But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (1 Co 2:9–10)
As it Written
Paul starts off this passage with the phrase “as it is written.” And it’s reasonable to assume that, at this point, he is quoting from the Old Testament. However, as we have searched the Old Testament for the specific reference and worded the way it’s stated here, we have come up with nothing regarding an exact match. However, that’s not to say that the concepts here do not represent old testament teaching. Why? Because there are passages in the Old Testament that correspond to the concepts being set forth here. The consensus among scholars seems to be that Paul is from memory combining passages from the Old Testament and creating a statement from partial quotes from different Old Testament passages. For instance,
Isaiah 64:4:
" For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.."
This verse expresses that there is no God like Yahweh, who works on behalf of those who patiently wait for Him. While it doesn't explicitly mention the things prepared for those who love God, it emphasizes the uniqueness and incomparability of God.
Isaiah 65:17:
"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind."
This verse speaks of God’s future renewal or recreation, where a new heavens and earth will replace the current world. It suggests that the future holds something entirely different from what has been experienced or imagined.
The specific phrase "deep things of God" is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Daniel, chapter 2, verse 22. The passage reads as follows:
"He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him."
In this context, the verse is part of a prayer of thanksgiving by Daniel, acknowledging God's wisdom and understanding. While it does not directly mention the "deep things of God," it conveys the idea that God is the revealer of profound and hidden knowledge.
For Those who love Him
In this passage, Paul intriguingly states that neither our eyes nor our ears have perceived the remarkable things God has in store for those who love Him. Why did Paul choose the word "love" instead of "obey?"
We have read this text in the past, and when we have, we unconsciously swap "love" with "obey!" This raises a thought-provoking question. Do we genuinely love God? Or are our actions driven by fear as we strive to do what God expects from us obediently?
Lesson from Luther's Life
Martin Luther, the 16th-century reformer, realized that his sole motivation for serving God was rooted in fear, driven by the consequences of hell, as depicted by Dante. This understanding is tied to Luther's decision to become a monk, which transpired amidst a thunderstorm. Struck by lightning and fearing for his life, he sought the intercession of Saint Anne, the miners’ patron saint, and vowed to embrace monasticism if he survived. Thus, Luther's inclination to pursue the monastic path originated from fear and a commitment to obedience rather than genuine love.
It leads us to ponder whether our own actions are similarly motivated by fear as we strive to fulfill God's expectations. Do you love God? Why do we follow him and seek to obey him? What is our motivation? Is it fear of Hell? Is terror of the Lord your motivation toward obedience? Or is it fear of missing out on the Rapture or going through the great tribulation?
Fearing the Lord is the being of wisdom. And even Paul says, “Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. Yet as we grow in our understanding of the scripture, we know that those phrases have context and are nuanced and forgetting the nuance and context leads to strange ideas about scaring the “hell” out of people as a form of reaching people. Yet, still, it seems a better understanding of how to reach people would be more in line with loving the “hell” out of people.
Here Paul exclaims, "Hey guys, there are great things in store for those who love God!" Undoubtedly, as some read these words, they may interject, "Ah, yes, BUT if you love God, you will keep His commandments!" Without a doubt, they will present a detailed list of commandments they believe should be followed to "prove" one's so-called "love for God!" We find this line of thinking to be nonsensical.
Instead, the wise words of Augustine of Hippo come to mind! In his sermon on the First Epistle of John, he proclaims:
"Once for all, then, a short precept is given you: Love, and do what you will: whether you hold your peace, through love hold your peace; whether you cry out, through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct; whether you spare, through love do you spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good." - First Epistle of John (Homily 7.8)
Those with spiritual insight understand the profound meaning behind this statement, while the simple-minded may only perceive it as a license for anything. However, the clear teaching of the New Testament is that love should be our motivation. We love God because He loved us first. The essence of the law lies in loving God and our neighbour. Adding the phrase "and your neighbour" is redundant because to love God is to love others. If we truly loved God, we would love what He loves, not just principles and precepts but people. God did not love the law so much that He sent His only begotten Son to uphold it! Rather, God loved the world and its people and sent his son to save it and them! Yet, the question remains, do we love Him in return?
Yes, there are wonderful blessings in store for those who love Him, but even if there weren't, would you still choose to love Him?
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