Things God Hates & So Should I
As we have started this study on David to capture his heart, we see one thing that the world and many Christian cultures scream which is “God does not hate.” What does the work of God say about that?
Proverbs 6:16-19
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that she innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren.
As we see in Proverbs 6:16-19, God does not hate an individual, but he does hate these 7 specific actions:
1. A proud look
2. Lying Tongue
3. Hands that shed innocent blood
4. Hearts that deviseth wicked imaginations
5. Feet that be swift in running to mischief
6. A false witness that speaketh lies
7. He that soweth discord among the brethren
Have we ever been guilty of these? Do we too hate the things God hates? When reading this list I know I fall short and I know that I do not hate the same things God hates on a daily basis. So, what is one to do? As we also see in scripture, we have David defined as the man after God’s own heart. If we hate the things God hates and love the things God loves, would this also not be characterized in us? I, Kelsey, am a woman after God’s own heart. What a powerful thing to be spoken of by the Lord himself! What was different in David? What did David love and hate?
Each week, we will be studying seven different areas in which David had that heart. This first week was on Psalm 119:127-128, 163, 113. In verses 127-128, you see that David loved the word even above gold (or monetary gain or wealth in general or nice things). We also see that he held the word of God to be fully right. Because of His love and where the word was set in his heart, he “hated every false way.” Loving truth led David to despise anything that was not truth.
What is truth? John 17:17 states “…thy word is truth.” Simply put, if we do not love the word, which is the truth, and set it above all thoughts, feelings, culture, and whatever other worldly standard we try to apply, we will not have the heart of God. We must hold his word as highly as the Lord holds his word.
Psalm 138:2
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou has magnified thy word above all thy name.
We then see in verse 163 that he “hated and abhor lying, but thy but thy law do I love.” Just as God hates lying, David does as well. How did he get to that place that he hated ALL lying? It was falling in love with the word of God. All form of lying is something we should hate as it is the very spirit of who we belonged to before we accepted Christ. Because Satan is a deceiver, many people believe things that might sound spiritual but are truly not.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-9
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And the shall the Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signed and lying wonders,
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
If you were to continue in 1 John 4:2-5, God tells you how to discern these spirits. If we are not in his word daily with a heart to have his truth which may mean breaking down things we have always known to be true, we will be deceived. God’s word is always right and we have to love all of it; even and especially the parts that go against my thoughts, opinions, and feelings. God’s word is the truth.
Lastly, we see that David hated “vain thoughts.” The hate was contrasted by what he loved, which has been shown over and over again in Psalm 119 is the word of the Lord. “Well, if I think on it, but don’t do it, that’s ok, right?”
Psalm 94:11
The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Isaiah 55:7-8
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
The Lord knows the thoughts of every man. He knows what we are all thinking at all times and certainly sees those truths. How is one to combat the battle of the mind? To combat the random thoughts that spark in our brains? The answer is the same here as it is for every fleshly battle.
We cast it down with the word of God, the double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).
2 Corinthians 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The word must be the center. The word must be our first love. The word must be our sword we wield against the vain thoughts. Do I hate what God hates? Could I be characterized by that daily? If not, the answer is clear. What peace we have as we hold the word, which possesses everything needed for life in our hands. All we have to do is fall more in love with it daily.