Proverbs 6:16-19

GOD HATES IT

Intro: There is a tendency in our world to avoid the negative. People just want to hear the good news; they are not interested in the bad. That is one way we can explain the success of people like Joel Osteen, Rick Warren and other. They tell people how to live a better life now. They tell people how to find their purpose. But, they fail to tell people about their sins. They fail to tell them about Hell. They fail to tell them that God expects holiness and godliness from His people, and that He will judge wickedness and sin, both in attitudes and actions. The fact is, people just do not want to hear that!

      We need to understand that a preacher who never mentioned sin would be like a doctor who never prescribed a negative treatment for your illness. A doctor like that would be dangerous and would be avoided at all costs.

      Imagine you had cancerous tumor in your body and your doctor said, “Well, that tumor needs to come out, but surgery is just so negative. Let’s leave it in there for a while and see what it does to you.” You wouldn’t go for that. You would demand that your doctor get negative with you and get that tumor out of your body.

      The same is true spiritually. A lot of us are walking around with spiritual cancers in our souls. Those cancers need to be exposed and rooted out so we can live more positive lives for the glory of God. The only way was to do that is to get negative. That is what this passage will lead us to do.

      I want to examine these important verses today because they expose some sinful attitudes and actions that God hates. If God would declare His hatred for these sins, and He does in verse 16, then we must be sure we hate these sins as well. We must be sure that these sins are not a part of our lives.

      I want to take these verses and consider their message today. I want you to know that the negative message in these verses can have a positive influence on our lives, if we will adopt the changes He has in mind. I want to preach on the thought God Hates It!

      Let me share with you the thoughts that present themselves to us in this text. These thoughts will teach us that what God hates should never be found in our lives. If we are His, we will hate what He hates, and we will love what He loves.

 

  I.  v. 16        A LOATHING

·      “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him.” – When we read this verse, there are two words in it that bother us. Those words are “hate” and “abomination”.

      Those words bother us because they are the opposite of how we have been taught to think about God. We are taught that God is love. That is the clear statement of the Bible, 1 John 4:16. Yet, here we are allowed to see the other side of God’s character.

      There would be no need for up if there was not also a down. There would be no need for in if there was not an out. There would be no need for good if there was no evil. There would be no need for Heaven unless there was a Hell. And, there would be no need for love if there was no hate.

·      We are clearly told that while God is defined by His love; God also has the capacity to hate. God’s hatred of some things arises out of His love for His Own glory and holiness. Even His hatred of sins is an expression of His perfect love.

·      Let’s take a moment to consider those words.

1.     Hate – “An emotional attitude toward persons or things which are opposed, detested, despised and with which one wishes to have no contact or relationship”. Hate is the polar opposite of love. Hate literally means “to exclude from fellowship.” Thus, God cannot bear to fellowship with those who exhibit these tendencies.

2.     Abomination – This word refers to something which is “loathed or which causes horror”. The Bible mentions several sins that are called abominations.

Ø  Homosexuality – Lev. 18:22-30; 20:13

Ø  Idolatry – Deut. 7:25

Ø  Human Sacrifice – Deut. 12:31

Ø  Eating Ritually Unclean Animals – Deut. 14:3-8

Ø  Sacrificing Defective Animals – Deut. 17:1

Ø  Engaging In Occult Practices – Deut. 18:9-14

Ø  Dishonest Business Practices – Deut. 25:13-16

Ø  Ritual Prostitution – 1 Kings 14:23ff

·      We need to understand that those who are guilty of these things will be visited by the awesome wrath and judgment of God. Consider:

Ø  Psa. 50:22, “Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.”

Ø  Pro. 29:1, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Ø  Psa. 73:18-20, “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.”

Ø  Num. 32:23, “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Ø  Gal. 6:7-8, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

·      When this verse says, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him.” This is a Hebrew literary device that is used to emphasize a list of things. Amos used this tool several times in his book, Amos 1 and 2.

      This form of expression is used to emphasize the truth that all seven items on this list are hateful to God. He will not have fellowship with those who are guilty of these things.

      It is also used to call special attention to the last item on the list. While God hates all seven of these sins, the last one is especially abhorrent to Him because it is the final outcome and consummation of all the others.

      It should also be noted here that this is not a complete list of all the things God hates. He hates anything that stands in open opposition to His Word and His glory.

 

  I.  A Loathing

 II.  v. 17-19         A LIST

·      Before we consider this list of things God hates, let me mention that items are a commentary on the person mentioned in verses 12-15.

      In verse 12 God speaks of a “naughty” person. The word means “one who is worthless; good for nothing; one who is ruined; one headed for destruction.” It is the same word translated “Son of Belial” elsewhere in the Old Testament. It is a term used to describe a person who is given over to evil.

      He also calls this type of person “wicked”. This word speaks of “one given to wickedness; one who causes trouble; one who brings great sorrow.”

      What we have here is a list of actions and attitudes that describes a person consumed by evil. This list defines those who are trouble. This list describes those who bring sorrow. This list lays out the characteristics of those who are hateful to the Lord and who are bound to face His wrath some day.

·      Now that we have established the fact that God hates this list of attitudes and actions, let’s consider these seven hateful, abominable sins. As we look at this list, let’s examine our own hearts to be sure that none of these attitudes or actions exist within us.

Ø  A Proud Look – Literally “eyes of loftiness”. It is “an attitude of the heart that overvalues oneself and undervalues others”. It is the look of the eye, the flash of the eye, the turn of the head that says you think you are better than someone else. Pride is “dust deifying itself”. It is the sin of “haughtiness”, and it always leads to destruction, Pro. 16:18. The Bible has some advice for people afflicted by the problem of pride, 1 Cor. 10:12; Rom. 12:3.

      Ill. One servant told about his master who was a very prideful, vain man. The servant said if his master went to a christening, he wanted to be the baby. If he went to a wedding, he wanted to be the bride. If he went to a funeral, he wanted to be the corpse. In other words, a prideful heart is one that wants to be the center of attention.

      Pride was at the heart of the first sin, Isa. 14:13-14. Pride was the hook that drew Eve to the forbidden fruit, Gen. 3:5. Pride is a sin and God cannot bless it. He blesses humility, which is the polar opposite of pride.

      Pride is a person thinking more about himself that he should. Humility is a man not thinking about himself at all. That is the only attitude God can and will bless, James 4:6, 10; 1 Pet. 5:5-6.

Ø  A Lying Tongue – God hates lying! A lie is the opposite of God’s very nature. God is truth, and a lie is an attack on His very Person, John 14:6; Psa. 31:5. He will ultimately judge all those who use their tongues who tell lies, Rev. 21:15; 27.

      The tongue was created so that we could use it to give glory to God. When we use it in an improper manner, we steal glory from Him!

      Did you know that the Bible devotes more scriptures to the use of the tongue than it does to the use of alcohol? Some people would never drink a beer or even eat in a restaurant that served it, but those same people think nothing of using their tongues to slander others and spread lies. (Ill. James 3:1-12)

      God hates the abuse of the tongue and He will judge it. He wants to find truth in His people, Psa. 51:6. When the truth dwells within us, it will come out in our speech and in our works.

Ø  Hands That Shed Innocent Blood – This phrase refers to murder. It speaks of those who take away the lives of other humans.

      We all know that you can kill a person physically, but you can also kill them in other ways. You can kill then spiritually, psychologically, and mentally. When you hate another person to the point that you look for ways to attack them and destroy their lives in any way, you are guilty of murder. Ill. Matt. 5:21-22; 1 John 3:15; 4:20.

Ø  A Heart That Deviseth Wicked Imaginations – This refers to a heart that is always plotting evil. It speaks of the person who is given over to thoughts of iniquity.

      Everyone has evil thoughts from time to time. That is one of the sad parts of being a human with a fallen nature. But, someone who plots evil, meditates on sin and on ways to accomplish those wicked plots is demonstrating that their heart is evil, Matt. 15:18-19.

Ø  Feet Swift In Running To Mischief – Someone said “The heart blazes the trail the feet follow.” When “wicked imaginations” are formed in the heart, the feet will be quick to carry them out, Isa. 59:7.

      The paths the feet follow in life reveal the condition of the heart, Matt. 12:33. When your feet carry you to do evil; when they carry you to worldly places; when they carry you around the country spreading lies, rumors and gossip; when they carry you from bed to bed, from pleasure to pleasure, your feet reveal the condition of your heart. What you do is what you are!

Ø  A False Witness That Speaketh Lies – This refers to a person who commits perjury. They willingly tell lies on someone to see that person convicted. It speaks of those who spread lies, innuendo, and rumors in order to tear others down.

      Beware of those who pass on something they are “concerned about”, just so you can help them pray about it. They are dangerous! They are troublemakers and they will bring sorrow to your soul!

      People like that are wolves among the sheep and they are deadly to relationships and churches. They prey on those they think are weak. They are always looking for people they can convert to their cause. Be very careful of those who talk to you about others because they will talk to others about you!

      Here is what God said about those kind of people:

Ø  “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple,” Rom. 16:17-18.

Ø  “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother,” 2 Thes. 3:14-15.

Ø  “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat,” 1 Cor. 5:11.

Ø  Misuse of the tongue is a window into the soul, James 1:26. Only a wicked heart engages in gossip, rumors and lies. God hates the misuse of the tongue, Pro. 19:9.

Ø  He That Soweth Discord Among The Brethren – People who sow discord are all around us. They are in the political arena. You find them in the community, on the job, at school, and even at church. You might even find one where you are sitting.

      They work their mischief by planting a seed of doubt over here, by sowing a rumor over there, by sowing a little gossip over there, by registering a complaint here, and by dropping a word of criticism there. The fruit of their labor is disunity, disharmony and discord.

      Beware of the gossip, Lev. 19:16; Pro. 11:13; 26:19-20. They are engaged in Satan’s work and they will drag you down with them.         Beware of the person who comes and says, “Well, I don’t know if it’s true, but I just wanted you to know about it so you could pray.” That kind of person is not concerned about the issue at hand. They don’t care about you. They don’t care about what’s in the best interest of the church, the family or the community. They are merely out to destroy someone, and they want you to help them. The best thing you can do is grow a backbone and tell them the truth! Tell them you don’t want to hear it!

      For these reasons, the telephone might be more the instrument of hell than the handgun. In this day you can add Facebook and Twitter to that. Ill. That’s one reason I have written so little on my blog recently. There are people out there who parse every word looking for some avenue of attack.

      God places those who seek to undermine harmony in the same ranks as liars, perjurers, murderers, and the vilest of sinners. Be careful that you are not included in that number!

      Discord is sewn with the needle gossip and the thread of malice. Again this is the work of the devil. Those who engage in it have locked arms with Satan in his efforts to steal the glory of God and to undermine the harmony He desires to produce! There will be a price to pay, Pro. 6:15!

      I would say that it would be better for an arsonist to burn down the church than for our tongues to be set one against another. A burned out building can be rebuilt, but a congregation destroyed by discord and strife may never rise from the ashes of contention.

·      That’s the list! Do you see any of that in your life? It’s here whether we admit it or not!

 

  I.  A Loathing

 II.  A List

 

 

III.                    A LESSON

·      What can we learn from these verses? I think there are a couple of truths here that we must not miss.

·      First, these are the traits that characterize Satan. If you will take the time to read Isa. 14, you will find that Satan exhibited all these sins and more in his rebellion against God. Jezebel, the wicked Queen of Israel, also manifested every single one of these sins in her life. If that is true, and it is, then we must do everything in our power to make sure that those things are not found in us!

·      Second, God hates these things. They are an abomination to Him. If He hates them, we should hate them also. Not a single one of these things should ever be true of any child of God.

·      Third, Jesus Christ died for every one of these sins. He shed His blood to redeem His people from the influence of these things. Why would any saved person who understands the price Jesus Christ paid in the cross allow these sins in his or her life? If you can do these things with no remorse or sense of a need for repentance, I would say that you could not be saved. Why? When we do these things, we are manifesting the works of the flesh and not the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5:16-25. Very simply, we are living contrary to our profession!

Conc: These verses speak to me. If you would be honest, they speak to you too. One day, we will all face God and give an account for our lives.

      We need to understand that there are some things that God hates. We also need that If we allow these things to be a part of our lives; we will answer to Him. That is a reckoning you do not want to face!

·      If He has touched a nerve in your heart and you know that you are guilty of these or some other sins in your life, the time to repent is now.

·      If you have issues with any one of God’s children, the time to make it right is now.

·      If you have been hanging around with the wolves, listening to their lies, rumors and gossip, you need to get that right.

·      If you are lost, you need to come to Jesus today.

      Has He spoken to you about some need in your life? If He has, the time to obey His voice is right now!

      God hates these sins. God hates your sins. God hates my sins. But, God does not hate you. He loves you and promises to help you if you will come to Him, Matt. 11:28; John 3:16; 1 John 1:9.