You are too pure to look at evil

“Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?” - Habakkuk 1v13

Habakkuk was in questioning mode. He was trying to reconcile what he knew about God with what he was seeing. He saw wicked Isreal prospering, then he heard God say He was going to use the even more wicked Assyria to punish Israel for their sins. How could he reconcile the two in his mind?

There is a great truth expressed in the middle of this discussion between Habakkuk and God. Habakkuk said, “You are of purer eyes that to behold evil.” Regardless of the arguments here, this is an absolute true statement. God cannot behold evil. The conflict is not quite as confusing as it might seem. God could not behold evil. His people were enjoying their sin, God is so pure that He could not tolerate His people’s sin and was willing to use a wicked nation to judge their sin.

It is vital that we have the same view of sin that God does.