No Seeing, No Hearing, No Understanding
Inability to See, Hear and Understand
Why do most so called Christians not receive salvation but remain content? The reason is that they have spiritual blindness and deafness, and their hearts lack the ability to understand. Consequently, they have no desire to enter the kingdom of heaven; when they hear the gospel, they are not only uninterested but also offended and misinterpret it. They do not care about or fear going to hell.
Why do those who have already been saved continue to trust in people rather than God, like worldly people? Because although they accept salvation, they do not know that they should rely on God daily; they still cannot see clearly with spiritual eyes, hear clearly with their ears, and their hearts remain dull.
Why do those who are saved and hearing the truth not want to do the work that God commands? It is because they still have spiritual blindness, deafness, and a dull heart. If people could clearly see and understand God's will and purpose in their hearts, they would rely on God alone and promptly do what He commands.
Let us study the Israelites and learn how they failed to see with spiritual eyes, hear with ears, or understand with their hearts.
The Deaf, the Dumb, and the Blind Israelites
Then Moses called to all the Israelites and said: "Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 3 With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those signs and great wonders. 4 But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear." (Deuteronomy 29:1-4)
Moses spoke thus to the Israelites. They had seen God’s works from Egypt onward for forty years; they had eaten the manna that was given by divine power, drank water from a rock that seemed nonexistent, and crossed the Red Sea on dry ground while the Egyptians were drowned. Although they had experienced these events with their physical senses, Moses said that until now they lacked a heart to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear. Their spiritual sight remained blind, their spiritual hearing deaf, and their spiritual hearts could not comprehend. Thus it becomes clear that true sight, hearing, and understanding come only from God.
Not wanting to Enter the Land of Canaan Due to Spiritual Blindness
God spoke to Moses, saying, "So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites." (Exodus 3:8)
However, the Israelites did not long for the land of Canaan as God had hoped. When they arrived at the border of Canaan, they were very afraid of the giants living there, and all the people cried out with a loud voice throughout the night. The entire assembly of Israelites cried out to Moses and Aaron, saying, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:1-4).
Thus it is written that they had no desire at all for the promised land of Canaan. They also did not believe in His word and did not see the good land. (Psalm 106:24) Therefore, God said with anger, "They shall not enter My rest." (Psalm 95:11).
Why didn’t the Israelites long for the good land and look upon it? Because they did not see as God saw. Thus, without need, they perished in the wilderness and could not enter the land that God had given them. This event occurred around 1400 BC.
They Had Not Seen Yet in Isaiah's Day
After the Israelites had entered Canaan, after more than 700 years, they were still blind to the spirit, deaf, and their hearts did not know. The Prophet Isaiah wrote as follows:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? ” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:8-10)
God sent Isaiah to the Israelites saying, "You will hear, but not understand; you will see, but not perceive." Why don't they see or hear or know? Their eyes are closed, their ears are deaf, and their hearts are not healthy. They are sick people, and until God, the great physician, heals them, they cannot see, hear, or understand.
Around 1400 BC, during the time of Moses, the Israelites were spiritually blind, deaf, and their hearts did not know. Similarly, around 700 BC, in the days of Isaiah, there was no progress either. The reason is that God had not yet healed their spiritual sicknesses.
No Different in the Time of Jesus
Jesus said: This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Matthew 13:13-15)
We know that God spoke through Moses about the Israelites' blindness, deafness, and hardened hearts around 1400 BC. Even during the time of Isaiah, who lived around 700 BC, the Israelites showed no change. Furthermore, even after more than 700 years after Isaish's time, during the time of Christ around AD 30, the condition of the Israelites was still bad. Why? Because they did not go to their eye specialist, ear specialist, or heart specialist. Specialists do not visit sick patients; instead, patients have to seek them out. Jesus said that the healthy do not need a doctor, but the sick do. (Mark 2:17)
Then the Eye, Ears, Heart Specialist Showed up
Jesus read this scriptures written by Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Jesus then said, "Truly this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21) Therefore, the eye doctor is Jesus.
When Jesus healed a man born blind, He said to him, "I have come into this world so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." (John 9:39)
Blind Pharisees Did Not Understand
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." (John 9:40-41)
Woe to you, blind guides! (Matthew 23:16)
You fools and blind men! What is greater? (Matthew 16:17, 19)
You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:24)
Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:26)
The Pharisees think they can see, but in truth, they are blind, as Jesus mentioned earlier. Are you also a blind individual unaware of your own blindness?
Servant of Elisha Allowed to See
Because Elisha told the king of Israel that the King of Aram is coming to war with him, the king of Aram surrounded Dothan with soldiers to capture Elisha. "When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. 16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (4 Kings 6:15-17)
Why did the servant of Elisha feel afraid when the enemy surrounded the city where they were staying? Because he could not see the army of God. Why didn't Elisha fear at all even though the enemies had surrounded them? Because he saw God. Elisha couldn't open his servant's eyes, so he prayed to God to open his servant's eyes. Today, why do people not trust in God, not cling to the heaven He has prepared for us, and not fear hell but only cling to this world? It is because they have no eyes to see. If we saw as God sees, then we would trust only in God, fear only Him, and do only what God commands. We would not be attached at all to this world. Your life and behavior show whether you can see as God sees or not. You cannot fake it.
The eyes of Army of Aram Blinded
As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. 19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria. 20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria. (4 Kings 6:18-20).
The people of Aram searched for Elisha but did not know him. He himself led them into the city of Samaria. Why didn't they recognize Elisha? Because the Lord had struck them blind. If the Lord blinds your eyes, no matter how much knowledge you have in this world, you will not be able to see as much as you should see.
What Does It Mean to See With the Eyes?
The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. 12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching[a] to see that my word is fulfilled.” (Jeremiah 1:11-12) When God asked Jeremiah what he saw, he replied that he saw an almond tree. At that time, God said, "You have seen rightly." Why did seeing the almond tree count as seeing rightly? Because he saw exactly what God wanted him to see. To see with the eyes means to see in accordance with how God sees.
God Does Not See as Man Sees
When the Lord commanded Samuel to choose a king from among the sons of Jesse, the Lord said to Samuel: "But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”" (1 Samuel 16:7) It says that God Himself does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, while God looks at the heart.
Why do men only look at the outward appearance? Because they cannot see the inner heart. Why can God see the heart? Because He can penetrate and see it. The Scripture reveals how God sees. If you want to see as God sees, read the Bible often and when the Holy Spirit reveals it, you will be able to see.
If you read at the Bible without the revelation of the Holy Spirit, only looking at words' meanings, grammar, sentence structures, historical backgrounds, politics, ethnicity, and culture, you will never understand. These things are also necessary, but a revelation from the Holy Spirit is required.
Do You Want to See as God Sees?
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” 34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34)
The two blind men approached Jesus specifically due to their inability to see with their eyes. Although people told them to be quiet, they continued crying out. Because of this, the Lord Jesus opened their eyes for them. The Lord Jesus did not seek these two blind men; instead, it was they who sought help from the Lord Jesus.
Do You Want Spiritual Eyesight?
Are you aware that you do not have spiritual sight? Are you like the Pharisees, who are blind but don't know it? Do you intensely desire to see as those two blind men mentioned above? If you want spiritual sight, you must come to Jesus Christ without caring about people around you. Truly, Jesus Christ will give you spiritual eyesight. He has already demonstrated that by coming to this world.
How Can You Make Your Eyes See?
Blindness is caused by eye's disease, as God said through Isaiah: "“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes(Isaiah 6:10).
We do not know how a physician can make someone see; it is beyond our understanding. The One who makes the blind see is God the Great Physician. Therefore, come to God with hearts full of faith and pray like the two blind men. God will open your eyes in His own way.
Disciples Allowed to See
Regarding the disciples, Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." (Matthew 11:25)
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. (Matthew 13:16)
Why do the disciples have the ability to see and hear? Because they have left behind their works and followed Jesus. Jesus reveals things to them. Even if you cannot yet leave your works, but desire with all your heart to see and hear, He will grant you the privilege of seeing.
Those Who Love God Allowed to See and Hear
Paul wrote how God reveals things to those who love Him:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
