The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Eyes

  • Hardhearted, Deaf, and Blind

    “For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

    Acts 28:27

    Paul preached the Gospel Message of Jesus. He went on three specific missionary journeys, traveling to many towns and countries to deliver the message of salvation only through Jesus Christ. Acts chapters 13-28 tell of Paul’s travels, ending with his trip by ship to Rome as a prisoner. His heart’s desire was to see the Jews believe upon Jesus and accept Him as their Messiah (Christ), their Saviour. However, many rejected his preaching of the Gospel Message of Jesus. “4. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles” (Acts 18:4-6). Can you sense his frustration that his people, whom he loved dearly, would reject the only salvation through Jesus? Because of this rejection, he went to the Gentiles to teach them of Jesus.

    When Paul finally made it to Rome as a prisoner, he was met by a group of Jews who wanted to hear what Paul had to say. There were misunderstandings as to why he was imprisoned by the Romans. “For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain” (Acts 28:20). He wanted them to understand that because the Jewish religious leaders rejected Jesus as the Messiah, “the hope of Israel”, he had been arrested. He had an opportunity to tell this group of Jews about Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament, God had promised to send One who would restore the relationship between God and man, caused by Adam’s initial sin in the garden (see Genesis 3:15). That separation has been between God and man since then. However, God sent His only Son, Jesus (see John 3:16), as the One who could restore that relationship. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus is the only way to salvation. Paul spent many years teaching this truth to people, winning many people to the Lord. However, there were many who rejected Jesus – especially among the Jews. He recognized this would happen, for hundreds of years earlier Isaiah had been told the same basic thing (that the people would not hear see Isaiah 6:9). This saddened Paul, especially because as much as he tried to persuade the people of the truth about Jesus, most of the Jews still rejected Him. Paul then quoted from Isaiah: “For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Acts 28:27). Waxed gross means “to thicken, that is, rendered callous.” Because the hearts of the people where callous to the truth of Jesus, their hearts were hardened. Worse yet, they closed their eyes to the truth of Jesus’ salvation. This message from Isaiah (called Esaias in the New Testament) is quoted in each of the four Gospels. Remember an easier one to understand: “39. Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them” (John 12:39-40). The Jews had rejected Jesus so often, hardening their hearts and refusing to see, that they were no longer able to believe. Paul understood this. However, Paul recognized that many Gentiles believed in Jesus. “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it” (Acts 28:28). Salvation is available to any who will “hear it.”

    Have you noticed that the same thing seems to be happening again today? Almost anywhere one goes today, people’s hearts have “waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed”. There comes a point in each person’s heart when they have rejected Jesus so often, hardening the heart and refusing to see, that they are no longer able to believe. This is a scary place for anyone to reach. “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now isthe accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2 Corinthians 6:2). When one hears the call of the Gospel Message of Jesus, one should immediately respond and not delay! Now is the day of salvation – not tomorrow. If you have loved ones whose hearts appear to have “waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed”, don’t give up on them. Continue to pray. It may be that you can be instrumental in bringing them to Christ.

    Have you heard the call of the Gospel Message in your heart, or shared it with others?

    Have you understood the importance of responding to that call, receiving Jesus into one’s heart and life before it is too late?

    How to be saved

  • Iniquity Separates

    “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
    Isaiah 59:2

    Excerpt from Year Two Quarter Three, Lesson 3: Isaiah 40-66: Grace and Salvation

    “This section begins with a pointing out of the people’s sin. “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). Especially notice what the people had been doing. “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God” (Isaiah 58:2). They had been seeking God and His ways – daily. Moreover, they were going to the Temple when required and performing their duties. We can understand that outwardly it appeared they were doing everything right: they were seeking after God, wanting to know His ways, going to the Temple, and doing what they were supposed to do. However, from God’s perspective, they were sinners who needed their sin declared aloud. Knowing what sin is was not enough. Going through the motions of religion was not enough. There was a serious problem! God was not pleased. “4b. … ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?” (Isaiah 58:4b-5)…

    “God wanted to see a people humbled before Him, seeking forgiveness for their sins. This would change their whole outlook. “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward” (Isaiah 58:8). Then God would hear them and answer them (see Isaiah 58:9-14).

    “God’s people had not yet learned how to do it correctly. Nevertheless, that could not stop God from doing all he planned. “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1). It was God’s people in the error. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). They were a sinful people, and everything they tried to do to become a righteous people failed. God was warning them again that because of their sinfulness, the enemy would come in and take them away from their homeland. But one day, in the distant future, God gives hope again, of one who can take their sin from them. “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 59:20). And this verse introduces us to what the rest of the book of Isaiah is all about.

    “Remember back for a minute. We read that God’s glory filled the Tabernacle when Moses completed it in the wilderness (see Exodus 40:34). God’s glory also filled the Temple that King Solomon built (see 2 Chronicles 5:14). We will read in Ezekiel how God’s glory departed before the coming invasion of the Babylonians to carry God’s people out of the land. Do you remember why the glory of the Lord departed? The people sought idols instead of watching for Jesus to come. Remember what we can read in John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Jesus came. He was God’s glory. Nevertheless, the world (as a whole) rejected Him. As we read Isaiah chapter sixty, we find a promise. “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1). One day, Jesus will come again. And at that time, God will turn His attention back to His people, the Israelites. However, before that day comes, see what will happen. “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:2). The world will become a very dark place before the Lord returns to rule and reign. At that time, God will make Jerusalem what He had always intended for it to be – and the whole world will want to come and see it! (“… And they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel” Isaiah 60:14b.)” 

    Remember why it was that Jesus sent Paul to proclaim the message of salvation to all: “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).

    Have you turned from darkness to Light (Jesus), from the power of Satan unto God, receiving forgiveness of sin?

  • The Eyes of the Lord

    God sees all and knows all. He knows the thoughts of the heart. He hears the words spoken in secret. There is nothing hidden from God. This should be great words of encouragement to choose to do good. To choose to do right. To turn from evil. If we would remember and understand that God is ever present, ever watching – not to catch us doing something bad or wrong.  He wants to find someone in whom He can show Himself strong (see 2 Chronicles 16:9a where it says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”).Who wouldn’t want God to show Himself strong in their life? But in the rest of that verse, we find that God had wanted to do this for King Asa, but because he had relied upon the king of Syria instead of the Lord his God, he lost the battle. Not only that, but God told him, “Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars” (2 Chronicles 16:9b). How awful would it be to choose an earthly king to help you instead of God? But imagine having God, Himself, tell you that you had done foolishly! And that you would have wars from then on in your kingdom!

    Now relate that to the average Christian’s life. Most Christians do not take into account that “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). They might occasionally remember that they are to choose to do good and not evil. But they don’t take into consideration that God wants Christians to choose to do good so that he can show Himself mighty in their life.

    But we must remember something else very important. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). God already knows all and sees all, but one day we will stand before Him and give an accounting of all that we have done in this life “whether it be good or bad.”

    Knowing these things, what do you choose?

    Will you choose good allowing God to show Himself mighty in your life?