The Imagination –

This article was taken in part from Son of His Love.com. CLICK HERE to read the complete article titled Noah Moved with Fear (Hebrews 11:7) Part 1. 

IMAGINATION

 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. (2nd Peter 2:5) Here is what the eye of FAITH sees: a man of God preaching righteousness, giving a prophetic message of judgment, and preaching CHRIST to a world that had rejected their Creator. In our day and age, it would be as the man-made doctrine or theory of evolution, all from the vain imagine of the evil heart. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) The word imagination is documented fourteen (14) times in fourteen verses. ONLY ONE time is the word imagination used in a good way. O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee. (1st Chronicles 29:18) That leaves thirteen (13) times that the word imagine relates to an evil heart, thus confirming that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:10)

   The evil heart is continually linked to the IMAGINATION of man. It leads man AWAY from the Lord in the opposite direction, the direction of darkness and evil. Here are the thirteen (13) mentions of the IMAGINATION of the evil heart.

1. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)
2. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. (Genesis 8:21)
3. And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: (Deuteronomy 29:19)
4. And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware. (Deuteronomy 31:21)
5. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. (Jeremiah 2:17)
6. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. (Jeremiah 7:24)
7. But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them: (Jeremiah 9:14)
8. Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not. (Jeremiah 11:8)
9. This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. (Jeremiah 13:10)
10. And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me: (Jeremiah 16:12)
11. And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. (Jeremiah 18:12)
12. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. (Jeremiah 23:17)
13. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. (Luke 1:51)

   As the word IMAGINATION is mentioned thirteen times in its evil relationship to the heart, so the word IMAGINATIONS (plural) is mentioned six times, the number six is the number of man.

1. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. (1st Chronicles 28:9)
2. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, (Proverbs 6:18)
3. Thou hast seen all their vengeance [and] all their imaginations against me. (Lamentations 3:60)
4. Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, [and] all their imaginations against me; (Lamentations 3:61)
5. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)
6. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2nd Corinthians 10:5)

   We also have the word IMAGINE twelve (12) times. Remember that this number is tied to both Israel and the Church.

1. Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind? (Job 6:26)
2. Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices [which] ye wrongfully imagine against me. (Job 21:27)
3. Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1)
4. They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me]: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. (Psalm 38:12)
5. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall [shall ye be, and as] a tottering fence. (Psalm 62:3)
6. Which imagine mischiefs in [their] heart; continually are they gathered together [for] war. (Psalm 140:2)
7. Deceit [is] in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace [is] joy. (Proverbs 12:20)
8. Though I have bound [and] strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. (Hosea 7:15)
9. What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. (Nahum 1:9)
10. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. (Zechariah 7:10)
11. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these [are things] that I hate, saith the LORD. (Zechariah 8:1)
12. Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? (Acts 4:25)

   Do you see the direction that the imagination of man takes? It is prone to evil. In our world today, we have allowed our imaginations to go completely wild in the realm of evil. The entertainment world has completely given themselves over to the evil imagination. In ALL realms of our society, from our basic education to the most prestigious schools and universities IMAGINATION is one of the biggest subjects taught. They IMAGINE a VAIN thing, and truly vanity revolves around imagination. Even so-called Bible scholars and theologians have embraced their VAIN imaginations and have perverted the word of God to satisfy their own presence before the intellectual world so that they might be men of renown.
   The imagination is constantly linked to an evil heart, whether it is in youth or in the aged years. We see this imagination ALL around. It is the devil’s carrot to produce EVIL in the societies of the world. As we see in Genesis 6:5, the first time that the word IMAGINATION is used it is surrounded by the evil heart. You MUST (as a child of God) keep your imagination UNDER the righteous power of the word of God. Imagination is thriving in the professing Church today. It has caused all types of spiritual and doctrinal havoc in what I call the Universal Church that is OUTSIDE of the will and thoughts of God. As children of God, we are to bring ALL of our thoughts under the power of God’s righteousness. There is no room for the unrighteousness imagination in the child of God. As a child of God you have been given WISDOM, and UNDERSTANDING by the Spirit of God, and THIS fights against the imagination.
   The separation of the just from the unjust is seen in Noah and a world that refused to repent. Noah as a just man stood before God justified in his faith in the more excellent sacrifice. We have seen the world of Noah as described in Romans 1:18-32, and verse 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21) It was the imaginations of their hearts that reveals the FULL depravity of mankind. Romans Chapter 2 begins with man who has NO excuse before God. As the evidence of Genesis 6 and Romans 1 is overwhelming. Man had completely degraded himself in depravity. Mankind had mingled so deeply into evilness that ALL was of The Wicked One. Through man’s uncontrollable lust mankind had mingled with the beasts of the field. They had conspired with ALL forms of VIOLENCE and MURDER. Their souls were corrupted beyond redemption and thus, God GAVE THEM UP.

● Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (Romans 1:24)
● For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (Romans 1:26)

 CLICK HERE to read the complete article titled Noah Moved with Fear (Hebrews 11:7) Part 1. 

© Copyright – Michael Haigh
Published on. November 16, 2024 @ 1:06 PM (EST).
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJB)