Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Looking for (578) (apoblepo from apo = an intensive or as a marker indicating any separation of one thing from another + blepo = see, look) means to look off or to look away from everything else and thus by "default" to fix one's eyes earnestly or attentively upon one single object (very similar to aphorao [word study]), in this case the eternal divine prize! This verb conveys the nuances of to carefully think about, to concentrate on, to pay attention to, to pay regard to. Apoblepo presents us with an excellent (motivating) picture of one who has his eyes fixed on eternity (2Co 4:18) and not this passing world (1Jn 2:17). This godly example is one that every saint should seek diligently to imitate and emulate (Heb 6:11, 12-note). In the secular world, apoblepo was used to describe one keeping their attention fixed upon something, as an artist fixes his attention on the object or model that he is reproducing in painting or sculpture. The writer uses the perfect tense which pictures Moses as having "looked away and kept on looking away." Moses had determined at some point in time to keep his eyes on, attention to the prize and was still doing so. This tense thus speaks of a permanence regarding Moses' spiritual vision, which again is a powerful example to the saints of all ages regarding how we can be empowered to live as aliens and strangers in this present evil age (Gal 1:4). This is the only NT use of apoblepo but there are 5 uses in the Septuagint (LXX) - Ps 10:8; 11:4; Song 6:1; Hos 3:1; Mal 3:9. In Malachi Jehovah says to Israel "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!" The Septuagint renders the first clause using apoblepo with the English translation "ye do surely look off from (you surely turn away your attention, you surely disregard or you surely do look from) me". In Psalm 11 the use of apoblepo is somewhat more understandable... The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold (Lxx = apoblepo in present tense = continually!), His eyelids test the sons of men. (Ps 11:4) Spurgeon comments: The eternal Watcher never slumbers; his eyes never know a sleep. His eyelids try the children of men: he narrowly inspects their actions, words, and thoughts. As men, when intently and narrowly inspecting some very minute object, almost close their eyelids to exclude every other object, so will the Lord look all men through and through. God sees each man as much and as perfectly as if there were no other creature in the universe. He sees us always; he never removes his eye from us; he sees us entirely, reading the recesses of the soul as readily as the glancings of the eye. Is not this a sufficient ground of confidence, and an abundant answer to the solicitations of despondency? My danger is not hid from him; he knows my extremity, and I may rest assured that he will not suffer me to perish while I rely alone on him. Wherefore, then, should I take wings of a timid bird, and flee from the dangers which beset me? NET Bible note: The anthropomorphic language draws attention to God's awareness of and interest in the situation on earth. Though the enemies are hidden by the darkness (Ps 11:2), the Lord sees all....imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the LORD's characteristic activity. Lauersdorf writes that... Faith’s eye sees not only the present but especially the future. Faith’s wisdom calculates not only the beginning but especially the ending. By faith Moses looked for the same heavenly city as Abraham (11:10) and the other patriarchs (11:16). Their example reminds us of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “ (Lauersdorf, R. E.. Hebrews. The People's Bible. Milwaukee, Wis.: Northwestern Pub. House) Wiersbe says that... To be “spiritually minded” simply means to look at earth from heaven’s point of view. “Give your heart to the heavenly things, not to the passing things of earth” (Col. 3:2, Phillips). “Practice occupying your minds with the things above, not with the things on earth” (Col. 3:2, Williams). D. L. Moody used to scold Christians for being “so heavenly minded they were no earthly good,” and that exhortation still needs to be heeded. Christians have a dual citizenship—on earth and in heaven—and our citizenship in heaven ought to make us better people here on earth. The spiritually minded believer is not attracted by the “things” of this world. He makes his decisions on the basis of eternal values and not the passing fads of society. Lot chose the well-watered plain of Jordan because his values were worldly, and ultimately he lost everything. Moses refused the pleasures and treasures of Egypt because he had something infinitely more wonderful to live for (Heb. 11:24–26). “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) “For our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20, nasb). The Greek word translated “conversation” or “citizenship” is the word from which we get the English word “politics.” It has to do with one’s behavior as a citizen of a nation. Paul is encouraging us to have the spiritual mind, and he does this by pointing out the characteristics of the Christian whose citizenship is in heaven. Just as Philippi was a colony of Rome on foreign soil, so the church is a “colony of heaven” on earth.

Be the first to react on this!

Group of Brands