What modern practices might God consider "detestable" as in Ezekiel 8:6? Key verse “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what they are doing — the great abominations that the house of Israel is committing — to drive Me far from My sanctuary? Yet you will see even greater abominations.’” (Ezekiel 8:6) Why Ezekiel 8 still matters today • God showed Ezekiel hidden idolatry, violence, and sexual sin happening in the very courts of the temple. • The issue was not ignorance but willful compromise: leaders mixed pagan practices with the worship of the living God. • The Lord called those practices “detestable” (Hebrew: tôʽêbâ), a word also used for child sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12:31), occult arts (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), and flagrant sexual immorality (Leviticus 18:22-30). Principles for spotting modern “detestable” practices 1. Replacing or rivaling God in worship (idolatry). 2. Distorting God-given sexuality. 3. Dehumanizing or destroying innocent life. 4. Glorifying darkness or occult powers. 5. Practicing systemic injustice or violence. 6. Profaning what God calls holy. Modern parallels that fit Ezekiel’s word “detestable” • Idolatry re-invented – Obsessive materialism and celebrity worship that claim affections meant for God (Colossians 3:5). – Technology or social media elevated to the place of ultimate trust and identity. • Sexual immorality reshaped – Pornography, hookup culture, and wide acceptance of sexual activity outside lifelong marriage (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). – Redefinition of marriage and gender that contradicts God’s created design (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4-6). • Violence against the vulnerable – Abortion and euthanasia, the shedding of innocent blood God hates (Proverbs 6:16-17; Psalm 139:13-16). – Human trafficking and exploitation for profit (Amos 2:6). • Occult revival – New Age practices, witchcraft, tarot, crystals, and astrology packaged as entertainment or self-help (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Acts 19:18-20). • Entertainment that normalizes darkness – Films, games, and music celebrating brutality, blasphemy, and sexual perversion (Ephesians 5:11-12). • Worship mixed with compromise – Churches adopting spirituality that denies the authority of Scripture to fit cultural trends (2 Timothy 4:3-4). – Prosperity teaching that turns God into a means for personal gain (1 Timothy 6:5-10). Why these practices grieve God • They “drive Me far from My sanctuary” (Ezekiel 8:6) by crowding out His presence with rival loves. • They fracture the image of God in people He created. • They erode the witness of the Church, leading others astray (Matthew 5:13-16). Living differently in a detestable culture • Guard your heart: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). • Flee compromise: “Therefore, beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). • Walk in the light: “Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11). • Hold Scripture as the final authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17). • Offer hope: “Save others, snatching them out of the fire” (Jude 23). |
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