His Watchmen Are Blind--(Isa. 56:10)
Introduction;
1. Describe physical blindness: a most pitiable physical infirmity, A. Relate the story of Samson, and how he became blind. Judges 14-17. (Note esp. 16: 18-21)
2. The Bible is rich in beautiful figures of speech. Blindness, in a spiritual sense, is one of these, A. It is used as a "simile" in Deut. 28:29. "And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee." (to those who will not harken unto the voice of God; verse 15)
B. In other places it is used as a "metaphor", or they are boldly said to be BLIND, when the meaning is "without understanding", or "disbelief".
Discussion: I. Liberal Meanings And Causes.
1. "His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." (Isa. 56:10)
A. "cannot understand"..... Verse 11.
2. A gift, similar to a bribe, forbidden; will blind the eyes of the wise. (Ex. 23: ; Deut. 16:19)
A. Read or review John 12:37-43. At this time press verses 42,43.
(1) Sometimes preachers will teach (or condone) error, rather than chance losing a high paying position.
3. When people become blinded in this respect, SIN is always involved.
A. "We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men." (Isa. 59:10)
(1) Quote and connect verses 1 & 2 with this passage.
B. "And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord...." (Zeph. 1:17)
4. It was prophesied of Christ that He would give sight to the blind. (Isa.35:3-8) This was fulfilled both physically and spiritually.
A. There are many instances of fulfillment. Cf. Matt. 11:5.
5. The most pathetic of all is the spiritual blind who REFUSE to be healed! "the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. " (Isa. 35:8)
A. "blind guides", "fools". (Matt.23) "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Verse 37)
II. REVERSE ORDER OF SIGHT FOR BLINDNESS AND BLINDNESS FOR SIGHT. (Prophecy of the Gentiles' eyes being opened and His servants, the Jews, becoming blind)
1. Review Isa. 42:6-20. Press verses 6,7,16-20. A. Notice fulfillment in several passages already used. (John 12:37-41)
2. Note ultimate fulfillment and review Romans ten and eleven. (Press. 10:1-3; 11:7- & 25)
A. The "fullness of the Gentiles", no doubt, means the time when the church would become predominately Gentile.
B. Note 11:26. "So" means "in the manner".... That is, being grafted in, their unbelief turning to belief, shall Israel be saved. (Cf. Verse 23)
(1) "all Israel shall be saved" does not literally mean every member of the nation; (certain premillennial views teach this) this would contradict the text which shows that the masses of Israel were lost. It simply means that in this manner shall all Israel be saved that will accept the Deliverer who is sent to turn away ungodliness from Jacob."
3. "And Jesus said, "For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them. "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." (John 9:39-21)
III. If We Can See What Was Wrong With The Jews, We Can Find The Trouble With Spiritual Israel Today.
1. Review again Rom. 10:1-3.
2. "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." (Matt. 15:13,14; Cf. Matt. 15:9)
A. They were without understanding. (Verse 10 and 16)
3, The "Pharisees" were an unauthorized sect! Make parallel application to the denominations of today.
A. "Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites!" "blind guides". THESE WERE ENGAGED IN RELIGIOUS ERROR. (Matt. 23)
4. "But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ" (II Cor.3:14)
A. Like the controversial passage in Rom. 11:26, verse 14 of II Cor. 3 teaches that "when it (their heart) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away."
IV. Today's Application
1. We today tend to look on these things as being far away... "It happened to them!", not "us". Israel is a people of the "long ago".
A. Read II Cor. 4:1-5. Make application to "us" as well as those out in the world.
(1) Cf. Rom.15:4.
B. "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness," (Eph. 4:17-19)
2. Many in the church today are BLIND!
A. It is said of a whole congregation - The Laodiceans were blind, (because rich, increased with goods, felt need of nothing; Rev.3:17; WERE WRETCHED, AND MISERABLE, AND POOR, AND BLIND, AND NAKED!)
B. But when a congregation goes bad, it is because INDIVIDUALS are at fault!
(1) Review Luke 6:39-42. Note New English or other modern translation.
(2) Darkness will blind our eyes if we hate a brother. (I John 2:11)
Conclusion:
1. Review the "graces" of II Peter 1. Note application to the unfaithful in verse 9.
2. Read Matt. 13:13-17.
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