Bible Commentaries

BLIND LEADERS

‘Therefore … ye shall have no vision.’

Micah 3:6 (R.V.)

It is not difficult to understand why these prophets could not have a vision. Their eyes were darkened by self-interest so that they could not see. If their disciples failed to put bread into their mouths, or money into their hands, they had no scruple against preparing war against them (Micah 3:5).

I. The vision of God.—If a Christian man be asked what is the most ravishing sight that can be represented to him, he will reply: ‘Let me see God; for in that vision is the key to the knowledge and love of all good and fair things beside.’ And this is possible to us all, for our Lord said, not only that He had manifested His Father’s Name, but that He would do so to those who were given Him out of the world.

II. The conditions of the vision of God.—(1) Purity of heart: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.’ (2) Humility and meekness: ‘Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.’ (3) Love and Forgiveness. (4) Obedience: ‘If a man love Me, he will keep My words.’

III. The loss of the vision of God.—Even prophets may fail of it. They may go on teaching the people from the memory of earlier years, gone for ever. The light has long since passed from their faces, and they know it: ‘Then shall the seers be ashamed,’ etc.

Illustration

‘The princes are denounced in scathing terms. They should have known judgment, but they devoured their people. Their time would, however, come, when God would as certainly reject their cry, as they had turned a deaf ear to the cry of the poor for pity. Then the prophet turns to the false prophets, who are willing to prophesy anything, if only they might receive their hire, but if that was threatened, had no hesitation in threatening war to the knife. Their punishment would come in the darkness which should supervene, blotting out their power of vision. When men use God-given power for their own emoluments, they will find it fail them. “The sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be dark unto them.”’