APPLE OF GOD'S EYE
Apple of the Eye -
"The particular object of a person's affection or regard; a greatly cherished person or thing."
"Originally meaning the central aperture of the eye.
Figuratively it is something, or more usually someone, cherished above others."
Rick Billingsley in His work of 'Zechariah'
in Truth Commentary - Minor Prophets 2 -
edited by Mike Willis, states in Zechariah 2:8:
"The apple of the eye is designated the pupil of the eye, the small aperture through which the rays pass to the retina so as to excite vision. The pupil of the eye is the most delicate part of one of the most delicate organs of the human body. It is peculiarly sensitive to the touch, and hence guarded with special care. God is sensitive toward his people and will take great care of them."
Zechariah 2:8
"For thus saith Jehovah of hosts; After glory hath He sent Me unto the nations which plundered you; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye."
Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing to be the apple of God's eye!
To be the apple of one's eye is to be very precious or dear to that person!
God Himself used this phrase when speaking about His people under the first covenant, the Jews:
"...He kept him as the apple of His eye." Deut. 32:10
"...for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple
of His eye." Zech. 2:8.
King David said in Psalms 17:8:
"Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me under the shadow of Thy wings"
Oh yes, how wonderful, to be the 'apple of God's eye!
That is what we should be striving for!
Reaching for, to please the Creator above all else,
so He will look upon us as the apple of His eye! Are you? Am I?
Barnes' Notes:
[Keep me as the apple of the eye] Preserve me; guard me; defend me, as one defends that which is to him most precious and valuable. In the original there is a remarkable strength of expression, and at the same time a remarkable confusion of gender in the language. The literal translation would be, "Keep me as the little man—the daughter of the eye." The word "apple" applied to the eye means the pupil, the little aperture in the middle of the eye, through which the rays of light pass to form an image on the retina ("Johnson, Webster"); though "why" it is called the "apple" of the eye the lexicographers fail to tell us. The Hebrew word shown means properly, "a little man," and is given to the apple or pupil of the eye, "in which, as in a mirror, a person sees his own image reflected in miniature." This comparison is found in several languages. The word occurs in the Old Testament only in Deut 32:10; Ps 17:8; Prov 7:2; where it is rendered "apple;" in Prov 7:9, where it is rendered "black;" and in Prov 20:20, where it is rendered "obscure." The other expression in the Hebrew: "the daughter of the eye" is derived from a usage of the Hebrew word "daughter," as denoting that which is dependent on, or connected with (Gesenius, Lexicon), as the expression "daughters of a city" denotes the small towns or villages lying around a city, and dependent on its jurisdiction, Num 21:25,32; 32:42; Josh 17:11. So the expression "daughters of song," Eccl 12:4. The idea here is, that the little image is the "child" of the eye; that it has its birth or origin there. The prayer of the psalmist here is, that God would guard him, as one guards his sight—an object so dear and valuable to him.
All mankind is encouraged in Proverbs 7:2 to:
"Keep My commandments and live; and My law as the apple of thine eye."
In other words, if WE work to obey God's teachings in the right way,
which makes His teachings to become the apple of our eye,
then we become the apple of God's Eye!
"Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease."
I would encourage you to seek to be the apple of God's Eye.
Seek to keep His commandments in order that you
might live.
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