Blinded to See

My pastor at Salmons General Baptist Church preached on blind Bartimaeus yesterday, and did an excellent job by the way! His preaching made me think as it ought to do. Therefore, I take the liberty of expanding on what he preached.

Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

     Bartimaeus means "son of Timaeus", and the latter means "to honor" (https://www.behindthename.com/name/timaeus). It seems that Bartimaeus did honor his father by honoring Jesus! There is a commandment to that effect, and the promise to honor is a long life. It seems that blind Bartimaeus had his vision back (maybe he was born blind) and gained a long life at the same time - eternal life!
     In the beginning, sacred literature (Adam and Eve and the Conflicts with Satan) explains Adam and Eve's "bright nature" back in the Garden of Eden before they sinned. They could see into the heavens with their bright eyes. The Book of Revelation mentions a "sea of glass" in two different places which exists before God's throne. It wasn't really a "sea" but a transparency, crystal clear, through which those below could see. Obviously, their view was of God on Hs throne, and Jesus at his right side. We know that Adam and Eve could see Jesus because they had bright undimmed eyes. Perhaps they saw God through the sea of glass:

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

     It seems that those who persevered over the beast (Christians) stand on that transparent "floor" in heaven. Of course, from the Garden that floor would be a ceiling. It was likely not a sea at all, but represents spiritual vision. As long as Adam and Eve were faithful to God, their vision was clear as crystal, even unto Heaven! Faith makes the Kingdom of God transparent.
     It is ironic that Bartimaeus had eyes to see but could not see:

Ezek 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

     Bartimaeus could not see but in his blindness, Jesus made him see clearly. Because Bartimaeus trusted Jesus, he not only received his sight but was made whole! Whole is mankind's original condition. Back in the Garden, they lost something. In the beginning, they could see, but sin blinded them. Adam and Eve lost their bright eyes and were spiritually blinded. Bartimaeus was blind, but after his encounter with Jesus, he could see! Bartimaeus saw God through the sea of glass, and now perhaps he stands on that sea!
     God uses blindness to allow people to see God through that transparent ceiling. Saul was blind as well, using all his zealousness to persecute Christians. Bartimaeus was physically blind but Saul had a spiritual blindness. Let's examine Saul's encounter with Jesus:

Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

     Saul had vision but was blind. Bartimaeus was blind but he had "bright eyes". The world had not contaminated his vision. With his other senses, Bartimaeus "saw" Jesus. His spiritual vision could see God through the sea of glass! For Saul to see just like Bartimaeus, God had to blind him for Saul had eyes to see but could not see! On the other, hand both Saul and Bartimaeus heard Jesus plainly! It was the same Voice who spoke the Word back in the cool of the day in the Garden! Jesus gave Bartimaeus and Saul "bright eyes" and with that came "wholeness"; they received "bright natures". That bright nature is obtained as they were born-again, Bartimaeus and Saul, and became new persons. With Saul, his new nature was validated when Jesus renamed him Paul. (Saul means "to question". Paul, on the other hand, means "humbled".) The zealot Saul became the meek Paul, and it was seeing the Light which changed Saul's nature.
     Bartimaeus saw the Light as well! He saw Jesus clearly, as he was not blinded by the lust of the eyes, and after seeing God on His throne through the sea of glass, Bartimaeus received his vision and saw God face to face. He saw Jesus when his vision was restored, and was then made whole!
     Jesus said that "you must be born-again" (John 3:7). Bartimaeus was born-again and made whole. He saw God crystal clearly although he was totally blind. On the other hand, Saul had to be made blind to see crystal clearly... just like Bartimaeus. I believe Paul is now standing on that sea of glass just as Bartimaeus is! They both have their vision and see clearly as they stand before the Light of God!