The deaf shall hear and the blind shall see
Sun, 28 May, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
17 Is it not yet a very little while
until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?
18 In that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book,
and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see.
19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD,
and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the ruthless shall come to nothing
and the scoffer cease,
and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,
21 who by a word make a man out to be an offender,
and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,
and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.
In this chapter, God pronounces woe against Jerusalem, declaring that because they have only been true to God in word but not in action, He will give them over to siege and famine. He will remove His word from them, and they will be blind. But God also promises to restore them, restoring their sight.
What do we learn from this?
The people who were deaf to the word of God will receive their hearing. Those who were blind to spiritual things will receive sight. God promises to work within His people to bring them to Himself.
We all because of our fallen nature inherited from Adam reject God. We choose to disobey Him. How can we who are in rebellion against God ever change? How can we hear the gospel message when we are deaf to the good news of salvation? How can we see our spiritual condition when we are blind to the things of God?
God must work in people’s lives to change their nature. He must grant them ears to hear the gospel, and eyes to see what God has done. All who come to God, come because of God’s work in their life, not their own. That is why we can’t boast of what we have done in salvation. We have done nothing. It is all God’s work, as He makes the deaf hear and the blind see.
Where is Christ in this passage?
When John the Baptist sent to ask if Jesus really is the Messiah, Jesus refers to this passage (and other passages in Isaiah), showing He is the one who is to come.
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
