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matically to prevailing conditions like bright-dark<br />
contrasts, distance, and the light spectrum? And<br />
which optical system processes the data prior to<br />
transmitting it to a computer, like the eye? But<br />
remember that, as we shall see later, the brain is<br />
much more than a computer.<br />
The Bible and the eye: All evolutionary statements<br />
about the origin of the eye notwithstanding,<br />
the Bible affirms unequivocally that the eye is<br />
uniquely the work of the Creator. Its conception<br />
and complexity defy human genius. We read in<br />
Psalm 94:9: ”Does he who formed the eye not<br />
see?” If this Word is true, as I am deeply convinced<br />
it is, then any other human ideas and words<br />
about the origin of the eye are wrong from the<br />
outset.<br />
The eye is described in the Bible as a very important<br />
organ. It cannot become satisfied (Prov 27:20),<br />
and our heart follows our eyes (Job 31:7). The<br />
German proverb “What the eye sees, the heart<br />
believes”, is derived from this fact. Being a mirror<br />
of our soul, our eyes strongly express our personality.<br />
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described<br />
this truth: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If<br />
your eyes are good, your whole body will be full<br />
of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole<br />
body will be full of darkness. If then the light<br />
within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”<br />
(Matt 6:22-23).<br />
Many other biblical statements confirm that the<br />
eye expresses our innermost nature – aspects like<br />
generosity (Prov 22:9), pride and haughtiness (Ps<br />
18:27; 131:1, Prov 6:17, and Is 10:12), idolatry (Ez<br />
6:9), and adultery (2 Peter 2:14). <strong>Our</strong> eyes can be<br />
piercing with hatred (Job 16:9), winking with<br />
malice (Ps 35:19), or closed to the poor and<br />
needy (Prov 28:27). With our eyes we marvel at<br />
God’s works (Ps 118:23) and expect help from<br />
Him: “I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose<br />
throne is in the heaven. As the eyes of slaves look<br />
to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid<br />
look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look<br />
to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy”<br />
(Ps 123:1-2). When looking up to God, we expect<br />
his help: “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where<br />
does my help come from? My help comes from<br />
18<br />
the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth”<br />
(Ps 121:1-2).<br />
When man fell into sin, the eyes played a significant<br />
role: “the woman saw that the fruit of the<br />
tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye”<br />
(Gen 3:6). The eye was the gate to sin. Samson<br />
also experienced this. His downfall was caused by<br />
his marrying a heathen woman. What decided<br />
him, was her visible attractiveness: “She’s the<br />
right one for me” (Judges 14:3b).<br />
<strong>Our</strong> salvation also has to do with vision. Jesus<br />
came to this world and He could be seen by<br />
human eyes. The pious Israelite Simeon had<br />
received a promise that he would not die before<br />
seeing Christ the Lord. When he held the baby<br />
Jesus in his arms, he praised God and said “... my<br />
eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:30).<br />
The apostle John expressed his knowledge of<br />
Jesus as an eye-witness: “We have seen his glory,<br />
the glory of the One and Only, who came from<br />
the Father, full of grace and truth“ (John 1:14).<br />
And the salient feature of His second coming is<br />
that everybody will see Him: “Look, he is coming<br />
with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even<br />
those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the<br />
earth will mourn because of him” (Rev 1:7). On<br />
that day everybody will see Him, either as Saviour<br />
or as Judge.<br />
With enlightened eyes – such enlightenment is<br />
also a gift of God – we can know His glory and<br />
wisdom (Eph 1:17-18). And what God has prepared<br />
for us in heaven is rich and vast beyond<br />
comprehension, as described in 1 Corinthians 2:9:<br />
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has<br />
conceived what God has prepared for those who<br />
love Him.” Heaven is the destination of the redeemed,<br />
and when we arrive there, we will<br />
see the Lord Jesus as He is (1 John 3:2b). In this<br />
world many people suffer severe pain and misery,<br />
and the question “Why?” is cried out often. But<br />
when we arrive at our destination, everything will<br />
be made clear, because Jesus said: “In that day<br />
you will no longer ask me anything” (John 16:23).<br />
All suffering will end, as stated in Revelation<br />
21:4: “He (God) will wipe every tear from their
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