“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: But the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.”
Proverbs 15:8-9 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.15.8-9.KJV
In this collection of verses we are shown the contrast between how the LORD views individual behavior. Each verse or maxim has its own meaning but there is also a collective concept being exposed to the Reader.
The sacrifice and the way of the Wicked are an abomination to the LORD, whereas the prayer of the Upright is delightful and the One who follows righteousness is loved.
To explain this contrast, allow me to share a story. When I was young, my Grandparents, Mamaw and Papaw, owned a property that had a small pig barn which had been converted to storage. During one Fall I was exploring the property and smelled something detestable. Over the next several days the smell grew worse. I asked my Papaw what was causing the horrible smell and we went to investigate. Beside the pig barn was a couple of plastic 5 gallon buckets that had been filled with corn. The rain filled the buckets with water and with a little help from Mother Nature, it decayed into what could be called an unsweetened sour mash. If you have not heard of sour mash before, it is soured corn and sugar which is distilled to make moonshine. Funny side note, if you listen to the Tennessee State song, “Rocky Top,” moonshine is how all the folks on Rocky Top get their corn from a jar.
Well, let me tell you, rotten corn water gives off a terrible stench. My Papaw and I retrieved the foul smelling buckets, emptied them out and cleaned up. It took hours to wash enough fresh water over the piles of rotted corn to get the smell manageable. Then we dug a hole and buried all of it; a deep hole.
This smell of rotting organic material is an effective way to describe the word abomination. Perhaps there are some similarities involved with rotting organic material and wickedness. It had the capacity to be fruitful and multiply but death has taken hold. The life blood and growth has been replaced by decay. In the nostrils of the One who created and gave life, he may perceive the wicked as walking dead and their stench is abhorrent.
If we go back to the individual passages and view them from the new perspective of the wicked being similar to rotten organic material, verse 8 can look something like this:
If the Wicked, whose rotten stench fills the room, attempt to make a sacrifice which is supposed to offer up a sweet smelling savor, the smell of death and decay override the smell of the sacrifice. However, the request of the upright is delightful.
The contrast between the cost of a sacrifice, which is expensive. Think about how much it would cost to buy a full grown cow and give it to be sacrificed as opposed to how much a prayer costs, nothing but a little time and humility. This is the contrast showcased in this passage. The value of your oblation does not gain you acceptance. This is the concept which helps explain the next passage.
In verse 9 the Author explains the way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD. This is because the way of the wicked is to push their way in and offer a sacrifice to attempt to atone for their offenses. They see themself as acceptable and their ways as pleasing so they do not understand the arrogance and offensiveness they display when they bring a sweet smelling sacrifice but are themselves rotten organic material. They view to cost or expense of their offering as valuable. This is where the misunderstanding takes place. They see their sacrifice, a thing or collection of expensive things, as valuable but the LORD sees the individual as valuable. He views the value of the upright life as FAR more valuable than things.
We need to grasp the concept presented- the life and soul of the Offeror is what GOD views valuable, not the offering they bring.
There is a story in the book of Genesis which showcases this concept; Cain and Abel. Both brothers brought a sacrifice to the LORD. Abel’s was pleasing and acceptable to the LORD while Cains was rejected. Cain was flush with rage, envy, hatred and contempt for his brother Abel because Abel was accepted and Cain was not… So he killed his brother.
Cain was rotten organic material and he was an abomination to GOD. Abel followed after righteousness, which means he hunted and searched for righteousness. He was not perfect but was looking for the path to make himself better.
This is why the Wicked despise the Upright. The Wicked will never be acceptable no matter how large or expensive their offering is. Because they are offering the wrong thing. The Upright are making the correct offering (their life and soul) and are acceptable Because they are not delivering their sacrifice in a bag of rotten bones.
Interestingly, in Scripture, we have an example of this concept played out in a story told by Christ.
“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.18.9-14.KJV
The man who thought he was “righteous” was actually filling the role of the Wicked described in Proverbs 15:8-9 even though he was the religious and separated one. The Publican, a man despised by the Jews was playing the role of the man following after righteousness.
Our heart is where our value truly resides. If we bring expensive gifts with a rotten heart we are an abomination to those who love us.
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