Detestable Things

The Lord gave this rebuke to Saints in Kirtland in 1833: “Behold, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with many who are in the church at Kirtland; For they do not forsake their sins, and their wicked ways, the pride of their hearts, and their covetousness, and all their detestable things, and observe the words of wisdom and eternal life which I have given unto them” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:19-20). I was struck by the phrase “detestable things”—what does the Lord mean by this? The Lord was likely quoting His own words from Ezekiel, the only other book of scripture that uses this phrase. The ancient prophet wrote this: “Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity” (Ezekiel 5:11). This was when the people were ripe for destruction, right before the Babylonians would come to destroy the people of Judah around the time of Lehi. Ezekiel used the phrase a few more times with a similar message. He wrote of this people at Jerusalem who were about to receive the recompense of their wickedness: “They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity. As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them” (Ezekiel 7:19-20). Their “detestable things” appear to be related to their idols as well as the riches that would not save them from the pending destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. In another passage the prophet also wrote, “That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God” (Ezekiel 11:21). These “detestable things” are those that they give their heart to but which keep them from following the ordinances and statutes of the Lord.

In a final reference, and looking forwards towards the gathering of Israel, Ezekiel wrote these words of the Lord: “Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 37:23). He hopes to gather us away from our sins and idols and detestable things so that we can become truly His people. Perhaps for us these might refer to the smart phones that suck away so much of our time in pursuits that are often of such little value. There are certainly valuable tasks that we can accomplish on them, but far too often we are addicted to digital content that takes us from the real world and ruins our relationships. Now as we walk in nearly any public place, most of those around us pass by with their heads down staring at their phone. And it is not uncommon to see the same thing in the car next to us on the road and we are left wondering who is driving if the person in the driver’s seat is looking at their phone! About a dozen years ago Elder Christofferson said this to priesthood holders: “We cannot afford to have those who exercise the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, waste their strength in pornography or spend their lives in cyberspace (ironically being of the world while not being in the world).” Now that problem seems to me to be much more prevalent as we are not present in the world immediately around us but are of the world lost on our phones. Around the same time Elder Carl B. Cook told of an experience where he was looking down at the ground in an elevator when President Monson joined him. The prophet asked, “What are you looking at down there?” When Elder Cook responded, “Oh, nothing,” President Monson replied with a smile, “It is better to look up!” That was given before our smart phones become so widespread, and now entering an elevator most of us are likewise looking down at a screen! But indeed, I believe it is better to look up and look to the Lord faster than we look to the next thing to scroll. Certainly our electronic devices do not need to be “detestable things” in the sight of the Lord as we use them for worthy purposes. And as we learn to look up and put Him first we will be more prepared to become His people as He continues to gather Israel in the last days.