Big-Eyed Worshipers
The concept of bowing down before someone is a common symbol of reverence and worship. It is customary to bow before a king or a queen or an emperor. It is expected that one would bow before the Pope. It is typical for parishioners to bow before their Orthodox priest. The Bible is full of images of bowing. Picture a time of worship or prayer, though, and we will notice something else. The last time you prayed, you likely bowed your head and closed your eyes. Imagine a snapshot of a church congregation in prayer and nary an eye would be open. I saw remnants of an ancient culture in Syria, though, that showed something different: the big-eyed worshipers.
This is not a rant against eye-closing during worship or prayer. I am a big fan of believers having a relationship with God and I probably would support whatever means augment that relationship. Closing eyes is a cultural custom, a symbolic act, and serves a variety of valid purposes. I have noticed something, though. When the Bible speaks of worship to God, bowing in reverence is sometimes mentioned (e.g. Psalm 95:6 — Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker). Readers are cautioned against bowing before other gods, as in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:5 — You shall not bow down to them or serve them…). We are even told that one day, everyone will bow (Philippians 2:10 — so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth).
I have not found any instance, though, when eye-closing is part of the process. When eyes are discussed as being closed or shut in the Bible, it seems to be in reference to a sort of punishment; blindness due to ignorance and sin (e.g. Isaiah 44:18 — They know not, nor do they discern, for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand). Israel is not only warned against bowing before idols, as above, but also but also against lifting their eyes to the idols (Ezekiel 18:5-6 — If a man is righteous and does what is just and right — if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel…). Much more frequently we see eyes being lifted up in worship or prayer (Psalm 123:1 — To you I life up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!); note also Jesus looking up when He fed the 5000 in Matthew 14:19 — He looked up to heaven and said a blessing (also in Mark 6:41 and Luke 9:16). Jesus also looks up in prayer in John 17:1 — When Jesus had spoken these words, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You. Compare with the fact that He falls on His face in Matthew 26:39 — And going a little farther, He fell on His face and prayed…; also in Mark 14:35; Luke 22:41).
So what? Well… I do not know. Closing our eyes has become a symbol of respect — it certainly helps avoid distractions. Maybe it is not a rule, though.
When I was in Syria, I traveled to some ruins that sit just off the Euphrates River, about twenty miles from the Iraqi border, called Mari. One of the more significant finds of Mari are the statues of worshipers. These statues are not gods but rather representations of humans; each one has an inscription (in Akkadian) explaining who the likeness resembles. They were created for different people after they had died to show their dedication to their god. For some reason, I found myself drawn to these artifacts. (It should be noted that there are no statues at Mari; they have all been relocated. The ones I saw were at the National Museum of Damascus, where pictures are not allowed. The pictures below are not mine, except for the one of me standing next to another Mari artifact.) Most of the statues show bald men with beards which perhaps explains why I can relate to them. They all have their hands folded in front of them, symbolizing worship. But their eyes are what mystified me. Their eyes are always open — not just open — wide open.
It was explained to me that these large, open eyes symbolized the dedication these people had to their god. Obviously I do not condone their paganism or polytheism, but there is something I walked away with. I like the idea that our relationship with God is just that: a relationship. We humbly come before Him, but we also have the right to look into His eyes and experience Him.
Again, I am not attempting to change any practice; I typically close my eyes when I pray. But perhaps it would do us good to reflect on who God is. He is most definitely our God and our Father and He deserves respect. He is also our Friend, our Companion, and our Comforter. May we be remembered as being big-eyed worshipers of the one, true God.
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