The Eyes of the Lord

Again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. When the Israelites cried to the Lord because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land. I said to you, I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live. But you have not listened to me.” (Judges 6:1, 7-10, NIV 1984).

My Musings – A broken record. Again the “Israelites did evil” and again God had to remind them of why they were in the situation they were in. There is a crucial phrase in this passage that we must not overlook – “in the eyes of the Lord.” It is not our eyes or the eyes of the culture that we live in that matter. What looks innocent and pleasing to us is quite often neither innocent nor pleasing. What is seen as innocent and pleasing to the culture may not have always been viewed as either innocent or pleasing.

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” (Genesis 3:6, NIV 1984). Good, pleasing and desirable. Seems innocent enough. Except God had said, “You must not eat fruit from [that] tree.” (Genesis 3:3, NIV 1984). Only His eyes can see clearly enough to see what is not only good, but wholesome. What is not only pleasing to the eye but pleasing to the soul. What is not only desirable but beneficial.

My Advice – Even as Christians we need God’s perspective. Because “now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (2 Corinthians 13:12, NIV 1984). Until “then” we must rely on what we have “now” to see things the best we can through His eyes. For this we have His Word and His Spirit that indwells us.

His Word – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV 1984).

His Spirit – “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'” (Isaiah 30:21, NIV 1984).

Want to avoid doing “evil in the eyes of the Lord?” Read with your eyes to see through His eyes. Listen with your ears tuned in to His “voice.”