Wednesday Bible Study, February 4th and February 11, 2009
Blindness & Boundaries
Introduction: One of the first moves of the new administration was in relationship with the Middle East. Every administration is set on solving this issue. As a Christian and as an American we should know if or when our nation’s policies run up against God’s promises to Israel. Tonight I want to make sure that we are not blind to God’s boundaries for Israel.
I. Blindness
A. Israel’s Blindness – “In addition to natural blindness, a judicial darkness has fallen upon Israel which Jehovah instructed Isaiah to announce…” (Systematic Theology, vol.1, Chater, pg.105).
1. Scripture references
a. Is.6:9-10
b. Mark 4:12
c. Matt.13:14-15
d. Luke 8:10
e. John 12:40
f. Acts 28:26-27
g. II Cor.3:14-15
2. Their blindness is national but not universal (Rom.11:25).
3. The fullness of the Gentiles (Eph.1:22-23) refers to the calling out of the church. Today, Jews can be saved!
4. One day national darkness will be lifted (II Cor.3:14, 16; Is.60:1-3; Mal.4:2; Rom.11:26)
B. Gentile Blindness – “The unsaved, having never known any other estate, are unconscious of their condition and therefore almost universally disbelieve those Scriptures which describe their plight” (Ibid, 107).
1. Scripture references
a. John 1:5
b. Eph.5:11
c. I John 2:11
2. This is why man must be born again (John 3).
3. Then the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth (John 16:13).
C. Satanic Blindness – “…unregenerate men, individual Jew and Gentile alike, are blinded as to the gospel and that his blindness is as a veil upon the mind. This incapacity to respond to the gospel has been imposed by Satan with a view to impending the normal reception of the message concerning God’s saving grace” (Ibid, 107).
1. Scriptural references:
a. II Cor.4:3, 4
b. John 3:3
c. John 14:17
2. Satan uses “man’s wisdom” to mislead him (I Cor.1:21; Rom.1:19-32)
3. The Holy Spirit can overcome the darkness (John 16:7-11)
4. The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word (Rom.10:17)
D. Carnal Blindness – “The carnal man is here addressed as a brother and as a babe in Christ, all of which demonstrates that he is saved. However, his reception of God’s Word is limited to its simplest messages- likened to milk and in contrast to meat- and this, it is asserted, is due to his unspiritual life” (Ibid, 108).
1. Scriptural references
a. I Cor.2:14, 15
b. I Cor.3:1-2
c. Heb.5:12-14
2. “Thus it is disclosed that unspiritual living hinders the normal illuminating work of the Spirit of God in the mind and heart of the child of God.” (Ibid.108).
II. Boundaries
A. God called Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans (Gen.11:31; Acts 7:2). Ur is about 6 miles from the Euphrates.
1. From Ur to Haran is about 500 miles.
2. From Haran to Jerusalem is about 400 miles.
B. God called Abraham to go to Canaan (Gen.11:31).
C. Abraham arrived in Canaan (Gen.12:5).
D. God gave the land of Canaan to Abraham’s offspring (Gen.12:7).
1. God gave it forever (Gen.13:15). There is no terminal point.
2. God established an everlasting covenant (Gen.17:7-8). “…sin might cause Israel to be expelled from her land. But the title is retained” (Teachers Commentary).
3. God gives this land as an inheritance (Num.34:2). The land gift is not based upon merit but birthright.
E. God established the boundaries:
1. Numbers 34:1-12
2. Gen.15:18
a. East to the Euphrates
b. North to the Hittite nation
c. South to the river of Egypt
d. About 300,000 square miles
F. A Warning for America
G. Pres. Ahmadinejad (Dec.8, 2005) “…let’s assume what the Europeans say is true [the Holocaust] …let’s give some land to the Zionists in Europe or in Germany or Austria. They faced injustice in Europe, so do the repercussions fall on the Palestinians.”
Conclusion: According to the IMB, of the 6.6 billion in the world only about 1.2 million are saved. That makes 5.4 billion people who are spiritually blind. Of that 1.2 billion people, how many would you say are experiencing “carnal blindness”? If only 7 or 8% of Americans are evangelical believers, how long do you think it will be before the Middle East Crisis becomes a matter of political expediency and not God’s boundaries for Israel?