eyes of the LORD

Don’t Kill The Messenger

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And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, “Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.  Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, He delivered them into thine hand. 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. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”
Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.
2 Chronicles 16:7-10

King Asa was the third king following Solomon.  Solomon’s son Rehoboam was a king who did not do right in the eyes of the LORD.  Abijah was Solomon’s grandson and he was similar to his father.  Then along comes Asa, of whom the Bible says did right in the eyes of the LORD.

Asa was  so committed to seeking the LORD, that he cleaned the land of Judah all its demon worship (idols), and while he was king many people who were of the Northern tribes came to live in Jerusalem while he reigned.  Asa was God’s catalyst for bringing in peace for Judah for thirty years. When he did have a battle he called on the name of the LORD, and the LORD helped, and they got the victory.

In a final battle King Asa gets full of himself, and when Israel the Northern kingdom was attacking the cities of Judah to keep their people from coming back to Jerusalem, Asa hires Syria to attack Israel

That is when the prophet Hanani comes with the above words reminding of an much greater army God had given him the victory over.  Why would a king that had done good, suddenly hire and enemy of them both to attack his brethren?

This did not please the LORD, and He sent the seer, the prophet with those words that made angry; so angry that he had Hanani locked in prison; and he began oppressing some of the people.

We can learn from this that we need to always trust in the LORD.  No matter what comes our way, as Christian people ought always be in the Lord our God.

We can also see what happens when we do not submit to the word of the LORD, and we get angry with the messenger.

So DON’T GET ANGRY WITH THE MESSENGER.  Hear the truth and submit to the LORD.

Prayer for January 5, 2021

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For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings. Proverbs 5:21

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops.  Matthew 10:26-27

Our Father who is in Heaven, Your name is holy, and Reverend, and no one deserves to attach those names to themselves, but You. No one knows Your ways, or fully knows You. You alone have given us the knowledge that we have of You.

Your word tells us that Your eyes are watching us, Your hands are molding us, who are in Christ Jesus, into the image of Your dear Son. Your eyes roam to and fro throughout the whole earth; and You show Yourself strong to those whose hearts are perfect in You.  There is none like You, O Lord.

I pray Father that I be always aware of the position of Your eyes; that they are on me, watching me; not only as a deterrent to sin, but also as a means of keeping me in Your way.

O Lord God, there is evil in this world. There is evil in the United States of America, and it is in the people of this land, and thus in our government. Leaders, so called, who are fighting for power, power to rule over the people, so that they may gain for themselves; and to bring the whole world together against You, Your Son, Your word, Your will and Your way. I pray, O Mighty God, that these be revealed, and their evil be exposed for what it is, and that You will turn the hearts of Your people back to You, calling on Your name, turning from sin to the righteousness that is received only through the faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, back to trusting Your word above the words of men.

There is evil in declaring that there are many genders, that sodomy is a legitimate relationship; and You have declared clearly that these are abominations. You have made clear that there are only Male and Female and no other in the race of Adam. Expose this evil for what it is. Complete rebellion against You and Your word.

Thank You for the forgiveness of sin through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. He is at Your right hand and praying for us daily. You, O Lord, are worthy of laud and honor and power and glory. Save Lord, to the uttermost those who are perishing. Amen.

Before The Eyes Of The LORD

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“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.”  Proverbs 5:21-23  (KJB)

The Eyes of the LORD

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Proverbs 15:1-33

1. THE ALL-SEARCHING EYES OF THE LORD (vv. 1-7) focus 3).
He watches from a “lofty tower” or a very high place.

“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. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” 2 Chronicles 16:9

22 times in the Old Testament is the “Eyes of the LORD” written and only once in the New Testament in 1 Peter 3:12
How John describes the eyes of the LORD – “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;” Revelation 1:14

2. THE SACRIFICE AND WAY THAT IS ABOMINATION TO THE LORD (vv. 8-10) focus 8-9).
Think of Cain’s sacrifice. Think of Saul’s sacrifice of disobedience (1 Samuel 15:22). God is not delighted by wicked sacrifice (Jeremiah 6:20).

3. THE INESCAPABLE PRESENCE OF THE LORD (vv. 10-24)focus v. 11).
Verse 11-

“If God knows the secrets of the world beyond the grave, much more does he know the secret thoughts of men on earth. The heart is the source of action. (see Mat_15:19, etc.)” Pulpit Commentary

4. THE DESTROYED HOUSE (v. 25).
The house of pride will be torn down, destroyed.
Psalm 52:1-5; 138:6; Isaiah 2:12; 1 Peter 5:5

“The proud, self-confident man, with his family and household and wealth, shall be rooted up. The heathen saw how retribution overtook the arrogant.” Pulpit Commentary

5. THE ABOMINATION AND THE PLEASANT WORDS (vv. 26-28)focus 26).
The righteous or good man or woman thinks before they speak. The tongue; a mighty force; will show the heart of an individual.

“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:34-37 (KJB)

6. THE PRAYER THE LORD WILL HEAR (vv. 29-33)focus v. 29).
“A MAN”S NEARNESS TO GOD IS TO BE MEASURED BY HIS CHARACTER.” Pulpit Commentary. Long prayers are not a sign of one’s nearness to God, neither are big and impressive words.

God is impressed with the humble and contrite heart. See Psalm 51:17

The Day of Small Things

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“Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent Me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.”  Zechariah 4:7-10 (KJV)

There are a few things in these verses that call for our attention.  One,  it is the word of the LORD.  Two, there is one phrase which goes through all of Scripture, which we do need to remember, and it is this…  “…Thou shalt know…”.  Three, that, small things should not be despised. Four, “…the eyes of the LORD…” (See 2 Chronicles 16:9).

The temple had been rebuilt.  It was smaller, and the people; especially those who were discouraged by its size; needed to realize God’s blessing on them because they were renewing their place of worship with the LORD of all things.

The phrase mentioned above in its total reads… “…Thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent Me unto you” and is a reference to the “Angel of the LORD” who is the pre-incarnate  Christ who will one day come and build a more glorious temple than even that of Solomon.

Let me leave  you with a study note from the Jeremiah Study Bible on verses 7-10,

4:7-10 The first statement to the great mountain issues a challenge to whatever opposes God’s might.  The latter statement opposes anyone who disdains small things (Neh. 4:2-4).  In both cases, divine truth and perspective are what ultimately matter.  Grace, grace to it! simultaneously extols God’s freely given blessing on the work now completer and implores Him to continue to look with favor on the temple and all that it represented.

Even the small things are things which God works through and uses.

The death of the God Man Jesus Christ on the cross is nothing we like to remember.  It is not a pleasant thing to think about, but for our salvation it was and is the greatest event that has happened on earth, and that is due to the fact of His bodily resurrection.  He went through the pain, agony, rejection and death of the cross, and was buried, and rose again that lost, condemned and dying people might receive eternal life before the face of GOD.