Iniquity-Free
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not
hear me" (Psalm 66:18)
The word ‘free’ has become a very popular word these
days. For many it embodies a lifestyle, a way of life. People want
to be free of things. Look in your pantry or refrigerator. You
likely have food products that are labeled ‘fat-free’ or
‘sugar-free’. The more dietary disciplined may ensure that all their
food is ‘GMO-free’ or ‘gluten-free’. People who run small engines
are opting for gasoline that’s ‘ethanol-free’. One of the allures of
credit unions is their ‘fee-free’ checking accounts. Many work
environments proudly advertise they are ‘drug-free’ or ‘smoke-free’.
With all the emphasis upon the ‘free’ aspects of
life, the vast majority of the human race totally misses what is the
Greatest Freedom known to man – freedom from iniquity! If God’s
children had the same desire to be ‘iniquity-free’ as they do to be
‘sugar-free’ or ‘fat-free’, there would soon be a revival moving
within our churches and across the nation.
In our text, the Psalmist (David) presents to readers
both the WORST and BEST case scenarios for life. The phrase “the
Lord will not hear me” (66:18) is the worst possible scenario for a
man. If God Almighty ‘turns away’ (66:20) the prayer of a man in
trouble, and withholds his mercy, there is no where else he can go.
Trouble then becomes insurmountable. The phrase “verily the Lord
hath heard me” (66:19) is the best possible scenario for a man. For
when the Lord ‘attends’ to the prayer of his child, the worst
trouble then becomes eminently fixable.
As a brief aside, the condition under which God will
not hear us reads like a policy statement. Companies use policy
statements to govern how they conduct business, such as a return
policy. These are objective standards that are inflexible. In like
manner, Psalm 66:18 constitutes a policy statement of sorts. If you
regard iniquity in your heart, the Lord will not hear you. That's
his policy!
A prime example of BEST case is king Hezekiah (2
Kings 19-20). On two occasions, he had his back against the wall by
enemies for whom he was no match. The first was Sennacherib, king of
Assyria (Ch 19), whose army, perhaps a quarter million strong, was
in route to destroy him and Israel. The second was an illness that
placed Hezekiah at death’s door (Ch 20). On both occasions Hezekiah
was left with only ONE resource – the ear of God. It was, however,
the only resource he needed.
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent a letter to
Hezekiah threatening the nation with destruction. In that letter he
told Hezekiah that he should NOT think that the God of Israel would
be able to stop the mayhem. In doing so, Sennacherib mocked the God
of Israel. Big mistake! Hezekiah began to intercede for Israel. In
response, the Lord sent his angel, who smote 185,000 Assyrian
soldiers while they slept. With virtually no army left to execute
his plan, Sennacherib returned to Assyria, where he was later
assassinated.
The prophet Isaiah later delivered a message to
Hezekiah – a death notice – and advised him to get his affairs in
order. Upon the prophet’s exit, Hezekiah turned over in his bed,
faced the wall, and began to pour out his heart to God. God heard
the king! The Lord sent his the prophet Isaiah back with an update –
15 more years of life! In both scenarios, the ONE thing standing
between Hezekiah and death was a God whose ear was attentive to his
prayer. Hezekiah was able to save both his nation and himself
because God heard his prayer.
The obstacle to prayer is found in two words, a verb
and an object. They are “regard iniquity.” The verb ‘regard’ is from
a Hebrew verb that means ‘to look upon, to gaze at.’ When a student
of scripture conducts a word study, enlightenment can come from
three sources. First, we learn by the etymology of the word itself
(i.e., what does it mean). Secondly, we are bound by the context in
which the word is used. Thirdly, we can derive light from the manner
in which the word is used elsewhere in scripture. The word “regard”
is no exception.
In Genesis 1, it is used several times, and in each
instance is translated “saw.” Its first usage is in Genesis 1:4
after God created the light: “And God SAW the light, that it was
good.” The ‘saw’ pattern continues after each creation phase. In
other words, God looked upon (regarded) every thing he had made
after he made it. At no time did he take a mulligan. What he made
was right the first time, every time. He liked what he saw. So he
allowed them all to stand as made, and moved on to the next creative
act. Therefore to regard iniquity means to see it, acknowledge its
existence in the heart, like it and allow it to stand.
The object is the Hebrew noun ‘aven’ which
signifies “emptiness, vanity” and is closely related to idolatry in
biblical contexts. But here it represents anything (esp. an idol)
that stands between a man and God. I say that because nowhere in
scripture are we told that David had a problem with idols. He DID
have a problem with lust and deviousness (conspired to have Uriah
the Hittite killed). But idolatry was not among his iniquities. When
a man (or woman) allows anything to stand between him and his God,
and accepts in his heart that which God rejects, he gives God no
choice but to turn his prayer away. In a real sense, it’s a secret
love affair with darkness, spiritual adultery.
I’ve often wondered what David went through during
that year in which he committed adultery, conspired to have Uriah
killed and covered up (regarded) his iniquity. The Lord was NOT
hearing him. Yet he went about the business of ruling, keeping up
appearances. I wonder if any of his close associates noticed the
difference in his powerless life. The time of reckoning came after
Bathsheba gave birth to their child. The baby died, David got right
with God (Psalm 51) and then along came Solomon. One of the greatest
displays of God’s forgiveness and favor has to be the Lord’s
fondness for Solomon. The scripture says: “And the Lord loved him”
(2 Samuel 12:24).
So the question each of
us must ask ourselves is whether an iniquity-free life is something
to which we want to aspire? Do we want to be heard when we pray? How
important is that blessed state to our relationship with God? After
all, if we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us!
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