Loathing, as depicted in the Bible, refers to a profound sense of disgust or intense aversion, often associated with sin, idolatry, and moral corruption. This concept is frequently illustrated in the Scriptures, where God expresses His loathing for the sinful actions and idolatrous practices of His people, as well as the loathing that individuals may feel towards their own sinfulness upon repentance.

Divine Loathing of Sin and Idolatry

The Bible often portrays God's loathing as a response to the rebellion and idolatry of His people. In Leviticus 26:30, God declares, "I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and My soul will abhor you." This passage highlights God's intense aversion to idolatry and the spiritual infidelity of the Israelites, emphasizing His holiness and the severity of turning away from Him.

Similarly, in Ezekiel 6:9, God speaks of the Israelites' idolatry, saying, "Then in the nations to which they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember Me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from Me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their abominations." Here, the loathing is twofold: God's loathing of their sin and the people's eventual self-loathing upon realizing their transgressions.

Human Loathing of Sin

The Bible also describes instances where individuals experience loathing towards their own sinfulness, often as a result of genuine repentance and a desire for spiritual renewal. In Job 42:6, after encountering God, Job declares, "Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes." This expression of repentance is accompanied by a sense of self-loathing for having questioned God's justice and wisdom.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul reflects on the struggle with sin in Romans 7:24, exclaiming, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" This cry of distress reveals Paul's loathing of his sinful nature and his yearning for deliverance through Jesus Christ.

Loathing in the Context of Repentance and Restoration

Loathing, when directed towards one's own sin, can be a catalyst for repentance and spiritual restoration. In Ezekiel 20:43, God promises, "There you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you have done." This self-loathing is not meant to lead to despair but to a sincere turning back to God, acknowledging His righteousness and seeking His forgiveness.

The biblical concept of loathing underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance. It serves as a reminder of God's holiness and the transformative power of His grace, which enables believers to overcome their sinful nature and live in accordance with His will.1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Loathe.

2. (n.) Extreme disgust; a feeling of aversion, nausea, abhorrence, or detestation.

85. ademoneo -- to be distressed
... to be distressed, troubled. From a derivative of adeo (to be sated to loathing);
to be in distress (of mind) -- be full of heaviness, be very heavy. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/85.htm - 6k1604. goal -- a loathing
... 1603, 1604. goal. 1605 . a loathing. Transliteration: goal Phonetic Spelling:
(go'-al) Short Definition: abhorred. ... loathing. From ga'al; abhorrence -- loathing ...
/hebrew/1604.htm - 6k

2093. Zaham -- "loathing," a son of Rehoboam
... "loathing," a son of Rehoboam. Transliteration: Zaham Phonetic Spelling: (zah'-ham)
Short Definition: Zaham. ... From zaham; loathing; Zaham, an Israelite -- Zaham. ...
/hebrew/2093.htm - 6k

6973. quts -- to feel a loathing, abhorrence, or sickening dread
... quts. 6974 . to feel a loathing, abhorrence, or sickening dread. Transliteration:
quts Phonetic Spelling: (koots) Short Definition: dread. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/6973.htm - 6k

6962a. qut -- to feel a loathing
... qut. 6962b . to feel a loathing. Transliteration: qut Short Definition: loathe. ...
root Definition to feel a loathing NASB Word Usage loathe (6), loathed (1). ...
/hebrew/6962a.htm - 5k

973a. bachel -- to feel a loathing
... bachel. 973b . to feel a loathing. Transliteration: bachel Short Definition: weary. ...
root Definition to feel a loathing NASB Word Usage weary (1). 973, 973a. ...
/hebrew/973a.htm - 5k

973. bachal -- to feel a loathing
... 972, 973. bachal. 973a . to feel a loathing. Transliteration: bachal Phonetic
Spelling: (baw-khal') Short Definition: abhor. abhor, ...
/hebrew/973.htm - 5k

6962. quwt -- to feel a loathing
... 6961b, 6962. quwt. 6962a . to feel a loathing. Transliteration: quwt Phonetic
Spelling: (koot) Short Definition: grieved. be grieved, loathe self ...
/hebrew/6962.htm - 5k

1603. Gaal -- probably a Canaanite
... Word Origin from gaal Definition probably a Canaanite NASB Word Usage Gaal (9).
Gaal. From ga'al; loathing; Gaal, an Israelite -- Gaal. see HEBREW ga'al. ...
/hebrew/1603.htm - 6k

1741. devay -- illness
... languishing, sorrowful. From daveh; sickness; figuratively, loathing -- languishing,
sorrowful. see HEBREW daveh. 1740, 1741. devay. 1742 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/1741.htm - 6k

8441. toebah -- abomination
... 1), abomination (39), abominations (60), detestable (2), detestable act (1), detestable
thing (3), detestable things (3), loathsome (2), object of loathing (1 ...
/hebrew/8441.htm - 6k

Repentance and Impenitence.
... tender, tearful, silent, subdued. Self-loathing is another state of the
sensibility implied in evangelical repentance. This state of ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xxxiv repentance and impenitence.htm

Vile Ingratitude!
... "None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion on thee;
but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/vile ingratitude.htm

Evidences of Regeneration.
... of sin. And often the sensibility of sinners, as well as of saints, is filled
with deep disgust and loathing in view of sin. I know ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xxix evidences of regeneration.htm

Of Revenge.
... How shall we observe that principle, if in our loathing [9116] we shall not loathe
revenge? ... [9116] Fastidientes, ie our loathing or abhorrence of sin. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/of patience/chapter x of revenge.htm

Sanctification and Justification.
... Our brother's warmer zeal and love often make us feel ashamed. Yet the feeling
does not amount to loathing of self. But in the presence ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/iii sanctification and justification.htm

Whether a Movement of the Free Will against Sin is Required for ...
... On the third point: in the period before justification, a man must feel a
loathing for the sins which he remembers having committed. ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article five whether a movement.htm

What Self Deserves
... that we have come to loathe in ourselves?; secondly, why do we loathe it?; and thirdly,
what is the necessary result in us, or should be, of this self-loathing ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/what self deserves.htm

An Exhortation to Love God
... There is nothing in God can cause a loathing; the creature sooner surfeits than
satisfies, but there are fresh beauties sparkling forth in God. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/an exhortation to love god.htm

Spiritual Appetite
... the carver. Often this loathing is shown by an utter indifference to the
gospel. The ... to them. Thus they show their loathing. Perhaps ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/spiritual appetite.htm

The Judgment of Drunkards and Mockers
... His words are aflame with loathing of the moral corruption of both kingdoms, and
he fastens on the one common vice of drunkenness"not as if it were the only ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the judgment of drunkards and.htm

Loathing (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Loathing (6 Occurrences). ... (See NAS). Psalms 119:158 I look
at the faithless with loathing, because they don't observe your word. ...
/l/loathing.htm - 8k

Loathsome (20 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Fitted to cause loathing; exciting disgust;
disgusting. Multi-Version Concordance Loathsome (20 Occurrences). ...
/l/loathsome.htm - 12k

Gaal (10 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Loathing, the son of Ebed, in whom the Shechemites "placed
their confidence" when they became discontented with Abimelech. ...
/g/gaal.htm - 10k

Disgust (18 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To provoke disgust or strong distaste in; to cause (any one) loathing, as
of the stomach; to excite aversion in; to offend the moral taste of; -- often ...
/d/disgust.htm - 12k

Loatheth (3 Occurrences)

/l/loatheth.htm - 7k

Loathe (19 Occurrences)
... Galatians 4:14 and yet the bodily infirmity which was such a trial to you, you did
not regard with contempt or loathing, but you received me as if I had been ...
/l/loathe.htm - 12k

Flourish (26 Occurrences)
... Other renderings are, "shall cause loathing" (Gesenius, Knobel, etc.), "shall be
despised," ie the hoary head; "The almond tree shall shake off its flowers ...
/f/flourish.htm - 18k

Reserve (15 Occurrences)
... Amos 2:4 Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Judah, And for four, I do
not reserve it, Because of their loathing the law of Jehovah, And His ...
/r/reserve.htm - 11k

Detestation (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The act of detesting; extreme hatred or dislike;
abhorrence; loathing. Multi-Version Concordance Detestation (5 Occurrences). ...
/d/detestation.htm - 8k

Bodily (17 Occurrences)
... Galatians 4:14 and yet the bodily infirmity which was such a trial to you, you did
not regard with contempt or loathing, but you received me as if I had been ...
/b/bodily.htm - 12k

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