Sad but true
It is hard to believe that someone could be within 100 yards of an 1,100-foot tall rock and not know where the rock is. Yes, it happened. Apparently, a drunk driver stopped to ask police where Ayers Rock (in Australia) was, when he was pointed right at it!
We should not be surprised by that, however. Throughout Scripture we see that sort of thing all of the time between human beings and God. It was part of God's judgment as recorded in Isaiah 6:10 where God says, "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." This passage is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 13:14-15 in reference to the people in Israel.
Isn't that sad...having eyes to see, but not really seeing?
Last night our Bible study centered on 1 Samuel 4 where the fulfillment of God's prophetic judgment took place in the death of the high priest and judge Eli, and his sons and daughter-in-law. The text of that passage fascinates me.
We are told in 1 Samuel 3:2 that Eli's eyesight had begun to fade, "so that he could not see." Eli was old, and the natural progression of age had deteriorated his eyesight. But that was not all. In chapter four there is a play on words that give us insight into the spiritual condition of this priest, and Israel as a whole.
After Israel is defeated on the battlefield, Eli is sitting by the roadside near the city gate waiting for news of the outcome (Israel had taken the Ark of the Covenant into battle -- trying to force God's blessing on their actions--Eli was concerned about the Ark). The text actually says, "Eli was sitting by the road watching...." He is watching? But isn't he blind? When the messenger from the battlefield comes running into the city shouting the news, Eli misses him, and doesn't get the news until a little later. Why did he miss the messenger? "Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were so set that he could not see" (v. 15).
Here is a sad saga: Eli, the spiritual leader of Israel, is out watching, but he cannot see. He cannot lead Israel in the proper spiritual direction because he is himself unable to see. It was the blind leading the blind. Like the man at Ayers Rock, he was pointed in the right direction, but was totally lost.
In the New Testament, the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3 was very close to the same situation. That is why Jesus cautions them to "anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see." This is not speaking of physically, but spiritually. Perhaps this is a good lesson to remember; we may have eyes, but that doesn't mean that we automatically "see." Let's get some of that eye salve from Jesus...
We should not be surprised by that, however. Throughout Scripture we see that sort of thing all of the time between human beings and God. It was part of God's judgment as recorded in Isaiah 6:10 where God says, "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." This passage is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 13:14-15 in reference to the people in Israel.
Isn't that sad...having eyes to see, but not really seeing?
Last night our Bible study centered on 1 Samuel 4 where the fulfillment of God's prophetic judgment took place in the death of the high priest and judge Eli, and his sons and daughter-in-law. The text of that passage fascinates me.
We are told in 1 Samuel 3:2 that Eli's eyesight had begun to fade, "so that he could not see." Eli was old, and the natural progression of age had deteriorated his eyesight. But that was not all. In chapter four there is a play on words that give us insight into the spiritual condition of this priest, and Israel as a whole.
After Israel is defeated on the battlefield, Eli is sitting by the roadside near the city gate waiting for news of the outcome (Israel had taken the Ark of the Covenant into battle -- trying to force God's blessing on their actions--Eli was concerned about the Ark). The text actually says, "Eli was sitting by the road watching...." He is watching? But isn't he blind? When the messenger from the battlefield comes running into the city shouting the news, Eli misses him, and doesn't get the news until a little later. Why did he miss the messenger? "Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were so set that he could not see" (v. 15).
Here is a sad saga: Eli, the spiritual leader of Israel, is out watching, but he cannot see. He cannot lead Israel in the proper spiritual direction because he is himself unable to see. It was the blind leading the blind. Like the man at Ayers Rock, he was pointed in the right direction, but was totally lost.
In the New Testament, the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3 was very close to the same situation. That is why Jesus cautions them to "anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see." This is not speaking of physically, but spiritually. Perhaps this is a good lesson to remember; we may have eyes, but that doesn't mean that we automatically "see." Let's get some of that eye salve from Jesus...
posted by Pastor Jason | 8:37 AM
2 Comments:
I just finished reading an article in our local newspaper. The article asked a few of Racine County's religious leaders what books they turn to for inspiration and rejuvenation of faith. Not one of these leaders included the Bible. In fact, the only mention of the Bible was by the author. He included it in a list along with the Torah and Quran. How blessed we are to have a Church and Pastor that knows where real inspiration comes from. Kent
Thanks for the enouragement, Kent! Unfortunately, what you discussed is all too true in today's world. Thanks for standing with me on "God-breathed" Scriptures. By the way, it is interesting to me that Peter writes that the Bible contains everything needed for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). How did those "religious leaders" miss it? My prayer is that we don't.
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