Why Most People Do Not Understand The Prophets
WHY WERE PEOPLES' EYES SHUT AND THEIR EARS HEAVY?
The prophet Isaiah was sent to people of God when most were moving in the pagan direction. Yet, God wanted to send the people a message regarding their actions. Isaiah did not feel he was worthy of the assignment but God choose him anyway. Most prophets are not eager for such difficult assignments. After Moses matured, even he, did not want to share God's message to Egypt as God's prophet and spokesperson.
Isaiah 6:7-8 NKJV 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged." 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Be suspicious of those who feel they are worthy to be a true prophet of God. A real conundrum of verses follow this commission and it's acceptance. It seems as if God is sending the prophet to the people but with the objective of their not believing or accepting the message. Why?
Isaiah 6:9-10 NKJV 9 And He said, "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."
This does not seem to make any sense. We will cover God's full objectives later in this paper but He is only warning the people as a witness against them and finding the few who will listen. Jesus quoted this same scripture and we find that it applied in Christ day as well as six centuries earlier in Isaiah's world. Why did God have the prophets' words recorded? So they would be available for later generations because the warning still applies. God is the same and human nature is the same so inspired prophetic warnings often apply to certain later generations as well. Isaiah's warning applied as Jesus made clear, to his generation as well.
Matthew 13:10-11 NKJV 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
His disciples also did not fully understand the parables so they asked why use this code. Jesus answered that God did not expect or want most of them to understand. This is exactly what God told the prophet.
Matthew 13:12-13 NKJV 12 "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Jesus is referring to a parable they knew. Those who understood or were wiser in these areas, gained from warnings and messages, but those who were oblivious to information in certain areas, would get even more oblivious to the warnings. Those who knew would gain and gain in knowledge and those who are ignorant would become even more ignorant in those areas. Those with open hearts and minds would accept the prophets' messages.
THE DANGER OF THE HEART THAT IS WAXED GROSS AND CALLOUS
Jesus quotes Isaiah's warning as he explains all this to his future Apostles. He tells them why God is sending a message and warning that most will not understand; as perplexing as that is for us reading of it today. Christ spoke in parables so that only those enlightened would fully get the message. Jesus further explains why.
Matthew 13:14-15 NKJV 14 "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.'
Note that Christ says the people have closed their eyes. God did not close their eyes they did. They do not want to see the real full truth. Isn't this so common with human nature? People believe only what they wish to believe. Human objectivity is often very limited. Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah and we realize that the same attitudes existed in both situations. These same spiritual attitudes will exist in our end of age generation as well. Returning to Isaiah we see the pattern clearly.
Isaiah 6:11-12 NKJV 11 Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered: "Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitants, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, 12 The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
Reveals that the Israelites would not really listen to God until their world was totally shaken up. Judah would not forsake paganism and ignoring the Sabbath until after captivity. When people are comfortable and spoiled, God's warning from prophets fall upon deaf ears.
Matthew 23:36-38 NKJV 36 "Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 "See! Your house is left to you desolate;
Jesus bemoans the many problems He as the God of the Old Testament, has had with Israel's people. The people so often rejected the prophets and their message. We all must keep our hearts and minds open to God's messages even the unwanted, unpopular ones.
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW PEOPLE TO HEAR HIS WARNINGS BUT NOT UNDERSTAND?
First of all God is giving these warning messages as a witness against his people. When they do not repent and alter course, and horrible events happen they can at some point, realize it was not accidental. Bad consequences did not come by sheer misfortune. Violating God's laws bring bad consequences. Further pulling away from the true God has God pulling away from us. A nation then losses his protection. Ezekiel explains about this protection from God based on listening to his warnings.
Ezekiel 33:4-7 NKJV 4 Then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 'He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life... 7 So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.
The prophet or watchman had to warn the people. All of us help blow the warning trumpet as we sponsor Watch Magazine that describes our societies' problems from a Biblical point of view. Those who take the warning will be saved. Often the people would listen to wondrous words of the prophet but not really obey.
Ezekiel 33:31-33 NKJV 31 "So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouths they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. 32 "Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. 33 "And when this comes to pass-surely it will come-then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
The message is first of all, a witness against the people. Secondly, God spoke to people because a few would respond and be converted. A few would have open minds. It seems evident to us that God allows carnal humans to misunderstand his prophets and his word so that he can have mercy on them later in the great white throne judgment period. God knows that in this age of Satan they would not really want deep down to obey so they will be called later.
CONCLUSION
People who think of themselves as religious are often the ones who persecute and reject the prophets. They think they know God but deep down have a spirit that rejects much of what God demands. The Apostle Paul also quotes Isaiah saying the people of God have rejected the message.
Romans 10:20-21 NKJV 20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: "I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me." 21 But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people."
Paul explains in the next chapter that later God will call all Israel and it will be wonderful. Presently God calls those who do not necessarily see themselves as God's people and opens their minds to hear and understand deep Biblical messages. Be thankful for our calling.
Nehemiah 9:30-31 NKJV 30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.
God is gracious and merciful to all.
