This text has been on my mind lately as it has in the past. It is comforting to me to know that the eyes of the Lord are watching over me, as a watchman or guardian, and that his ears are open to my prayers, even though he does not grant many of my prayer requests. The words of the Apostle Peter are well worth our time spent musing upon them. Recall that the Apostle Paul wrote:
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Phil. 4: 8 kjv)
Our subject text is worth thinking deeply upon. If you are a believer and one that seeks to do good as God defines it, rejoice, but if you are one who is an unbeliever and a doer of evil, beware of the face of the Lord.
In the above text God is said to have eyes, ears, and a face. Does that mean that he has a physical body? No. Jesus says "God is Spirit" (John 4: 24), and should not be translated as "God is a Spirit." (kjv) The absence of the definite article "the" does not always imply the indefinite "a." Translating it as "God is a spirit" is grammatically misleading because it makes God sound like just one member of a general category of spirit beings. We have other "God is" statements in the Bible that are also anarthrous nouns, such as "God is love" (I John 4:8) and "God is light" (I John 1:5).
When God is said to have eyes, ears, hands, feet, or a face, mouth, etc., theologians call these anthropomorphisms, and the ascribing of emotions to God as anthropopathisms. What these are intended to teach us is that God hears, sees, speaks, moves about (though he has no physical body), and can appear in a physical form when he chooses, as he appeared in a burning bush, and as he appeared in a human body in the old testament and when he appeared in human flesh in the person of Christ.
The eye(s) of the Lord denote his omniscience. The arm of the Lord denotes the execution of his divine power. So, when the text says that the "eyes of the Lord are over the righteous" it simply means that he sees and watches over the righteous. God is seen as a "watchman" in Psalm 121 where he is said not to sleep as do human watchers. Said the Psalmist David:
"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep (or guard) the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." (Psa. 127: 1 kjv)
God employs watchers, both angels and men, to watch over his people, but over them he is the chief watcher and if they fail, he does not. LORD God also said to his ancient people: "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." (Psa. 32: 8 kjv) God has what is called "the all-seeing eye." He sees and knows all. Nothing escapes his notice. So Solomon said: "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." (Prov. 15: 3 kjv) Though Peter focuses especially upon God's watching over the righteous, for their good and protection, yet he sees all that every man does. So wrote the Psalmist: "The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men." (Psa. 11: 4 kjv)
By God's "eyelids" of course we are not to understand that he literally has them, but his "eyelids" are said to try men, because, when physical beings closely scrutinize or inspect a thing, they customarily drop their eyelids and half close their eyes. They also sometimes stoop down towards a thing to get a closer look, as the angels are said to do as regards the gospel and things pertaining to redemption, being things "the angels desire to look into." (I Peter 1:12) On the words "look into" Ellicott says the following in his commentary:
"The word which has here shrunk into our word “to look into,” means really, to bend aside to see. In its literal sense it occurs in John 20:5; John 20:11, and in Luke 24:12, of people standing at the side of the cave so as not to get in their own light, and stooping sideways to peer in."
So God closely examines each man. But, he especially looks upon the righteous, those who by faith have the righteousness of Christ imputed to them. He does not watch over them looking to find fault, but he looks upon them because he delights in them. The Psalmist David said "But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God." (Psa. 40: 17 nkjv) What a blessed and wonderful thought to know that God thinks upon us because it pleases him to do so!
It is also very comforting to know that the Lord's ears are open to hear the prayers of the righteous. It is implied that the Lord's ears are not open to hear the prayers of the unrighteous. It is important for all to keep in mind that righteous living produces greater odds for being granted prayer requests. So James said: "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5: 16 niv) By "righteous person" we are to understand a righteous living person. Unrighteous living, even for the child of God, will hinder his prayer effectiveness. So the Apostle Peter said:
"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." (I Peter 3: 7 nkjv)
Every Christian has had times when it seemed that God was not listening to his prayers. Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, exclaimed - "Even when I cry and shout, He shuts out my prayer." (Lam. 3: 8 nkjv) Still, the Lord Jesus taught his disciples to persevere in prayer, and never give up. He taught this by this story:
"1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” 6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." (Luke 18: 1-8 nkjv)
It is necessary for Christians to keep in mind that they have need of patience and perseverance in their prayer lives. They need to remember that his ears are open to their prayers and that there is never an inopportune time for them to approach the Lord. Moses reminded the ancient covenant people of God:
“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?" (Deut. 4: 7 nkjv)
Peter says that the "face" of the Lord is "against" them who do evil. Of course, the "face" of the Lord is "for" his people, for those who do good, who do the things he has commanded them. It seems as if Peter should have mentioned this positive aspect of the "face" of the Lord since he has just mentioned how the eyes and ears of the Lord are positive things for the righteous. The face or countenance of the Lord may frown upon a person or may smile upon him or her. Children know they have done bad when they get a frowning face from their parents and know they have done well when they get a smile of approval from them. This is described in the well known priestly benediction from Numbers chapter six which says:
"The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." (vs. 24-26 nkjv)
Brethren, I hope you get as much good from meditating upon I Peter 3: 12 as I have.
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