1 Kings 14:4-6

Spiritual Vision.

When the season of retributions set in upon Jeroboam, and his son Abijah was smitten with sickness, he sent to the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite to inquire of the word of Jehovah, what should become of the child. He was unwilling it should be publicly known that, in such an emergency, he had recourse to the prophet of the Lord rather than to his calves (compare 2 Kings 1:2 ). He accordingly entrusted this delicate business to his wife, and enjoined that she should disguise herself. The text evinces how futile were these expedients. Note—

I. SIN SEEKS DISGUISES .

1 . Truth needs none .

2 . It is otherwise with sin .

II. GOD SEES THROUGH ALL DISGUISES .

1 . Nature itself teaches this .

2 . It is evinced in the visions of prophecy .

3 . This should be considered .

III. GOD CAN OPEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND .

1 . Literally .

2 . Spiritually .

(a) God gives this to the sinner when He discovers to him the exceeding sinfulness of sin. God strips him of the disguises by which he would deceive himself, and exhibits his own life likeness to his conscience.

(b) God gives it to believers, when He witnesses His pardon and their adoption, to their spirits. (See Acts 26:17 , Acts 26:18 ; Ephesians 1:18 .) Have your eyes been opened? Pray God that Satan may never succeed in throwing his dust into them.—J.A.M.