Blindness in Part
Most Israel Truth believers read the book of Revelation with the historical interpretation. We believe the images presented in Revelation refer to historical events, most of which have occurred already. Only a few of the visions have yet to be fulfilled. The seven churches of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 refer to seven church ages, from the apostolic church age to the modern church age. We are in the last church age, that of Laodicea. These church ages refer to the church in Israel. Churches in other parts of the world do not fit the Laodicean character. Christianity is on the decline in the west, but is growing rapidly in other parts of the world. We are the ones who are spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:17). Also, we think we are rich, increased with goods, and have need of nothing. Our churches are blind, and we are part of the modern-day church age. The reasons for spiritual blindness were pronounced by Jesus Christ in the New Testament and by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament.
Jesus said, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness! If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:22-24. The main reason for spiritual blindness is seeking worldly wealth and material things rather than the coming Kingdom. Our reward is with the Lord, not in the things of this life. Jesus went on to say, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:31-33.
When Paul wrote about the blindness of Israel (Romans 11:25), he referred to the prophecy in the book of Isaiah dealing with that blindness. Isaiah wrote, “For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.” Isaiah 29:10. The reason for this spiritual blindness was given in subsequent verses, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” Isaiah 29:13,14. It was the precepts of men that caused the people to fall into error. They were following the precepts of men rather than the word of God.
Does this sound familiar? Our people do not know the Word of God. Most Bibles sit in shelves untouched. Some of the Bibles people use have the ideas of men rather than the raw word of God. Our people ignore the Old Testament because they think it is only about the history of the Jews. They study Paul’s writings because they believe he wrote to the Gentiles (them), and they think they understand his writings, but they cannot understand the New Testament without understanding the Old Testament. The result is spiritual blindness.
Jesus healed a blind man by spitting on his eyes (Mark 8:23). This may seem like a strange thing to do, but I believe the Lord was teaching us that it is something that comes out of God’s mouth that heals blindness. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4. The cure for spiritual blindness is to receive the word of the Lord. We first need the Holy Spirit to impress God’s word on our hearts, and if we need to repent of seeking after mammon, He will convict us of that. Then we need the Israel Truth message to make the Bible personal; it is about our ancestors and the destiny of our people. That is what makes the Bible come alive. That is what heals us of spiritual blindness.
