One Sabbath day, as Jesus walked in Judea, He came upon a man blind from birth. Bending down, He made clay from the earth and His own spit. The mixture was placed on the blind man’s eyes and Jesus told him to go and wash in Siloam. When the man washed the clay away, he could see. The word “Siloam” is said to mean sent. In Genesis chapter 2 we are told that God formed man from the dust of the ground. Man is made from clay. The disciples wanted to know who had sinned. Jesus said that the man was bone blind so that the works of God could be seen in him. The works of the enemy had caused all of mankind to be born blind in the spirit. The flesh, or clay, covers our eyes. It isn’t until we allow Jesus, the Sent One from the Father, to wash the clay away from our spiritual eyes that we can see.

Once that blind man was healed, the “church” of the day questioned him about the healing. First they claimed that is wasn’t lawful because it did not go along with their doctrine. Next, the One that had performed the works of God was called a sinner. The blind man, who was no longer a blind man, was put out of the “church” for claiming that Jesus was from God. Because Jesus spoke the truth, they did not believe Him – because He opened the eyes of the blind on the Sabbath (day of rest), they called Him a sinner. Jesus walked in the authority given to Him by God; when the “church” leaders would not walk in authority because of their doctrine.

Before healing the blind man, Jesus told His disciples to work while it was day – night is coming when no one can work. Jesus went on to say “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” It is also written that Jesus said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” We can only work the works of God when we believe and abide in the Light. If we dwell in darkness, because the flesh (clay) blinds us, we cannot work; night is coming when no one can work. To be free of the flesh, we must be washed clean (have our spiritual eyes opened) by the Water that was Sent from God. Ask God and He will send the latter rain. The latter rain being the spring rain (Jesus and the Holy Spirit sent by God); the former rain is the autumnal showers.

The first shall be last and the last shall be first. Night comes before day – the evening and the morning was the first day. The night that was to come, when no work could be done, was the darkness that came before the Light. The night is mankind walking in the blindness of the flesh, because of the work of the enemy of God. The only way to work the works of God is to come to the Latter Rain sent by God and wash away the clay (flesh) that covers our eyes. The work of the Father is to believe on the One that He sent, and to love one another, as He has commanded. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath because the “church” leaders had made the “day of rest” a day of oppression. Jesus set the man free on the day of rest. The blood of Jesus is our Sabbath – it is what gives us rest. Our eyes are open when we dwell in Jesus – the life of Jesus is our Sabbath (life is in the blood). Those that dwell in Jesus dwell in the Sabbath.

The authority that we walk in does not come from scripture, but from the indwelling of Jesus. Jesus came to give us life and to give it more abundantly. Life is in the blood. The Light that we walk in is the Light of the world; that is still in the world because He dwells in the believer. As long as He is in the world, He is the light of the world. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. Jesus made a distinction between “His word” and “the scriptures.” The One sent is His word – Jesus is the word of God that must abide in the believer. The Holy Spirit is One that brings to us His word, to abide in us. The Latter Rain that washes us clean (opens our eyes) is the Jesus ascending into the heavens and the Holy Spirit (sent on Pentecost, to put “His word” in us). Do not be blinded by “church” doctrines that embrace the night.

© 2008, Tim D. Coulter Sr.