John 12:36 “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:”
It is hard to believe that the unbelievers did not believe after all the “many miracles” that the Lord had worked right before their eyes. But, Isaiah prophesied that it would happen (John 12:37-38) and explained that the Lord “hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted” (John 12:39-40). Isaiah candidly explained why the Lord had “blinded their eyes”. They were doing it in Isaiah’s day, in the Apostle’s day, and they are still doing it in our day: they “draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope” (Isaiah 5:18), they “call evil good, and good evil; … put darkness for light, and light for darkness; … put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20), they “are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight” (Isaiah 5:21), they “are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink” (Isaiah 5:22), and they “justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him” (Isaiah 5:23)! Therefore, the Lord “hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted”! Furthermore, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament and it appears that it is about to happen again: “Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 5:24) and “Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” (Isaiah 5:25) and “And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly: … And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.” (Isaiah 5:26-30)! I do pray that we are still in that period when we can humbly and sincerely “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” (Isaiah 55:6)! In times past, they didn’t believe that the Lord would bring such destruction, they “put far away the evil day” (Amos 6:3); that is, they didn’t believe it would happen, so they continued in their rebellious behavior; thus, they caused “the seat of violence to come near”! Let us earnestly pray for a revival of faithfulness to our Lord, His Word, and His Church!