What does the blindness of the men reveal about God's power and judgment? Scripture Focus “Then the angels struck the men at the entrance of the house, young and old, with blindness, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway.” (Genesis 19:11) What Actually Happened • Two angels, appearing as men, protect Lot from the mob of Sodom. • With a word—or even a gesture—they inflict sudden, total blindness. • The crowd keeps groping for the door, proving the blindness is real and complete. Blindness as a Display of God’s Power • Instantaneous: No gradual dimming; sight is removed in a moment, underscoring that God reigns over every human faculty (Exodus 4:11). • Selective: Only the aggressors are affected, showing God’s precise control (Psalm 115:3). • Irreversible by human effort: They “wearied themselves” but could not undo what God had done (Job 9:4). Blindness as Immediate Judgment • Divine verdict on sin: The men’s lustful violence meets swift retribution, previewing the fiery judgment about to fall on the whole city (Genesis 19:24). • Proportional response: Their moral darkness is matched by literal darkness; what they plotted in the night is punished by deeper night (Romans 1:21). • Protective judgment: God’s wrath secures the safety of the righteous, shielding Lot and his household (2 Peter 2:7). A Warning of Deeper Spiritual Blindness • Physical blindness often mirrors spiritual blindness in Scripture (Isaiah 6:9-10; John 12:40). • The mob’s refusal to repent—even after the miracle—reveals hearts already blind to truth (Ephesians 4:18). • God can, in judgment, hand sinners over to the very darkness they choose (Romans 1:24-28). Echoes in Other Passages • 2 Kings 6:18-20 — Elisha prays, and God blinds the Arameans; again, selective, protective, and reversible by divine command. • Acts 13:11 — Elymas the sorcerer is struck with temporary blindness for opposing the gospel, “the hand of the Lord is upon you.” • John 9:39 — Jesus declares He came “so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind,” linking physical sight to moral perception. Takeaways for Today • God is sovereign over every sense and circumstance. • Sin invites judgment that can be both immediate and severe. • Spiritual sight is a gift; presuming on it is dangerous. • The same Lord who blinded the wicked can open eyes in mercy (Psalm 146:8). |
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