From Old Testament times, the Jewish people knew that only God and his Messiah could open the eyes of the blind. However, over their long history, it had never happened. Therefore, when Jesus healed the eyes of a man born blind in John 9:1-41, he caused quite a stir. Some rejected the miracle as spurious, but the healed man held firm to what he knew to be true: "I was blind, and now I see." This is the same testimony of the simplest Christian whose spiritual eyes Jesus has opened to the truth. (sermon notes)
In Jesus' final sign, recorded in John 11:1-54, he raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. As a sign, it was not to be...
In response to King Saul’s second major error and his excuse, Samuel famously declared that to obey is better than sacrifice.
God is free to define Israel, to show mercy or wrath, and to add to Israel from the nations.