The question asks what seven things does the Lord find detestable? In the King James Version of the Bible, it says “are an abomination unto him.” An abomination is something that causes disgust or hatred, and detestable is something that is deserving of intense dislike. It might be hard for people to think that a loving God would find something so bad that He thinks of that something being so repulsive. What are those things and why does God feel that way towards them?
God despises any sort of idol or whatever would have His spot in our hearts (Deuteronomy 16:22). God has a contempt for the workings of the flesh. They are the things that uncover the degeneracy and utter debasement of humanity. God is definitely not a wistful, decrepit elderly person who cries but never works. He has not closed His eyes to the transgressions of humankind, nor is He open minded toward evil conduct, and He has the strength and capability to punish the sins of man.
Genesis 6:5, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Let us first take an observation at “a proud look.” What is wrong with having a bit of pride in our hearts? Are we not to be proud of our children, proud of where we come from (ancestry, heritage), proud of what our family and friends have accomplished? These may be true, but it is the self-centeredness, the arrogance, being egotistical, and vanity which are the negative attributes. People like this think highly of themselves. They see themselves better than everyone else and put themselves above God or anyone else for that matter.
This demeanor causes a person to disapprove of others. A perfect representation of someone with a proud look is the Pharisee who went into the Temple to pray. When he saw the publican (tax collector) close by, he gloated to God. He alluded to his pretentious deeds, however God dismissed him. The Pharisee did not go to the Temple to actually pray to God, but to report to all inside earshot of how great he was (Luke 18:11).
Proverbs 21:4, “An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.”
Proverbs 30:13, “There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.”
“A lying tongue.”
One psalmist said, “I said in my haste, All men are liars” (Psalm 116:11). Another psalmist said, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue” (Psalm 120:2). Satan is known as a liar and the "father of it" (John 8:44), showing us that something contrary to what is true is not sacred. How can a person not lie? They must have the God of Truth within their hearts. “…A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4). And for man to have truth in his heart, he must know Christ. “…I am the way, the truth, and the life… (John 14:6).
Solomon again states that lying is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 12:22). Lying is in contrast to the nature of God, for God does not lie (Titus 1:2). There were liars at Jesus’ trial that had testified against Him. These people will spend an eternity away from God, the second death (Revelation 21:8).
“And hands that shed innocent blood.”
This was referenced before in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:16) regarding evil. Savagery, violence, retribution, revenge, and outrage are on the whole terrible enough all by themselves (Romans 12:19). Particularly shocking are those that utilize violence against the individuals who are "innocent". What have the innocent done or committed to merit vicious acts and treatment from others?
Proverbs 28:17, “A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.”
Isaiah 1:15, “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.”
“An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations.”
Imaginations means plans. Someone that has an attitude to plan evil things toward others. Jesus stated that “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19). If the Lord is not the ruler of man’s heart, then it is full of sin and the things that come out of it are transgressions and evil. Our hearts have been leaned toward transgression from the time we were conceived. It is not difficult to fall into the everyday practice of neglecting and spurning God. Yet, we can choose whether or not to proceed in wrongdoing. It is possible that we can give in to a particular temptation, or we can request that God assist us with opposing it.
Jeremiah 19:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
“Feet that be swift in running to mischief.”
God loathes a heart that makes wicked imaginations but also the feet that do those plans. In Scripture, feet are regularly utilized as references to finishing or carrying out a plan (Zechariah 14:4; Romans 10:15). In this case, the sinful individual is not simply content in making wicked imaginations, he is energetic and excited about doing them. When those that have the wicked imaginations forming in their hearts, their feet will rush to do them (Isaiah 59:7). People who run toward mischief are those who want to do it. They enjoy torturing others with their deceitfulness. They are dishonorable people who cannot be trusted. It is fun for a fool to do mischief (Proverbs 10:23) but it will eventually catch up to him (Proverbs 7:16).
Job 15:35, “They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.”
Proverbs 24:2, “For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.”
“A false witness that speaketh lies.”
Solomon already spoke about a lying tongue (Proverbs 6:17), now he talks about someone who gives a false witness, or testimony. Literally, this is a person who gives a falsified account regarding a person or action that has not been committed. In the first instance, it is about deceiving a specific person. In this instance, it refers to deceiving others about someone or something. Either way, God hates both of these actions and the people that perform them.
During the trial of Jesus, there were those who came forward and gave false statements about him (Matthew 26:59-61). They had distorted the Lord’s teachings about the Temple destruction. They accused Jesus of lying and blasphemy but that is far from the truth. In John 14:6, Jesus says that He is the way, the truth, and the life, so He can only speak the truth.
Proverbs 19:5, “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”
Proverbs 19:9, “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.”
“And he that soweth discord among the brethren.”
Someone who sows discord is one utilizes tattling, gossip, lies, unwarranted allegations and accusations, negative analysis, and slandering to achieve his objective. Sowing is a reference to planting, and with sowing discord, what sprouts up strife, conflict, controversy, and dissension. With life being as hard as it is, why would one want to create more strife and conflict? People should be working together, especially Christians. Those that cause discord and discontent do not serve the Lord but themselves (Romans 16:17-18).
Proverbs 6:14, “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.”
