Deception of the Physical Eyes

This is from the blog Daily Meditation:

Genesis 13:10-11: And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar.

The rest as they say is history. Lot chose to pitch his tent with Sodom and that was the beginning of his troubles. He became a victim in a war that pitched Sodom against other nations who wanted to subjugate it (Genesis 14:1-17). We also read that his soul was grieved because of the sinful habits that he observed in the people of Sodom (2Peter 2:6-8).

And the sin of the people was so loathsome that God had to destroy the city, with Lot barely escaping with his life and that of his two daughters (Genesis 18:16-19:38). Not only that, Lot’s wife turned to a pillar of salt, for disobeying the angel’s instruction not to look back as the family fled the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah by the fiery fire coming down from heaven, licking up the place.

He lost his wife and lost his lifetime investment. He spent his last days hold up in a cave, possibly old and haggard, and ended up fathering his own grandsons. The result of walking by sight is so far-reaching.

Paul said: for we walk by faith and not by sight (2Corinthians 5:7); for the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen eternal (2Corinthians 4:18); the just shall live by faith (Galatians 3:11).

What the eyes of faith see, as opposed to the physical eyes, are painted by the word of God, as faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Lot wanted to be a great person, he was very likely a very ambitious person, and he allowed what he wanted to blind him to other factors to be considered. In other words, he was blinded by his ambition, though he thought he was seeing very well.

Maybe he did not know about the rot in Sodom before choosing to go there, but he could have left. Instead, he bound himself to the destiny of a nation that was on its way to being destroyed, whereby scripture says: come out from among them, and be separate says the Lord (2Corinthians 6:14-18).

Beware lest your decision be based solely on what you can see. That is a dangerous way to live. There is the eyes of our heart (Ephesians 1:18-19), there is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14), there is seeking the will of God (Matthew 6:10). And we need to realise that the life of a man does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses (Luke 12:13-15).

When a brother came to Jesus saying that He should command his brother to divide the inheritance with him, Jesus answered: who made me a judge or a divider over you, adding that we should beware of covetousness.

Covetousness is seen as idolatry (Colossians 3:5) in one of the letter of Paul, with money (Mammon) taken as God.

It is difficult to focus on money and on God at the same time.

That is why the bible says it would be difficult for the rich to get to the kingdom (Luke 18:18-30). Remember that Abraham was also rich, so there is nothing wrong with being rich; it is all about priority and what you are willing to die to for the sake of the gospel.

A rich man was told by Jesus to sell all he had and follow Him, but did not.  If he recognizes that the person talking to him is the authentic voice of God he might have listened. But he listened to his money and not to God.

What about those who want to marry but “listen” to looks and not to God?

The bible says that charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but the woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised (Proverbs 31:30). You cannot allow yourself to be taken for a ride through mere physical attraction. As important as that is, it won’t be long before you realise (either when you can still change things or they have gone beyond remedy) that there is an inner beauty (1Peter 3:1-6) and that is more enduring. When you take all the time to take care of your physical looks to the neglect of your inward person, then you have yourself to blame,  when you arrive at Sodom and become a victim of circumstances that you walked into yourself.

Lot chose his direction based on what he saw, whereas of Jesus Christ it was said that he would never judge by the sight of his eyes and but as he hears from God (Isaiah 11:1-4, John 5:30). Jesus, talking to some people said that they should not judge according to sight but judge righteous judgment (John 7:24).

Coming to conclusion based on merely what you can observe or what naturally comes to you may be wrong. Paul, full of zeal for God, sought to express it in preaching in Asia, but the Holy Spirit restrained him. Why? No reason was given, except that is not the will of God (Acts 16:6-10).

Therefore the need to know that the will of God is not only focused on the black-or-white-sinful-or-not-sinful issues, but also about making choices between shades of white (if you know what I mean).

There was nothing wrong with Peter being a fisherman, but the direction of God, that does not make immediate sense, was for him to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:18-20).  He surely loved his business and had been trained in it and it has formed his identity but when Jesus called for a change of direction he dropped everything and followed Him.

Jesus was a carpenter for some years at least (Mark 6:1-3). He had possibly built his clientèle, had a steady stream of income, but when his spiritual season changed, he took the right steps to meet with a known man of the God in the land, John the Baptist, who announced him, and in a way inaugurated his ministry. John has said that the reason he came baptizing in Jordan was to show Jesus to Israel (John 1:29-33).

A lot is directly linked to sensitivity to the Holy Spirit; spending time to be close to God in the place of prayer cannot be a waste. Before Jesus chose his twelve disciples he was in an all night of prayer (Luke 6:12-16). Some, we read of Jesus coming directly to, and he asking them to follow him, and they found that call irresistible but of others we never heard of such direct call but we see him call them in the general call of the twelve.

He did not choose by sight at all. He chose by God.

Prophetic Vision of Joseph Ayo Babalola
Physical Sight and Spiritual Sight
A Prophet's Eyes
Vision of Prophets