Unlimited: Bind Eyes and Deaf Ears
May 17, 2023 743
…as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day” (Romans 11:8).
Paul quotes Deuteronomy 29:4, from the introduction to the covenant that God made with the Israelites in Moab. In the introduction to the covenant, God reminds them that they have been rebellious until that very day.
By quoting this, Paul is implying that the Israelites have continued in rebellion even until his own day, even to the point of rejecting their own Saviour.
The expression “God gave them” is not to be taken literally. It is an idiomatic Hebraic expression that attributes agency to God in everything that happens, whether it is because God does it, or because he allows it to happen. For other examples see Rom. 9.17–18; Matt. 13:1; Mark 4:11–12 and 2 Thess. 2:11.)
When we persist in our wilful blindness and deafness toward God, our loss will be eternal.
The apostle has already earlier made clear that the blindness and deafness of Israel was wilful, and caused by their unwillingness to accept Jesus, and not by any lack of understanding on their part (Rom. 10:16–11:1.) Having made their choice, Paul now uses the figurative Hebrew language to attribute it to God.
One of the greatest losses that we can suffer in this world is having eyes that can’t see God, and ears that cannot hear him. When we persist in our wilful blindness and deafness toward God, our loss will be eternal.
Spiritual Application
I attended church for decades and “heard” the Gospel but never understood it. I “saw” it with my eyes in the Bible, but never comprehended it. There were just too many other religious and life agendas in my life that obscured it. What has been your experience of spiritual blindness and deafness?
Okurut Martin
May 19, 2023
I believe that the word of is true and pure without lies. John came preaching this very gospel of God and he was telling people to repent over their sins but they couldn't listen. Up to now people are still hard in there hearts to receive this good news.