“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.”
Proverbs 6:16-17
The writer uses a Hebrew construction, a numeral plus one, to indicate the Lord’s ultimate displeasure with the items in the list.
The third item in this list is “hands that shed innocent blood.” God’s heart for the innocent is present in both the Old and New Testaments. For example, “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13), which is contained within the 10 Commandments. This prohibition deals with the physical destruction of another person, an innocent person.
Additionally, in the New Testament, Jesus expressed his heart for the innocence of children, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Mt. 18:5-6). This deals with the spiritual destruction of another.
These examples serve as a warning to us in how we view and treat others. Beware of that which God hates.
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