{"id":2849,"date":"2020-07-14T16:11:32","date_gmt":"2020-07-14T16:11:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=2849"},"modified":"2025-03-30T21:54:44","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T21:54:44","slug":"i-abhor-myself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=2849","title":{"rendered":"I Abhor Myself"},"content":{"rendered":"

Job Chapter 42:5&6<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Wherefore I abhor\u00a0myself, and repent in dust and ashes.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Hebrew word for abhor<\/em>\u00a0means to reject, despise, or refuse.*<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Greek word for abhor<\/em>\u00a0means to turn oneself away from <\/em>as\u00a0 one would turn away from a bad smell or stench.\u00a0 This meaning includes the idea of detesting or hating the offensive object.<\/p>\n

After an encounter, the Old Testament character Job concluded;\u00a0Wherefore I abhor\u00a0myself, and repent in dust and ashes.\u00a0 <\/em>The result of Job’s encounter was to turn away as he would from a stench.\u00a0 Such a turning away would be done quickly until distanced from the despised and repulsive object.\u00a0 Job was turning away from himself.\u00a0 He stated that he abhored<\/em> (despised) himself.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What was the encounter that produced such a hasty and repulsing reaction to his own self?\u00a0 \u00a0Job’s encounter was with God.\u00a0 He had just said this about God;\u00a0<\/strong>I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.\u00a0<\/strong> <\/em>When Job saw God as He is, he saw himself as he truly was and the result was a biblical view of himself.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Self-esteem permeates our culture.\u00a0\u00a0You are worthy<\/em> is a slogan adopted by our culture and educational systems.\u00a0 This slogan is an attempt to build the self-esteem of those to whom it is directed.\u00a0 In his book,\u00a0The Vanishing Conscience,<\/em>\u00a0John MacArthur gives an example of how self esteem works.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Math students from several countries were tested for their mathematical abilities.\u00a0 Along with the test, students were asked to answer the simple question; Are you good at math?\u00a0 The group of students who scored the highest answered “no” to this question, while the lowest scoring group, the Americans, answered “yes”. [1]<\/em><\/p>\n

You’ve heard the old adage concerning good news and bad news?\u00a0 The good news is that we are making good time.\u00a0 The bad news?\u00a0\u00a0We are headed in the wrong direction!\u00a0 We, the Americans, scored the lowest,…..but we felt good about it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our culture is trying to lift the self image in an effort to give hope.\u00a0 When individuals have no hope they often turn to self destructive activities.\u00a0 When an individual comes to the place where they hate or despise themselves, they are unable to receive the required remedy, because the\u00a0real answer has been excluded from our educational systems.\u00a0 The individual who despises himself needs to see Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as The Redeemer of his\/her lost, sinful soul.<\/p>\n

Although living several hundred years before Christ, Job declared; For I\u00a0know\u00a0that\u00a0my\u00a0redeemer\u00a0liveth, and\u00a0that\u00a0he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:<\/em>\u00a0(Job 19:25).<\/strong><\/p>\n

The answer is to see God as Job did.\u00a0 When Job saw God as He is (sinless) and he saw himself (a sinner),\u00a0 he was so repulsed by his sinful condition that he repented in dust and ashes.\u00a0 He changed his mind and humbled himself before the Lord and worshiped.\u00a0 Job’s repentance, humility, and trust in His Redeemer brought change and blessing from God.<\/p>\n

God’s wrath was kindled against Job’s friends <\/strong>(ye have not spoken of me\u00a0the thing that is\u00a0right, as my servant Job\u00a0hath).<\/em>\u00a0 <\/em>Job’s friends\u00a0were commanded to bring sacrifices and offer them up as a burnt offering for their sin <\/strong>(and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept:)….<\/em>And the LORD turned the captivity of Job.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you seen God?\u00a0 \u00a0Much like Job, Isaiah saw God and his response was the cry of the leper……Woe\u00a0is\u00a0me! for I am undone; because I\u00a0am\u00a0a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 (<\/em>Isaiah 6:5).<\/p>\n

Do you have a biblical view of yourself?\u00a0 When you see God as He is (in the pages of Scripture) [2], you will have an opportunity to obtain a biblical view of yourself.\u00a0 It will no longer be I am worthy………………i<\/em>t will be He is worthy!<\/strong><\/p>\n

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him (Romans 5:6-9).<\/em><\/p>\n

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…<\/strong><\/p>\n

[1] The Vanishing Conscience<\/em> by John MacArthur – pg. 80; published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson.\u00a0 [2] Scripture – Do not use a paraphrase.\u00a0 Use a reliable translation.\u00a0 I would recommend the KJV, the NKJV, the NASV, & the ESV.<\/p>\n

Note:\u00a0 Perhaps you have made the statement; I hate myself.\u00a0 <\/em>Is it because you have failed to live up to a certain standard?\u00a0 Maybe it is the world’s standard or even your own standards you have failed to live up to.\u00a0 God has a standard that certainly no one can live up to because we are all under the curse of sin.\u00a0 God’s standard is perfection.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong> Fortunately, for you and I, God is offering us a substitute who can fulfill His standard on our behalf.\u00a0 His name is Jesus Christ.\u00a0 He is God’s Son and He alone has fulfilled God’s Standard of Righteousness.<\/p>\n

Messiah Jesus took the penalty of our sin upon Himself when He died upon the cross of Calvary.\u00a0 He was buried and rose again from the dead.\u00a0 His perfect righteousness is applied to all who accept Him as God’s provision of righteousness on our behalf.\u00a0 If you hate yourself,\u00a0 lift your eyes off of yourself and onto the perfect Lamb of God.\u00a0 Repent (change your mind) and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Accept Him as your Saviour and Lord.\u00a0 Harden not your heart.\u00a0 Let today be the day of your salvation!<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you claim to be a Christian and you hate yourself to the point of despair, perhaps you have unconfessed sin that is burdening your conscience.\u00a0 I John 1:8-10 says;\u00a0\u00a0If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.\u00a0 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us\u00a0our\u00a0sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u00a0<\/strong> If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.<\/em><\/p>\n

How are we to confess our sins?\u00a0 We confess them directly to the Lord.\u00a0\u00a0For\u00a0there\u00a0is\u00a0one\u00a0God,\u00a0and\u00a0one\u00a0mediator\u00a0between\u00a0God\u00a0and\u00a0men, the man Christ Jesus;<\/em>\u00a0(I Timothy 2:5).\u00a0 We are to confess our sins as soon as we are aware of them.\u00a0 Name the sin and agree with God about it.\u00a0 Wrong thoughts are sin.\u00a0 Follow the Psalmist’s direction;\u00a0Thy\u00a0word\u00a0have\u00a0I\u00a0hid\u00a0in\u00a0mine\u00a0heart, that I might not sin against thee\u00a0<\/em>(Psalm 119:11).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u00a0us therefore\u00a0come\u00a0boldly\u00a0unto\u00a0the\u00a0throne\u00a0of\u00a0grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find\u00a0grace\u00a0to help in time of need (<\/em>Hebrews 4:16).<\/p>\n

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Job Chapter 42:5&6 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.\u00a0\u00a0Wherefore I abhor\u00a0myself, and repent in dust and ashes. The Hebrew word for abhor\u00a0means to reject, despise, or refuse.* The Greek word for abhor\u00a0means to turn oneself away from as\u00a0 one would turn away from a … Continue reading I Abhor Myself<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2849"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2849"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5308,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2849\/revisions\/5308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}