20141108 Saturday, November 8 2014
Job 29: In The Eyes Of The Beholder

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity"

The English word "behold" means to see with attention i.e. to be held, psychologically, even physically, by what is seen with the eyes. In the Word of God (see What Does Word of God Mean To You?), humans can "be held" in the grasp of the good, or the evil, that they see.

"5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth." (Deuteronomy 5:24 KJV)

"16:12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:" (Jeremiah 16:12 KJV)

"1:13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?" (Habakkuk 1:13 KJV)

The tower of Babel was a magnificent-looking feat of engineering - that was created for an evil, rebellious purpose.

"11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:3-4 KJV)

The principle is compounded in the present world because good doesn't always look beautiful, while evil doesn't necessarily look ugly. We can only determine one from the other by means of the Light of the Word of God. If the Holy Scriptures say that something is evil, then it is, regardless of how wonderful it may appear in the eyes of the beholder. The Word of God is like the electronic instruments that enable an aircraft to fly through storms and darkness - safely, and in the right direction.

Sodom was a beautiful, well-watered city. It was very good in appearance, but very evil in behavior. Lot chose to live there because of what he saw, he was "be held" by it, but soon became "be held" by the misery that was caused by how the people there behaved. There are many cities all around the world today that are just like Sodom in which wickedness is hidden in bright daylight.

"13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly." (Genesis 13:10-13 KJV)

"2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" (2 Peter 2:6-8 KJV)

Appearance alone does not distinguish between good and evil. Satan is still beautiful in appearance, but evil in behavior. So too there is nothing in the Word of God that says that the lesser demons aren't also still beautiful - Satan's "ministers" is a term that can be applied just as much to the angels that followed him (see also What Is Satan's Real Name?) in his rebellion against God's Law as it does to the humans, whether they realize it yet or not, who are agents of an antichrist "Christianity" (see Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?). It's their influence that produces an ugly-appearing result. A beautiful face can sometimes be a mask of evil (see also Satan's Masquerade).

"11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 KJV)

Job was a righteous man because he refused to "be held" to evil (see What Was In The Heart Of Job's Tabernacle?). He did so by means of his ability to recognize the true Light (see Who Lights Your Walk?). Then, "When His candle shined upon my head, and when by His Light I walked through darkness."

"29:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

29:2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; 29:3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; 29:4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; 29:5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; 29:6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

29:7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! 29:8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. 29:9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. 29:10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. 29:11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: 29:12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 29:15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 29:16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 29:17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

29:18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. 29:19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. 29:20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. 29:21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. 29:22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. 29:23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. 29:24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. 29:25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners." (Job 29:1-25 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why did Lot's wife look back to Sodom? What "be held" her there?
See Why Did Lot's Wife Look Back?