We must be clear that in every age there is the vision of that age. We have to serve God according to the vision of the age. Consider the age of Noah. When we read the record of the Bible, it appears as if Noah’s family, including himself, his wife, his three children, and their wives were the only ones who were serving God. Can we believe that at that time there were actually only eight people serving God, and the rest were worshipping idols and not serving God? Perhaps we have never thought about this matter. Whether or not others were serving God, one thing is certain: They were not part of those who built the ark. For this very reason their service was not recognized by God.
Some people might ask whether at the time Noah was busily building the ark there was not a single person on earth who feared God. We can deduce from historical data that at the time of Noah it is quite possible that his one family with eight people were not the only ones serving and worshipping God. The ancient Chinese were serving and worshipping also at that time. Their way of worship was in many ways similar to that of men in the Old Testament. Confucius was five hundred years prior to Christ. He once said, “To sin against heaven is unforgivable.” In the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, the prodigal said to his father when he returned home, “I have sinned against heaven” (v. 21). In ancient times, both the East and the West considered “heaven” a symbol for God. The reason for this is that whenever men lifted their heads heavenward, they thought about God. We can assume that in the ancient times many people sought after God and had some knowledge of God. They served God according to the knowledge they had of God. Yet we must realize that though so many people were serving, only Noah and his family of eight served with a vision, and only their service was acceptable to God.
When Jesus of Nazareth came, He also served God, and a group of Galilean fishermen followed Him as His disciples. In the eyes of man, these Galileans were just like little naughty children. Outwardly, Jesus was a Galilean; He did not move away from Nazareth the first thirty years of His life, and He received no formal education in serving God. Yet at the age of thirty He started a ministry, and a group of “ignorant” people followed Him. Even some women ministered to His needs. They followed the Lord Jesus for three and a half years. What do you think the Pharisees, chief priests, scribes, and elders thought of them at that time? Among these men were fishermen, tax-collectors, and relatives of the Lord Jesus. There was even a woman who was once possessed with seven demons. Did they not seem to be children at play when they claimed that they were serving God?
At that time among the Jews, there was still a magnificent temple. It was built over a period of forty years. The Levites were divided into twenty-four orders and were offering sacrifices and ministering according to their orders. They were either taking care of the utensils, slaying the animals, or offering the sacrifices such as the daily burnt offerings and sin offerings and the weekly Sabbath offerings on the bronze altar. In the eyes of man, such services were certainly proper and dignified, but were they carried out under a vision? We are all very clear that the services of the priests in the temple were not carried out under a vision; they were carried out by tradition. It was the Lord Jesus and those who were following Him who were serving under a vision and whose service was pleasing to God.
The followers of the Lord Jesus were a blessed people. Among them was Peter, who was also a leader and one who took the lead to say foolish things. There was Mary the Magdalene who was once possessed with seven demons. There was also the other Mary, who loved the Lord fervently and who broke the flask of alabaster worth thirty pieces of silver to anoint the Lord Jesus. Outwardly they were all blindly following the Lord because the Lord Jesus was the only One who had the vision. Peter, James, John, Mary, and all the others did not receive that vision. Yet they were clear that the Lord’s way was right and were determined to follow Him. When the Lord turned to the east, they followed to the east. When the Lord turned to the west, they followed to the west. When the Lord went to the sea, they followed Him to the sea. When the Lord went to the mountain, they followed Him to the mountain. When the Lord was in Galilee, they followed Him in Galilee. When the Lord went to Jerusalem, they followed Him to Jerusalem. They were resolved in their heart that as long as they followed the Lord, nothing would go wrong.
In John 11 Lazarus was dying. When the Lord learned about this, He did not do anything. After two days the Lord told the disciples that He would go to see Lazarus. The disciples said to Him, “The Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and You are going there again?” (v. 8). The Lord answered, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going that I may wake him out of sleep” (v. 11). Verses 1 through 16 show that the disciples were truly following in a blind way. They were not at all clear what they were doing, yet they followed and went anyway. Perhaps in the eyes of men this is blind following, yet this kind of following pleases God, and this kind of following is done with a vision. They did not receive any vision individually, but the One whom they were following had the vision, and that was enough. As long as they were acting according to the One who had the vision, they were right in the eyes of God.