March 9, 2018
Psalm 94:3-11
(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)
Eyes – the Bible says a great deal about Eyes, both the Eyes of God, and the Eyes of man! Let’s start this series with Psalm 94:3 through 11:
LORD, how long will the wicked…triumph? They…speak insolent things;
all the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. They break in pieces Your
people, O LORD, and afflict Your heritage. They slay the widow and the
stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, “The LORD does not
see, nor does the God of Jacob understand.” Understand, you senseless
among the people; and you fools, when will you be wise? He who planted
the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? He
who instructs the nations, shall He not correct?…The LORD knows the
thoughts of a man….
In verse 9 of this Scripture, the psalmist obliquely refers to the Eyes of the wicked and the Eyes of the LORD.
First, let’s define the wicked:
• II Chronicles 19:2 – “…the wicked…hate the LORD….” Hate is a strong word! But as Jesus said in John 8:12 and 9:5, “I am the light of the world.” (see also John 12:35, 36; I John 1:6, 7). The Lord goes on to explain in John 3:19-21:
…this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every-
one practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his
deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light that
his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
Back when I was a rebellious teenager, I ran with a crowd that got into a lot of trouble – drinking, breaking and entering, stealing, vandalism, etc. Most of the lawless things we did back then were done during the time of darkness. We didn’t want to be exposed by the light and to be seen!
You might say that the wicked hate the LORD indirectly, because He, being light, exposes their sins! And so they hate the light, the truth of His person (see John 14:6), and choose to “…walk in darkness…”! (John 8:12 – see also Isaiah 59:9; I John 1:6). But the problem they then encounter is highlighted in Proverbs 4:19: “The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” (see also John 12:35; I John 2:11).
• Psalm 1:6 (English Standard Version) – “…the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” It is not just the wicked who will perish, but their way will also perish. The way of the wicked is their lifestyle, what they have invested all their resources in – time, money, talents, etc. It will all come to nothing for eternity!
• Psalm 10:4 – “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.” (see also Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Romans 3:10-18). If the wicked had any concept of a Biblical God, he or she would not engage in wickedness! For it says in Psalm 36:1, “There is no fear of God before…[the] eyes…of the wicked.”
• Psalm 28:3 – “…the wicked…speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts.” Christ taught in Luke 6:45:
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an
evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For of the
abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Not just words, but all outward actions start in the heart (the Jewish expression that encompasses the inner man, including the mind – see II Corinthians 10:3-5). This is why we are told in Proverbs 4:23, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
• Ezekiel 33:11 – “‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die…? ” In the Old Testament, as well as the New, God does not want anyone to perish in their sins! No matter how wicked a person might be, that one can be completely cleansed of sin and free of sin’s eternal consequences by faith in His mercy and grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! (See, for instance, Paul’s statement in I Timothy 1:15; also John 5:24).
Generally speaking, the wicked, according to the Bible, are those who are estranged from God! They may be judged to be fine people by society’s standards, but in God’s sight they are still locked in wickedness until they put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and are made righteous in Him before the Father – because Jesus is righteous! (See II Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:6). We only stand as righteous before God when we are wearing His Son’s righteousness as if it were a robe! (See Isaiah 61:10; Zechariah 3:1-5).
According to Psalm 94:7, the mindset of those who continue to practice wickedness is, “The LORD does not see, nor does the God of Jacob understand.” This is foolish thinking! They act as if “There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1). However, one can deny the existence of God (or anything else), but it does not change the fact of existence if, indeed, that One (or thing) does exist! And if God does exist, as described in the Bible, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct? ” (Psalm 94:9 and 10). Beyond seeing, beyond hearing, “The LORD [even] knows the thoughts of a man….” (Psalm 94:11 – see Psalm 139:1-5; John 2:24, 25).
So be aware of the God of the Bible, and act accordingly! Don’t be found as wicked before Him!