God abhors (or considers an “abomination”: KJV) worship without righteousness. Hypocritical worship is bad enough; worship with evil intent is the absolute worst! Sins of deception are, in the book of Proverbs, frequently called an “abomination”, for examples, dishonest scales (Prov 11:1), lying lips (Prov 12:22), an unjust judge (Prov 17:15), and differing weights (Prov 20:23). Yet if such things are detestable to the LORD, how much more the implicit intent to deceive the LORD Himself! Not only the sacrifices, but also — and even — the prayers of certain men are detestable (Prov 28:9).
The old expositor Charles Bridges wrote, “Such was it, when Balaam brought his sacrifice, that he might curse Israel (Num 23:1-3,13); Saul, in wayward disobedience (1Sa 13:8-15; 15:21-23); Absalom and Jezebel, to cover their treachery (2Sa 15:7-13; 1Ki 21:9-12); the adulteress, as a lulling to her unwary prey (Prov 7:14,15); the Pharisees, as an aid to their covetousness (Mat 23:14)… What an abomination must their service be before him, who is ‘of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity’ (Hab 1:13)!”
Eugene Peterson offers this brusque paraphrase of Proverbs 21:27: “Religious performance by the wicked stinks; it’s even worse when they use it to get ahead.”
“The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable”: This phrase is parallel to Prov 15:8a: “The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked.” Sacrifices from wicked people are unacceptable because those offering them are insincere and blasphemous (cf Prov 21:3; 28:9; see also 15:29; Psa 40:6-8; Isa 1:10-17; 66:1-4; Jer 6:20; 7:21-23; Hos 5:6; Amos 5:22; Mal 1:7,8). Outward service means nothing unless it is accompanied by a change of heart.
The word for “sacrifice” here is “zebach”. It is used particularly of the peace offering (Lev 3:1,3,6; 4:10,26; 7:11-13). Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because it was offered insincerely (Gen 4; Prov 14:9,12). Paul points out that God detests continuing in sin as though grace and forgiveness were easily and readily available, and adds the emphatic “By no means!” (Rom 6:1,2). Finally, Jesus speaks of a similar impediment to God’s acceptance of sacrifice:
“But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother [some manuscripts add ‘without cause’] will be subject to judgment… Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matt 5:23,24).
“Worship” that is heedless and without reflection, that is merely going through the motions, is a form of resistance or rebellion to Almighty God. If so-called worship does not occupy the understanding, or the “heart”, Biblically expressed, then it is surely detestable to the One we pretend to worship. It is the worst kind of lying, because it is seemingly directed to the One Being who knows the ultimate truth of all things. If there is any one time and place when we must be absolutely honest, it is when we come into the presence of our Creator.
“How much more so when brought with evil intent!”
This rhetorical device — ‘How much more!’ — shows that if the act is abomination, the wicked heart is a greater sin. It argues from the lesser to the greater.
“Evil intent” is the translation of the RSV, as well as the NIV. AV and ASV give “a wicked mind” (AV, ASV). The noun “zimmah” means “plan; device; wickedness”; here it indicates that the person is coming to the act of worship with “sinful purpose”.
One such example of evil intent might be if the worshiper sees his act, or even his contribution of money or effort, as a sort of bribe — to buy off God, and to soothe a guilty conscience. Such a man might steal from the poor, or contrive crooked business deals, and then seek “forgiveness” by giving back a small portion of his ill-gotten gains to God.
Two old folk proverbs speak to this “evil intent”: one from the English: “Steal the goose, and give the giblets [the liver and gizzard] in alms.” And the other from the Spanish: “Steal the pig, and give the pig’s feet to God.”
The nineteen-century German theologian Franz Delitzsch — not noted for pulling his punches — is quite blunt on this matter: “But frequently enough would it occur that rich sensualists brought trespass-offerings, and other offerings, in order thereby to recompense for their transgressions, and to purchase for themselves the connivance of God for their dissolute life. Such offerings of the godless, the proverb means, are to God a twofold and a threefold abomination; for in this case not only does the godless fail in respect of repentance and a desire after salvation, which are the conditions of all sacrifices acceptable to God, but he makes God directly a minister of sin [i.e., a servant of the wicked man’s sin].”
It may be added here, that church history suggests that many would-be human “ministers” have connived with worshipers to the same abominable end, and lined their own pockets in the bargain. It is no surprise that the harlot, and mother of harlots, depicted in Revelation comes to be known for the richness of her “merchandise”.
Another feature of “detestable sacrifice” and “evil intent” is merely the slightest reordering of events. Instead of paying for one’s sins after they have been committed, this “detestable sacrifice” is paying for one’s blessings before they have been bestowed. This is sometimes called “prosperity theology” or “the health and wealth gospel”. In this scenario the sacrifice becomes a sort of “quid pro quo”: ‘I give to God a little first, and then He will give much more to me later.’ It is no less abominable to the LORD.
If we begin to think that we may “pay” for our sins or buy God’s favor with money, or service, or a pretended devotion, then we are well along on the road to a false religion. The only real gift we can bring to our heavenly Father is ourselves. The wise men traveled some distance and came to lay before the child Jesus their gold, incense, and myrrh. But the real gift they brought was their devotion and love, merely demonstrated in their material gifts.
We know that the cattle on a thousand hills already belong to God; He doesn’t need our money, although it is surely a good thing to offer it in service to Him. What He really wants is our “heart”:
“My son, give me your heart!” (Prov 23:26).
Matthew Henry correctly observes: “Many can freely give God their beasts, their lips, and even their knees, who would not give him their hearts.”
And Robert Roberts wrote, “The wicked sometimes sacrifice. They did so under the Law, and they do so under the gospel. The form of the sacrifice differs, but the spirit of the thing is the same. They give for Divine use, but instead of being acceptable, it is ‘abomination’ to God. The reason is to be found in the mind in which it is given. It is not given from a love of God, or from a desire to be in the way of obedience, but either from a superstitious notion that it may avert the consequences of their wicked course in common life (which is the most respectable form of this wickedness), or from a desire to be considered religious by their fellow-sinners, or to procure the good graces of the priesthood, through whom they may obtain influence and trade with the people. The approaches that please God are the approaches of ‘upright’ men [Prov 15:8] — men who fear God and work righteousness in private as well as in public — every day as well as Sunday — in the transactions of common life as well as in religious exercises — towards enemies as well as among friends.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One