Proof of God's Love -- A response to Westboro's "Proof of God's Hatred"

[Italics will be Westboro, bold will be my response]

Leviticus 20:23 - "And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them."
Ok. So I can't debate the fact that God clearly states his opposition to the people mentioned in this verse (as far as I can tell, it is referring to the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites, who were driven out of their land by God so the Israelites could live there), They were worshipping idols, which is a big no-no. By this time the Israelites had already screwed up once -- Aaron led them in building the Gold Calf while Moses was away [Exodus 32]. This was after they'd received the ten commandments the first time. God even told Moses that he was going to destroy them, but in Exodus 32:14 "the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people."

Leviticus 26:30 - "And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you."
Again, this is referring to disobeying God's command to worship no one but Him. And again, idols are a HUGE no-no. They were super strict about it, too. Just look at how Moses reacted to the golden calf (and how God initially responded! He was going to destroy the Israelites]. It wasn't good. But Israel did break this law. A lot. And God always came back to them. He punished them, yes (after the gold calf incident, Moses called those who were "on the LORD's side", which was just the Levites, to kill everyone. 3000 people died (Exodus 32:26-29), but the Levites were forgiven because they had remained true to God's law). But ultimately he still LOVED them and came back.

Deuteronomy 32:19 - "And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters."
In this chapter, Moses is publicly singing a song of God's perfection and Israel's disobedience. Guess what they did? They were worshiping idols. Moses is calling them to realize that God won't continue to bless them if they refuse to follow His law and continue to be prideful and ignorant.

Psalm 5:5 - "The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity."
Psalm 5:6 - "Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man."
I'll do these two together since they're together in the Bible. Again, I can't deny the aspect of "God's hatred" in these two verses, but I will point out that it is a prayer of David, asking God for help and praising his unfailing love toward those who serve him. It is from a human perspective.

Psalm 10:3 - "For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth."
David is asking God for help. In the first verse, he asks why God is so far away when he is in trouble. He continues in the chapter to point out that those who disobey God are often so successful in life, but also realizes that God sees them and that they will be held accountable by Him.

Psalm 11:5 - "The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth."
Ok, in NLT this verse says "The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence." Basically, no matter what you do, whether it's good or bad, you will be held accountable by God. And while this verse again clearly mentions God's hatred of something (or someone), it also shows that He still cares for people in that He hates violence. He desires justice (verse 7). This is not much different from Matthew 5:6 & 9 -- "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. ... Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God." God is righteous and just, and He calls us to be the same. Intentionally being violent goes against this and will be judged by God.

Psalm 53:5 - "There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them."
My version uses the word "rejected", rather than "despised". While I'm sure the intention of David's prayer is the same either way, the point is again that those who disobey God will be held accountable.

Psalm 73:20 - "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image."
"When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning." David continues from this verse to confess his bitterness and ignorance, but also reaffirms that God still holds him despite his foolishness. God still holds the wicked, though they don't realize it, and their fate is decided by whether or not they lived for God.

Psalm 78:59 - "When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:"
This verse is referring to Israel's disobedience by worshiping idols. See above for comments on that. But then in verse 65-72, he describes how God came back to rescue Israel despite His former anger with them. He chose David to lead "God's own people". If God had truly abandoned Israel, I doubt this wording would have been used.

Psalm 106:40 - "Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance."
Again, this is referring to the fact that the Israelites disobeyed God by worshiping idols and adopting pagan customs. But again, look just a few verses past it and you get this: "Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his UNFAILING LOVE. He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness." [Psalm 106:44-46]

Proverbs 6:16-19 - "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."
For the life of me I can't figure out why this says "seven things". Because I can pick out these: Pride, lying, murder, someone who intentionally causes problems among family, and a heart that seeks out ways to do evil. By my count that's 5, but mainly because a few are repeats. Pride, lying, murder -- Duh. The Ten Commandments say "Thou shalt not kill" and "Thou shalt not bear false witness", and we know God is all about us humbling ourselves before him. Again, duh to someone who intentionally causes problems: see the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. (And yes, I know that Proverbs was written long before the Sermon on the Mount occured, but God doesn't change.)

Proverbs 22:14 - "The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein."
"The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap; those who make the LORD angry will fall into it." Resisting temptation is hard enough when you're following God. Imagine how much harder it is without Him.

Lamentations 2:6 - "And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest."
This whole chapter is about God's anger at sin. (It even says so in the chapter title: "God's Anger at Sin".) As is God's way though, chapter 3 is titled "Hope in the LORD's Faithfulness". 3:22 says this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease." Despite God's anger at Israel -- they screw up over and over and over again -- He ALWAYS takes them back and shows them love and kindness.

Hosea 9:15 - "All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters."
Chapters 9 and 10 are all about the Israelites. Go figure, they screwed up and fell away from God again. And He judged them and punished them, as usual. But then read one more chapter: Chapter 11 is called "The LORD's Love for Israel". Hosea 11:8-10 goes like this: "Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. For someday the people will follow me. I, the LORD, will roar like a lion. And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west." As angry as God is at the Israelites for falling yet again, He still will not destroy them. He still is full of love and compassion for them, and He knows that one day they will return to Him.

Zechariah 11:8 - "Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me."
This passage is a message from God, and much of it is in a sort of symbolic telling. God is saying how he cared for his flock (Israel) but they still hated Him. So he took away his favor and the bond of unity between Judah and Israel. But again, chapter 12 is all about God's deliverance for Jerusalem! He says "On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves." [Zechariah 12:3] Why would He do that if He didn't still care for His people?

Malachi 1:3 - "And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."
Alright. So God did reject Esau. He sent him out into the wilderness to be a wanderer, and verse 4 says "Esau's descendants in Edom may say, 'We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.' But the LORD of Heaven's Armies replies, 'They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again...'" God had planned their lives from the very beginning though. He even told Rebekah "The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son." [Genesis 25:23] Isaac blessed Esau as well; though it was not the same as Jacob's blessing. Isaac said this to him: "You will live away from the richness of the earth, and away from the dew of the heaven above. You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck." [Genesis 27:39-40] Esau was not bound to Jacob for his whole life, nor did he hate him for the rest of his life. They make peace in chapter 33, and Jacob initiates it (though probably out of fear for his life, since he was the one who cheated Esau out of his birthright and his blessing, and Esau wanted to kill him). God blesses Jacob greatly, but he doesn't abandon Esau completely.

Romans 9:13 - "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Well, I just went over Jacob and Esau, so let's look at the rest of this chapter. The very next verse says this: "Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, 'I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.'" And look at 9:21-22 -- "When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who were made for destruction." Up until this point, the chapter is referring to the Jews. Then in verse 25, it turns to the Gentiles. "Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, 'Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.' And, 'Then, at the place where they were told, "You are not my people," there they will be called "children of the living God."'"

God's unfailing love is shown all throughout the Bible. Even the simplest verse, "For God SO LOVED THE WORLD that he sent his only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life." [John 3:16] Not "For God so loved this particular group of people" or "only people who accept Jesus as their savior". No, it says "for God so loved THE WORLD."
And again, in Matthew 5:43-44 "You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!"
And AGAIN! When Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is, he says this: "The greatest commandment is this -- Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. The second is like it; love your neighbor as yourself." And no, your neighbor isn't just the person you like. It isn't just the person who believes the same thing you do. Just look at the parable of the good Samaritan. Samaritans and Jews weren't friends. They hated eachother! But when a Jew was beaten and left for dead, it wasn't another Jew who saved him. No, the two Jews who passed the poor man crossed to the other side of the road and kept walking. He was saved by a Samaritan who took compassion on him, bandaged him up, and paid for his room and board until he was better.

God's love doesn't fail. It's not conditional. He doesn't love you only on Sundays when you go to church, or on Wednesdays when you go to a bible study or youth group. He doesn't limit his love to the 5 minutes you might squeeze in to read your Bible and pray. He loves you ALL THE TIME. Does it make him sad to see us sin? I think so. But it doesn't make him love us any less. He disciplines us because he loves us, and because through that we can see our sin and repent. Through his loving discipline, we can change. And we can see even more clearly God's love for us.

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This was such an incredible project. Like... I knew that God forgave the Israelites over and over and over again because they just kept screwing up, but I guess I didn't really get how much He truly forgave them. Almost every time, God was all set to just completely destroy them, but He never did. Every time, He just showed them love and compassion. He punished them, yes, but He did it out of love and the knowledge that they'd come back to Him in the end. That's crazy. God's crazy for loving us. And I mean that in the most awe-struck way imaginable. Guys, God LOVES US. For some unfathomable reason, He loves US. As screwed up as we are... He still loves us.