27 And when Jesus departed
thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have
mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to
him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I
am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched
he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be
it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly
charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that
country. 32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man
possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb
spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But
the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. (Matt
9:27-34)
There are two important aspects of the qualifications of a witness: 1) to be
able see and no of a truth, and 2) to be able to express what one has seen to
others. Blindness of vision (both spiritual and physical) prevent the soul from
seeing and knowing the Lord. If one does see and know the Lord, being unable to
speak will render that soul a marginal witness to others. This is quite
pleasing to the devil.
In an 1896 edition of the London Sunday School Chronicle, there appeared this
entry: “A little boy was born blind. At last an operation was performed –
the light was to be let in slowly when one day his mother led him out of doors
and uncovered his eyes, and for the first time saw the sky and the earth. ‘Oh,
mother,’ he cried, ‘why did you not tell me it was so beautiful?’ She burst
into tears, and said, ‘I tried to tell you, dear, but you could not understand
me.’ So it is when we try to tell what is in Christ. Unless our spiritual sight
is opened by the Holy Spirit we cannot understand.”
The greater our need, the more persistent we are in pleading our case with the
Lord. It would not be an easy matter for two blind men to follow Jesus –
certainly more challenging than one who has perfect vision. Though they could
not see Him with their physical eyes, they could certainly see Him with
spiritual vision. They KNEW who He was! “Thou Son of David, have mercy
on us.” As we have often repeated before, if Jesus has mercy
on us, we need not express our particular need, for He will satisfy EVERY need.
The blind men do not ask for their sight to be granted, but neither can we even
remember to express our every need to God in prayer – He knows already! These
men did not only follow Jesus on the public road, but even into the house where
Jesus was staying.
There is not much point in asking for a miracle from God unless you have faith
that the miracle can be granted. Faith is the key to miraculous service
everywhere – in the pulpit, on the mission field, on the far-flung battlefield,
on ships at sea, etc., etc. “Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? Remember
this: “Deep calleth unto Deep?” Our love of God is merely an echo
of His love for us. Likewise our faith is merely an echo of His omnipotence in
all things. If we know in our hearts that all things are possible, they
suddenly become possible in Christ. Christ is not without all power whether we
have faith or not, but He desires to authenticate that power only to those who
believe.
“They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes,
saying, According to your faith be it unto you.” Did these blind me have faith that Jesus could
heal them? Obviously so since Jesus had said “According
to your faith be it unto you.” Since their vision was
immediately given them, their faith is beyond question. Suppose you go to the
Lord tonight with a grave and serious problem for which you seek relief.
Suppose the Lord responded, “According to
your faith be it unto you.” Would you receive that relief
requested in full, or would it have been weakened to the level of your faith? “30 And
their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
We see again this strange command of Jesus to “See
that no man knows it.” Such
wonderful news could not have been concealed even if the two blind men spread
that word. Everyone present at the house was witness to the event. Everyone who
saw the former blind men on the street would know immediately that their sight
had been restored. Their families would certainly know that their vision had
bend restored,
How were these two to keep the secret? Can such marvelous
news as the restoration of sight be suppressed by a heart over-brimming with
joy? Can a person who has been spiritually dead resist crying out to all he
sees if he is made alive in Christ?
“31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in
all that country. 32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb
man possessed with a devil.” Jesus seldom had opportunity to
take a military break every 50 minutes on the hour. Because He had authority
and power over diseases of the body and even over life and death, multitudes
sought Him out and flocked to Him in great numbers always. The blind men had
been healed and could not keep their mouths shut, so here comes one whose mouth
the devil has shut from speaking.
“33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the
multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.”
I will ask how you would feel after seeing Jesus work such miracles. Would your
heart not be moved to the depths of its springs? There are a number of men who
ALWAYS followed Jesus around. They saw His healing miracles; they saw Lazarus
called back from the grave; and they saw and heard the many beautiful sermons
He taught and preached; yet, they believed not! Why did they not believe?
Because they CHOSE not to believe. Have you chosen to believe God even in difficult
times. These men who stood by to criticize and distort all that Jesus did was
the Pharisees. “34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils
through the prince of the devils.
Who was considered the Prince of the Devils? It was that same Prince of the Air
– Satan, or Beelzebub. Beelzebub was Prince of death. He was believed to bring
life from dead bodies since flies were hatched from eggs laid on those bodies.
He is also known as Prince of the Flies. This is high treason and
blasphemy before God.
Are you yet blind and fumbling around to find the way to Jesus? Open the upper
window of your heart and He will come therein and let His eyes be your eyes.
