Friday, December 31, 2021

Kerry Muhlestein’s on Isaiah 6:9-10

  

9 And he said, Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; let they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their heart, and convert, and he healed.

 

9-10 After volunteering to god God’s will, Isaiah was given a surprising charge. As it is translated in the King James Version, it would seem that he was told to prophesy in a way that the people would not understand. While there is probably some accuracy to this, there are other possible translations that hint at other meanings. Some scholars have suggested that the verb form used in verse 10 could mean something like “declare their hearts fat, declare their ears heavy . . .”

 

The Savior Himself either quotes from a different version or translation, or assigns a different meaning when He quotes and explains the scripture. In Matthew chapter 13, we read of the Savior teaching in parables. When his disciples asked why He did so, He taught that those who were not prepared were not supposed to understand. He said that such people were a fulfillment of Isaiah 6:9-10, and quoted it (at least how it has come down to us) to read “by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; by seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive; for this people’s heart is waxed gross . . . “

 

John said that many did not recognize Christ despite all His miracles because they fit the description Isaiah provides here (see John 12:39-41). All these ideas can be combined to help us understand that God was telling Isaiah to prophesy to His people in such a way that those who were not prepared would read, hear, and see his message, but they would not understand it because of the condition of their hearts. Implicit in this instruction is that those who are prepared will be able to understand. Isaiah certainly wrote in such a way that those who are not ready to receive his spiritual message will not do so. There are passages of warning that no Israelite of his day could have missed. Their condemnation for their sins and need to repent would have been quite clear often. Yet many passages about the coming Messiah would only be understood at the time and place and by the people who were ready for it.

 

A resolution to this issue is described in chapter 32, when, under a righteous king, people will come to truly heart, see, and understand the things of God.

 

All of this is really a call to seekers of truth to be both worthy and willing to put the time and effort into understanding Isaiah’s words. It seems that Isaiah’s words are given in a way that those who are willing to prepare themselves will learn a tremendous account, but those who do not will learn very little. (Kerry Muhlestein, Learning to Love Isaiah: A Guide and Commentary [American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, Inc., 2021], 55-56)