The Verbs #6 – Hate
Proverbs chapter six identifies six things that God hates, but it lists seven things. The last one God considers to be an abomination.
Here is the list of seven things that would be advisable to avoid to stay off God’s list:
1. Eyes that are arrogant
2. A tongue that lies
3. Hands that murder the innocent
4. A heart that hatches evil plots
5. Feet that race down a wicked track
6. A mouth that lies under oath
7. A troublemaker in the family
Alright, I’ve already repented seven times while writing this. God forgive me for having these in my life.
God is a lover of unity, honesty and integrity. Each one of the listed items on the hate list of God, disrupts unity. Unity is always destroyed through the attributes that God hates. Liars, pot stirrers, pride, evil thoughts and troublemakers always work to divide, instead of unite.
As much as God loves unity, the devil hates it. God hates things that cause disunity. The devil hates the things which cause, create or fosters unity among us. Why is there such a strong work to destroy unity?
Look at these instances in the Bible when God’s people were unified. Though their aspirations were misguided, the people at the Tower of Babel were unified. Through their unity, they accomplished one of the great feats of their day. On the Day of Pentecost, the church was birthed! A mighty movement was unleashed, and a message that is still being delivered, lived, and experienced, came on a day when they were all in one mind and one accord. In other words, there was unity among them. Can you imagine what we could accomplish if we all were unified? Look at what we, as a local church have done by unifying around a simple vision to love kids in Cairo! That’s why the devil works so hard to destroy unity!
Just look at our nation here. After a moment of tragedy, such as 9/11, there was a national movement to unity. People stood in the streets, supported one another and comforted one another. Even though it was one of the most tragic days in many of our lives, it was also one of our nation’s strongest days. We were unified! Then look at the spiritual onslaught that has been unleashed to destroy that unity among us. Here we are, a nation that is racked with the list of things that God hates. We murder, kill, lie and sow discord among ourselves to gain power and influence. We kill innocence, arrogance is rife among us and it has caused such disunity. I have never witnessed such disunity in my lifetime. Families are broken, race relations are being attacked and our brotherhoods are estranged. The enemy is having a field day. Where should we, as the church stand? What should our voice be declaring?
Think on this verse…
10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
The New King James Version. (1982). (Ps 97:10). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
We are to hate evil, certainly not participate in it. Hating evil does not mean I cannot love. A disagreement over an action doesn’t mean that I hate a person. We are not wrestling people; rather, we are wrestling against spiritual wickedness, principalities and powers. We are to bring those spirits, which would cause disunity, into captivity. That’s how we become a people who builds unity. We take disunity and remove it.
We are to be a people who builds unity. If you desire to be a person that lives in the blessings of the Lord, then be a bridge builder, a relationship mender and a peacemaker. If we do that, and stand in unity with each other, that’s where the blessing of the Lord is! Love unity and hate the things that cause disunity. It is a good thing to be in unity!
How wonderful, how beautiful,
when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil
flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard,
flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing,
ordains eternal life.
Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Ps 133:1–134:title). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
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