Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
This verse highlights the inward faculty God uses to expose and evaluate human motives. The “spirit of man” refers to the inner, immaterial part of a person – comprising mind, conscience, will, and moral awareness. Solomon describes this spirit as a “candle” or lamp in the Lord’s hand, illuminating the hidden chambers of a person’s inner life.
God searches every thought, motive, and intention (Psa 139:23; Jer 17:10; Rom 8:27; 1 Cor 2:10; Rev 2:23). The human spirit becomes the instrument through which divine scrutiny occurs. Conscience convicts, memory recalls, reason evaluates, and the will responds. Nothing within a person – no attitude, desire, or secret plan – remains unknown to God. He uses this inward lamp to reveal what is righteous and what must be corrected.
God searches the heart (1Sam. 16:7; 1Chron. 28:9; Ps. 139:1, 23-24; Jer. 17:10). The Spirit searches all things (Rom. 8:27; 1Cor. 2:10-11). Christ examines the reins and hearts (Rev. 2:23). God uses the human spirit – conscience, intellect, and inner awareness – as His lamp to expose hidden motives and moral conditions. Nothing within a person escapes divine inspection. The conscience is thus both a witness and a searchlight (Rom. 2:14-15).
Living the Word 