1654. The Sign of the Man Born Blind

The Sign of the Man Born Blind

"And as He passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth" (Joh_9:1, \1911 Bible.).

We now come to the sixth sign–that of the blind man receiving his sight.

1. The blind man. Christ saw a man who was blind. He could walk and he could talk; but he could not see.

There are some things that the children of Israel know. They have held faithfully to the one God; they have applauded the Prophets. In all of this, however, they have been blinded to the fuller meaning of the Word which they profess to believe.

Christ said unto them:

"Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (Joh_5:39).

As a whole, the Israelites have been slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken. A veil has been upon their eyes. They have eyes, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not.

The god of this world hath blinded their eyes, lest the Gospel of the glory of God should shine in upon them and convert them.

This blindness upon the part of national Israel will continue until the end of the age.

"Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Rom_11:25).

2. The healing was unto the glory of God. When the blind man of John 9, was before Christ, the disciples asked him:

"Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" (Joh_9:2).

Jesus answered: "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him" (Joh_9:3).

The healing of this man, then, was a sign manifesting that which God would work upon Israel in coming days. As the blind man was healed unto the glory of God, so will Israel be healed to the glory of God.

3. The meaning of the sign. The time is coming when the children of Israel shall know the Lord. They shall look upon His face; they shall understand His Words; they shall do His bidding.

In that day, the crooked things will be made straight; and the dark things will be made plain.

He will lead His people in a way that they know not, and He will reveal Himself in a way they understand not.

The blind man was given his sight as a sign of this very thing. The sign was recorded that we might believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and that, by believing, we might have life and spiritual sight, through His name.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR