Tuesday: “The Eyes of the LORD”
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good
(Prov. 15:3, NKJV). How does this text make you feel, and why?
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
In the next two chapters in Proverbs the tone changes. These chapters are more theological than the preceding ones. The Lord is referenced more often than in previous proverbs. We are also told something amazing about Him: that His eyes are in every place (Prov. 15:3).
This acute consciousness of the Lord’s presence is precisely what the ancient Israelites calledthe fear of the LORD.
The same association is found in the Psalms: the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him
(Ps. 33:18, NKJV). Likewise, Job describes God as the One who looks to the ends of the earth and sees all that happens under the heavens (Job 28:24). Because of this, Job concludes that the fear of the LORD . . . is wisdom
(Job 28:28).
This proverb reminds us of God’s ability to see good and evil, no matter where they are. As Solomon understood (1 Kings 3:9), true wisdom is the ability to discern between good and evil. On a human level, this awareness should help us remember always to do good and never evil, for God sees all that we do, even if no one else does. We fool ourselves, thinking that because, for now, we get away with evil, that we really do get away with it. In the long run we never do.
Let us, therefore, be diligent for there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account
(Heb. 4:13, NKJV).
Read Proverbs 15:3, Isaiah 5:20, and Hebrews 5:14. What crucial message do these verses have for us, especially in an age when the very concepts of good and evil
are often blurred, with people claiming that good and evil are relative or just human ideas that have no objective existence apart from what we say they are? What is so wrong with such a notion of good and evil, and why is it so dangerous to hold?
(24)
Prov 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
To me, this is an extension of the lesson on "the fear of the wise" ie "listening" without talking too much, we've a defender who sees all.
Even wen it hurts most and I want to defend myself, I must remember that God sees and is taking care of the situation. Ofcourse there are times we must be heard but we must consult God befo we speak, in such times.
It also serves as a warning that even if we sin in private, God sees and is not pleased.
It also encourages us that wen we engage in profitable life of prayer and worship, God sees. He's with us and He sure is growing our character which matters for eternity even tho man won't recognise it to reward us publicly at the place of work or anywhere else.
"The fact that I know that his eyes is everywhere; seeing evil and good makes me very sad. An event happened and a man kills a toddler for rituals yet he sees it and does nothing. Waiting only for judgement day.
I think that verse is misinterpreted.
I understand your concern. The question as to why bad things are allowed to happen to the innocent has been challenging us right from the very beginning. The really awful thing about sin is that it is so unfair. There are two things that I remember when confronted by suffering like this.
1) there is an evil one who is determined to make God appear as evil as he possibly can.
2) God has given us the responsibility of relieving suffering as much as we can where we live.
We may not be able to help the children being rounded up by ISIS but in our own community innocent people are suffering and we have a responsibility to see their need and do something about it. God has asked us to be his eyes and hands. That is an awesome responsibility.
How can we help? Who can we help?
I agree with the notion that sin is unfair. I believe it would pain God more than us to see such horror, yet because of the nature of the great controversy it must be. Yet it too is true that God watches and protects otherwise there would be even more suffering taking place. Doing as much as we can (physical help, emotional support and more importantly spiritual help) where we are is the best way help to humanity.
Where was God when his only son was nailed to the cross? where was God when they beat Jesus 40 hits/ stripes ? where was God when Jesus was buried in a grave?Where was God when Stephens was stoned to death. The answer is he was at the same place when that person hurt the little child.( Watching/locking) Therefore, let reason the whole matter once sin entered the world every imaginary kind of sin began to take place.God does not always respond immediately because he has his reason but he will respond. So wait on the Lord and be of good courage he will take care some how ! how & when he hands his judgement down will be his call & it will be final..
A different angle to your statement (but not disagreement of other responses):
James 2:10 (NKJV) For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
Romans 3:23 (NIV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
-- One sinner is no less quilty than another. It is Christ's blood that wipes our slates clean. It is sin that put Christ on the cross, therefore we are all quilty of sacrificing someone. If we value life, how much we honor Christ's sacrifice by accepting it. May we learn to ever, increasingly do so by continually growing in our ability to obey His law wholly.
When I read the translation notes from the NET (New English Trans) Bible it said: "The form tsofot, 'watching' is a feminine plural participle agreeing w/'eyes.' God's watching eyes comfort good people but convict evil.
-- I pray you will give God your pain and confusion. (Ps 55:22). It is a righteous disappointment you have in man (in this situation.) Try not to transfer the blame to God.
-- I've often heard that God does not act where there is no prayer. If that is true, please pray to God to work His will in this situation that, justifiably, burdens your heart. (Matt 5:44, Luke 23:34)
I hope this quote from EG White will help some:(Maranatha pg 315)
He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Ps. 91:11.
Not until the providences of God are seen in the light of eternity shall we understand what we owe to the care and interposition of His angels. Celestial beings have taken an active part in the affairs of men. They have appeared in garments that shone as the lightning; they have come as men, in the garb of wayfarers. They have accepted the hospitalities of human homes; they acted as guides to benighted travelers. They have thwarted the spoiler's purpose and turned aside the stroke of the destroyer.
Though the rulers of this world know it not, yet often in their councils angels have been spokesmen. Human eyes have looked upon them. Human ears have listened to their appeals. In the council hall and the court of justice, heavenly messengers have pleaded the cause of the persecuted and oppressed. They have defeated purposes and arrested evils that would have brought wrong and suffering to God's children. To the students in the heavenly school, all this will be unfolded.
Every redeemed one will understand the ministry of angels in his own life. The angel who was his guardian from his earliest moment; the angel who watched his steps, and covered his head in the day of peril; the angel who was with him in the valley of the shadow of death, who marked his resting place, who was the first to greet him in the resurrection morning--what will it be to hold converse with him, and to learn the history of divine interposition in the individual life, of heavenly co-operation in every work for humanity!
With the word of God in his hands, every human being, wherever his lot in life may be cast, may have such companionship as he shall choose. In its pages he may hold converse with the noblest and best of the human race, and may listen to the voice of the Eternal as He speaks with men. As he studies and meditates upon the themes into which "the angels desire to look" (1 Peter 1:12), he may have their companionship.
I have been married for nearly 25 years and I count it a blessing to have learnt lessons about true love. There is a love that respects, which develops a complete transparency of what we think and how we feel about each other. What ever is said or done, there is an understanding that all is done with heart felt love for each other, whether it may be difficult to hear at first, we know that it doesn't change how we feel about each other.
It is not wise to think that we can hide anything from God, so why do we try to even hide things from our loved ones. True love invites God into every area of our lives, not to condemn us of our wrong doing but to help us come out of what courses is to do wrong.
Let us open out door to our hearts so God can not only sup with us but to take full control of the running of our lives.
We have to be true to ourselves all the time wherever we are and whatever we do. God sees what we do even nobody else does. Just like the verse tells us, "Be sure your sin will find you out." God will always find out when we lie. Admitting to mistakes and be the first one to ask for forgiveness gives me more respect to myself and feels that I had win a battle inside me. People around us will be more forgiving when we are ready to say "I'm sorry".
The fact that God's eyes are everywhere should first create in us a sense of responsibility that no matter where we are we should never sin for when time comes we will give account and secondly that no matter what we go through God will always be by our side that we don't sin.
The fact that God is everywhere is comforting. When we were raising our children I sometimes wanted to be with them when I knew that they were going to have a challenging day. Mommies are mortal and must let children face some challenges alone.
With God, I don't need to fear the challenges because He is with me. My immortal, omnipresent God not only sees what I do and helps me through it, but what others do for and to me. As the kids say, "He's got my back."
No fears, He ses it all. Praise God!
The fact that the eyes of the Lord are everywhere should be encouraging, especially because of the evil that is done "behind closed doors", or even in the most remote places. He cares about the child that is sacrificed for rituals, for He made that child also, but let us remember His ways are Higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We may think He allowed these rituals to take place without His intervention, but we will soon see He did intervene. He does not force His will on anyone, but gives everyone the freedom to choose to do right or wrong, and supply them with enough information to make that choice wisely, Titus 2:11-12. It may seem the evil doers currently live without penalty, but that is only an appearance. Sin has a price, and the person who commits it pays in this present world, and eternally if they don't repent.
Be true to God and His principles. Never "follow your heart" or "be true to yourself". Remember Prov. 28:26 and Jer 17:9. Commit your works unto the Lord, and your thoughts shall be established. Prov. 16:3.
Anyone ever get so caught up in their own activity and thought that they lost their sense of God's presence? Unfortunately, the natural tendency of our sinful nature is to be egocentric and not God-centered. We need to learn by faith to recognize and cherish God's continual presence in our daily living and strive to abide in Him. So let it be for us all today, Amen.
When men think good and evil are relative it is basically because they want to do what they want to do and it is ok. God's eyes sees everything, and when we realize this, then the fear of the love (love for our Heavenly Father) guides us into all truth. The Bible obviously says woe, because it is dangerous to be like this, therefore the consequence for this evil will result in harm. I pray God will help us see ourselves, repent and return to Him. It's truly a blessing living for our King.
Knowing that God is always with me brings me comfort and assurance that in good times and bad times He will never leave me nor forsake me. It is comforting to know that God is an all seeing and all knowing God helps me when it is difficult to pray the right words because of my heavy heart. I love God so much because He sees everything that happens 24/7. I do not have to try and remember every detail when I pray to Him. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
In a way this lesson scares me. In the industrialized nations of the world there are cameras everywhere. It was once said that in London the average person is photographed some 300 times during the day.
It is a kind of reflection on George Orwell's novel "Nineteen Eighty Four" which depicts government (big brother) constantly spying on it's citizens in order to ensure conformity. But is that the reason why God sees us no matter where we are?
Hi Tyler,
I have asked myself – why do I do good or avoid evil?
Because God will see and punish or reward me? or
Because I want to be happy and I trust the LORD knows what makes me happy? or
some other reason?
Friends - why do you do good or evil, please share how you came to that reason?
The reason I do good is: Because I want to be happy and I trust the LORD knows what makes me happy?
Shirley, I choose good because it is good. I love God because He is GOOD. His self-sacrificing love shows us who He is. I choose Him because He first loved me. Whether or not there was an eternal reward, living a life as God's child is an honor and reward of its own. (Not that I've mastered this, but I have chosen my allegiance) PS "The way of the transgressor is hard "
Is that the reason why God sees us, to ensure conformity?
No, God is who He is. He sees everything b/c He is omniscient. It is a characteristic of who he is. He can't help it. He sees b/c of who He is.
As demonstrated by previous comment, that does not ensure conformity to His law. That is why we have a 'Great Controversy.' He allows His creation to make up their own minds for obedience and through this demonstration will show everyone that conformity it the best policy
Yes, Dorothy, I do agree.
As I understand it though, God has ultimate capabilities such as creation or destruction. Does that mean that He can't help to create or destroy? You see to me God makes choices too and if He chooses to keep track of what we are doing then He does so because He wants to not because He has no choice and that raises a big question.
The question I posed was why God chooses to keep an eye on us. Is it to keep us in line (conformity) or is it because He is interested in us just as a parent is interested in his/her child and wants to know what they are doing and even to help them if they see that is what is needed. It's a matter of intent on God's part and I think it is vastly different than why Satan keeps an eye on us.
Anaba,
". . . All these are the beginning of sorrows . . ." Jesus.
There will come a time when God will take care of all the sorrows and unfairness in the world. Satan wants us to feel that with God is impotent and can't remedy these terrible things or else He doesn't even care. Satan's first and last work is deception about God.
I think of a comment made by someone that, as a christian, our real character will show out when nobody is watching us. And I think this very true. But remember God is watching you.
Speaking in the standpoint of discipline, I can recall a number of times as a little girl my parents/teachers used say,"you can lie to me, but not to God. He sees everything and He knows whether you are telling the truth or not"-to teach me a lesson on honesty. As a child, that really scared me thinking I have nothing to hide, that I better tell the truth. I think that it is a very effective tool to discipline or teach a child. It not only molds the character early on but nurtures with the fear of the Lord. It also gives adults an opportunity to introduce them to our Savior.
Sadly, nowadays, it is getting harder and harder to teach our children. With so many distractions around that harden the senses, it is almost impossible to guide them to the right path. I am happy that we can be enlightened by this lesson and continue to uphold clear distinction between right and wrong. I am so affected by the issues that arise these days that seem okay for general public but were never acceptable centuries and decades ago. We need to pray harder.
God's words states in Psalms 139:1-4, O Lord thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downstting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.(KJV)
This scripture encourages me when I fall short of His mercy and grace. I get so frustrated with myself most the times, because of my struggles with my appetite. The word of God has a way of reminding me that God knows and He cares.
That is a beautiful verse, Regina. It's comforting to know that we have God who knows us for who we truly are . And He loves us so much He cares for us more than we can ever imagine. As Psalm 8:4 says, "[w]hat is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him?"
What crucial message do these verses have for us. . .? All three verses say: there is good and evil in the world. Prov 15:3 says that God sees everything. Isa 5:20 exclaims bad news for those who switch the two (good and evil). Heb 5:14 tells us we're not truely mature Christians until we've been tested and learned how to tell good and evil apart.
OBJECTIVE: not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.
If there is no objective definition between good and evil the standard changes. It rarely changes back to benefit society but continually progresses to benefit the individual. Laws are hard to create and enforce w/o an objective definition of good and evil. Unfortunately this leads to further degradation of society as a whole and we are steadily drifting into the world that will set the stage for the anti-Christ to take over and impose a standard. The world will be so tired of the evil, it will be looking for a relief from evil and will accept any form of order. However, the anti-Christ works for his own benefit not mankind's.
God is secure in who He is. He does not need to work for His own benefit and therefore loves. Through that unlimited love He desires that all should be saved and that none should perish. (1 Tim 2:4) However, he does not force us to be saved, it has to be our choice. When we choose Him, we open the door for His will to be done in our lives. In His perfect love (John 15:13, Rom 5:7-8) we have an unchanging, unselfish, objective standard to discern good from evil.
There is a tendancy to see God as a policeman. One who is continually seeking out transgressors and ready and willing to judge and condemn. But this is not the God we worship as Christians. That is the god of the Isalmic people, and they have taken upon themselves the character of the god they worship. If we worship the true God and are recreated in His image, then we look not for them who transgress in order to judge, but seek those who are in need of love and mercy.
One of my favourite scriptures and one that has encouraged me for many years speaks of the eyes of the Lord upon all the earth, bt gives us a clear motive behind that searching.
2Ch_16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
Sure, this doesn't explain why evil things happen to the innocent. But it is a promise we can share with victims of evil. It is a promise we can use to encourage others that even in the evil day, if they would turn their hearts toward God, He will strengthen and sustain them through trial and temptation.
My thoughts on the question at end of lesson: thinking like that shows self wisdom- which isn't wisdom at all, from reading the Bible we know that evil existed before humans were created and therefore cannot be relative to what we think it is.