“a time to hate…” (Ecclesiastes 3: 8)

Just because Jesus said: “Love your enemies…” does not mean that the verb “hate” must be removed from our vocabulary or exiled from our emotions. For, according to this text, there is a time to hate. Indeed, the Bible reveals that even God hates. If, therefore, God hates and we want to be like God, the question, then, becomes: “How, when and why does God hate? God’s hate is: Not aimed at people, but things. God doesn’t hate people. He hates things in people and things about people. Consider this passage from Proverbs 6: 16-19 which lists seven things the Lord hates:

These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

It’s not the proud person, but the proud look. It is not the lying person, but the lying tongue. It is not the person who murders, but the shed innocent blood. It is not the wicked person, but the wicked heart. It is not the person who does evil, but the feet that are swift to do it. It is not the person who misrepresents. It is the false witness. It is not so much the person who sows discord as much as the fact that they do it. God is able to identify evil and hate it, while at the same, time being able to distinguish it from the person who does it. Not based on anger, but love.

Here’s another example of God’s hate:

“You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. (Deuteronomy 12:31) Through the prophet Moses, God is commanding Israel not to worship Him with abominations and child sacrifice as did their neighbors. The reason He tells them what He hates is because He loves and wants the best for them. Ironically, love and hate go together because you tend to hate anything which threatens the well-being of what you love.

Not intended for destruction, but direction. Simply put, knowing what God hates gives us a hint on what to stay away from. If God hates it, it can’t be good! We see God “fussing” all the time in the scripture, but it is not because He is “fussy.” It is because He wants to make clear to us the behavior, habits and mindsets which do not lead to life. What He hates and His expression of that hatred is intended to give us and our world direction, correction and ultimately transformation.