Bar Ilan, one of Israel’s prestigious universities, is well known for its excellence in the fields of theological, historical and archeological research, but recently a team from this university have come up with a revelationary new technology; capacity to give sight to the blind.
Those who have been blind from birth can now have the opportunity to experience the wonder of eyesight, thanks to the bionic contact lenses developed at the Israeli university. Still in its testing phase, the medical world will eagerly be following the progress of this miracle “cure”, which works through the use of a minute camera sending data to the lens. The lens then communicates with the brain, using electrodes, which then processes the visual information.[1]
As ingenious as this invention is, it has taken a long time and many trained experts to do what Yeshua can do in the blink of an eye. These miraculous healings were not only his delight to do at the will of his father, but also a fulfillment of prophecy, proving that he was the promised Messiah of Israel.
Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
(as prophesied in Isaiah 35:4-6, about 700 years before Yeshua)
So John the Baptist sent people to ask his cousin, Yeshua, if he was the promised One they were waiting for. Yeshua answered; “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Matthew 11:4-6)
For some time, science has been helping those who struggle to see, whether it is cataract removal, glasses, laser surgery or other technologies, but this is a new kind of breakthrough because never before have those that have been born blind been able to benefit. Still, science is millenia behind the Son of Man, who dramatically healed a man born blind, much to the consternation of the crowds. People couldn’t believe it, even though this once-born-blind man was clearly healed, right before their eyes. They clamoured and argued and gathered and convened, they quizzed the man and his parents and mulled over what it could all mean. But they could not see the simple truth in front of them. They were offended by Yeshua because they were blind. But there was one who could suddenly see.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe”, and he worshipped him. Jesus said, “For judgement I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” (John 9:35-39)
This miracle was one of the seven “signs” the John weaves into his gospel, that testify to the authority and identity of Yeshua as Messiah. It is also a living metaphor for what it means to spiritually “see” and what it is to be “blind” to the truth. Even those who had witnessed this man’s new sight with their own eyes were blind, but the blind man could see. It is no accident that Yeshua sent him to the pool of Shiloam (shiloach, or “sent” in Hebrew) which was likely a ritual purification pool by the City of David. This man’s faith in Yeshua was symbolised by his washing in the water, and he was sent as a literal witness to the Messiah.
When we try to figure out the truth without him, Jesus asks, “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? (Luke 6:39) Only he can give sight. In the book of John, he describes himself as the light of the world. As wonderful and life-giving as these breakthroughs are in the world of optometry, what the people of Israel need even more is a cure for spiritual blindness. During the time that Yeshua walked this land, most people rejected him, but faith and sight were granted to some nonetheless. This is just as true today. Please pray for these “sent” ones, these witnesses to their Messiah among the Jewish people, and pray for the scales of blindness to fall so that more and more can see the truth that is right in front of their eyes. Their Jewish brother, Yeshua, the promised Messiah.
[1] HaAretz, May 31 2013: Israeli scientists develop bionic eye for people born blind