Several years ago I went through an intense week of technical training on a commercial telephone system. My bewilderment was especially obvious to the instructor one day, who requested that I stay after class. I was hearing and seeing, but not comprehending.
Isaiah the prophet had a whole roomful of students like myself: "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' 10 "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.' " (Isaiah 6.9-10)
While these words may sound like it was Isaiah's mission to "dumb down" his audience so that they could not comprehend what they were hearing, the people had already made that choice. Their callousness to sin had already dimmed their eyesight, and dulled their hearing. As such, Isaiah's inspired words sounded like utter nonsense.
Many years later, Jesus would refer to these very words regarding those who stubbornly refused to comprehend His main message regarding the kingdom of God (Matthew 13.11-15). According to Jesus, based on Isaiah's words, to refuse to understand what Jesus meant when He spoke of the kingdom is to consign oneself to a lifetime of ignorance to the true meaning of all the Bible. Please re-read that last sentence, and carefully consider it, to avoid the curse of Isaiah's words.
The "die was cast", so to speak, with the people of God in Isaiah's day. Their callousness was destined to lead to their loss (Isaiah 6.11-12). But, all would not be lost: "As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump." (Isaiah 6.13) Amidst the seeds of destruction was the seed of hope. Thorough as God's deserved judgment was upon a stubborn and disobedient people, He did not - and never has - left His people without hope. The "holy seed" in the "stump" was the promised Messiah - the hope of all who come in faith.
God's unfolding story ultimately has a happy ending. It is the kingdom of God: the triumph of His government upon a renewed earth. It's citizens will be those blessed with the gift of immortality and resurrection at the return of Christ. The challenge, then, is to avoid the curse of Isaiah's word by being responsive and humble; to be those who are always teachable. Earnestly seek to grasp the meaning and priority of Jesus' kingdom message, while living as overcomers in a fallen and wicked world.
May "the holy seed" by the source of hope and help in a special way this day.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
Isaiah the prophet had a whole roomful of students like myself: "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' 10 "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.' " (Isaiah 6.9-10)
While these words may sound like it was Isaiah's mission to "dumb down" his audience so that they could not comprehend what they were hearing, the people had already made that choice. Their callousness to sin had already dimmed their eyesight, and dulled their hearing. As such, Isaiah's inspired words sounded like utter nonsense.
Many years later, Jesus would refer to these very words regarding those who stubbornly refused to comprehend His main message regarding the kingdom of God (Matthew 13.11-15). According to Jesus, based on Isaiah's words, to refuse to understand what Jesus meant when He spoke of the kingdom is to consign oneself to a lifetime of ignorance to the true meaning of all the Bible. Please re-read that last sentence, and carefully consider it, to avoid the curse of Isaiah's words.
The "die was cast", so to speak, with the people of God in Isaiah's day. Their callousness was destined to lead to their loss (Isaiah 6.11-12). But, all would not be lost: "As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump." (Isaiah 6.13) Amidst the seeds of destruction was the seed of hope. Thorough as God's deserved judgment was upon a stubborn and disobedient people, He did not - and never has - left His people without hope. The "holy seed" in the "stump" was the promised Messiah - the hope of all who come in faith.
God's unfolding story ultimately has a happy ending. It is the kingdom of God: the triumph of His government upon a renewed earth. It's citizens will be those blessed with the gift of immortality and resurrection at the return of Christ. The challenge, then, is to avoid the curse of Isaiah's word by being responsive and humble; to be those who are always teachable. Earnestly seek to grasp the meaning and priority of Jesus' kingdom message, while living as overcomers in a fallen and wicked world.
May "the holy seed" by the source of hope and help in a special way this day.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2012
posted by steve @ 7:11 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home