitudes. Eyes announce anger, impatience sorrow, sarcasm, guilt, and especially pride. Pride is usually the basic motive for all other sins.
Pride is to think of one’s self better that one ought. Pride says lift yourself up. God gives self-worth and self-esteem. Satan pumps up pride. It was pride that turned Lucifer into the devil (Isa. 14: 12-14). It was pride that led Eve to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1-6). Proverbs 8:13 says "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate." "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (Jas. 4:6). (Ps. 12:3-4; 73: 6-9).
The lofty look of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down (Isa. 2:11). Haughtiness is an abomination because it implies self-ignorance, unkindness and irreverence. Haughty eyes come from a stubborn, rebellious attitude of heart. It usurps God’s place and wants what rightfully is God alone.
The second rung on the ladder of things God hate which ascend to the climax of causing discord or strife is "a lying tongue." He is a God of truth and His law says "thou shall not bear false witness" (Ex. 20:16). David prayed, "Deliver my Soul, O Lord, from lying lips."
Be on guard against those who have a proclivity or tendency to play loose with the truth. Not all lies are big and bold. Half-truths flow freely, exaggerations and flatteries are lies also. We need to be more conscious of our words, for lies are a deadly force that goes to work on lives and society to wreak havoc and destruction. They devastate expectations and shake confidence. When we lie we open the door for Satan to work, for he is a liar and his main tool is lying (Jn. 8:44). When we speak the truth we give opportunity for the Spirit to work (Jn. 8:34; 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 17:17; 18:37).
Whatever benefit is sought to be gained or retained by lying is quickly over but the open door of satanic destruction is repeatedly experienced until the lie is confessed and forgiveness sought. One reason Satan has such an open door to wreak havoc into so many life situations is because the door was first opened into someone’s mind or feelings by a teller and a receiver contemplating a lie. Once you are discovered to be a liar you forfeit your reputation and integrity and your speech and behavior will be then be suspect. It is best to confess and seek forgiveness and close the door to Satan’s working and the future damage to your reputation. God will allow Satan to one day turn you in by revealing your lie because unlike children of the devil you walk and live in light and God hates lies.
The third sin God hates is murder -hands that shed innocent blood. God’s sixth command is "thou shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13). Murder is heartless cruelty. It is an utter deviation from the will of God. Those that strike out against the innocent, are under the hatred of their Creator. This hatred also includes the verdict against an innocent person which produces unjustified violence.
God does allow governments to exercise capital punishment on the guilty and strengthen justice in the land, but shedding innocent blood puts a curse on the land (Num. 35:30-34). Murderers have their part in "the lake of fire" (Rev. 21:8, 22:15).
The next rung on God’s hatred ladder is scheming against the innocent in verse 18. "A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil."
The Divine eye penetrates the heart. He sees all that goes on there. A heart that devises [lit., "plows" to prepare the soil] wicked schemes is one that plans with craftiness and deceitfulness. People that attempt to maneuver or trick people out of their position or possessions are hated by God because it’s a misuse of the great gift of imagination that He has given us (Gen. 6:5, 8:21; Jer.23:17; Rom. 1:21). The imagination is the "womb" out of which either evil or good originates. People who plan evil plots should be planning good things that help others. The imagination of the heart needs to be cleansed and kept pure before God so one can use it in His service. Only God can change the sinful heart (Jer. 31:33- 34). God’s people must guard their hearts against evil.
"Feet that run rapidly to evil" are also hated by God. Catch the note of urgency and energy involved in their crime. They eagerly seize each opportunity because they want to hatch and fulfill their schemes quickly. The proportion of power that evil has over a man is seen in his eagerness to do it.
God’s people should have cleansed feet (Jn. 13: 1-17), beautiful feet (Rom. 10:14-15), prepared feet (Eph. 6:15) and obedient feet (Gen. 13: 17). They should not be in the paths of evil much less run to do it.
Not even public testimony as in a trial will cause them to be honest. Truthfulness is cast aside in order to get what is planned or desired. Verse 19, "A false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among the brethren."
Lying again is pointed out (v. 17) in this list of things God hates. A slanderer by his lies causes people -even friends- to be suspicious of each other. Far too many people deliberately misrepresent the facts or decline to defend someone during character assassination. Truth is the only foundation that can be built upon which will not crumble. Any relationship or government that involves lies will not bare the load overtime.
A slanderer is a cruel witness. He robs his fellow man of his highest treasure, his reputation and the confidence of his friends. Therefore a sever judgment awaits the false witness (Prov. 19:5; Zech. 5:4, 8:17; Mal. 3:5).
The last or highest rung on the ladder of the seven deadly sins, the one that is an abomination to God, is spreading "strife among brethren." Juicy information seems difficult to contain, especially if it maligns someone. It is easy to spread strife but God would have us be peace-makers. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Ps. 133:1). The wicked person destroys that unity by sowing "seeds" that produce a bitter and divisive harvest. [Persons who tampered with truth or due process threatened to distort life beyond recognition, to turn upside down the props that support stable relations.]
The seeds of strife are sown by those that gossip (Prov. 16:28; 17:9; 18:8; 26:20), by a tale bearer or by those who tell ill-natured stories, wicked inventions, by the quarrelsome spirited and askers of foolish questions (1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 2:14, 23). Whatever disrupts unity, friends and harmonious relationships is abhorrent to God.
Godly people sow seeds of unity and peace, not seeds of division and strife (Jas. 3:17-18). Christ prayed for unity in the church (Jn. 17:21) and the Holy Spirit seeks to produce unity in the body (Eph. 4: 1-6). How can lost people ever believe that God loves them when God’s children don’t exhibit love to one another. Heavenly dew descends upon brethren that dwell together in unity (Ps. 133) and a withering blast will fall on those who divide for gain, prejudice, and power (Rom 16:17-18).
IN CONCLUSION
All of these things are acts and declarations of independence. All of these say, "I’m going to solve that problem. I can spin the truth. I can take care of it with my clever speech, killer instinct, my running here, my manipulating there."
God hates this kind of thinking because He wants us to be totally dependent upon Him. "If you’re dependent upon Me," He says, "I’ll see you through. Don’t try to make it happen in your own energy. Trust in Me. Look to Me. Lean on Me. I hate pride because I know what it will do to you. It will limit what I could give to you, work through you, and do for you." [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson’s Application Commentary : Vol 2 Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006, S. 193]
We frequently think on God’s love but we too seldom meditate on the things He hates. God hates, is an intense statement that should cause us to get control over our-self and seek His wisdom.
There is wisdom from above that brings peace and purity to God’s people, and there is a wisdom from beneath that brings strife and shame (Jas. 3:13-18). There is a wisdom of this world that destroys the church and a wisdom from God that builds the church (1 Cor. 3:16-23). In which one do you abide? In which one do your friends and associates abide?
If this message was of help to you, please let me -Dennis Davidson- know at
pastorfbc@bellsouth.net
