How Do We Use Our Eyes?
And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife
cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
Genesis 39:7
Read Genesis 39:5-7
How do young men observe young ladies and young ladies observe young
men? Potiphar’s wife looked upon Joseph with sinful eyes. The marginal
notes of the Dutch Staten Bible declare, “She looked with dishonourable
eyes and unchaste lust upon Joseph. She saw in Joseph an object to satisfy
her lusts.”
If we look at Rebecca’s life, we see a completely different example. We read,
“And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the
camel … took a veil and covered herself” (Gen. 24:65-66). We must realize
that the same Hebrew word for physically seeing is used here as in our text,
but this act is translated very differently! Rebecca saw Isaac with different
eyes than Potiphar’s wife did when she looked at Joseph. Rebecca had different
principles! That’s the whole point.
Our world is wicked in its view of sexuality and human relationships. Its
un-biblical analysis denigrates human life to a consumerist worldview, upon
which the world consumes their sexual appetites. Job is an example of how
our view in this regard should be different than that of the world; he publicly
confessed, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think
upon a maid?” (Job 31:1). If there ever was a time that we ought to prayerfully
sing Psalter 415:7, it is today.
Thought: Is that your conviction too?
Psalter 415:7 (based on Psalm 25)
Yea, the secret of Jehovah Is with those who fear His Name’
With His friends in tender mercy He His covenant will maintain.
With a confidence complete, Toward the Lord my eyes are turning;
From the net He’ll pluck my feet; He will not despise my yearning.
