What does it mean that without vision the people perish?

"Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint; but happy is he that keepeth the law."

Vision here is that perception that sees beyond the realm of mere natural observation, a spiritual insight that is the only real preservative of honor and order. "He that is spiritual discerneth all things" (1 Cor. 2), even things that are merely temporal. If this character is lacking then the people will "cast off restraint." How forcible a comment on this is our present-day revulsion against the blessed truth of God! Apostasy has brought with it a reckless abandon that scorns every warning of the judgment of God. Yet nevertheless, in the face of it, there is yet blessing for the individual whose heart bows to the truth of God. In Israel, he who still kept the law, was actually happier than those who cast off restraint.

"And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision." A spiritual famine prevailed; not a famine of bread, as in the days of the Ephrathite Elimelech, but of the word of God. "Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live; "so spake Jehovah to His people in the days of His servant Moses, and again to us in a latter day through His Son, the "Teacher come from God." And in the days that came between He spake in a similar strain by His holy prophet: "Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it" (Amos 8:11-12).

"No open vision" means there was no public revelation of God's will concerning His people; no open manifestation of His mind, either by dreams or prophet, or by Urim and Thummim. To quote the sober words of Matthew Henry: "There were none that were publicly known to have visions. Perhaps the impiety and impurity that prevailed in the Tabernacle, and no doubt corrupted the whole nation, so provoked God that as a token of His displeasure He withdrew the Spirit of prophecy, till the decree had gone forth for the raising up of a more faithful priest; and then, as an earnest of that, this faithful prophet was raised up." Yes, the raising up of the faithful prophet was the pledge of the "faithful priest," even of Him who was to combine in Himself the office of Prophet, Priest and King — the "Anointed One," the "Faithful and the True."

These Scriptures refer to the service of the apostle Paul. You will have noticed that in each Scripture his hand is mentioned. We have spoken often together of hands being filled, and whilst the primary thought of the filling of the hands is service Godward, yet it would be true to say that the precious ingredients which fill our hands in service to God are also the ingredients which should fill our hands in service to men. We serve God in the sanctuary as we present to Him the appreciation which we have of Christ, and as serving in relation to the saints, we would surely desire to present to their hearts the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read in Proverbs 29:18, "where there is no vision, the people perish," and it would seem that no service can be fruitful in preserving the affections of the saints, unless the one who serves has had a vision. Paul is introduced, as Saul of Tarsus, as a man who had a vision, a vision of Christ in glory. He had a vision which, for the moment, blinded him to everything on earth, but which opened his heart, as well as his eyes, to the glory of that blessed Person at God's right hand. The glory of God stands related in a very unique way to the calling and to the commissioning of the apostle Paul. On two occasions we have the expression in Scripture "the God of glory." It is mentioned in Acts 7 in relation to the call of Abraham, and also in the 29th Psalm, If Psalm 29 is read carefully many details will be seen which have a moral bearing upon the call of the apostle Paul.

We read in Proverbs 29:18, "Where there is no vision, the people perish", and here where the people are in weakness we have visions of God brought into evidence. No help could be expected from the conditions obtaining amongst the people; the prophet was entirely dependent upon "visions of God".

Meanwhile the prophet has to mourn over this lack of knowledge: "There is no truth.… nor knowledge of God in the land" (Hosea 4:1). This was the cause of all the trouble. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." They had "rejected knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).

It is essential to observe that verses 11 and 12 of this scripture are an illustration. As a consequence of the moral condition of the nation those who should have been the guides of the people had lost, under the judicial hand of Jehovah, all spiritual discernment and knowledge. The spirit of deep sleep had closed their eyes; the prophets, rulers, and seers were all alike blinded. The effect was that if they had a vision none could interpret it. The vision was like a sealed book which the learned man could not read because it was sealed, and which the unlearned did not attempt to open because he could not read. The learned and the unlearned are not any particular persons: they simply represent the general inability to understand the word of the Lord which might be contained in a prophetic vision. The next verse (13th) explains the cause of this judicial blindness. Two things are charged upon the people — charges which should be pondered by God's professing people in every age; first, that their worship consisted in outward rites, that while they drew near to the Lord with their mouth, and honoured Him with their lips, their hearts were far from Him; and, secondly, that their worship (see Matthew 15:9) was regulated by human precepts instead of the divine word. The next verse gives the consequent action of Jehovah: "Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid:" (See Matthew 11:25.) It is a solemn warning for all, as we are thus reminded, that the understanding of the word of God, together with spiritual wisdom and knowledge, can only be retained by those whose hearts are kept in the presence of God (the "true heart" of Hebrews 10:22), and who are, at the same time, walking in subjection to, and are governed by, the revealed mind of God. To teach for commandments the doctrines of men, and thus to make the word of God of none effect by their traditions, was, as the Lord Himself, citing from this chapter, warned the Pharisees, the sum of their iniquity, and the cause of their corrupt moral condition.

The reference to Moses in Deut. 34:7, has been used to illustrate the inflexible nature of the Law retaining its unimpaired strength to the end. We venture to speak of the verse in another way, as the title suggests. By way of contrast we recall the closing days of Eli. "There was no open vision" and the word from the Proverbs was abundantly proved in the history of Israel! As to Eli himself we read, "his eyes were dim" and the sad end of his life is one of departed glory. Returning to Moses we suggest there is a link between Deut. 34:7, and Hebrews 11:27. In both verses we have what is equivalent to vision and vitality! In the pathway of faith these two features are complementary. It was the "seeing him who is invisible" which made Moses endure. He had seen the glory of Egypt, had tasted of its pleasures, but when faith's vision laid hold of Him who is outside all of sight and sense, Moses refused, chose, esteemed and endured! Before applying the lesson to ourselves, we think of the beloved Apostle. Writing to the Corinthians he could say, "Last of all he was seen of me" (1 Cor. 15:8). How that vision changed everything for him! How telling were his words to King Agrippa, "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19). As a last reference we turn to Phil. 3, where we learn how the effect of that vision was to relegate all he could boast in as a man to the refuse heap! We turn to ourselves. The lesson may not be easy in execution. It is simple in teaching. The way of strength is found as faith's vision is turned to Christ. Where He has gone is where our souls must and can only find rest. As to things here (ourselves included), all is of a transitory nature. We feel the pressure of change. But we have links with what is eternal: — the scene which He fills, "While we look" on these things, the things here assume their true position and calibre in our minds. It is "while we look." The Lord grant we may be marked by vision and vitality!

“Neither had the word of Jehovah yet been revealed to him.” Often in times of ruin the revelation of the mind of God is hindered by the enemy. Just so it is said in verse 1: “The word of Jehovah was rare in those days; a vision was not frequent.” But although hindered, the word had not been stopped, for grace provides for the needs of each era, and most consolingly, it is often in the darkest days of decline that God gives the most new light in order to guide and encourage His own. In a time when the vision was not widespread, God raises up the first prophet, properly speaking, in Israel. Through the priesthood's unfaithfulness the ordinary means established by God for approaching Himself were at the point of being lost, but the grace of God could not leave His people without help and without a means of communicating with Himself. He gives Samuel, that is to say prophecy, through which in sovereign grace He approaches man and communicates His mind. Samuel is the first of this long line of prophets who transmit God's word to a people whose unfaithfulness, without this provision, would have left them without resource (Acts 3:24; 2 Chr. 35:18; Jer. 15:1).

The loss of kingship involves the rise of democracy leading to the reign of self-will, the flinging aside of all restraint and the indulgence of every kind of license. To such a condition were the people of God reduced in the days of the judges. Alas! in very many respects this low condition finds its counterpart in the world of our day and amongst the professing people of God. The same principles are at work producing the same results. The self-will of man, impatient of all restraint, is increasingly casting off authority. Kingship is fading before the will of the people — every man seeking to do that which is right in his own eyes. Democracy is sapping authority in every department of life. The people are seeking to rule in place of the King and his representatives: men are seeking to rule in place of masters, and children in place of parents. The result being that the whole world system is being demoralised and fast falling into ruin and chaos.

Because of the lack of this, Judah was brought very low. They were made "as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people, so that their enemies rejoiced over them. Fear and a snare had come upon them. Desolation and destruction were their portion" (v.45-47).