Their Eyes Were Opened
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight (Luke 24:31 KJV)
Control of the spiritual realm requires an open eye and strong hands. While the hand represents power or strength, the eye represents wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. In this devotional, I will briefly examine what an open eye is and how God opens our eyes using a fascinating story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
After Jesus was resurrected, He met two of His disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. These disciples were traumatized, demoralized, and perplexed; Jesus, the Messiah as they had believed, had just been brutally crucified in Jerusalem. When Jesus joined them in the conversation, they traveled together a long while talking with Him, feeling some burning in their hearts (Luke 24:32) but not knowing who was walking with them the entire time on the road. Luke 24:16 says:
“But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” (Luke 24:16 KJV)
Their eyes were kept from knowing Him. Although their physical eyes saw Jesus, their spiritual eyes (in the heart) did not know (or recognize) Him as Jesus—the spiritual sight was the knowing. But something astonishing happened when they sat at the dinner table:
“And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” (Luke 24:30–31 KJV)
They ate bread, their eyes opened, and they knew Jesus. Although nothing had changed with their physical eyes, something changed in their hearts/minds when they ate the broken bread, and they knew Jesus. Furthermore, when their eyes opened, they could no longer sit still in Emmaus but ran back overnight to Jerusalem. No one has ever seen Jesus and remained the same.
How did Jesus open their eyes? He broke bread and gave it to them. This is more than just fellowship; the breaking of bread is the opening or dividing of the Word of God, the Bread of life. God’s Word is an eye-opener. In the 32nd verse, the two disciples said:
“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32 KJV)
Jesus opened the scriptures for them to see Him in them. The Psalmist says:
“The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Psalm 19:8 KJV)
His Word enlightens or opens the eyes. I pray that as you read Deshen Daily every day, study the Word personally, or receive the Word from other ministries, your eyes will be opened to see Jesus.
How did the disciples’ lives change course immediately as their eyes opened?
Apply the Word
Are your spiritual eyes closed or opened? If you ever dream of intimacy with God or spiritual exploits, your eyes must be opened; you must see, behold or know Jesus. Please follow the links below to read more about how God opens our eyes.
Ask the Father to help open your eyes.
Read & Watch
How God Opens Our Spiritual Eyes
Two Kinds of Spiritual Eyes
Watch: Understanding Spiritual Eyes
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