Hating Evil

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Pro 8:13)

There are people who do not like the ‘fear of the LORD’ which can have narrow and negative view. It has sometimes been equated to a God full of wrath and looking for every opportunity to cause hurt.  Yet the Word is full of examples of God’s wrath only after He has sent prophets, multiple warnings and with long enduring patience and mercy. The fear of the LORD is not a ‘distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc’, but it calls for moral reverence of He Who upholds morality and is holy, separated or none in close comparison to.  The truth is the fear of the LORD tends to life and those who have this live lives that are fulfilled and contented (Pro 19:23).

Without the fear of the LORD we can end up with an attitude of constantly doing what is right in our own eyes, in the process condemning others. The person can end up going around with a judgmental spirit and passing personal judgment on others, picking the speck out of people’s eyes. The saddest part is that that person will not be able to see their own true inward condition. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. Proud and arrogant people rebel against the yoke or cross of Jesus and failed to learn of Christ meekness and humility.

When confronted with the issue of fearing God, our heart will be brought to light. What spews out of our mouths will reflect the heart. It is not a wonder that the proud and arrogant is connected to a forward mouth. Fearing God is not a bad thing, it keeps us in check by what proceeds from our speech shows our heart. ‘…..That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment’ (Matt 12:36). The Proverb has provided the definition of the evil the Lord hates; it is Godly wisdom to take heed.