- Light Breaks Through
Jesus’ day at the temple started with a bunch of Pharisees wanting to stone a woman caught in the act of adultery. I can only assume her male consort ran faster than she did, since Moses commanded both to be stoned–but never mind that. It wasn’t enough that Jesus spoiled the party by refusing to cooperate. He then proceeded to needle and irritate the Jews who hadn’t left in shame after the would-be stoning incident. And as if that were insufficient, He topped it all off by as much as saying that He was God. It was too much. The law dogs would have their stoning, and it was Jesus they were aiming for. But He “hid Himself and went out of the Temple, going through the midst of them.” My interpretation: He walked right out through the middle of the crowd of angry Pharisees and they didn’t even see Him go.
As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind since birth. You might think, given the situation, that Jesus would be in a bit of a rush to get back to the Mount of Olives, but no. He made some cryptic remarks to His disciples about working in the daytime, then proceeded to violate the Sabbath, as was His custom. He made clay. Making clay on the Sabbath was specifically forbidden because everyone (particularly me) knows that making clay is hard work. But Jesus just spat on the ground and mixed up a batch of clay anyhow and rubbed onto the blind man’s eyes. I’m going to make you read the rest of the story for yourselves. Of course you know the blind man is healed and the Pharisees are ticked about the clay, but go ahead and read it here anyhow so you’ll know everything that’s going on.
This is what I believe God said to me about this sign:
This sign says more about Me than all the other signs so far. By light, all is revealed and made manifest. Without light, you may as well be born blind, for though you have the facility to do it, you see nothing without light. This is the light that came into the world: The Father in Me. Without the Father and the Son, there is no Spirit–there can be no light. Light, the light you see around you, is just a picture, an image of the Holy Spirit–only slow and dingy compared to the Spirit–but for now, this image is the most you can bear to see.
Imagine if I were to suddenly reveal Myself as I truly am to the world. Those blind for lack of light will see, and those groping around in the dark with their eyes tight shut will be blind still–though they will deny it, for in their experience, nothing has changed. Thus the “seeing” will be made blind–that is, everyone will now realize their blindness–everyone save themselves.
You made the mistake of seeking Me in the pathways of logic, though the logic was fatally flawed in that it was earthly, sensual, devilish. You who seek Me in these places find cobwebs, dust, and drought. This is a dry and thirsty place where no water flows. Get out of there lest you choke to death on the dust, become entangled in the webs, and shrivel up for lack of water. This is not My place of learning, but only a place for the dead. Soon I will penetrate it with light and rescue those captives who truly seek Me.
For judgment I came–that those who say, “We see” may be shown as they are, that is to say, blind. And those who were blind but knew it, those who love the light at its appearing, may no longer stumble, but walk by the light of life.
I came to bring light to a land of great darkness that those who see the light, and love the light, may be saved from the night, turn from death, and walk in the day.
As with all of these signs, I’ve found it a battle to listen to God regarding this. I can only conclude that where there’s battle, there’s a victory to be won; a mystery to be uncovered; a stronghold to be vanquished. In ourselves we are nothing, but in Him, we are always victorious–provided we don’t surrender. More in a couple of days, so stay tuned. 
Other posts on this subject:
Blind Eyes Seeing and Seeing Eyes Blind
Blessings, Cindy
Was that the cowboy movie Tombstone quoted in your post? “Law dogs” Consider that stolen for use in every cowboy church sermon I preach where there is a Pharisee or any of the others.
Where there is a battle, there is a victory waiting. This will be my slogan for the day.
Thanks Cindy
“I can only conclude that where there’s battle, there’s a victory to be won; a mystery to be uncovered; a stronghold to be vanquished. In ourselves we are in nothing, but in Him, we are always victorious–provided we don’t surrender.”
I’m in a battle right now, and I really needed to hear this today. Thank you.
~Jennifer
Thanks, Jennifer–I’m so grateful to be able to encourage a dear sister. We all need that, all the time, and you have encouraged me by letting me know.
Blessings, Cindy
It’s only when we realize we’ve been blind that we can will come to the one who gives sight. Victory is won when we surrender, not to the world but to the Lord. –Richard
Thanks, Kevin
You’re so funny! Yes, now you mention it, I’m pretty sure you’re right about where I heard “Law dogs.”
Thanks so much for your encouragement–and always for your input.
Blessings, Cindy
Hi Cindy
!!!
Good post and “law dogs” had me cracking up
Jesus is so amazing in all he does!!!
Love ya have a good evening.
Yes He is, Pat. And thanks!
I’m glad the law dogs tickled your funny bone. 
Love you–Cindy
Hi Cindy,
Now I am impatiently waiting for your next ‘stay tuned’ post, HA!
Love those last thoughts about another battle being another victory
I thought of something else that can ‘make us’ or ‘keep us’ blind…the extra fluff that gets ‘added to’ Scripture through misinterpretation, dramatized films, and storytelling, etc. all of which is then often repeated by many preachers and teachers as if it were solid simple truth. That ‘fluff’ can fog our vision and make us a bit blind, at least, I’ve noticed it has that affect on me!
For instance, the dramatized image in my ‘head’ in regards to this particular story of the Pharisees bringing the woman caught in adultery to Jesus for His ‘advice’ on the matter is just like the typical ‘movie scene’ of the angry mob of folks with stones in their hands, about to murder the woman, being spurred on by the Pharisees. In such an ‘image’ it is so EASY to cast judgment on the ‘crowd’ and especially its leaders-the Pharisees.
However, Scripture itself paints a quieter, less dramatic picture, one in which it seems, to me anyway, that some of those Pharisees may have genuinely been questioning Truth (were they ALL trying to ‘trap’ Jesus, as the disciple John relays, or were there one or two who went along with the trapping because they really wanted to know the answer to the question about the law of Moses, and to also ‘see’ how this dynamo Jesus might answer them? Hmmm.) also, were some of those Pharisees relieved and amazed by Jesus’ wise answer to all of this? We know He got through to Nicodemus!
My point being here, as I am gaining my ‘sight’ back more and more after a lifetime of indoctrination and partial blindness that was the result of growing up in ‘churchianity’, I find it alarmingly easy to condemn what I view as the modern day Pharisees for their ‘condemning’ of others, for their misinterpreting, apathy, hypocrisy, and other behaviors. And all that extra ‘fluff’ still in my head actually tells me that it is okay to do so.
Yet, then I ‘see’ such deep simple truth in stories like the woman caught in adultery and am humbled all over again. Christ somehow rightly judged, convicted, and changed hearts that day without actually condemning anyone, even those who outright tried to ‘trap’ Him! Indeed, He alone can make the blind see
Great points, Loveisthereason!
It’s so easy to look at the fluff and not think of it as that. I don’t have a problem with adding in a few details to flesh out a bible story, but they need to be consistent with scripture. That’s why I have a real problem with a lot of the animated “bible story” stuff that companies like Hanna Barbara put out for kids to watch. It’s not actively bad, but it never follows the real story very accurately.
As for the Pharisees not ALL being shifty here, I wouldn’t be surprised if you turn out to be right–we’ll know some day. But the writers of the bible weren’t strangers to hyperbole, and while sometimes “all” means “all,” other times it’s just the kind of statement we often make, like “You’re always hungry,” or “All my friends love reality TV,” or “It’s never going to stop snowing!” So yes, I’m sure there were some dissenters–as is common with dissenters (when they’re few in number, at least), they didn’t say anything, but God knows what they were thinking, observing and concluding. Like Jesus said, “Don’t judge by the outward appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment! It’s great to have you here.
Blessings, Cindy
Cindy, it’s great to be here, thanks! Great quote there, indeed, we were told to judge the tree by its fruit…
I think the famous ‘do not judge lest ye be judged’ command is sometimes used as an excuse to stay trapped in our own sins as well as to avoid confrontations with others… As I read somewhere ‘it’s okay to call a spade a spade you just can’t call it a condemned shovel’ (wasn’t sure you’d appreciate the original D word in this quote, so I inserted ‘condemned’ instead!).
When a judge in a court of law hands out a guilty or not guilty judgment, it is a separate thing from the punishment/sentence (in the case of a guilty verdict).
The Father does the punishing/sentencing, but I do believe there are times He expects us to judge guilt or innocence, and to point out sin and the enemy’s traps…in a just and fair and forgiving manner, being led by the H. Spirit and not our own agendas.
We seem to be in agreement on the fluff which is produced and marketed as biblical in an attempt to make it more entertaining and thus an easier sell to parents! The sacred things of the Almighty are so valuable how can anyone put a price tag on them and market them as if they were the usual commodity? But, I don’t want to open up THAT can of worms here, I’m already hogging your blog
Andrea
p.s. I also love Jesus’ response to the Pharisees, shortly after the adulterous woman incident, in John 8:15,16 (NIV) “You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.”
Hi Cindy,
Some pretty heavy thoughts but we should be encouraged as we live in the Light.
Just wanted to thank you for your precious thoughts and comments about my post, “Just Like My Father”. It’s so easy to remember when our young men make wrong choices and forget the mature and wise things they do and say.
In Him,
Janis
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