SIX SEVEN!!! What does it REALLY mean? I could wax on, but in Proverbs 6:16, Solomon sets it up better than I could possibly set it up … Solomon wrote, “There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven, which are an abomination to him.” Now, why’d he hit us with the six seven?
It makes me wonder how much of this was Solomon kind of free-handing as he wrote the book of Proverbs. (Not really … I fully believe God was the Author of this). So, why did he say six things, yes, seven things? The best answer I have found is that this is a Hebrew poetic device, designed to build the importance of this passage.
There are six things the Lord hates, yes, there are seven things that the Lord hates. Enough about that. Let’s talk about the seven things:
Haughty eyes. Eyes that look at others in JUDGMENT or with ARROGANCE. Eyes that look at others as if they are “Less-than.” Eyes that fail to see the worth in others.
A Lying Tongue. That one is simple, and ironically the idea of LYING is repeated in these seven. God REALLY hates this one. I will spend more time on this one at the end.
Hands that shed innocent blood. That is one is simple, yet I believe has many meanings. Certainly this pertains to someone who KILLS innocent people. Issues like abortion… Innocent casualties of crime and war … Any time innocents are killed. I also believe this can extend to those who hurt the innocent, especially those who do this with INTENT. Those who hurt innocents on purpose. And those people DO EXIST in this world There are some people who just like to watch the world burn.
A heart that devises wicked plans. God hates a schemer. God hates someone who plans (and executes) evil.
Just like that one, God hates Feet that run rapidly to evil. There are people who are drawn to evil like a moth is to light. They love it. They live for it. They just want to be a part of it. If you live for evil, God hates that for sure!!!
The next two draw in the idea of lies being told again ..God hates a false witness who utters lies. If this is how you chose to live, God hates that. And, why do people lie anyway??
Several reasons for this: To gain a perceived advantage! To make others around you look bad, implying that this will make you look good! And/or to draw the attention of others AWAY from your sins and/or shortcomings. Which leads into the FINAL item … The Seventh …
God despises one who speaks strife among brothers. These things pertain to community, to family, and even to church. As a pastor, I see and deal with all of these on different levels. I see this in families, families that are in a state of disrepair or disfunction, and a lot of times it goes back to jealousy.
I’ve seen this as a pastor in this church, and there are people who just do not want to face the reality of who they are. When someone calls them out, they focus their cannons on that one. Unfortunately, sometimes a pastor will be the target of that kind of attack. Years ago a friend told me a story of a pastor many generations ago at Ebenezer. There was a man who just didn’t like him, and he would fight tooth and nail to make sure that he did not get a raise that year, he fought so that they didn’t do the proper insurance coverages for the pastor and his family. Why? He just did not like him. And so he would do everything he could do to prevent that pastor from gaining any benefit from being a pastor here at this church.
It’s ironic because when I look back at the pastors of this church, this man was one of the best pastors this church has had in the last 50 years. And Ebenezer has had some great pastors in the past. And I will tell you, Oscar Holland, Ted Mears, those guys were the best! And I personally knew those guys. Loved them both. And I mourned when they passed away. I know that heaven’s gain is our loss, but it was still hard. I miss them because I could have conversations with them, and they would coach me, and especially in the years of being a younger pastor and a younger man. I’m not that young anymore, but that’s life …
A simple fact is there are people who will get into a church, get into a family, and they just want to cause strife. And biblically, there’s a lot of warning about those who would do that …
Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
Romans 16:17
Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
1 Timothy 6:3-5
If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.
If you purpose yourself to cause strife in a church or in a family, God’s going to hold you accountable for that, and that if we see someone causing strife and we entertain it, we’re as guilty as they are. We’ve got to do the right thing.
Proverbs 6 tells us six things, nay, seven things that God hates. And there probably have been times when we’ve all been guilty of one or more.
So the point of this passage is that each of us need to check ourselves and make sure that we’re being as upfront as we can with God, with ourselves, and with all those people around us, with our family, with our community, with everyone in our world of influence. Hope you’re doing that.
Pray for me, that I will do a better job of it. And I will pray for you!!!
