Online Sermons
Lesson #10 - Abomination
Series: One WordLESSON #10 – ABOMINATION
Intro: This word is seldom used nowadays. It is almost as if it has been expunged from our vocabularies.
When was the last time you used this word, other than speaking about the abominable snowman (Yeti)?
In general do people today speak less of SINFUL DEEDS than in times past?
Has our pluralist society rendered archaic discussions of things that were once called abominable?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ABOMINATION?
This word has come to connote something that is evil and that is particularly odious to God.
~ What other words (synonyms) might be helpful in conveying the serious of such sinful behavior?
Abhorrent … Detestable … Disgusting … Loathsome … Repugnant … Repulsive … Shamefully Vile
~ Various Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) words are sometimes rendered by the word abominable.
~ Can you think of a text of Scripture that uses this word?
The word abomination is used as a proper pronoun in Mt.24:15 – THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.
This prophetic citation was first mentioned by Daniel (Dan.9:27) and then reiterated by Jesus. It refers to a sign(al) event (some one standing in the holy place who wasn’t authorized to do so) for the masses to flee Jerusalem lest they be destroyed.
2) ARE THERE JUST A FEW SINS THAT REACH THE LEVEL OF BEING ABOMINABLE?
A common inclination is to think that while all sins are bad, some are really bad and are thus categorized as an abomination.
~ That line of thought may not hold up under close scrutiny.
~ In the Old Testament in particular, numerous un-related sins are spoken of as an abomination.
~ Actually all sins are inter-related in the sense that they are opposed to the will of God.
? Prov.6:16-19 enumerates seven: haughty eyes…a lying tongue…hands that shed innocent blood…a heart that devises
wicked plans…feet that run rapidly to do evil…a false witness who utters lies…and one who spreads strife among brethren.
? Lev.7:21 and 11:10-13, 20, 23 & 41-42 specifies a wide variety of abominations.
Leviticus is a God-given instruction manual for both sanitary and dietary concerns.
? Scriptures categorize many sins as abominations - - false scales/Prov.11:1 … sacrifices of the wicked/Prov.15:8 …
offering a blemished animal as a sacrifice/Lev.17:1… human sacrifices/Jer.32:35…occult, witchcraft, scorcery/Deut.18:9ff …
bestiality/Lev.18:23 … same-sex intercourse/Lev.20:13 … incest/Lev.19:6 …adultery and fornication/Jer.13:27
… idolatry/Deut.12:31 & 13:12-15 & 17:3ff & 29:17 and Lk.16:15 … and professing one thing while doing another/Titus 1:16
? Does the grace of God as presented in the pages of the New Testament permit
(and even encourage) us to scale back or water down our view of the sinfulness of sin?
~ Does the New Testament portray a God who is less holy than He was in the Old Testament? Surely not!
~ Were some early Christians guilty of turning their freedom into Christ into an opportunity for the flesh? – Gal.5:13
~ Did some early believers mistakenly use their freedom (grace) as a covering for evil? – 1Pet.2:16
3) CAN SOMETHING THAT USED TO BE AN ABOMINATION NOW NO LONGER BE SO?
Do the dietary prohibitions spelled out in Leviticus apply to those under the New Covenant? - cf. Mk.7:17-23
~ Is it now okay to eat lobsters, crabs, shrimp, catfish, pork, rabbit, etc.?
~ Did not God reveal to the apostle Peter that is was okay for Jews to eat with Gentiles? – Acts 10:14-15
Does the same New Testament that releases us from Old Testament dietary prohibitions, also free us from
various sexual “hang-ups”, such as fornication, homosexuality and adultery. If so, where is the authorization?
