Apple of His Eye

We have all heard the phrase “the apple of his eye.”  But do we know what it means from a biblical perspective?  We find it a number of times in the Scriptures with the basic meaning of favorite, desired, or beloved. 

“He shielded them and cared for them, guarding them as the apple of his eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10)

“Keep me as the apple of your eye.” (Psalms 17:8)

“Keep my commands and live, my teaching as the apple of your eye.” (Proverbs 7:2)

When the Scriptures identify God’s Word as “the apple of our eye,” we are to understand that the Scriptures are to be the object of our desire.  When the Scriptures identify us as “the apple of His eye” we are to understand that we are the object of God’s desire.  Have you ever thought of yourself as the object of His desire?  Omnipotence cares for you, guards you, and desires you!  You are the most cherished in the eyes of your Creator.  You are His favorite, His beloved. 

This is the number one reason we are to understand our faith as a relationship and not a religion.  The Christian life is not about what we do.  It is not bound up in a list of do’s and don’ts, despite the fact that Scripture outlines many things we are to do and not do.  Nevertheless, the Christian life is about who we are in Christ.  It is about a relationship with the living God.  The Creator of the universe desires you—your trust, your devotion, your love—above everything else in all of creation.  Now if that doesn’t light the fire of your faith . . . your wood’s wet!   

Even after Adam and Eve turned away from God and gave their hearts to another in the Garden, God made it clear that man was still “the apple of His eye” when He announced His intention to rescue fallen mankind: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).  God’s promise to destroy the works of the devil would be accomplished through the death of His Son, the Captain of our salvation.

Think about what that really means.  The righteousness of God demanded payment for sin.  If God simply waived the just punishment for our sins, He would be guilty of a miscarriage of justice—a contradiction of the very nature of God.  So, in an expression of incredible mercy and grace, God accepted that payment, not from those who had sinned, but from the only One who knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21).  The blood that was demanded in payment for our high treason against God was the blood of His precious Son . . . not the blood of “the apple of His eye.”

The righteous Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25) is also a forgiving Judge.  The righteousness of God demanded justice, not forgiveness. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

To be “the apple of His eye” is to be loved beyond all human comprehension.  God’s eternally beloved Son was sacrificed on the cross for sinful, selfish, self-absorbed people who desired to live outside of their divine design.  “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  Truly His grace is amazing, in that God would pursue and rescue rebels like you and me and make us “the apple of His eye.”

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!