This article explores why we might wish to “Watch!” as we were commanded by Jesus, pronouced Y'shua. The signs we see and how we might see them are directed by our attitudes and viewpoint. Many people miss facts that are blindingly obvious, even facts which might eventually impact on their lives.
The Pharisees wanted Y'shua to perfom some magic to prove he was the Messiah. They wanted a stand-out 'sign'.
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
He answered and said unto them, “When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:1-3)
What were the signs of the times then?
Knowing our era
For a start there was the fact of Roman rule. The Jewish people had lost the independence they had had after the Macabees had re-cleansed the temple. The Pharisees and Saducess knew this fact very well as contemporary sources show the harshness of Roman rule accorded with the account of the the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate would mingle with their sacrifices. (Luke 13:1).
In addition there was the miracle of John the Baptist's birth and ministry. John was born to a woman past bearing age, the wife of a Priest in the public eye. John was born in full view of the entire nation with his father being known to have been made speechless, and only speaking at his son's birth. In addition John's ministry was recent and his life and message known to everyone, especially his infamous beheading.
The last point was that there was much evidence that Y'shua of Nazareth, pointed out by John the Baptist as the Anointed Son of God, had been performing miracles of healing.
Knowing the blinding obvious
In Matthew Chapter 15 the Pharisees and scribes of Jerusalem had come out to Y'shua asking why his disciples hadn't ritually washed their hands before eating bread. Y'shua then turns this about to criticise them for the way they didn't keep the spirit of the Law in terms of honouring father and mother. This is a public issue and is then turned to be a discourse to the multitude, about how our words can 'defile' us if they are from a bad attitude from the heart.
Later on Y'shua returns to Galilee and again another multitude of people gather. Many were healed and then he fed the multitude of some 4,000 people, who must all have eaten with ritually 'unwashed' hands! The previous miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 had caused many to seek to make him king, it seems likely that news of this second feast had also reached Jerusalem. In any case the first miracle was well known, and the Pharisees and scribes had clearly come to seek Y'shua out at Magdala knowing full well his reputation.
The record we have indicates it was blindingly obvious to anyone of ordinary intellect that here was an extraordinary situation. The chances of 5,000 and 4,000 people colluding about being fed on two separate occasions are slim to none. The chances of miracles of healing being reported from many quarters having any credence at all, unless there was some substance to them, is slim to none. There hadn't been miracles since the restoration of the temple until Zecharius' the father of John had been struck dumb.
These miracles, the news of the day, then were the signs of the times.
Why we might miss seeing facts
What made these men blind to facts? In historical terms, the Bible is a high quality document being mostly accounts from first hand. We have not one but many eye-witness testimonies that these events occurred, many of them in public. Also the witness of the Apostles had an impossibly early widespread nature that resulted in multiple copies of these source documents.
Why coudn't these men, supposedly intellectuals, see the signs of the times? Why didn't they share the excitement of the ordianary people?
Why were they called blind (Matt 23)? Y'shua said,
“For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”
And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, “Are we blind also?”
Y'shua said unto them, “If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains.” (John 9:39-41)
When Y'shua spoke of beling 'blind' he was referring to the languge of the prophets. At the very beginning of his minstry he read of the servant who came,
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. (Isaiah 42:7)
He had proclaimed that he was there to make people see. Many did see. Mostly they were ordinary people like us.
What is more intriguing is that Isaiah was told to tell the people who didn't love and keep Yahweh's law that they would be made 'blind',
“Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)
Then later he was told to tell the people,
Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that you may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant? Seeing many things, but you observe not; opening the ears, but he hears not. (Isaiah 42:18-20)
What made the 'servants' think they were perfect? What is it about thinking we are wonderful that makes us blind to God's work? Why is it that going about to do our good works we can miss God's work? Fundmentally if we love Yahweh Elohim the God of Israel with all our hearts, minds and souls, and read his word and listen with all our heart, we will see things very differently to the way the world does. We will be humbled by seeing the work of His hands and made thankful. But if we become complacent in 'our' works, and forget to hear His word, our attitudes will become like that of the ungodly nations, and we won't see God's work anymore.
Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelations 3:17)
It is very important to have a heart attuned to God and be watching the work and operation of the hands of He Who Will Become as he makes His Word happen in the events on earth today.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
(Psa 143:5) Give them according to their deeds... give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. (Psalm 28:4-5)
Seeing the work of God's hands - his signs - is about our attitude or how we hear things. There is a dramatic divide. There is a choice for life or for death. There is a choice to know and increase in knowledge or to be utterly ignorant in our own dark caverns of 'intellect'. The more we seek, listen and consider God's word the more we will hear and see. Our hearing and seeing will relate to every aspect of life and carries a blessing.
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever has, to him shall be given; and whosoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have. (Luke 8:18)
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