What did Paul's blinding of Elymas the sorcerer preview about Israel?
Paul’s blinding of Elymas the sorcerer previewed Israel’s opposition to the Gospel going to the Gentiles and God’s response of spiritual blindness on the nation. Just as Elymas was blinded for a season, God set spiritual blindness on Israel for a time—not forever—while believing elect obtained what the nation sought.
Les explains that the blinding of Elymas is a preview of what the nation of Israel would do from that point on. Every place Saul, later Paul, went, he normally went first to the Jews in the synagogue; when they rejected the message, he went out among the Gentiles, and the Jews became his chief opposition. They opposed Christianity left and right. Les then ties this to Romans 11: this is exactly what God did to the nation, just like Paul did to Elymas the sorcerer, because Elymas was opposing the Gospel going to a Gentile, and Paul said, “You shall be blind for a season.” Not for the rest of his life, but for a period of time. That is exactly what happened to the nation as a whole. They opposed the Gospel and did everything they could to keep it from going to the Gentiles. So God set a spiritual blindness on the nation that holds until this day, but it is not going to last forever. In Romans 11:7, Israel did not obtain what it sought, but the election who believed obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
More Questions
In Romans 11, what does the temporary blinding of Elymas symbolize?
Elimas's blindness for a season is a picture of the nation of Israel's temporary blindness.
What happened to Elymas immediately after Paul pronounced blindness on him?
The judgment came immediately: mist and darkness fell on Elymas at once and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand.