Understanding What the Lord Hates: A Biblical Perspective

We don’t like the word hate. My mother always told me I wasn’t to hate anyone or even use that word. Hate is a strong word and implies disgust or a strong objection to something. Yet, here we are in the Bible, in the book of Proverbs, and we’re faced with the word in connection to the Lord Himself.

I’ll give you the entire passage in a minute, but let’s think about this for a second first. We’re going to talk about six things “the Lord hates.” How can this be? God is love, isn’t He? How can He hate anything? Oh, but He does, whether we like to admit it or not. Why? Because God is also holy—He is perfect in His set-apartness. He is pure, without spot or blemish, and while He created us to be the same, you know, as I do, that sin messed that up. We’re not like Him in view of His holiness and perfection. We are fallen by nature.

God established the Ten Commandments to help His chosen people know what it takes to please Him and to be more in line with His character. The actions and attitudes that pull us away from that right way of living are the things He hates. Why? Because He knows they keep us separated from fellowship with Him.

Solomon shares this list because he wants his son (and all who will read his words) to stay away from the things that God hates—it’s for our good to do so. Being mindful of what God hates helps us to live by what He loves. As we read this in light of the righteousness we’ve received by Christ’s atoning work on the cross, we recognize these as signs that Satan is working to distance us in our relationship with God, while remembering that nothing can remove the assurance of our salvation. Christ died so these sins have no hold on us.

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV)

The six-seven trigger warning

Though I’m old and usually roll my eyes over the six-seven nonsense, I had to refer to it because numbers have meanings in Scripture. Six refers to the things of mankind and the falling short of perfection, and seven to the concept of completion. So, we have six things the Lord hates—these ways of man that lead him to fall short of the glory of God, and the seventh that is the ultimate abomination—the sowing of discord or disunity among brothers. Who does that? Satan. It’s his tell. While the Spirit brings unity in the Body of Christ, the evil one is working overtime to tear it all down. All these other six sins lead to the seventh, because sin tears up the church, the Body of Christ.

The first six triggers for God’s wrath

Let’s back up, now, and cover the first six, because these are the things that trip us up the most.

1. Haughty eyes: This is a metaphor for pride, and pride is the underlying cause of all sin. When I think too much of myself, I think too little of God. This was the problem with Israel, and this continues to be a problem with us all. God wants humility, and we have to be humble to recognize His sovereignty in all things. He’s willing to work with us if we will humble ourselves.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

2. Lying tongue: This is an illustration of deceit, which is another attribute of Satan. When we lie, we are imitating the father of lies. When the Pharisees balked at the words of Jesus, He told them that they didn’t believe Him because they had followed the lies of the devil. We must live in the truth and by the truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
3. Hands that shed innocent blood: This is murder and a clear reference to the sixth commandment: “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13). God wants us to preserve life and to see life as precious, as we recognize others as made in His image.
4. A heart that devises wicked plans: This relates to acting out of vengeance or trickery. It may even involve stealing, which is against the 8^th commandment (Ex. 20:15). Instead, God wants us to rely on His plans and to seek His will.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matt. 6:33)

5. Feet that make haste to run to evil: When a person is quick to run to evil, this reveals an enticement to do wrong, being prone to evil. The further away we are from God and obedience to His commands, the quicker we are to run in the wrong direction. We should be slow to do evil and quick to do good.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19-21)

6. A false witness who breathes out lies: Again, a direct contradiction to the ninth commandment. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Ex. 20:16). This is slander and evil in God’s sight. God wants us to speak the truth in love.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Tearing down or building up? That is the question

As Solomon finishes his list, the seventh—the abomination—reveals the ultimate sign for these destructive habits.

• One who sows discord among brothers: When a person causes disunity in the Family of God, they are working against the purposes of God Himself, through the Holy Spirit. In Christ, we are made one Body. To sow discord destroys that work. God wants us to build up others for the purpose of unity.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thess. 5:11)

Knowing what the Lord hates should motivate us to walk according to all that pleases Him and brings unity to the Body and glory to His Name.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-24)

Be a builder for Jesus.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Friday Focus post, click HERE, or start this Walking in Wisdom series from the beginning.