The seeing blind: Is 42:18-20

"Hear, you deaf! And look, you blind, that you may see. Who is blind but My servant, or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me, or so blind as the servant of the LORD? You have seen many things, but you do not observe them; your ears are open, but none hears." (Isaiah 42:18-20)

At times it is difficult to know who the Lord is referring to when He speaks of "My servant". Sometimes He is referring to the nation of Israel, sometimes it is King Cyrus, and at other times it is King Jesus. In this case, I believe that the Lord is referring to the nation of Israel. God is speaking of those who, though having eyes, are still blind; not physically blind, but spiritually blind. There is none so blind as those who are blind, yet claim to see. This is because, those who know they are blind can be healed, but those who are blind, yet think they see, cannot be healed. This is why Jesus said to the Pharisees, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains." (John 9:41)

There is a desire in the heart of every man and woman to see; to be able to see and understand both the physical and spiritual world around them. And there are many people who claim to be enlightened. One has only to go into a bookstore and look at all the "self help" books to see how many self-proclaimed experts there are. Each author claiming to have found the key to life, happiness, and success. Yet, with so many voices claiming to have truth, how do you know which voice to listen to? To follow the wrong voice could even lead you into greater darkness. Jesus warns, "If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (Matthew 6:23) What Jesus means is that, if we think we have light, but what we have is really darkness, then we truly are in a great darkness! How then does one then find light?

"I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, and I will not leave them undone." (Isaiah 42:16)

Light is only found with the Father. To find light, we must come to Jesus and let Him reveal it to us. Jesus is the light of the world, there is no other. We cannot reason ourselves into the light. The wisdom and philosophy of others cannot show us the light. Light is given by God as revelation to His children. To find light, we must first find Jesus. Notice that in this scripture, God promises to turn the darkness of those who are blind into light before them, and He ends this with His promise, "These things I will not leave undone!" God is ready to turn your darkness into light, but we must stop seeking light from others or from philosophy and even from religion. We must seek light from the Father of lights. If we do, He promises to shine His light upon us.

David Robison