Habakkuk 1:13 Misunderstood

“God cannot be in the presence of sin or even look upon it.”

This is one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever heard.

It is based on half a verse in Habakkuk 1:13. “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity”

God is omnipresent. This is one of the things that makes Him unique. It’s one of the things that makes Him God. No one else has this characteristic.

Take Psa 33:13-15 for instance: “13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.”

Here we are told that God does indeed look at all people, and all their deeds; good or evil. He sees everyone which is only possible for God, it’s one of the attributes that makes Him God.

Acts 17:27-28: “27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”

God is not far from each one of us, evil or good, sinner or righteous. For we have our very “being” in Him. All creation is held together by Him. (cf Eph 4:6).

God’s presence can not be limited by sin! That idea is pure nonsense. Omnipresence is present everywhere, in every place and time. With or without sin God is present. The real question is; How is God present with sin? Not whether He is or isn't. 

For Psa 139:7-12 teaches us that is just not so. “Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

From this misrepresentation a teaching of what Christ was saying from the cross when he spoke the words “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” in Matt 27:46 (quoted from Psa 22:1) has been totally misunderstood.

The idea that the Father turned His face away from Jesus as he took upon Himself the sins of mankind while upon the cross. This is the explanation that is offered for Jesus’ quoting Psalm 22:1,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Because from Hab 1:13 it is argued that God can not look at sin, therefore He couldn’t look at Jesus as he took upon Himself the sin of mankind. All that needs to be done is read the entire Psalm, verse 24 says plainly that this idea is just not so. “24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.”

We even sing songs with this misrepresentation.

How deep the Father’s love for us,

How vast beyond all measure,

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss –

The Father turns His face away,

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory.

Words from How Deep The Father’s Love For Us by Stuart Townsend.

I love this song but… I can’t say it’s scriptural.

Scripture to reflect on:

Matt 1:23; “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us).

John 14:15-18; “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”