Bible Study: Earthly Vision
Introduction:
Our physical sight, our "earthly vision," can be a powerful source of temptation and a significant influence on our lives. This study will explore how earthly vision has led to temptation for various individuals in Scripture, the dangers it presents, and the importance of directing our gaze towards the spiritual rather than the temporal.
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Source of Temptation:
Our eyes often act as gateways to temptation, drawing us towards what is appealing to our fleshly desires or worldly ambitions.
• For Eve (Genesis 3:6): "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate." Eve's temptation began with what she saw: the tree appeared desirable for its taste, its beauty, and its perceived ability to impart wisdom.
◦ Discussion: How does the allure of what we see in the world around us still lead to temptation today? What are some modern "trees" that appeal to our desires?
• For Lot (Genesis 13:10, 12):
◦ Genesis 13:10: "And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)" Lot's earthly vision focused on the fertile and prosperous-looking Jordan Valley.
◦ Genesis 13:12: "Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom." His choice, based on visual appeal, led him closer to the wickedness of Sodom and ultimately to significant loss.
◦ Discussion: How can focusing on immediate visual appeal lead us to make choices that have negative long-term consequences? What "well-watered valleys" might tempt us away from God's best?
• For Achan (Joshua 7:21): "when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath." Achan's earthly vision led to covetousness and disobedience, bringing defeat upon Israel.
◦ Discussion: How can the sight of material possessions trigger covetousness in our hearts? What are the potential consequences of yielding to such desires?
• Psalm 119:37: "Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways." The Psalmist recognized the danger of focusing on "worthless things" and prayed for God to redirect his gaze towards life-giving paths.
◦ Discussion: What are some "worthless things" that our eyes are often drawn to in our contemporary world? How can we actively turn our eyes away from them?
• For Christ (Matthew 4:8): "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory." Satan used earthly vision, displaying the kingdoms of the world in all their splendor, to tempt Jesus with worldly power and dominion.
◦ Discussion: Even Jesus was tempted through earthly vision. What does this teach us about the power of visual temptation and the importance of resisting it?
• 1 John 2:16: "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." John identifies "the desires of the eyes" as a key component of worldly temptation, alongside fleshly desires and pride.
◦ Discussion: How do "the desires of the eyes" manifest in our consumer culture and media-saturated world?
See also:
• Numbers 15:39: "And it shall be a tassel for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not go after your own heart and your own eyes, which you used to go after in whoredom." God provided a visual reminder to prevent the Israelites from following their own desires and the lust of their eyes.
• Judges 14:1: "Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines." Samson's attraction based on what he saw led to a series of poor choices.
• Job 31:7: "If my step has turned aside from the way, and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any stain has stuck to my hands..." Job recognized the connection between his eyes leading his heart astray and potential sin.
• Proverbs 23:5: "When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for surely it sprouts wings and flies like an eagle toward heaven." This warns against fixating on fleeting riches, which are often visually appealing.
• Ecclesiastes 2:9: "So I became great and surpassed all who had been before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil." Solomon's pursuit of everything his eyes desired ultimately led to a sense of emptiness.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9: "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the desires of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment." This is a sobering reminder that we will be held accountable for following the desires of our hearts and eyes.
• Ezekiel 6:9: "Then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, when I break their heart that has departed from me and blind their eyes that have whored after their idols, and they will be disgusted with themselves for the evils they have committed." God speaks of the consequences of the eyes "whoring after idols."
• Ezekiel 20:7: "And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.’" God commands His people to reject the visual allure of idols.
• Ezekiel 23:16: "When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea." Lust was triggered by what she saw in images or descriptions.
• Luke 4:5: (Similar to Matthew 4:8) "And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time."
A Danger:
Focusing on earthly vision can be detrimental to our spiritual well-being and can lead us astray.
• Psalm 119:37: (Repeated) Emphasizes the need for God's help to turn our eyes from vanity.
• Proverbs 4:25: "Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you." This encourages focused attention on the path of wisdom, rather than being distracted by what is around us.
• Isaiah 33:15: "He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppression, who shakes his hands lest they take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil..." A righteous person actively guards their eyes from beholding evil.
• Matthew 5:29: "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell." Jesus' strong words highlight the extreme danger of allowing our eyes to lead us into sin.
• Evil eye (Deuteronomy 28:54; Proverbs 23:6; Mark 7:22; Luke 11:34): The "evil eye" often refers to a begrudging or envious gaze, highlighting the negative impact of our visual perception and intent.
◦ Deuteronomy 28:54: "The man who is the most tender and refined among you will begrudge his brother, his beloved wife, and his surviving children..." A selfish and "evil" eye leads to begrudging others.
◦ Proverbs 23:6: "Do not eat the bread of a man who has a stingy eye, nor desire his delicacies..." Avoid the hospitality of someone with a grudging spirit, evident in their gaze.
◦ Mark 7:22: Among the "evil thoughts" that come from within is "an evil eye," signifying envy and malice expressed through looking.
◦ Luke 11:34: "Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness." A "bad" or unhealthy eye can represent a focus on evil or selfish desires, leading to spiritual darkness.
See also:
• Deuteronomy 15:9: "Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing..." A begrudging look precedes a lack of generosity.
• 1 Samuel 18:9: "And Saul eyed David from that day on." Saul's envious gaze towards David marked the beginning of his jealousy and persecution.
• 1 Samuel 24:3: "And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave." This verse is about a literal act, but the context of Saul's pursuit of David highlights the focus of his "evil eye."
• Proverbs 28:22: "A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him." A greedy eye leads to unwise pursuit of riches.
• Matthew 5:29: (Repeated) The drastic measure of tearing out an offending eye.
• Matthew 6:23: "but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (Similar to Luke 11:34).
• Mark 9:47: "And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell." (Similar to Matthew 5:29).
Vision Dominates Life:
What we focus our earthly vision on can significantly shape our direction and progress in life.
• Looking back hinders progress (Lot's wife, Genesis 19:26): "But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." Her backward gaze, likely longing for what she was leaving behind in Sodom, resulted in her tragic demise, illustrating how focusing on the past can hinder our progress in following God's path.
◦ Discussion: What are some "Sodoms" of our past that we might be tempted to look back at, hindering our spiritual progress?
• Looking to Christ saves (Numbers 21:9; John 3:14, 15):
◦ Numbers 21:9: "So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live." Physical healing came through looking at the divinely appointed object.
◦ John 3:14, 15: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." Just as looking at the serpent brought physical life, looking to Christ in faith brings eternal life.
◦ Discussion: How does looking to Christ in faith bring spiritual healing and eternal life? What does it mean to "lift up" Christ before others?
• Looking at difficulties depresses Peter and sinks (Matthew 14:29, 30): "So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’" Peter's focus shifted from Jesus to the surrounding storm, leading to fear and failure.
◦ Discussion: How can focusing on our problems and difficulties rather than on Jesus lead to discouragement and spiritual sinking?
• Looking to heaven glorifies (Acts 7:55): "But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Stephen's upward gaze in the face of persecution filled him with a vision of God's glory and strengthened him for martyrdom.
◦ Discussion: How can directing our gaze towards heavenly realities impact our perspective and strength in the midst of earthly trials?
- Preaching on The Dwelling Place of God: The Place Where He Reigns
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- Preaching on Looking to God: Source of Inspiration, direction and Help
- Top Easy Sermons to Preach - Ready Outlines Free
Conclusion:
Our earthly vision is a powerful sense that can be both a source of temptation and a means of understanding the world around us. However, Scripture warns us of its dangers, highlighting how focusing on temporal and worldly things can lead us astray. Instead, we are called to turn our eyes away from vanity and sin, to fix our gaze on Jesus Christ for salvation and guidance, and to lift our eyes towards the eternal realities of heaven for hope and strength. As believers, may we be mindful of where we direct our vision, choosing to focus on that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), ultimately fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). What will you consciously choose to focus your "vision" on today?
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