THE VISION OF THE WORD

By Robert A. Meyer

“Where there is no vision the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). In this short verse of scripture “the vision” is equated with the Word of God.  “The vision” is not indicating that the perishing of people is because of a lack of sight on the part of others. People are perishing because of a lack of hearing “the vision” or the Word of God.

1 Samuel 3:1-4 states: “And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli.  And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.”  Again God’s Word is here equated with the word vision.

There was “no open vision” indicates that God was not at that time speaking to and through a prophet.  Eli physically was going blind and could not see.  Worse was the fact that he was going blind spiritually.  When he saw Hannah’s lips moving in despair as she pled to God for a son, Eli lacked the discernment to judge righteously.  He “thought she had been drunken” (1 Samuel 1:13). He judged her by her outward appearance.  God looks on the heart.  Men look on the outward appearance as 1 Samuel 16:7 indicates.

Our need today is for more Samuels to rise up and declare God’s “vision,” God’s Word, God’s message.  1 Samuel 3:18 says: “And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him.”  As God’s messengers we must “tell every whit” of God’s Word to a lost and dying world.  We must not hide anything that could be used of the Holy Spirit to bring souls to the Lord Jesus Christ from them.

Souls are perishing because they have not heard.  Let’s share and spread “the vision.”

Yours in Christ

Robert A. Meyer