The eye
The importance of your eyes is at the top of list of important members of one’s body. The cornea is valued at $30,000 in the black market and it is number 4 of the most valuable human body organs. Your eyes are more precious than gold. The bible calls the eyes the lamp of the body (Mt6:22-23), stating that if your eyes are healthy your entire body is healthy as well. Salomon said that it is better to have eyes then to have desires and wishes (Ecc6:9). If we do not take care of our eye’s diseases such as glaucoma, Cataracts, Conjunctivitis (which is pink eye) will destroy the ability to see. The value of the physical eye has the equal value of the spiritual eye. With spiritual blindness we cannot see what God’s calling, our glorious inheritance and the might of his power in our lives (eph1:17-19). In fact, spiritual blindness is a factor for determining one’s salvation. Jesus said that if your eye causes you to stumble pluck it out (Mt5:29). So, there is a lot in stake when both our physical and spiritual eyes are affected.
1 Samuel 11:1-3
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
Now, the people of Jabesh had abandoned their relationship with the Children of Israel and God and went through long period of time in destress and hardship and were defenseless. And now they were facing a difficult decision of whether they would pluck their right out and surrender to the servitude to the Ammonites or die fighting. For their last resort they sent out to see if anyone would save them. Back in those days when warriors would fight with swords and shields their eyes played an important role in how they would perform in the battle. The sword was to be held in their right hand and the shield in their left covering their left eye, so with the right eye they would see strategically the weak areas of the enemy. When their enemy asked for their right eye, this would leave them defenseless permanently and only good for service.
The people of Jabesh were spiritually blind when they abandoned the Children of Israel and God, but now they were going to be physically blind. It is the strategy of the enemy the devil to first cause spiritual blindness to then physically and leaving the servant of God completely defenseless. Spiritual blindness is a grievous condition experienced by those who do not believe in God and the saving grace that is found in the gospels (2Cor4:4). They sent out messengers throughout the land to see if anyone would help them. The hope of salvation breaks through any trace of blindness. Sure, enough God had already prepared a saving moment for the blind Jabesh people, the new king Saul. After Saul heard the despair of the people the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and used him to save the people (1Sa11:6-7).
Matthew 6:22-23
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Ecclesiastes 6:9
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ephesians 1:17-19
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
2 Corinthians 4:4
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
1 Samuel 11:6-7
6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.