“Saying, go unto this people, and say, hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understanding, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive” Acts 28:26 (KJV).
Ears that hear are many but hearts that understand are few. God does not see as man sees for man looks at the outward but God searches the heart. It is one thing to hear with the physical ear but it is yet another thing to understand with the heart, the same way, it is one thing to see with the physical eyes but yet another thing to see with the eyes of faith or the eyes of the spirit. It takes revelation and spiritual understanding to differentiate between the truth and the facts or sense evidence. Things are not always the way they appear.
The servant of Elisha saw the multitude of Syrian armies surrounding the house, he never perceive that there are myriads of angels all round them. It takes spiritual understanding and perception to know that greater is he that lives in us than they that are in the world. The greatest tragedy in life is not eyes without sight (Physical blindness) but sight without vision (Spiritual blindness). Jesus came to open blind eyes. It is not only physical blindness but more of spiritual blindness. Here what he said to the Pharisees who asked if they were blind, “If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, we see, therefore your sin remaineth”. John 9:41 (KJV). Their lack of perception is indeed the worst blindness. They could see Jesus but could not perceive that he was the Messiah they have been waiting for. Their understanding was darkened that they could not discern or recognize him.
Old Testament prophets pointed to the coming Messiah, they eagerly awaited his coming, they prayed and desired his coming but the same people persecuted and crucified their Messiah because they lacked understanding and spiritual perception. The reason for their lack of understanding and wrong perception is:
Tradition – things that should remind them of the Messiah like the Passover, the shewbread, the communion, the Sabbath no longer do. They became mere tradition.
Religion and rituals – they lost grip of reality due to their religious attitude.
Deception – the god of this world blinded their minds so that the glorious light of the gospel will not reach them.
Legalism – they became legalistic and lost touch with the Holy Spirit.
Christians today could be so engrossed by lust and materialism that spiritual things no longer appeal to them. They could be so drunk with personal ambition that they become insensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Oh God, make me sensitive to your will and your ways in Jesus name.
Rev. Vincent Diolu