Proverbs 6:16-19
Six Things the Lord Hates
1. This section (vs. 16-19) may well be considered a conclusion to the previous section, which deals with the naughty person or the wicked man.
2. In the previous section, Solomon spoke of the deceitful body language of this person—using the parts of his body for evil purposes… froward mouth; winks with his eyes; speaks with his feet; teaches with his fingers; frowardness is in his heart.
3. This next section also deals with the parts of the body—and their use in an evil sense. (look; tongue; hands; heart; feet; and a mouth that speaks lies and sows discord.
4. These evil uses of these body parts are things the Lord particularly hates. Yes, God DOES hate certain things. Some things are abominable—disgusting to Him!
A Proud Look (haughty eyes)
1. Ps. 101:5 – a high look is linked to a proud heart.
2. Prov. 30:12-13 – there is a generation that is pure in their own eyes…
a. But they are unclean in God’s eyes. There is often a huge difference between our concept of self and God’s!
b. They are lofty… proud… and you can see it in their facial expression.
3. Ps. 10:4 – a proud look indicates that God has been excommunicated from their thoughts!
a. Pride prevents men from seeking God… from seeking His will.
b. If we are proud, who needs help? Who needs guidance! I can do it myself!
c. Pride was at the root of the original sin—Lucifer became proud of his beauty and his wisdom… and was cast out of heaven.
• Ezekiel 28:17 – Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
• Pride sees no use for God or His Word.
• Imagine the horror in heaven when Lucifer gave that very first proud look… haughty eyes in heaven! No wonder he was cast out!
• How totally out of place are haughty eyes in God’s presence! Holy angels blush in His presence!
4.) Proud looks
a. Eyes that glory in might – physical strength (Jer. 9:23)
• Have you ever seen the proud look on the face of a body builder? A Mr. America contest… flexing their muscles for all to see?
• Women don’t often glory in strength… this is more of an issue with men…
• Perhaps there is a look of pride on the face of a boxer as he defeats his foe… “I am the greatest” is written all over his face
• God hates proud looks.
b. Eyes that glory in riches – wealth and the things money can buy (Jer. 9:23)
• The proud look on the face of a person with a fancy new car… an expensive new suit… an extravagant necklace…
• There is a look that likes to show off wealth…
• They look DOWN on the rest of us… like pompous royalty looking down upon the mere serfs and peasants…
c. Eyes that glory in wisdom – (Jer. 9:23)
• Have you seen the look of arrogance on the faces of some college professors?
• There is a look of the “intellectual snobs”!
• Their face wreaks of an air of intellectual superiority…
d.) Eyes that love SELF (II Tim. 3:2)
• One of the marks of the end times is a proud boaster who loves self.
• A sense of superiority can be seen on the face…
• You can actually read some people’s face. It says, “Aren’t I fabulous?”
• God reads it too—and hates it!
4. Prov. 21:4 – a haughty look is SIN! And God hates it!
The danger of proud looks…
1. Pride leads men to contempt and rejection of God’s word and messengers. (Jer. 43:2)
a. Proud sheep won’t listen to the shepherd…they know better
b. Proud men will not listen to God’s Word… or God’s spokesmen.
c. These proud men rejected Jeremiah’s warnings—pride caused them to think that they had a better idea!
d. Imagine a mere man thinking that his ideas or opinions are better than God’s? What is that but unmitigated pride!
2. Prov. 21:24 – it results in wrath… fighting…
a. Prov.13:10 – pride results in contention… wherever people are fighting, pride is at the root of it all… Someone is unwilling to give in… too proud to say “I’m sorry or I was wrong.” And the fight goes on!
b. 28:25 – proud men stir up strife… pride causes men to feel like they are in charge… they are able to manipulate situations to their own advantage… pride stirs up strife.
c. Pride demands its own way and will not bend until it gets its own way!
3. Ob. 1:3 – pride deceives us…
a. We begin to actually BELIEVE that we are some great one… that we can handle anything…
b. Like petty crooks who get away with a few crimes and begin thinking that they are smarter than the police…
c. Pride causes us to think that we can handle anything… nothing is too hard for us…
d. Pride is at the root of much evil… we begin to believe that our own strength, our own power, our own abilities are much greater than they really are.
4. Ps. 73:6 – pride ties us up like a chain… prevents us from walking freely. Pride is oppressive… binding… limiting…
a. The young student who thinks he knows it all will hardly see any need for study!
b. The musician who thinks he has arrived will not see the need for practice.
c. The Christian who thinks he has a superior knowledge of God, church, or the Christian life is not going to see his need to study the Word—after all—what could be better than his opinion?
d. Pride hinders us from really GROWING… it limits us… it keeps us from stretching for the mark… from striving for excellence, because it deceives us into thinking we already HAVE excellence!
e. Pride ties us up like a chain!
5. Prov. 11:2 – pride brings shame!
a. The one who exalts himself will be abased!
b. Luke 14:8-11 – this man took the seat of honor, but had to be moved out to a lower seat. How much better to take the lower seat… and be moved up when called upon!
6. I Cor.10:12 – Pride results in a fall!
a. Let him that THINKETH he standeth take heed lest he fall!
b. Prov. 16:18 – “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
c. Remember Peter’s famous words: “Lord, though all be offended in thee, yet I will never be offended!”
d. Isn’t that just like us? Don’t worry about me! I’m ok. I won’t fall. I can handle this… famous last words.
God seeks fellowship with the humble…
1. Ps. 131:1-2 – David demonstrates the opposite of a proud look.
a. He declares that his heart is NOT haughty or his eyes lofty…
b. He does not exercise in matters too high for him… he leaves circumstances that are beyond him in God’s care. (Can you do that? That is humility!)
c. Surely he behaved himself – to agree with, be or become like, level, resemble… he agrees with God; not proudly fighting against the Lord…
d. He quieted himself before God – to be silent, be still, wait…
• David learned to leave situations in God’s sovereign care and control.
• David learned not to be proud but to be still and know that God is God!
e. That is the perfect position of humility before God… a place we all ought to take… that’s our place.
f. Our place is NOT to walk about with a proud look—like the world does.
• Worldliness is characterized by the “pride of life.”
• We are to be the opposite—walk humbly before God…
2. Isa. 66:1-2 – God looks not to the proud but to the lowly!
a. God looks to the poor (lowly) man with a contrite spirit = crushed.
b. God looks to the man who trembles at His Word…
c. Ex: Luke 18:10-14 – two men in the Temple
• The Pharisee had a proud look…
• The publican had a humble look…
• God look favorably upon the publican…
• God hates a haughty look…
3. James 4:6 – God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
4. James 4:10 – if we humble ourselves, God will lift us up!
One day God will humble the proud!
1. Isa. 2:11-12 – the haughtiness of man will not be tolerated forever.
2. The tribulation period is designed to do just that: crush the pride of man and exalt the Lord.
3. The tribulation is quite a drastic measure God reserves for the world.
4. BUT — God even sends trials and thorns to KEEP us humble… and thus useable! (II Cor.12:7) (Lest I should be exalted above measure…)
5. God hates a proud look—and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?