Bible Ballistics: Vol. 17 No. 18  Grieved For Closed Eyes???

 

Perhaps I am alone, but I must say my heart is grieved for the state of our nation, our culture and maybe even more for the church in America!  We seem to have become a people who regard our own ways more than the ways of The One we claim to love and serve.  How is it that our standards seem to be so far afield of The Word of God?  The prophet Jeremiah dealt with a people who claimed to be God’s own but walked in their own way, refusing to receive a Word from God, or heed what His prophets had to say!

“Declare this in the house of Jacob,

and publish it in Judah, saying,

21 Hear now this,

O foolish people,

and without understanding;

which have eyes,

and see not;

which have ears,

and hear not:

22 Fear ye not me?

saith the LORD:

will ye not tremble

at my presence,

which have placed the sand

for the bound of the sea

by a perpetual decree,

that it cannot pass it:

and though the waves thereof

toss themselves,

yet can they not prevail;

though they roar,

yet can they not pass over it?

23 But this people hath a revolting

and a rebellious heart;

they are revolted and gone.”  Jeremiah 5:20-23

God also sent Isaiah to speak to a people who would not hear or heed, and He made it clear that HE knows the true hearts and motives of all men, women, boys, and girls, and He will keep account.

“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened,

that it cannot save;

neither his ear heavy,

that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated

between you and your God,

and your sins

have hid his face from you,

that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood,

and your fingers with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,

your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

4 None calleth for justice,

nor any pleadeth for truth:

they trust in vanity,

and speak lies;

they conceive mischief,

and bring forth iniquity.”  Isaiah 59:1-4

What are we choosing today?  As we look into the New Testament, the author of Hebrews makes it very clear that God’s Word IS the standard not ours; and HIS Word is the standard to which all will be held, and we need to discern wisely.  Yes, we have the freedom to choose, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“For the word of God

is quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest in his sight:

but all things are naked and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”   Hebrews 4:12-13

My whole confidence is centered in The Lord and HIS Word, and I pray that we will all run to HIM to not only seek HIS face but to know Him more and more through the power of His Word and His Spirit’s work in teaching us the truths it contains.  (See 2 Timothy 2:15 and 3:16-17)

“These things have I spoken unto you,

being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter,

which is the Holy Ghost,

whom the Father will send in my name,

he shall teach you all things,

and bring all things

to your remembrance,

whatsoever I have said unto you.”   John 14:25-26

Notice The Spirit’s work is to bring things to our “remembrance”—that means I have to ‘member’ it first, HE won’t plant it for us.  I pray that this short post today will stir our hearts to prayer, Bible study, and faithful, holy living, that others will be drawn to the cross.  Here are a few more passages to direct our steps toward our Lord and HIS ways!  Remember God can and will often close the eyes and ears of those who choose to reject HIM.  Every person has been given the freedom to choose.  Joshua understood this as he called Israel to choose whom to serve.

“Now therefore fear the LORD,

and serve him in sincerity and in truth:

and put away the gods

which your fathers served

on the other side of the flood,

and in Egypt;

and serve ye the LORD.

15 And if it seem evil unto you

to serve the LORD,

choose you this day

whom ye will serve;

whether the gods

which your fathers served

that were on the other side

of the flood,

or the gods of the Amorites,

in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house,

we will serve the LORD.”  Joshua 24:14-15

While the people responded in obedience before Joshua, Israel nor we today who claim Jesus/God, have always been faithful to HIM!  May we heed the warnings that God has for us today, as well as those in the past!  Even as Jesus gave John the message in The Revelation:

“Blessed is he

that readeth,

and they that hear

the words of this prophecy,

and keep those things

which are written therein:

for the time is at hand.”  Revelation 1:3

“They have not known

nor understood:

for he hath shut their eyes,

that they cannot see;

and their hearts,

that they cannot understand.”  Isaiah 44:18

“The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man,

thou dwellest in the midst

of a rebellious house,

which have eyes to see,

and see not;

they have ears to hear,

and hear not:

for they are a rebellious house.”   Ezekiel 12:1-2

Jesus also reminds us:

“Therefore speak I to them in parables:

because they seeing

see not;

and hearing

they hear not,

neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,

which saith,

By hearing

ye shall hear,

and shall not understand;

and seeing

ye shall see,

and shall not perceive:

15 For this people’s heart

is waxed gross,

and their ears

are dull of hearing,

and their eyes

they have closed;

lest at any time

they should see

with their eyes,

and hear

with their ears,

and should understand

with their heart,

and should be converted,

and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes,

for they see:

and your ears,

for they hear.”   Matthew 13:13-16

And a couple of last truths to consider.

“Saying, Go unto this people, and say,

Hearing ye shall hear,

and shall not understand;

and seeing ye shall see,

and not perceive:

27 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 28:26-27

May your joy be full, and delight in the assurance that the Apostle John had in his Lord!

“That which was from the beginning,

which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes,

which we have looked upon,

and our hands have handled,

of the Word of life;

2 (For the life was manifested,

and we have seen it,

and bear witness,

and shew unto you that eternal life,

which was with the Father,

and was manifested unto us😉

3 That which we have seen

and heard

declare we unto you,

that ye also may have fellowship

with us:

and truly our fellowship

is with the Father,

and with his Son

Jesus Christ.

4 And these things write we unto you,

that your joy may be full.”  1 John 1:1-4

Amen and Amen!!!