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II.
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SCRIPTURAL STUDY.
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A.
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THE LIGHT GIVES SIGHT. 9:4-7
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vs.4
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1.
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" I" better translated in Greek,
" WE," which indicates that Jesus began the Works
of the Father to be conjoined with all receivers of the Light, and whose Works are to be continued after
His departure.
(
Acts 1:8,
Acts 4:33.
See also Mt.28:18-20 & II Co.5:17-21.)
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vs.5
Jer.5:20-29
Zeph.3:6-12
Ps.9:17
24:1
Jn.19:11
I Ti.2:1-4
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2.
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He is the Light while He remains in the world, both now, radiating from Himself, and to come (post-ascension),
radiating from within all believers. As previously discussed concerning the departure of His Spirit, when Christ
returns and His Church (all believers) is taken out of the world, utter darkness will fall and man's evil will
become full. Chaos will reign. It will be a time of stark terror, unlike anything witnessed to date. Examine as example,
if you will, the evidence of what resulted in the removal of God's Grace and Presence from an idolatrous Israel
during the cyclical period of the Judges, and on down through the fall of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
Did not men's and women's hearts become utterly wicked in their final years and last days? What more proof does one need
that a society who turns away from God should not be surprised when similar conditions result. It is a given. His curse
of Deuteronomy 27 & 28 upon Israel is the same upon any nation of the Earth. Why, because all the nations
of the Earth belong to Him; and just as He is no respector of persons, He makes no distinction in His Moral and Spiritual Laws
in their correlation to His Natural with any nation of the Earth. If this is not evident even in our modern times, it is
because men and nations remain as blind as Israel when she experienced His withdrawn mercies.
II Chr.7:13-14
are as relevant today to all nations as it was to Solomon and his day. This is a Truth that every leader of every nation should
not only know, but observe for the prosperity of his or her people. (Search the scripture for His ownership of the Earth and all
that is in it -- nature, nations, men, etc., key verse:
I Ti.2:4.)
(Study Jonah's mission to Assyria here.)
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TRUTH:
WORK (BELIEVE) WHILE IT IS STILL DAY (OPPORTUNITY), FOR THE NIGHT (UTTER DARKNESS -- ADVANCED EVIL) IS COMING WHEN NO MAN WILL WORK.
(
II Co.6:1-2;
Jn.9:4;
6:29)
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TRUTH:
THE WORKS OF THE FATHER IS TO BELIEVE ON THE SON, AND KEEP ON BELIEVING!
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vs.6
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3.
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"HE SPAT...AND MADE CLAY"
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Mt.3:9
11:39,43
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a.
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From His mixture (His spittle & Earth's clay), He could have formed another entire
human as He did in Genesis
(
2:7);
instead, He simply completed this one by forming that which had been unformed (the eyes) from the womb.
Think on this. Imagine if He had, which He was quite capable of doing, what do you suppose the different
reactions would have been then? For insight, watch later when He will return one who has already begun
to return to the dust from which he came -- proof positive of this power! Therefore, it is not necessary
for a "new" one here. (It should be clear now how His miracles expanded.)
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TRUTH:
OUR GOD NEVER LEAVES UNFINISHED THAT WHICH HE PURPOSES AND BEGINS FOR HIS GLORY, NOR WILL HE DO ANYMORE THAN IS
NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS PURPOSE.
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Nu.14:11-21
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b.
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Know this: His Will for our lives, whether we receive sight or remain blind, is known
by that which will bring to Him the greater Glory. So, when seeking His Will in a matter
of uncertainty (whether it be for a decision, object, direction, result, etc.), always
consider which you may think will bring the greater Glory to Him -- then pray that way.
This is what is meant by praying: His Will be done, not my own. Try this next time.
Consider for an example Moses contending for God's Will for Israel in the Exodus.
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Mt.6:33
Mt.6:6
Mt.6:10
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c.
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Another way of praying His Will, or as the Scripture puts it, seeking first His Kingdom
and its righteousness, is to find Scripture (both Old and New) that expresses His Will,
or desires, that have yet to be completely fulfilled in the Earth. Make a list and begin
praying for those specific things. For example: begin with
I Ti.2:4.
Do not pray for all men to be saved; not all will, but what this means is to pray specifically
for those you already know by name. When you pray, imagine His Burden for that individual He
also knows, loves, and currently cares for, whether your friend or enemy. Contrast His to your
own burden for that individual. Quite a disparity between the two, I suppose? Right? Be honest.
Now, as you pray, let His Burden increase in your heart as you daily offer up their names in the
incense of your prayers. And, stand by -- if you achieve this. Do not be surprised at what happens next,
for both them and yourself, although you did not and should not seek anything for your own
Study Jesus' instructions for man's priorities in his way in life
(Mt.6:19-34, key
vs.33).
Next compare for a classic example of this Truth in action with Solomon's first prayer at the outset
of his way in life (I Kings 3:3-14, key
vs.11-13).
According to his own admission in vs.7, to put it in today's terms, he did not know whether
"he was coming or going" in life. Now look at
3:28 &
4:34
for God's word to him being kept and Solomon's acknowledged condition being remedied. Again see the
verification of this truth in his second request (I Kings 9:1-5. Did you notice who Jesus used
as an example for these instructions, clearly showing how both God and Solomon benefited by Solomon's
heart attune to God's priorities
(
Mt.6:29).
Is it becoming clear? Now, remember His promise to you for His personal gratitude
(
Mt.6:33b;
Heb.6:10).
These are but a few of the ways we put Him first for His Will to be done in our lives. Continue now in
your own search for His unfulfilled desires in the Earth, while enjoying His daily walk with you in this
mission, as He does through you His Will and Work. See how simple it is for
"His Will to be done in Earth as it is in Heaven," if willing?
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vs.7
II Ki.5
Acts 9
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4.
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As the waters are "SENT" from the Virgin Fountain
to the Pool of Siloam to aid in this man's faith in receiving his sight, so too is Jesus sent to man to
restore him from his greater spiritual darkness. (For insight into this command, first, compare this
blind man's experience with that of Israel's enemy army General, Naaman, in the Old Testament. Next,
compare Paul's conversion (an enemy to the Church), baptism, and restoration of sight, keeping in mind
our previous comments on his possible location at this time.) This command was for more reasons than
our space allows, so, we will simply list a few:
a.
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It was a test of faith for the man himself.
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b.
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It was a symbolic baptism into belief in Christ.
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c.
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It is a public witness to the obedience of man to the commands of Christ that is necessary for
receiving the gift from Him. (Remember His warnings to Israel in the Old Testament: Blessings
only come when Obedience to His known commands occur.)
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d.
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It is a public witness to the connection of the acts of Christ with the expected results of His obeyed
commands that make the miracle's source irrefutable. It was not the water that healed this man, rather
his eyes were formed at Christ's touch; the water simply was the process through which they were opened
for sight to occur (as with the baptism of water He introduced in
3:5,
or the birth He used as illustration for Nicodemus).
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7:22
Mk.2:28
Mk.2:27
vs.4
Lk.12:16-21
Js.4:12-17
II Co.6:2
Study Heb.3
Js.4:3
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e.
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It was another challenge to the Jews' perceived priorities of the Sabbath. Their
law permitted only circumcision on the Sabbath. Jesus could not understand why they
could cut a man's skin to enter their religion, but would deny opening his eyes that
he might see and read God's words on this Holy Day. Remember, Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath,
and He teaches that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. This Day
(as they enforced it with their many detailed laws) had become the heavy yoke that was
choking the life of every Jew. To the Jews, this blind man was no "ox in a ditch."
He had been in this condition since birth. One more day of wait, to them, would not
have mattered. Do you see the point coming here? Remember His commands about the time for work,
"while it is still day," about presuming upon God for
tomorrow which is not promised, and about the Day of Salvation being TODAY? Did His Word
not say that for he who knows to do good and does it not, it is sin?
Is it not lawful, then, to do good on the Sabbath? And was Christ to be made a sinner
in failing to do good for this man by observing to their letter the law that was made for him also.
(Careful here, this is not a license to do something that fulfills the desire of the flesh in
bringing it pleasure that goes beyond the scope of God's intention and participation, as too
many of us do on our Lord's day.) Major difference here. As with the woman at the well in
Ch.4 (and all the many others), this was the Providential moment when this man and Christ met.
It included God in His chosen work. It was not the day before, nor was it to be the day after.
As a result, it is God's Will for us to seize the moment when He brings our paths together with His,
or another's with ours, that we might both receive and share as He so dictates, not delaying
what He has so ordained in Heaven for ours or their meeting on Earth! Continue in your own
thoughts with this and other truths seen here.
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TRUTH:
JESUS IS THE POOL OF SILOAM. HE IS THE LIVING WATER WHERE ALL MEN MUST GO FOR SPIRITUAL SIGHT.
FOR THIS PURPOSE, HE HAS BEEN "SENT" TO US ALL; AND IT SHOULD BE SEIZED IN THE MOMENT OF OUR MEETING.
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TRUTH:
CHRIST WILL NEVER DELAY, NO MATTER THE DAY, WHAT HE HAS COME TO BRING TO US TODAY. ONLY WE HAVE THAT OPTION;
AND FOR SOME, THERE MAY NEVER BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
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Continued on next page
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