THEY WHICH SEE NOT MIGHT SEE

Sunday Morning - November 17, 1996

Text: John 9:39-41 "And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see [PAI]; therefore your sin remaineth [PAI]."

John 12:40 "He hath blinded their [ISRAEL] eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them [ISRAEL]."

ISRAEL HATH NOT OBTAINED

Romans 11:7-11 "What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them: 10. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy."

1 Peter 2:8-9 "And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"

FREEDOM FOR ISRAEL

John 8:31-32 "Then said Jesus ... If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

ISRAEL - CAPTIVES, AND BLIND

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"

ISAIAH'S PROPHECY

Matthew 13:13-15 "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing [PAI] see [PAI] not; and hearing [PAI] they hear [PAI] not, neither do they understand [PAI]. 14. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand [WITH + SEND]; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand [WITH + SEND] with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

These are not lost just blind and

sick on purpose!

Acts 28:25-28 "...they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26. Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."

ISRAEL, GOD'S CHILDREN

Isaiah 1:2 "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me."

CHILDREN OPPRESS, WOMEN RULE

Isaiah 3:12 "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths."

CAPTIVITY

Isaiah 5:13 "Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst."

PROPHECY

Isaiah 6:9-10 "And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed."

THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED

2 Corinthians 3:13-14 "And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14. But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ."

NOT THE SAME BLINDNESS

2 Corinthians 4:4 "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

John 8:31-32 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

MORE SHALL BE GIVEN

Mark 4:23-25 "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 24. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."

Luke 8:18 "Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have."

DON'T OPPOSE YOURSELF

2 Timothy 2:24-26 "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26. And that they may recover themselves [REGAIN THEIR LIBERTY] out of the snare [CAPTIVITY] of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." TO DO HIS WILL