Proverbs 6.12-15
“A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.”
Here Solomon describes manipulative, deceitful people who plan evil and seek to sow discontent and division. Sadly, this kind of destructive gossip happens in companies, churches, schools, and communities.
And with great embarrassment, we see it shamefully on display virtually every day in the political/social rhetoric of our time. How this must grieve the Holy Spirit!
The wicked and their wickedness are mentioned at least one hundred times in Proverbs. Here Solomon says the wicked are belial, which is the combination of beli, “without” + yaal, “profit.” In other words, wicked people are worthless. They bring no value to other people or to the community. They only do damage.
Because they are manipulative, bad people often deceive others and have success for a season. But eventually their deceit catches up with them, and “calamity comes upon them” and they are “broken beyond healing.” Thus is the bitter fruit of deceitful wickedness.
Proverbs 6.16-19
“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”
Six of the seven items in the list of things that God hates are associated with the human body. This is because these are deeply serious acts of person-on-person wickedness. They are acts of sin that are willfully chosen for the purpose of harming other people.
“Haughty eyes” refers to arrogance, self-centeredness, and pride. That God hates pride and respects humility is repeated many places in Proverbs.
“A lying tongue.” God hates deceitfulness and loves truth.
“Hands that shed innocent blood.” The Lord hates the killing of innocent people, and he loves those who protect and defend the innocent.
“A heart that devises wicked plans.” The Lord hates those who plot and plan to pursue corrupt and malevolent strategies.
“Feet that make haste to run to evil.” God hates uncontrolled desire for evil actions.
“A false witness that breathes out lies.” This is deceitfulness and false testimony that is a targeted attempt to destroy another person’s reputation.
“One who sows discord among brothers.” This is the scheming activity of someone who seeks to create dissension and division among friends. The Lord hates discord and division. He loves unity that is based on truth.
This is a sobering list, isn’t it? Keep in mind that these seven “things” are the corrupt characteristics of the Enemy. It is monumentally foolish to allow any of these things into your life.
