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Our EYES are very powerful… Their function is far reaching… Way beyond merely transforming light and electrical signals into images…

 

They may lead us astray:

 

Genesis 3:5-6 “For God knows that on the day you both eat from it, then your eyes will be opened and you both shall be like gods, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise, then she took from its fruit and she ate. And she gave it also to her husband with her, and he ate.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

They can be “evil” (in this context, they represent stinginess, selfishness, greed, covetousness or scorn). The basic idea of the “evil eye” in the Hebrew Scriptures appears at least five times (Deut. 15:9; 28:54, 56; Prov. 23:6; 28:22). Each instance relates to money or material things and refers to viewing others through the lens of one’s own wealth or gratification. Proverbs provides an additional aspect of "evil eye":

Proverbs 30:17 - “The eye that mocks a father and scorns the obedience of a mother— the ravens of the valley will peck it out, and the offspring of vultures will eat it.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

They influence/effect our heart:

Matthew 5:28 “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

They evoke/hold emotions like the heart… In some cases, they are interchangeable with the heart…

Psalms 119:82 “My eyes long for your word, saying, “When will you comfort me?”  Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

Psalms 119:123 “My eyes long for your salvation, and your righteous word.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

Psalms 119:136 “Streams of water flow down from my eyes, because people do not heed your law.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

1 Kings 8:52 52 “O, that your [Yah] eyes may be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, to listen to them in all things when they call to you.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

Sometimes, they usher in pity and compassion to our heart… 

Deuteronomy 19:13 “Your eye shall not take pity on him, and you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that good will be directed toward you.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

Deuteronomy 19:21 “You must show no pity [Your eyes shall not take pity]: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

And, to Yah’s heart too… 

Ezekiel 5:11 “Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Lord Yahweh, Surely because you have defiled my sanctuary with all of your vile idols and with all of your detestable things, now indeed I will reduce, and my eye will not take pity, and surely I will show no compassion.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

Ezekiel 7:9 “And my eye will not take pity, and I will not show compassion. According to your ways I will deal with you, and your detestable things will be in the midst of you, and you will know that I am Yahweh who strikes.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

Ezekiel 8:18 “And so I will act in rage, and my eye will not take pity, and I will not have compassion, and they will cry in my ear with a loud voice, and I will not hear them.”  Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

Ezekiel 9:10 “And I, my eye will not take pity, and I will not have compassion; their way I will bring on their head.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

However, contrary to humans, Yah’s eyes are pure… as noted by His Prophets:

Habakkuk 1:12-13 “Are you not from of old, O Yahweh my God, my Holy One? You shall not die. O Yahweh, you have marked them for judgment; O Rock, you have established them for reproof. Your eyes are too pure to see [tolerate] evil, and you are not able to look at wrongdoing. Why do you look [tolerate] at the treacherous? Why are you silent when the wicked swallows up someone more righteous than him?” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

And... They help usher in spiritual light (or, darkness) to our life…

Luke 11:34-36 “Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is sincere, your whole body is full of light also. But when it is evil, your body is dark also. Therefore pay careful attention that the light in you is not darkness! If therefore your whole body is full of light, not having any part dark, it will be completely full of light, as when the lamp with its light gives light to you.” Lexham English Bible (LEB)

 

“Be careful!” This is the only imperative in the text. Be careful what you see! Be careful what you regard as bright and attractive and compelling. If it is not Christ, you will be filled with darkness—no matter how bright it seems for a season. Candles seem bright until the sun comes out. Then they are useless and put away.

Christ is the glory we were made to see. His light alone will fill us and give the light of life and meaning to every part of our lives. And when that happens, we ourselves will shine and give off the rays of Christ. “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”

Father Yah, open the eyes of our hearts to see the supreme greatness of your wisdom and power. Make our eyes good. Heal our blindness. Fill us with the all-pervading, all-exposing, all-purifying, all-pleasing light of your presence. ~Pastor John Piper