Lev. 18:19-30, What is an abomination to the LORD? (1)

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But He loves him who follows righteousness. (Prov. 15:8-9)

This is a study I should have done many years ago, in the process of developing a healthy “fear of the LORD.”  What is an abomination to Him?  This will not be an exhaustive word study because the Hebrew terms involved are too many.  The noun in these passages from Proverbs is used 118x in 112 verses (17x in Deut. and 22x in Proverbs).  The root word, a verb, occurs 22x in 20 verses.  Let’s first consider the first use of the verb because the verse includes both terms:

Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing. (Deut. 7:26).

The abomination in this passage is an “idol,” which we know from v25:

You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God.

We won’t quote all the verses, but this one helps us see the extent of “abhorring” necessary when something is an “abomination.”  “Don’t even coven the silver or gold that was put on these wooden carved images, lest you be snared by it.”  It’s not the metal but the possibility of being ensnared in the sin connected with it.

So now, for the most part, let’s just consider/meditate on the question: “What is an abomination to the LORD?”  And along the way, what is not an abomination?

·       Gen. 43:32: “Shepherds” were an abomination to the Egyptians, but not to God!  I.e. everything the world abhors is not necessarily to be abhorred by God’s people.

·       Lev. 18:22 (20:13): To “lie with a male as with a woman” is an abomination.  This is from today’s passage which deals with abominations that were part of the cultures of those who lived in the land before Israel.

·       Deut. 12:29-32: The way worshiped God is the issue here.  The previous nations in the land did abominable things, two of which are mentioned: inquiring of (dumb) idols and sacrificing your children to idols.  Israel’s approach to the “how” of worship was not to be: how did/does the world do it?

·       Deut. 14:3: Just so you know, Israel’s dietary laws involved “detestable” (i.e. abominable, same word) things.  I’m not spending time on this as Jesus dealt with the dietary laws in my view.

·       Deut. 17:1-4: Bringing an offering that was blemished to the LORD.  This was an issue in Malachi 1.  This dishonors God, of course.  Also, it denigrates the Lamb of God who would come to take away the sin of the world!!!