By: Juliet Constantine
“But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: ‘Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?’”(John 12:37-38)
It’s true. There’s nothing new under the sun. The hearts of humans are only evil continually.
The God-demonstrated instructions were practiced daily in his home. The morning and evening sacrifices were their time of communing with God. This daily ritual held significant meaning since they were the only family and the only humans living at that time. Sin had begun with his parents; they talked of their experience and the hope of a coming Savior. He was the older son, and his dad sometimes wondered if he (Cain) was the chosen Savior. But not for long – as his actions were contrary to the established rituals. His obedience was lacking as shown in his offering to God. These were only the beginning as he later murdered his brother out of jealousy! Cain blinded his eyes to God’s instructions; and over time, his heart became hardened. He not only lost his way, he lost his soul.
Cain wasn’t the first, his parents were; yet, he wasn’t the last either. There are many after him who blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts to God’s instructions and miracles, only to their own destruction. The Bible has many examples. The men of Sodom were spiritually blinded before they were physically blinded. While they had their physical sight, their hearts were hardened because they refused to listen to Lot. Their probation had long expired. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened despite the many evidences of God’s power. Then there were some stubborn Israelites on their journey from Egypt to Canaan. They were sheer rebels. Nothing that God did could serve as a reminder that He was with them and would take care of their needs. These are only a few of those whose eyes were blinded because of their unbelief. Their spiritual eyes were blinded, thus their hearts became hardened. And history keeps repeating itself time and again.
Jesus, in speaking with the great multitude, was willing to help so as long as they were willing to listen with an open heart. He tried to remove the ‘scale from their eyes’ in the hope that they would see that God’s kingdom had indeed come to them. But most, in their stubborn disobedience, refused to believe in-spite-of so many signs done before them. Not much changed since Jesus’ return to Heaven. Peoples’ unbelief was so deep that John echoed Isaiah’s words: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” John then concluded that the people could not believe, because their eyes were blinded and their hearts hardened.
We run the risk of our eyes being blinded and our hearts hardened when we refuse to believe God’s words. We are admonished that we should “Believe in the LORD your God; so shall ye be established. Believe His prophets; so shall ye prosper.” (2 Chronicles 20:20) When we refuse to believe God’s words, our behavior is comparable to Cain’s, Pharaoh’s, and all examples listed in the Bible. When we believe, our actions will ‘fall in line’. True belief is followed by acceptance and change. We will order our lives after God’s words. When we truly believe, it’s no more about what my customs are or what my pastor said. My decisions will be based on what God expects from me. Do not blind your eyes to God’s will for your life. Do not be stubborn or else your heart will become hardened to your own destruction.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your words which are written for our learning. Please help us not to make the same mistake as others of old in refusing to believe Your words and follow Your instructions. Please help us to believe so that we can be established and so that we can prosper. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)
