Helsinki Vineyard

Lately sight and seeing has occupied my thinking more than usual. It seems that a several members of our congregation are having thoughts directed towards eye sight or the lack there of.

While brooding over these subjects I was reminded of a book – The Truth About Sex by Kay Arthur – I read about one year ago. It discussed way to sin through a couple of different events recorded in the Bible.

1. Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
2. Jos 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
3. 2Sa 11:2 And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

So what is the common pattern to these three paths to sin?

Seeing –> Coveting –> Sinning

The people in these passages saw something that caused them to covet which then led to full blown sin. What were the consequences of these sins triggered by seeing?

1. Severity of the first sin can hardly be debated. Union and fellowship with God vs. cursed by God and chucked out of the garden.
2. Achan, his kids, livestock and possessions were stoned and burned. Practically all that the man was disappeared if you don’t count the valley Achor named after the guy.
3. David was quick to repent of his sin when confronted about it, but he still reaped the death of his child and his son taking his kingdom and wife as the result of his sin.

Why this hit home for me is the fact that we live in a society which pretty much forces us to take the firs step on this short path to sin. How can one avoid this slippery slope that according to James starts with lust conceiving bringing forth sin which in turn will give birth to death in our lives in a form or another?

One thing I recognized in my own life was that I need to make a conscious decision not to look at anything that would cause me to take the first step on this deadly trail to death – a bit like Job did when he made a covenant with his eyes.

Up to now the negative effects of seeing have been laid out what about the positive biblical references to seeing. First thing that comes to mind is the promise that what we will be transformed to the likeness of what we behold. What an awesome thought that if I hold my gaze on the invisible Lord I will be transformed towards his image. Yep, quite a contradiction to look upon the invisible God but this is what the Bible tells us to do. Another thing that is conveyed to us through seeing is the partial revelation of God through creation as outlined in Psalms and Romans. It is amazing how easily one can be taken back by the majesty and beauty displayed in nature as was John Muir in whose opinion nature was a more suitable place for the worship of God than any man made temple. As with any of our senses; seeing is a gift from God which like everything the enemy tries to pervert and lead us away from God.

This blog post has a Finnish translation called: Näkö ja näkeminen.