Special series Anger and Hate Month August
Special series Anger and Hate Month August • Sermon • Submitted
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Overcoming Anger
Overcoming Anger
INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
A. Thomas Jefferson said: “When angry, count to ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.”
A. Thomas Jefferson said: “When angry, count to ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.”
B. Examples of anger::
B. Examples of anger::
1. Marge had worked all day cleaning the ladies meeting she was going to have the next morning. She had even scrub bed the carpet, a job nor for her husband. Feeling very pleased with accomplishments of the day, Marge sat in her kitchen dinking deserved cup of coffee. Suddenly the door popped open and in ran her nine-year-old son, Ted, who had been in school all day, chasing the family dog, Blackie. Marge couldn’t believe her eyes as she sat frozen in her seat watching Ted chase Blackie through the living into the den and around and around the dining room table. After recovering from the initial shock of seeing the Muddy tracks on her clean carpet, she exploded.
2. Bill bad been waiting in line for over an hour to buy tickets for a concert. This was one event he didn’t want to miss. Just as he was about to step up to the window and purchase his tickets, a man stepped in front of him and proceeded to place his order. Bill blew his cool shouting at the line breaker.
3. The local newspaper recently carried an account of father who had beaten his infant son to death. The father’s reason for doing it was because the child made him mad when he cried during the night.
4. A man was having his car filled with attendant started to use the name of the lord in vain “Please watch your language,” the purchaser said, “I don’t appreciate your talking about my Heavenly Father.”
C. The emotion described in the above four illustrations is anger.
C. The emotion described in the above four illustrations is anger.
1. Anger is sometimes a perfectly normal reaction; and on some occasions it can (and does) get out of hand and lead to serious (or sinful) actions.
1. Anger is sometimes a perfectly normal reaction; and on some occasions it can (and does) get out of hand and lead to serious (or sinful) actions.
2. The challenge comes in how we handle our anger.
2. The challenge comes in how we handle our anger.
3. Do you handle it correctly or does it rule you?
3. Do you handle it correctly or does it rule you?
4. Socrates, finding himself very mad at a slave, said, “I would beat you if I were not so angry.”
4. Socrates, finding himself very mad at a slave, said, “I would beat you if I were not so angry.”
5. Illustration:
5. Illustration:
Two boys, named Gus and Gene, were taking turns spinning a top. They had but one top, which they spun alternately. As time passed they began to quarrel and soon became angry. Gene said, ‘‘It is my turn to spin the top.” Gus said, “You lie!’’ They started hitting each other in a great rage~ and, in the fight, Gene took a knife from his pocket, and stabbed Gus, who died a few minutes later. One lost his life, the other became a murderer, merely to determine whose turn it was to spin the top.
6. Anger is not a laughing matter. It is a very serious emotion that must be properly understood and controlled.
6. Anger is not a laughing matter. It is a very serious emotion that must be properly understood and controlled.
7. Illustration:
7. Illustration:
Fourteen year-old twin boys in Tennessee argued over some chewing gum. One stabbed the other to death.
WHAT IS ANGER? . . . . . . DEFINING & DESCRIBING ANGER
WHAT IS ANGER? . . . . . . DEFINING & DESCRIBING ANGER
A. Anger, like all emotions, is created by your thinking. Your thoughts push the anger button.
A. Anger, like all emotions, is created by your thinking. Your thoughts push the anger button.
1. It begins with an event that you notice and the interpretation you place on it.
1. It begins with an event that you notice and the interpretation you place on it.
2. The result of your interpretation is feeling and feeling leads to emotional action (in this case anger).
2. The result of your interpretation is feeling and feeling leads to emotional action (in this case anger).
3. This, therefore, makes it very difficult to give a definite definition of anger.
3. This, therefore, makes it very difficult to give a definite definition of anger.
B. Definitions of anger.
B. Definitions of anger.
1. Anger is the result of emotional frustration or hostility.
1. Anger is the result of emotional frustration or hostility.
2. Webster defines anger as, “a hostile feeling of displeasure that may result from injury, mistreatment, opposition.”
2. Webster defines anger as, “a hostile feeling of displeasure that may result from injury, mistreatment, opposition.”
C. There are several words translated anger from the Greek.
C. There are several words translated anger from the Greek.
1. Orge (noun). “Originally any natural impulse, or desire, or disposition. came to signify anger, as the strongest of all passions”
1. Orge (noun). “Originally any natural impulse, or desire, or disposition. came to signify anger, as the strongest of all passions”
a. – “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”
a. – “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
b. – “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.”
b. – “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.”
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
c. – “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
c. – “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
2. Thumos indicates a more agitated condition of the feelings, an outburst of wrath from inward indignation, while orge suggests a more settled or abiding condition of mind, frequently with a view of taking revenge.
2. Thumos indicates a more agitated condition of the feelings, an outburst of wrath from inward indignation, while orge suggests a more settled or abiding condition of mind, frequently with a view of taking revenge.
a. Orge is less sudden in its rise than thumos.
a. Orge is less sudden in its rise than thumos.
b. Thumos expresses more the inward feeling . . . Orgy the more active emotion. T
b. Thumos expresses more the inward feeling . . . Orgy the more active emotion. T
c. Thumos is translated wrath .
c. Thumos is translated wrath .
d. Origizo (a verb), means “to provoke, to arouse to anger.”
d. Origizo (a verb), means “to provoke, to arouse to anger.”
1. : - “angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
1. : - “angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
2. – “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment . . .”
2. – “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment . . .”
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
3. (The Prodigal Son’s older brother) – “But he was angry and would not go in . . .”
3. (The Prodigal Son’s older brother) – “But he was angry and would not go in . . .”
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
D. Anger occurs when our desires or purposes are blocked. The following words illustrate the various forms anger in ay take.
D. Anger occurs when our desires or purposes are blocked. The following words illustrate the various forms anger in ay take.
1. Anger may be hidden .
1. Anger may be hidden .
a. Psychologists tell us that most anger is concealed with in the heart of man.
a. Psychologists tell us that most anger is concealed with in the heart of man.
b. It is like a basketball submerged in water: sooner or later, if it is not properly handled, it will pop to the top.
b. It is like a basketball submerged in water: sooner or later, if it is not properly handled, it will pop to the top.
2. Anger in ay take the form of a mild annoyance. It may upset you when a person pops his gum.
2. Anger in ay take the form of a mild annoyance. It may upset you when a person pops his gum.
3. Anger may be a short outburst of resentment. You may resent it to resent it for a few moments when someone cuts in front of you on a freeway.
3. Anger may be a short outburst of resentment. You may resent it to resent it for a few moments when someone cuts in front of you on a freeway.
4. Anger may be carried as hatred in the heart. Illustration: One man for twenty years because she embarrassed him one time in class. He was angry then but couldn‘t do any thing about it.
4. Anger may be carried as hatred in the heart. Illustration: One man for twenty years because she embarrassed him one time in class. He was angry then but couldn‘t do any thing about it.
5. Anger some times takes on the form of aggression. People try to overthrow governments because they don’t like their policies. etc. Children become bullies because of anger.
5. Anger some times takes on the form of aggression. People try to overthrow governments because they don’t like their policies. etc. Children become bullies because of anger.
6. Anger can also manifest itself in revenge. A man let the air out of his neighbor’s car tires because it was parked in his driveway.
6. Anger can also manifest itself in revenge. A man let the air out of his neighbor’s car tires because it was parked in his driveway.
7. Anger may be expIosive.
7. Anger may be expIosive.
a. This was seen in the case of the man who went into a rage and killed his boss because he was fired from his job. Rage is very dangerous.
a. This was seen in the case of the man who went into a rage and killed his boss because he was fired from his job. Rage is very dangerous.
b. Work-place shootings . . . School shootings, etc.
b. Work-place shootings . . . School shootings, etc.
8. Angers is an emotional capacity given to each of us by God. Anger, by itself, is neither good or bad . . . It is how we handle it that makes the difference.
8. Angers is an emotional capacity given to each of us by God. Anger, by itself, is neither good or bad . . . It is how we handle it that makes the difference.
9. Anger sometimes is no more than a mild case of irritation. One lady confessed that she became irritated (angry) when the preacher went overtime in his sermon.
9. Anger sometimes is no more than a mild case of irritation. One lady confessed that she became irritated (angry) when the preacher went overtime in his sermon.
10. Not all anger is wrong or sinful.
10. Not all anger is wrong or sinful.
a. Paul wrote, “Be angry and sin not.” .
a. Paul wrote, “Be angry and sin not.” .
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
b. The challenge is to know when to stop.
b. The challenge is to know when to stop.
E. Many years ago Henry W. Beecher wrote these fine remarks about the nature of anger:
E. Many years ago Henry W. Beecher wrote these fine remarks about the nature of anger:
“There is an anger that is damnable: it is the anger of selfishness. There is an anger that is majestic as the frown of Jehovah’s brow: it is the anger of truth and love. If a man meets with injustice, it is not required that he shall not be roused to meet it: but if he is angry after he has had time to think upon it, that is sinful. The flame is not wrong, but the coals are.”
1. Anger, under proper control, can be a very necessary reaction. It can be used as a tool of communication to let others know how we feel about their conduct.
1. Anger, under proper control, can be a very necessary reaction. It can be used as a tool of communication to let others know how we feel about their conduct.
2. God gave us anger as an emotion for constructive purposes. It is only through His word and power that we can make the best usage of our anger.
2. God gave us anger as an emotion for constructive purposes. It is only through His word and power that we can make the best usage of our anger.
THE BIBLE AND ANGER
THE BIBLE AND ANGER
As we have already noted, anger, in and of itself, is not bad or sinful. It is an capacity to feel because of God’s creative work (Genesis1:27-29). It was given for our good. This is why we must learn to properly control it.
A. First, it may come as a surprise to learn that anger is an attribute of God.
A. First, it may come as a surprise to learn that anger is an attribute of God.
1. There are more than 500 references to anger and wrath in the Old Testament.
1. There are more than 500 references to anger and wrath in the Old Testament.
a. The Bible reveals that God experiences daily anger because of the evil actions of man.
a. The Bible reveals that God experiences daily anger because of the evil actions of man.
b. The Psalmist wrote in – “is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”
b. The Psalmist wrote in – “is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”
God judgeth the righteous,
And God is angry with the wicked every day.
c. The Creator of man is “emotionally’’ moved when His creation rebels against Him.
c. The Creator of man is “emotionally’’ moved when His creation rebels against Him.
d. We, too, should be moved by the ungodliness in the world.
d. We, too, should be moved by the ungodliness in the world.
e. We must hate the sin and love the sinner.
e. We must hate the sin and love the sinner.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
f. We must always remember that God’s anger is free from malice, injustice, unethical and hasty qualities.
f. We must always remember that God’s anger is free from malice, injustice, unethical and hasty qualities.
1a. Jehovah God is not an impulsive judge.
1a. Jehovah God is not an impulsive judge.
2b. The divine anger is to be regarded as the natural expression of His nature, which is absolute holiness, manifesting itself against the rebellion of man.
2b. The divine anger is to be regarded as the natural expression of His nature, which is absolute holiness, manifesting itself against the rebellion of man.
3c. This is why Paul wrote in – “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men . . . ”
3c. This is why Paul wrote in – “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men . . . ”
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
2. – “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
2. – “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
B. There are man examples of uncontrolled anger in the Bible.
B. There are man examples of uncontrolled anger in the Bible.
1. Cain became angry and murdered his brother, Abel.
1. Cain became angry and murdered his brother, Abel.
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
2. Easu resented Jacob for deceiving him.
2. Easu resented Jacob for deceiving him.
And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
3. King Saul committed many sins in his anger.
3. King Saul committed many sins in his anger.
8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. 18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? 19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 20 And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain. 22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law. 23 And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. 25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son in law: and the days were not expired. 27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. 29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 2 But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee. 4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: 5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? 6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain. 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him. 9 And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. 16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster. 17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. 23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? 2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death. 4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. 5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? 9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? 10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly? 11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 12 And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee; 13 The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father. 14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not: 15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies. 17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. 19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the Lord liveth. 22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away. 23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.
24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat. 25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean. 27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day? 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem: 29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table. 30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? 38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. 41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.
1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. 4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. 5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. 6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. 8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste. 9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. 4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. 5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.
6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;) 7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds; 8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. 13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house? 15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. 16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house. 17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the Lord’s priests. 22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house. 23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. 12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. 13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. 14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. 18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. 24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.
1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. 7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed. 11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15 The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 21 Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
1 And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. 8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 9 And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? 12 So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. 13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. 15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. 18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal. 20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. 21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. 22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. 23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. 25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. 28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. 30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid. 32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. 34 For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. 35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.
36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. 39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. 41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. 44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.
1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.
13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? 15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17 And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22 And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23 The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. 2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men. 2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.
3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor. 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. 19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 21 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me. 22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way. 23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. 24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: 25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.
1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish. 3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day? 4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not. 7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines. 8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king? 9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. 10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master’s servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart. 11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; 12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. 13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick. 14 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. 15 And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company. 16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. 18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all. 20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.
21 And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. 22 Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. 23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. 24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. 25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.
26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord; 27 To them which were in Beth-el, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir, 28 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa, 29 And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites, 30 And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chor-ashan, and to them which were in Athach, 31 And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
4. Haman plotted murder because of his anger against Mordecai.
4. Haman plotted murder because of his anger against Mordecai.
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
5. King Ahab hated the prophet Micaiah and sought revenge. 1 Kings 22:827
5. King Ahab hated the prophet Micaiah and sought revenge. 1 Kings 22:827
6. Jewish leaders became furious at Jesus and began to develop a plan to destroy Him.
6. Jewish leaders became furious at Jesus and began to develop a plan to destroy Him.
And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
C. The Bible commands us to properly handle anger.
C. The Bible commands us to properly handle anger.
1. – “from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it only causes harm.”
1. – “from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it only causes harm.”
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:
Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
2. – “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
2. – “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
3. – “A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.”
3. – “A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.”
A wrathful man stirreth up strife:
But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
4. – “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment . . . ”
4. – “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment . . . ”
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
5. – “A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.”
5. – “A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.”
A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment:
For if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
D. The Bible reveals that that there is an approved place for proper anger.
D. The Bible reveals that that there is an approved place for proper anger.
1. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, was moved with anger when He saw the taking advantage of the poor ().
1. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, was moved with anger when He saw the taking advantage of the poor ().
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. 13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
a. This “make-a-buck” approach to religion, with its huckstering of religion for profit, was more than the Master could tolerate.
a. This “make-a-buck” approach to religion, with its huckstering of religion for profit, was more than the Master could tolerate.
b. He was emotionally moved by the sight and made a whip of cords and drove them all out ft the Temple.
b. He was emotionally moved by the sight and made a whip of cords and drove them all out ft the Temple.
c. The disciples were surprised by His actions: then they remembered a passage from where it was written,
c. The disciples were surprised by His actions: then they remembered a passage from where it was written,
9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up;
And the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
2. Paul gives us some very interesting remarks about anger in - “Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
2. Paul gives us some very interesting remarks about anger in - “Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
1. Paul is saying that it is okay to be emotionally moved .
1. Paul is saying that it is okay to be emotionally moved .
2. But the challenge however, is to not let it move into the wrath zone.
2. But the challenge however, is to not let it move into the wrath zone.
3. Our hearts in must be clear of all anger by sundown. You in may be angry but don’t let it cause you to sin .
3. Our hearts in must be clear of all anger by sundown. You in may be angry but don’t let it cause you to sin .
4. Anger must not become an obsession for the devil to use against us.
4. Anger must not become an obsession for the devil to use against us.
5. He is only asking us to properly use our emotions.
5. He is only asking us to properly use our emotions.
E. The Bible teaches that we can control our anger.
E. The Bible teaches that we can control our anger.
1. This is not believed by some Christians. Members of the church have been heard to say, “I have tried but just can’t control my temper.”
1. This is not believed by some Christians. Members of the church have been heard to say, “I have tried but just can’t control my temper.”
2. – “fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them.”
2. – “fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them.”
11 A fool uttereth all his mind:
But a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
a. You can be angry without sinning.
a. You can be angry without sinning.
b. With God’s help we can control our anger.
b. With God’s help we can control our anger.
c. Tyron Edwards: “To rule one’s anger is well; to prevent it is still better.”
c. Tyron Edwards: “To rule one’s anger is well; to prevent it is still better.”
d. Seneca: “Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it.”
d. Seneca: “Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it.”
HOW TO CONTROL ANGER
HOW TO CONTROL ANGER
A. In order to win over anger you must have strong desire to do so . This is the beginning place. How strong is your desire?
A. In order to win over anger you must have strong desire to do so . This is the beginning place. How strong is your desire?
B. Remember the tragic results of sinful and wrong anger.
B. Remember the tragic results of sinful and wrong anger.
Dr. S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, says that “Anxiety places more stress on the heart than any other stimulus, including physical exercise and fatigue.”
C. Remember you are not trying to free your from all anger. Some anger is healthy and needful. Not all anger is sinful.
C. Remember you are not trying to free your from all anger. Some anger is healthy and needful. Not all anger is sinful.
C. Remember you are not trying to free your from all anger. Some anger is healthy and needful. Not all anger is sinful. D. Practice : “. . . let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” E. Don’t internalize your anger. This is like a pressure cooker: sooner or later the lid will blow off. Anger must he handled in a Biblical manner. F. Prayerfully confront others who may be involved in your problem. This is not to blame them but to use them as part of the solution. G. Ask yourself: “Why am I feeling angry?” 1. “Is there a valid basis for my anger?’’ 2. “What can I do to handle it?” 3. “What passage of Scripture is being violated?’’ H. Never forget this truth: You can stop creating your anger any time you choose. I. Remember that your anger won’t change others; neither will it cause them to think better of you. J. Rectify any wrongs that may exist between you and brethren. Read , ; . K. Remember God commands us not to let anger lead to sin (). L. Work on redirecting your anger. Let it lead you to solutions instead of bitterness and resentment. M. Be aware of situations that cause you to lose control. It may he wise to avoid these situations in the early stages of your efforts to win over anger. N. Be quick to forgive. Even if it requires several times in one day (). O. Remember that you can’t control the actios or speech of others, but you can control how you react to them. P. Replace your anger with love. Q. Do something positive for the other person. – “Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” R. Don’t associate with hot-tempered people: – “Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.” S. Use your creative imagination to win over anger: T. Pray for help and wisdom from God. U. Stop pinning labels on people. When you think for example. that a person is stupid or dumb, his action will usually raise anger in you. Think of everyone as created in God’s image. V. Thank God for irritations because they are growth opportunities. Each victory makes you stronger in the Lord. W. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Try to see his point. Empathy is a great virtue.
D. Practice : “. . . let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
D. Practice : “. . . let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
E. Don’t internalize your anger. This is like a pressure cooker: sooner or later the lid will blow off. Anger must he handled in a Biblical manner.
E. Don’t internalize your anger. This is like a pressure cooker: sooner or later the lid will blow off. Anger must he handled in a Biblical manner.
F. Prayerfully confront others who may be involved in your problem. This is not to blame them but to use them as part of the solution.
F. Prayerfully confront others who may be involved in your problem. This is not to blame them but to use them as part of the solution.
G. Ask yourself: “Why am I feeling angry?”
G. Ask yourself: “Why am I feeling angry?”
1. “Is there a valid basis for my anger?’’
1. “Is there a valid basis for my anger?’’
2. “What can I do to handle it?”
2. “What can I do to handle it?”
3. “What passage of Scripture is being violated?’’
3. “What passage of Scripture is being violated?’’
H. Never forget this truth: You can stop creating your anger any time you choose.
H. Never forget this truth: You can stop creating your anger any time you choose.
I. Remember that your anger won’t change others; neither will it cause them to think better of you.
I. Remember that your anger won’t change others; neither will it cause them to think better of you.
J. Rectify any wrongs that may exist between you and brethren. Read , ; .
J. Rectify any wrongs that may exist between you and brethren. Read , ; .
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
K. Remember God commands us not to let anger lead to sin ().
K. Remember God commands us not to let anger lead to sin ().
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
L. Work on redirecting your anger. Let it lead you to solutions instead of bitterness and resentment.
L. Work on redirecting your anger. Let it lead you to solutions instead of bitterness and resentment.
M. Be aware of situations that cause you to lose control. It may he wise to avoid these situations in the early stages of your efforts to win over anger.
M. Be aware of situations that cause you to lose control. It may he wise to avoid these situations in the early stages of your efforts to win over anger.
N. Be quick to forgive. Even if it requires several times in one day ().
N. Be quick to forgive. Even if it requires several times in one day ().
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
O. Remember that you can’t control the actios or speech of others, but you can control how you react to them.
O. Remember that you can’t control the actios or speech of others, but you can control how you react to them.
P. Replace your anger with love.
P. Replace your anger with love.
Q. Do something positive for the other person. – “Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Q. Do something positive for the other person. – “Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
R. Don’t associate with hot-tempered people: – “Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.”
R. Don’t associate with hot-tempered people: – “Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.”
24 Make no friendship with an angry man;
And with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways,
And get a snare to thy soul.
S. Use your creative imagination to win over anger:
S. Use your creative imagination to win over anger:
T. Pray for help and wisdom from God.
T. Pray for help and wisdom from God.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
U. Stop pinning labels on people. When you think for example. that a person is stupid or dumb, his action will usually raise anger in you. Think of everyone as created in God’s image.
U. Stop pinning labels on people. When you think for example. that a person is stupid or dumb, his action will usually raise anger in you. Think of everyone as created in God’s image.
V. Thank God for irritations because they are growth opportunities. Each victory makes you stronger in the Lord.
V. Thank God for irritations because they are growth opportunities. Each victory makes you stronger in the Lord.
W. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Try to see his point. Empathy is a great virtue.
W. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Try to see his point. Empathy is a great virtue.
CONCLUSION:
CONCLUSION:
A. Anger is an emotional capacity given to man by God. It plays a positive role in man’s daily life. The challenge he is faced with, however, is to keep it under proper control.
A. Anger is an emotional capacity given to man by God. It plays a positive role in man’s daily life. The challenge he is faced with, however, is to keep it under proper control.
B. God’s word guarantees that we can win over anger. Work at it.
B. God’s word guarantees that we can win over anger. Work at it.
C. God’s Plan for Man’s Salvation.
C. God’s Plan for Man’s Salvation.
Hate, Hatred
Hate derives from a strong dislike or ill will toward persons or things. As an emotional attitude, a person may oppose, detest, or despise contact with a thing or a person. Love and hatred often stand opposed. Wisdom says, there is "a time to love and a time to hate" ( ). In the biblical record, every being may express or experience hate.
The Bible says that God hates religiosity ( ; ), hypocrisy and lies ( ), wrongdoing ( ); divorce ( ), violence ( ), idolatrous practices ( ), and the way the prophets are treated ( ). The theology underlying God's hatred rests upon two essential qualities of God: holiness and justice. As a divine being with standards, God hates anything that despises, detests, or disregards those standards. In return, people hate God ( ). Humanity may choose to follow in God's path in hating anything that hates the Lord or his standards ( ).
The Bible notes that people can hate discipline ( ), peace ( ), and knowledge ( ). This sense of "hatred" carries the meaning of "loathing." A person so characterized is viewed in a negative sense, often labeled as a "fool." Some people hate anything that is good ( ). They are viewed as "evil." They may hate God's people as well. The psalmist tells us, "I suffer from those who hate me" ( 9:13 ). A strong dislike surfaces for a variety of reasons, all encompassed by the term "hatred." Jesus accepted that believers would be hated, pronouncing a blessing on those so hated ( ). In fact, one mark of a disciple derives from being hated ( ). Of course, the world hated Jesus first ( ). True disciples hold an attitude of love toward those who hate them ( ). This hatred of God's people appears to be an inevitable fact of life ( ; ; ; ; ). God may be involved on occasion in turning people to hate his people ( ). This idea attests how everything fits into God's plan in some way.
The response by God's people needs to mirror God's attitude toward evil. We are to hate evildoers ( ), idolaters ( ), the false way ( ), falsehood ( ), and anything that is evil ( ; ; ).
Normal relationships may produce hatred between people. A husband may hate his wife ( ). Joseph's brothers hated him ( ). Amnon's lust turned to hate after he raped his sister, Tamar ( ). A parent may hate a son ( ). Neighbors, nations, and classes of people, such as the poor may be hated ( ; ; ). Hatred proves to be a tangible measurement of evil in the world. Its ugliness may extend in any direction. Any aversion of humans to others expresses hatred.
Is Hatred Always Wrong According to Bible Teaching?"A Time to Love and a Time to Hate"📷Surely hatred is often bad, but is it always wrong or evil? What should we not hate? Is it ever acceptable to hate? When people teach that others are wrong because they participate in some practice, does that mean they are guilty of improper hatred? Should they be accused of hate speech or hate crimes, and should laws be passed to punish them? When the Bible is taught and people reject the teaching, who is really guilty of improper hatred?How many times have you heard people say things like the following?"Hate has no place in our society.""We need to learn to love, not hate."When people speak out against some practice, they are accused of being full of hate or using hate speech or a hate crime.People often act and speak as though love is always good and hate always bad.Hatred is a failure to love.4 - No man can serve two masters; either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. Hatred is not just the opposite of love, but a lack of love, the absence of love.Love is a devotion or attachment that leads us to have a favorable view of someone or something such that we desire to promote it, benefit it, or seek its well being.Hatred is generally hostility, animosity, or antagonism that leads us to have an unfavorable view of someone or something such that we desire it to be harmed, destroyed, or defeated.But in the Bible hatred sometimes refers to loving one thing less than another. You don't have to actively oppose a thing to hate it. So long as you don't actively pursue its good or don't love it as much as you love something else, then you hate it8 says there is "a time to love and a time to hate." The purpose of this study is to learn which is which.Surely hatred is often bad, but is it always bad? Just because someone tells people they are wrong, does that mean they are guilty of improper hatred? When we tell people what the Bible says and they reject the teaching, who is really guilty of improper hatred? Consider:I. Things We Should Not HateA. God and JesusWe might think that no one would hate God, but there are several ways people are guilty.Some people actively resent God and His authority0 - Those who are worthy of death include "haters of God." The context discusses people who ought to believe, but reject the knowledge of God and so end up in false worship and immorality of all kinds. These people may worship idols, etc. (vv 23,24). What they hate is the God of the Bible, who places restrictions on them.7 - Jesus said the world hated Him, because He testified that its works were evil. Again, they hated Him because He made demands on their lives. Some professed to believe He was not from God, saying He was a sinner, He did miracles by the power of Satan,etc. But the root problem was that He proved they were in sin, and they did not want to change.In that sense we are surrounded by haters of God: people who refuse to have God in their knowledge and resent any effort to remind them of God.85;3]Some people are indifferent to God or love something else more than God4 - People cannot have two masters. They love one and hate the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches). These people may not actively resent God, but their lives are controlled by material interests instead of God. This is hatred, because it is a lack of love for God.This shows that everyone hates something. It is impossible to love everything, and God does not expect us to love everything. When two things that are antagonistic, the more you love one, the more you hate the other.7 - If you love God, then you must not love the world. If you love the world, then the love of the Father is not in you. God views that as hating Him.Some people show they hate God by disobeying Him2 - One who is perverse in his ways despises the Lord (maybe not intentionally)54 - If we love God, we keep His commands. But he who does not love Jesus does not keep His words. So to disobey is to lack love - God says we hate Him.When people claim that others are guilty of hatred, simply because they warn people they are guilty of sin, those people need to consider who really is guilty of hatred. In God's view, the person who sins is guilty of hatred, not the person who rebukes the sinner9 - The greatest command of all is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. There are some things we should hate, but we must make sure we never hate God, either deliberately, by neglect, or by disobedience.2;4;1;5;0;1;0;90;1;5;7;7]B. Truth and God's WordAgain, we might think no one would ever hate truth or hate God's word. But there are many ways people are guilty, including the following:Some people actively resent the restrictions or requirements of truth04 - Some people call evil good, and good evil. They reject the law of God and despise His word. This goes hand in hand with the people who openly hate God. They love to practice things that God says are evil, so they not only don't want to hear the truth, but the openly resent it.8 - Ahab said he hated the prophet Micaiah, because he always prophesied evil concerning him. Ahab was the most wicked king of Israel up to that time. He married Jezebel, worshiped idols, allowed Jezebel to have a man killed so Ahab could take his vineyard, and followed evil of all kinds. When a true prophet told him the truth, he hated it. The problem is that people want to live to please themselves. They do not want to be restricted. An online student once said (in effect): "Don't tell us what to believe. Don't tell us what we have to do." But the whole purpose of the Bible is to tell us what to believe and what to do!Society is filled with people who argue against truth and defend other views, even when shown what the Bible says. So they choose other religions, other religious authorities, or no authority at all except their own desires. What God says is simply not what they want to believe, so they openly hate it. Some people resent being rebuked by God's word1 - People who love truth will come to God's word so it can reveal truth. But some people hate the light and refuse to come to it, because they don't want their deeds exposed.56 - God described the sins of Judah and how He sent His messengers to warn them. But the people mocked the messengers, despised God's words, and scoffed at His prophets. For such people, there was no remedy. God had no other solution: He sent them into captivity.56 - The New Testament likewise warns us not to despise the chastening of the Lord. We should realize that chastisement and rebuke from God's word is based on God's love for us. Like the parent who corrects a disobedient child, God corrects us hoping to lead us to be righteous (vv 7-11). 1]Again, rebuke of sin is an act of love, not of hatred. Properly done, it is for the benefit of one in sin to lead him to repent and be saved. When people resent it, they hate the word of God.Some people hate truth by refusing to obey it0 - God says the wicked hate instruction and cast His words behind them. They consent with thieves and fellowship adulterers, speak evil, slandering their brothers, etc. Note that these people claimed God's covenant and taught His word (v16). But God says they had no right to, because their conduct showed they hated His word.7290 - Foolish people despise wisdom and instruction. They hate knowledge and despise reproof, because they will not listen to His teaching (vv 25,30). Their hatred is not open, deliberate antagonism; it is simply a failure to appreciate truth enough to obey it.Again, note who is guilty of sinful hatred. Our society thinks that the person who seeks to correct sinners and lead them to the light is guilty of hate. The media repeatedly characterizes people who speak against homosexuality as full of hate. People who read our web site often accuse us of speaking from hatred because our articles rebuke sin.But God says the person with sinful hatred is the person who resents teaching that shows people their error, or people who simply do not obey what God says. All such constitutes hatred of God's word.45;0;1;3;1;90;9;9;4;4;23;1;3;502;9;9;12]C. Righteous People and Righteous ConductProverbs 29:27 - An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous. And he who is upright is an abomination to the wicked. Someone might think it would make sense to hate wicked people, but why would anyone hate good people? Again, we will see there may be several reasons.Some people resent goodness, because it shows they are wrong29 - Some people hate good and love evil. They abhor justice. Good people don't hate goodness. People hate good when they themselves are evil and when they love being evil. They practice what is wrong and they don't want to change.1 - The world hates Jesus' followers for the same reasons it hated Him, and it will treat us like it treated Him. They hate Jesus' disciples because they are not like the world and because they do not know the Father. [17:14;3]People tend to resent anything significantly different from what they are, whether better or worse. We can see why people would resent evil conduct: criminals, terrorists, etc. But they also resent people who live significantly better than they do, because it exposes their evil.2 - Men will hate Jesus' followers, exclude them, revile then, and cast out their name as evil. I remember a final exam I had in high school freshman algebra. Afterward, I overheard one girl say to another, "Do you know some dummy went and got 99% on the final. He ruined the whole curve!" Likewise, people resent those who try to live really good lives. People act as though God will grade "on the curve." If everybody's bad, then they think they have an excuse for their evil. "Everybody does it." Nobody's any better, so God will just have to make allowances. But if some people are really good, they "ruin the curve." They prove that other people could live good lives too, and there's no excuse for those who don't.The proper response when we observe goodness in others is, not to resent it, but to learn from it and imitate it. God will not tolerate or excuse those who resent goodness in others.Some people resent good people who rebuke their sins0 - They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks uprightly. This is the same attitude that leads people to resent God's word: it tells them they are wrong, and they don't want to change. Likewise, they resent good people who tell them they are wrong5 - People despise what is good (v3) when they themselves practice evil: lovers of themselves and of money, proud, unholy, unloving, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. When people don't love God and that which is good, it is because they love other things, including pleasure and all kinds of evil. In short, people hate good people for the same reasons they hate God and His word. They are wrong. They don't want to change. And they don't want to be told they are wrong.Note again that the world resents those who rebuke evil, even when they have real concern for the lost. Society often accuses such people of hatred. But the people whom God accuses of sinful hatred are those who resent the good people and oppose those who speak truth. Those are the ones who are really guilty of sinful hatred.2;9;1;7;5;8;0;2;91;5;0]D. Other PeopleSometimes people sin because they hate other people. Consider some kinds of people we should not hate:Family membersWe might think people would not hate the own family, but hatred is often most extreme and most common among family members1 - Because Jacob tricked Isaac to receive his blessing, Esau hated Jacob and sought to kill him8 - Joseph's brothers hated him and sold him as a slave0 - A foolish man despises his mother. Many children resent and despise their parents especially in their teenage years. [23:22]We often hear of family members who quarrel, fight, do violence, and even kill one another. But hatred is not just active, conscious animosity. To fail to treat our family with love is hatred in the sense of a lack of love.52]The poor or the richSome resent the poor. Others resent the rich7 - The poor man is hated even by his own brothers. His friends abandon him even if he pleads with them. People don't want to help poor people, so they may resent them; or at least they do not love enough to help. [14:20;22 - Servants should not despise their masters. Those who lack wealth or possessions may resent and envy the rich, who have what we wish we had. We should show care and concern for others regardless of their wealth or social status. Above all, we should seek to teach them so they can be saved.The sick or disabledGalatians 4:13,14 - Though Paul had a physical infirmity, the Galatians did not despise or reject him, but treated him as they would treat Jesus. Jesus said that the way we treat the sick, the poor, and the needy is the way we treat Him 6). It is easy to resent the inconveniences or demands that are made of us by sick people. We don't like being around their deformity or ailment. We may resent the fact they can't contribute to society and we have to care for them. Whether we are openly antagonistic or just unwilling to care for them as we should, either constitutes a lack of love and therefore hatred.The young or the oldJust as we may resent the poor or the sick, we may resent the elderly or the young.2 - Let no one despise your youth.2 - Do not hate your mother when she is old.The young may irritate us with their foolish mistakes and their inability to work. We may resent their naughtiness or the fact we are responsible to care for them. Such attitudes lead to child abuse, neglect, and abandonment.The elderly may irritate us with their feebleness or inability to care for themselves or to work. We may resent their forgetfulness or unreasonableness. Often they need our help with health or financial problems. Whether we are knowingly bitter or just negligent and indifferent, either is a lack of love and therefore hatred.Other races or nationalitiesGenesis 43:32 - Egyptians considered it an abomination to eat with Hebrews.9 - Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. Attitudes like this hindered Jews in the early church from trying to save Gentiles.So today people may hate people of other races or nationalities. Again, this may take the form of open animosity or it may simply involve neglect: unwillingness to help with needs or to teach the gospel or to associate in the same congregation. All such involves lack of love and therefore hatred.Sinners and those who mistreat usLuke 18:9-13 - The Pharisee illustrated people who trust in their own righteousness and despise others. He bragged in prayer about how much better he was than sinners. But he failed to see his own sins, while the publican acknowledged his sins and pled for mercy78 - Instead of taking vengeance or holding a grudge, we should rebuke a neighbor. Do not hate him, but love your neighbor as yourself. Note again that hate is a failure to love. It is easy to hate someone who sinned against us, but instead we should help them to repent. And note again that rebuking people is not necessarily hatred or self-righteousness. Instead, God says we ought to rebuke people instead of hating them. To let a sinner stay in sin is hatred. To sincerely help him to repent and be saved is love.34;7;9]People in generalTitus 3:3 - Sins committed by the foolish and disobedient include hateful and hating one another. Hatred of people is wrong in general.0 - Hatred is listed as a work of the flesh for which people will not inherit the kingdom of God (v21).1 - He who despises his neighbor sins. Again, this hatred can take the form of open animosity, wishing to harm someone or to see them harmed. Or it can simply be a lack of love - a failure to love our neighbor as ourselves 9). ObservationsWe should desire all people to have what is truly good for them, not what is harmful to their souls or wellbeing. However, opposing and rebuking sin out of sincere concern for the souls of the lost is not hatred. It is done to help people be saved. Nor is it hatred to hope that evildoers will properly be punished by those in authority (criminals, children who disobey parents, etc.), because that too is best for them and for everyone involved. So far we have studied only part of the story. Next we will study passages that command us to hate all kinds of sin and wickedness. Just as the Bible tells us what to love and what not to love, so it teaches us what to hate and what not to hate. So people today are mistaken when they loudly accuse those who rebuke sin of being guilty of hate. In fact, they themselves are guilty of improper hate, because they hate the truth taught in God's word. Further study will show that they also fail to hate what God says they ought to hate.But what about us? Are we guilty of improper hatred? Do we neglect to love God, His word, righteous people who serve Him, or other people around us. Do we need to repent of hatred?II. Things We Should HateWhen people accuse those who rebuke sin of being guilty of hatred, they speak as if hatred is always bad. But is love always good and hate always bad? Do people who say such things really love everything and hate nothing?Is everybody guilty of an improper hatred every time they speak out against something? Do these people never speak out against anything? If they do, are they guilty of "hate speech"? When they speak out against hatred, does that make them guilty of a "hate crime"?8 says there is "a time to love and a time to hate." God says it is proper to hate some things. Whether we should hate or love depends on what we are talking about. Some things should be hated and others should be loved. In truth, everybody hates and speaks against some things, and rightly so. In studying for this lesson, although I did not specifically count, I found about as many passages that list things we should hate as passages that list things we should not hate. We are commanded to hate just about as often as we are commanded not to hate - it all depends on what you're talking about.Consider some things God hates and expects us to hate:A. Violence and MurderProverbs 6:16-19 - Immediately we see seven things God hates and abominates (and this is not a complete list). Included are hands that shed innocent blood.5 - God hates the one who loves violence. Note it: God hates what some men love!56 - He hates all workers of iniquity. He abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.So God hates all violence and shedding of blood that men commit against innocent people.When people accuse others of hatred because they speak out against evil, ask them about violence. Do those people hate violence and murder, or do they love it? What about terrorism? If they speak out against it, should they be accused of "hate speech" or "hate crimes"?And if people can understand why God hates murder and why it is proper to hate murder, then they ought to be able to understand why Christians hate abortion: because abortion is shedding the blood of innocent human babies - innocent human beings.90;7;6]B. Stealing, Greed, and Business DishonestyDeuteronomy 25:13-16 - Unfair measurement is a way of cheating people in business - you measure a product so as to give people less than what they paid for. It is a form of stealing. All who do such things, and all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord6 - He who hates covetousness (greed) will prolong his days.7 - He who is greedy for gain troubles his house, but he who hates bribes will live. That includes government corruption.So God says we should hate greed and bribery.What about people who say it is hatred to speak against things other people do? Many people who say such things are politicians. Do they hate greed, stealing, and bribery - government corruption - or do they love such things? Whether they practice these things or don't practice them, either way they speak against them. Does that make them guilty of improper hatred? Should such speech be outlawed as "hate speech" or "hate crimes"?If they don't hate stealing, greed, and bribery, they should hate them, and it would be proper if they did. God hates such practices. Do we?90]C. Lying and DeceitProverbs 6:16-19 - The list of things God hates include a lying tongue and a false witness who speaks lies2 - Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are his delight3 - The psalmist says, "I hate and abhor lying, but I love your law." Note: whether we should hate or love depends on what we are talking about6 - God will destroy those who speak falsehood. He abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.So God teaches us to love truth but to hate lying and deceit. What about people who say it is hatred to speak against things other people do? Do they speak out against lying and deceit, or do they love such things? Whether they practice such things or not, either way they profess to be against them. Does that make them guilty of improper hatred? Should such speech be outlawed as "hate speech" or "hate crimes"?If they don't hate lying and deceit, they should hate them, and it would be proper if they did. God hates such practices. Do we?5;7;7;90]D. PrideProverbs 6:16-19 - The first thing in God's list of abominations is a proud look3 - The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Pride, arrogance, and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate5 - Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Though they join forces, none shall go unpunished.God hates pride, arrogance, and haughtiness. We should too.What about people who say it is hatred to speak against things other people do? Do they speak out against haughtiness and arrogance, or do they love such things? In truth, many of them are elitists who think arrogantly and haughtily; but whether they practice such things or not, either way they profess to be against them. Does that make them guilty of improper hatred? Should such speech be outlawed as "hate speech" or "hate crimes"?If they don't hate pride and arrogance, they should hate them, and it would be proper if they did. God hates such attitudes. Do we?E. IdolatryOne of the practices toward which God most frequently states His hatred is idolatry: worship of false gods56 - Carved images of gods were an abomination to the Lord. God's people should not bring idols into their home, but must utterly detest and utterly abhor them. How can such statements be harmonized with the concept that God's people should love everything and hate nothing? We must utterly detest and utterly abhor images of gods6 - I have hated those who regard vain idols; but I trust in the Lord. Note again that the reason God's people hate the practice of idolatry is that we trust in the true God. It's what we are for that leads us to be against the opposite34 - People of the world (Gentiles) participate in various evils, including abominable idolatries. They think it strange that Christians do not do the same and so "speak evil of us."God hates the worship of idols and expects us to hate it too.What about people who say it is hatred to speak against things other people do? Do they speak out against idolatry, or do they love it? In truth, many of them probably don't care either way. If they did speak against it, should such speech be outlawed as "hate speech" or "hate crimes"?But the passages help explain the real problem. People "speak evil of us" accusing us of things like "hate," when they agree with certain practices and "think it strange" that we don't participate in them. The problem is not that we are guilty of improper hatred because we oppose sin. The problem is that other people agree with the practice and seek some way to defuse our opposition to it.But if people don't hate idolatry, they should hate it, and it would be proper if they did. God hates idolatry. Do we?0;0;5;1;8;6;45;42;7;8;90;0;1;1;90;7;6;9;f;57;6;3;21;34;8;9]F. False Teaching and False ReligionWhat is true of idolatry is also true of all religious error and false practice. God hates and opposes everything the leads people to practice religious error7 - The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with wicked intent. Sacrifices are wicked when they are not offered in harmony with God's teachings, or when they are offered by a person who is not serving God in his daily life, or when they are not offered sincerely with a true desire to please and honor God. All such is false religion and God calls it an abomination. [15:8; 28:990 - People steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, and worship false gods, then think they can worship God and be delivered to commit all these abominations. Note that nearly everything we have studied is here called an abomination. But the specific abomination here is false teaching that deceives people into thinking they can do all these things and God will still accept them5 - He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. God hates false teaching that says good people are doing wrong or bad people are doing good.God hates false religion and false teaching and expects us to hate them too.What about people who say it is hatred to speak against things other people do? Do they ever disagree with other people religiously? Again, some of them probably don't care either way. But many of them do defend their practices on the basis of religion, including homosexuality and abortion. When they defend their practice on the basis of religion and say people who disagree are religiously wrong, are they guilty of "hate speech" and "hate crimes"? Why is it that only people who oppose practices religiously are guilty of "hate speech," but those who defend them religiously are not?Here again we get to the real root of the problem. Some people hold to false beliefs. The real problem is not that we are guilty of improper hatred because we oppose sin. The problem is that other people justify sin and get upset when we teach the truth. But God says that religious error and false teaching are abominations. Is that what we believe?4;34]G. Sexual ImmoralityJeremiah 7:9,10 - The abominations that Judah committed included adultery.6 - God hates divorce2;3 - If a man lies with a male as with a woman he commits an abomination. God hates the practice of adultery and homosexuality, just as He hates all these other sins we have listed. What about people who say it is hatred to speak against these things? Do they view adultery and homosexuality as abominations or do they love them? Most of them might not openly defend adultery, but they will defend homosexuality. If they speak against adultery, are they guilty of "hate speech" and "hate crimes"? If not, then why accuse us of improper hatred when we oppose homosexuality?But the passages again help explain the real root of the problem. The real problem is not that we are guilty of improper hatred because we oppose sin. The problem is that other people justify sin and get upset when we teach the truth. But God says adultery and homosexuality are abominations. Is that what we believe?1;6;4]H. All SinGod says we should hate sin of all kinds.Old TestamentPsalms 5:5 - You (God) hate all workers of iniquity9 - The list of things God hates includes a heart that devises wickedness and feet that are swift in running to evil. Any form of evil is included among what God hates0 - You who love the law, hate evil. It is a command! Those who do not hate evil, do not love God's word!8 - I consider all God's precepts to be right. I hate every false way [v104]. Note again the contrast. The reason we hate evil is that we love its opposite. The more we love one, the more we hate the other.These are just a few of the many passages that teach us to hate evil.5;1;14;4;3;3;2;2;3;7;0;8;6;4;7]New Testament Some may point out that we have studied many Old Testament passages. Could it be that hating evil is just an Old Testament idea? Does Jesus teach the same in the New Testament9 - Jesus was anointed by God because He loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Jesus Himself believed and practiced everything that we have read about hating evil. And God honored Him for it. 79 - Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Hating evil is a New Testament command, just as in the Old Testament. And again the reason we abhor evil is that we cling to its opposite. 565 - Jesus commended Christians who hated false doctrines and evil conduct that Jesus also hated.6;87]What we hate are people's evil "ways.9 - The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but He loves him who follows righteousness. What God hates (and we should hate) about people is their wicked "ways" - the sinful things they do. Because we oppose error and because many passages talk about hating sin, sometimes people think that we hate the people themselves. But we already learned we should love all people, including sinners and those who mistreat us. How do we harmonize these ideas? What God wants us to hate is people's sinful character or conduct. "Hate the sin but love the sinner." We love their souls, wanting them to change and be saved. But we hate and oppose sinful things they do.Specifically, nothing here should be viewed as justifying taking personal vengeance or individually taking it on ourselves to do violence or physical harm to punish anyone for their conduct. Remember, violence is something God hates! But sinful conduct of all kinds is what God hates, and what we should hate. We teach the truth, because we love souls and hope people will see their error and change.ConclusionWhen people accuse others of hatred for speaking out against certain practices, the practices being discussed usually include homosexuality and abortion - both of which were once illegal in most places in the USA within our lifetime! Everybody spoke against them (if they spoke at all). Nobody was accused of "hate speech" or a "hate crime" to speak against them! How can it be that, in a single lifetime, speaking against an act changes from something everybody knew should be done to a hate crime?Do these people really believe that every time anybody speaks out against anything, he is guilty of "hate speech"? Do they think they are guilty of a "hate crime" every time they speak out against anything? Of course not. The consequence of their view is that nobody could ever speak against anything. But even they speak against some things. Then how do they know that everybody who speaks against homosexuality is guilty of an improper hatred? The truth is they know better than to say the things they do! Whether they consciously realize it or not, they are part of a deception. When they speak against what they oppose, they defend that as "freedom of speech." When we speak against what we oppose, they call it a "hate crime"! They know it is not always wrong to speak against practices.So why do they accuse us of hatred? It's a psychological trick, a form of manipulation and intimidation. By accusing us of hate:1) They hope to make us feel guilty and keep quiet. Christians are supposed to love, not hate (they think). So if they can convince us that speaking against evil is hate, we will hush.2) They hope to discredit us in the eyes of others. They believe people in general are opposed to "hate." So if they can make it look like we are guilty of hate, people won't want to stand with us.3) They are preparing the groundwork for persecution of those who speak against homosexuality and other immorality. First they convince people it is "hate" just to speak against these practices. Then they pass laws to penalize "hate speech" as a "hate crime." Then if we won't hush, we get thrown in jail or fined. This is not imagination. It's already happening in other nations.But this all follows if they can convince people that speaking against evil is "hate speech," even though they must know it really is not true!So we have learned that everyone hates. Good people hate evil practices, and evil people hate good practices. So whose hatred is wrong? Good people hate and speak against the practices that God hates and speaks against. They are just imitating God and obeying His word. But evil people love what God hates, and they try to silence and punish those who obey God's command to oppose evil. What you hate depends on whether or not you believe in God and His word.Do you hate what God hates? Do you love what God loves?
HatredForbidden. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.Is murder. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.A work of the flesh. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,⇒hatred (KJV Dictionary)Often cloaked by deceit. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.Leads to deceit. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.Stirs up strife. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.⇒Bible concordance for HATREDEmbitters life. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.INCONSISTENT WITHThe knowledge of God. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.The love of God. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?Liars prone to. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.THE WICKED EXHIBIT,Towards God. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,Towards saints. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.Towards each other. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.Christ experienced. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.SAINTS SHOULDExpect. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.Not marvel at. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.Return good for. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;Not rejoice in the calamities of those who exhibit. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: 30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.Give no cause for. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.Punishment of. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:WE SHOULD EXHIBIT AGAINSTFalse ways. Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.Lying. I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.Evil. Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.Backsliding. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.Hatred and opposition to God. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.Exemplified.
Cain, But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.Esau, And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.Joseph's brethren, And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.Men of Gilead, And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?Saul, And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.Ahab, And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.Haman, And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.Enemies of the Jews, Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.Chaldeans, There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.Enemies of Daniel, Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. 6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. ...Herodias, For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.The Jews, And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
Seven Things that God Hates, and We Should, Too
Seven Things that God Hates, and We Should, Too
By Pam · February 23, 2012 · 10 Comments
“📷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” 9, ESV).
Verses 16-19 of list of some of the things that God hates. Discuss these verses with your children, and have them draw pictures to illustrate each of the sins listed.
Below each sin are some examples of ways children (and adults) practice these sins. When discussing these, don’t miss the opportunity to make clear that God hates all sin. He hates it so much that we cannot have fellowship with Him apart from faith in His Son, who paid the penalty for our sin and clothes us with His righteousness. Through Him, we are given the grace to love and obey God. Through Him, and only Him, we are given the strength to do what is right, as described in the verses that are listed here with each sin.
1. Haughty eyes (or a proud look)
Rolling the eyes in response to something said to them,Looking down on someone younger, different, or less intelligentSetting themselves up as the judge of othersThinking they are wiser than their parents and other eldersCriticizing parents and other authoritiesArguing with parentsDisobeying and openly rebelling against authoritiesIngratitudeBoasting about one’s accomplishments, status, or knowledgeDisrespect
“For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” ().
2. A lying tongue
Not telling the truth about a wrongdoingWithholding information that others need to haveHypocritical wordsFlattering to gain something from someoneExaggerating the factsImplying that something is true, or purposely leading someone to an incorrect assumptionTelling partial truthsNot honoring parents’ rules when they are absentNot offering evidence against a wrongdoer when necessaryCommitting to doing something with no real intention of following throughMaking excusesBlaming others for own sinful actions
“Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight” ().
3. Hands that shed innocent blood (Although children may not murder someone, they will exhibit anger, indifference, and other emotions that drive them to physically harm others.)
BullyingHitting, biting, kicking, hurting othersStriking parentsCarelessly abusing or killing animals for amusement (such as shooting little birds with a BB gun)
“He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour” ().
4. A heart that devises wicked plans
Plotting revengeSnubbing someoneConspiring to deceive or hurt someoneLying about a long series of actions in order to cover sin
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” ().
5. Feet that make haste to run to evil
Joining with others to do wrong when the authority is not presentDelighting in doing wrong
“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” ().
6. A false witness who breathes out lies
Falsely accusing someone of misbehavior and sinMisrepresenting a disagreement between peopleFalsely describing the actions of another person in a way that implies his guiltNot offering evidence against someone when asked to give testimonyCovering for someone who has committed a wrongdoing
“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man” ().
7. One who sows discord among brothers
TeasingListening to gossip and repeating gossipSlandering, repeating truths that will harm another person’s reputationLeading others to imagine the worst about someoneStirring up disagreements and jealousiesArousing suspicions against someoneMeddling in the disagreements of othersTaking sides in disagreementsEnvying the success and blessing of others
“Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? … He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour” ().