“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed 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 brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJB)
Wicked imaginations
Seven Things God Hates # 4
This is the fourth message in the series SEVEN ABOMINATIONS WHICH GOD HATES.
The Heart Of Imagination
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 shed 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 brethren.”
“The heart of the human problem, is the problem of the human heart.”
It is not by accident, nor coincidence that this abomination is at the center of this list. The heart is at the center of our emotions, even our thoughts and actions, are moved by the heart. Now we are not talking about the thing in our bodies that pumps the blood that courses through our veins.
“IMAGINATION —the power of the mind to form a mental image. The Bible uses the word imagination to refer to evil plans, purposes, and thoughts (Gen. 8:21; Jer. 7:24; Luke 1:51). It does not use the word to describe forming mental images of things that do not exist.” Nelsons New Illustrated Bible Dictionary.
“Subtlety in the contrivance of sin, wisdom to do evil, a heart that designs and a head that devises wicked imaginations, that is acquainted with the depths of Satan and knows how to carry on a covetous, envious, revengeful plot, most effectually. The more there is of craft and management in sin the more it is an abomination to God.” Matthew Henry Commentary.
THE CENTER OF MAN’S BEING IS HIS HEART.
God saw in the beginning and told us about it, “…The thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5). Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…” (Matthew 15:19; See also Mark 7:21). If man’s heart could be changed then the world can be changed.
There is one man who has a pure heart. He gives it to whom ever will believe in Him. According to 1 Corinthians 2:16 those who are “spiritual” have His mind. This means a new heart, new hungers, desires, and longings. Along with the new heart comes the “new mind” and thoughts.
THE PLOTTING OF THINGS IN WICKEDNESS.
To plan to do something which is right and good – godly – is honorable. To plan on doing the right thing is a good deterrent to keep from doing the wrong and evil thing. It is always right to plan right things, and do them with the right motive. Wrong motives come from the wicked heart that devises wicked imaginations.
“Devising” is a word for plotting or planning an evil act or deed. A word that is known today for plotting and scheming is “Designing”. You have probably heart the title “Designing Women” – I believe that is the title of a television sitcom some time ago. The idea of both is to scheme and plot for the purpose of going outside of God’s plan and direction. I find it sad to say, but there is too much of this going on in local churches, and denominations. When we have a gathering of brothers and sisters in Christ who are in Christ, believe God’s Word, and have a common agenda, why do we need to have groups planning who the next President of the Convention is going to be? “Designing” people. “Devising”, “Designing”, these come from one’s own mind. Thoughts like, “How do I get even?”, “How do I force this person out of his/her position so I can work my way in?” “What is the best way to steal money from my employer?, my bank?, my government?” Do you get the picture? Then, people who have this thought pattern set out to “devise” a plan for the events to occur. They will do it secretly; maybe with some help.
The words, “Devise”, “Designing”, “Plotting”, and “Scheming” all have connotations of evil within them. Of course, it will also depend on how the word is seen and used in a sentence.
The good – godly – heart plans to do good and right. Remember the One with the pure heart. Be born again.
WICKEDNESS AND GOODNESS.
The wicked heart devises wicked ways. It does not know good. Evil cannot know righteousness. Even when an evil/wicked heart does a “good” thing there is usually a hidden motive. It is the motive of the heart that really makes the difference.
Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (17:9).
Overcome evil with good, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21). Light always cancels out darkness. Good will always overcome evil – not because of the power of good, but because of the power of the good, holy, and righteous God. It will do that in our hearts as long as the light of Christ is shining – Let it shine in.
THE IMAGINATION OF MAN.
Our imaginations can be used for evil or good. The imagination which God is referring to, and which He hates is the “Imagination” which plots an evil plan for their own purposes, and against God and anything godly. A deliberate act against God. When we know the will of God and deliberately disobey, is that an act of a wicked imagination? The inclination of our hearts is to imagine evil – to manufacture it and perform it. That evil inclination, however, can be changed by a change of will – a supernatural change.
Children’s imaginations are really vivid and quite colorful. We let children imagine, that is why there are so many copyrights and inventions (Patents). The automobiles we drive came along because of someone’s imagination – the train, airplane, etc. Electricity, television, radio, recordings, all came from an imagination somewhere. We have sent men to the moon, because of an imagination or two.
Think of the imagination it has taken in medicine. Forty years ago no one did “Open heart surgeries”, and if it was attempted, it failed with death of the patient. Now it is a procedure that is conducted everyday, and probably many times a day around the world. Now the imagination of man is wanting to play with creating life, and then taking it by means of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer or SCNT, for the purpose of stemcell “Research?”, supposedly to save the lives of needy individuals, probably more of those who could afford the procedure or have the insurance to cover it. This is the “Wicked Imagination” of which God hates.
The heart that devises a “wicked imagination” is not the heart of God. It imagines doing evil to others for personal gain – in the case of SCNT it is against the life of the embryo on which they will kill to “Research?”. For the most part selfish gain is what is involved in this procedure, this killing of innocent life to supposedly save the life of others. Let us leave the giving and taking of life in God’s hands.
Only Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, was buried carrying our sins far away, and rising again to life; can change the heart that deviseth wicked imaginations; into a heart that glorifies Him.
In conclusion, shun every vile imagination – plan to do what is right and good. You were born with an evil heart – You can be born again through Jesus Christ and have a new, clean heart. There is no good in mankind – goodness is solely a God thing – it comes from God. In Jesus Christ you receive a sanctified imagination.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Some Things God Hates
There are some things which God hates. You might be one of those people who find it difficult to believe that God hates anything. The writer of Proverbs tells us of seven abominations which He does hate. That is what we look at today.
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed 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 brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19
We must understand that the God of the Bible is holy, righteous and just; and because He is those things there must be of necessity things which He hates the above seven things are some of them – seven in fact which cover the entirety of the human race.
Seven things which God hates. These seven things are directly related to the heart of evil.
From the ESV Study notes we read of verse 16,
“This numeric literary device presents a representative rather than exhaustive list (cf. 30:15–16, 18–19, 21–31) that seeks to draw particular attention to the final item as the focus of God’s hatred. It is easy to agree that God hates the first six items; it is also easy to overlook the seventh (v. 19b), and thus the author pulls the reader up short.”
From the Matthew Henry Commentary we find,
“God hates sin; he hates every sin; he can never be reconciled to it; he hates nothing but sin. But there are some sins which he does in a special manner hate; and all those here mentioned are such as are injurious to our neighbour. It is an evidence of the good-will God bears to mankind that those sins are in a special manner provoking to him which are prejudicial to the comfort of human life and society. Therefore the men of Belial must expect their ruin to come suddenly, and without remedy, because their practices are such as the Lord hates and are an abomination to him, v. 16. Those things which God hates it is no thanks to us to hate in others, but we must hate them in ourselves.”
I want you to realize today that God loves you. He loves the world and you and me are part of the world and He loves us. So much that He gave His only Son that believing in Him we would not perish, but have everlasting life.
Some one once said, “God will not allow His children to sin successfully.” The child of God cannot continue to live in sin and its abomination without serious consequences.
The Living LORD
I am looking at Psalm 18 this morning. It is a Psalm which David wrote while fleeing from Saul the anointed king of Israel for the time. Time after time God delivered David from the hands of his enemies, and Saul the king. David never thought of king Saul as an enemy; even though the man sought many times to kill David himself.
In David we find the faith of a child. The kind of faith our Lord Jesus speaks of,
“Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:3-6 (KJV)
In the eighteenth Psalm David speaks much about the LORD, His way, His word, trusting Him, and in the verse for which the title comes he has written for all time and eternity;
“The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.” Psalm 18:46
One of the things that strengthens faith is knowing that God is the living GOD. All others are dead, buried, on display, and the imaginations of wicked hearts. Our God lives, even though He was crucified, died, was buried; He rose again bodily from the grave, and is alive forevermore.
He is the Rock of Ages. He is to be exalted. He is to be worshipped. He is the Living LORD.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Seven Things Which God Hates
Some want to think that God hates nothing. However, if there is not hate, then what is love, and the apostle John says that “God is love”. Since God is love there must of necessity be some things which He hates, and the Bible in Proverbs gives us seven of them; which seems to cover every gamut of evil in the world.
Hear the wisdom of the ages –
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed 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 brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV)
I do not believe I have ever seen a time in my life when there is such a pride and arrogance, especially among leaders. Leaders in the business world, leaders in politics, leaders of Nations; and even leaders in churches who profess to know God and His Son Jesus. With noses in the air they walk around defying God and His Word.
Lies, lies, and more lies are seen. A person can tell a lie until it becomes the truth in their own mind. The lying tongue has intent to deceive and defraud. “Lie” – any statement or act designed to deceive another person, and or harm them, their reputation or possibly even bodily.
There are hands shedding innocent blood. Mothers killing their own babies; before they are born and after they are born. Sons killing fathers; fathers killing sons – sometimes neither are not so innocent blood. Governments killing Christians for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Husbands and wives killing the innocent spouse for insurance money or to get another spouse.
With the heart of imagination men have designs against God, His Word, His people, His land, and His future. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Psalm 2:1). I have news for the ones imagining to overthrow Israel, and set up a quote “Palestinian Nation”. It will not succeed. God’s covenant stands forever. The United Nations will fail. Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Russia, Libya, the United States of America, etc. will all fail and fall; but our God and His Word will stand forever.
There are feet that are swift for destruction. Evil feet are feet that move with haste without much thought as to its outcome and destruction of life to oneself or others. Mostly for acquiring material gain. Swift at running to mischief. Looking for the next party; the next drunken brawl; the next adulterous affair. Swift to move toward evil.
A false witness speaks lies in order, usually, to gain for ones self. There is usually a malicious – intent to do harm – cause behind a false witness. Jezebel lied about Naboth in order to gain his vineyard for king Ahab, and caused Naboth’s death (1 Kings 21). Does that happen in courts and politics today? Does that happen in families today? Has that happened to you? Have you been the one who committed the abomination?
Sowing seeds of discord is an act of “terrorism” among families. It does not do any good for churches neither. If it is no good for these then, why would it be good for Local governments, State governments, or federal governments? It is not.
If you will notice all of these are called an “Abomination unto Him”.
There is only forgiveness and eternal life through the One who died on the cross for our sins; was buried taking away our sin, guilt and condemnation; and rose bodily from the grave, and is one day soon returning to set things right in this world and the hearts of men. His name is Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Fire and Hammer 