What does "do what is evil in the sight of the LORD" mean? A Familiar Refrain in Scripture Judges repeatedly records, “The Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD” (Judges 2:11; 3:7; 4:1). Kings and Chronicles echo it about monarchs such as Omri and Manasseh (1 Kings 16:25; 2 Chronicles 33:2). The Spirit preserves the wording almost unchanged, underscoring that this is God’s verdict on human behavior, not mere historical commentary. What “Evil” Signifies • Anything that contradicts God’s character and commands (Deuteronomy 6:17) • Idolatry—worshiping anyone or anything but Yahweh (Exodus 20:3–5; Judges 3:7) • Moral corruption—violence, injustice, sexual immorality, dishonesty (Proverbs 6:16–19) • Religious hypocrisy—outward rituals without true devotion (Isaiah 1:13–17) “In the Sight of the LORD” Explained • God sees everything openly (Hebrews 4:13) • His perspective, not human opinion, is what matters (1 Samuel 16:7) • The phrase stresses divine evaluation today and divine judgment yet to come (Ecclesiastes 12:14) Typical Pattern Behind the Phrase 1. Forgetting God’s saving acts (Judges 3:7) 2. Drifting into idolatry and cultural conformity (Deuteronomy 12:29–31) 3. Practicing personal and social sin (Micah 6:10–12) 4. Receiving God’s corrective discipline—foreign oppression, exile, personal downfall (2 Kings 17:7–23; Psalm 107:10–12) Illustrative Snapshots • King Ahab: institutionalized Baal worship, tolerated Jezebel’s murders, and “did more evil…than all who were before him” (1 Kings 16:30–33). • Manasseh: filled Jerusalem with bloodshed and occult practices, “so that Judah did more evil than the nations” (2 Chronicles 33:2–9). • Post-exilic community: even after return, neglecting the Sabbath and intermarrying with pagans was called “doing evil” (Nehemiah 13:17; 13:27). Consequences the Phrase Carries • Personal: loss of peace, shortened life, hardened heart (Proverbs 14:12; Romans 1:24–28) • National: invasion, famine, exile (2 Kings 17:5–6; Jeremiah 25:8–11) • Spiritual: broken fellowship with God, forfeited blessings (Psalm 51:11–12; Isaiah 59:2) God’s Constant Call to Turn • Repentance reverses the cycle: “If My people…turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear” (2 Chronicles 7:14). • God delights to forgive when evil is confessed (Isaiah 55:6–7; 1 John 1:9). • Every instance of “did evil” in Judges ends with God raising a deliverer when His people cry out (Judges 3:9, 15; 6:7–8). Living the Phrase in Reverse Today • Know God’s Word so you can recognize His standards (Psalm 119:11). • Guard the heart against idols—anything treasured above Christ (Colossians 3:5). • Seek the Spirit’s power for practical holiness (Galatians 5:16–25). • Remember that God still sees, judges, and graciously restores all who respond to His truth (Hebrews 12:5–11). |
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