Tag: Isaiah 6:9-10
Isaiah Sees Messiah’s Healing Grace
Scripture reading for October 1: Isaiah 35:4-6 “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert; . . “
Matthew 11:4-5 “And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have Good News preached to them.”
Isaiah the prophet of God was touched by coals from the altar and given a commission of preaching God’s Word to His people. He was told that they would stop their ears and close their eyes to his message. (Isaiah 6:9-10) If they would only listen, God would save them and heal them. Later in his ministry, today’s prophetic word came forth. The people who were anxious were told to stand up and be strong. “Fear not!” was a key command for their God would come with zeal and vengeance to save them. The signs that would mark His coming would be healing of the blind, restoration of hearing for the deaf, and the lame walking freely and mute tongues singing and shouting for joy. Isaiah likened it to streams breaking out in the desert quenching parched lips and dry bones.
Jesus Christ quoted from Isaiah’s passage when John the Baptist asked from prison if He was the One spoken of. Jesus noted that the blind received sight, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf could hear again, the dead were raised and Good News was preached of God’s coming and mercy to all who would freely come to Him. These were not only physical miracles, but spiritual eyes now could see God’s Salvation and ears could hear the Good News bringing eternal life out of darkness, stubbornness and death. Through the Gospel, these miracles are still happening today. Are you in need of healing?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending the prophetic answer to Isaiah’s prophesy to open my blind eyes and unstop my deaf ears and cleanse my leprous soul. My tongue shall sing for joy forever! Amen!
Hard hearts block Good News
Scripture reading for June 12: Acts 28
“When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning to evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your father through Isaiah the Prophet: “‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull and with their ears they can barely hear, because their eyes they have closed; let they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'” Acts 28:23-27 (Isaiah 6:9-10)
Paul was in Rome, having survived the long and interrupted boat trip. He was a prisoner under Roman guard, but free to visit with fellow believers and Jews. As a Jew, Paul always wanted to offer Jesus to them first. He called together the leaders of the Jews in Rome, explaining how he got there and scheduling a time to meet with them. On that day, Paul expounded to them Jesus, the kingdom of God, and the Gospel message. Some believed but others disbelieved. There was conflict with them concerning Paul and his Good News.
Paul closed the meeting with truth from the Prophet Isaiah and applying that Word to the Jews who refused to believe. They heard but didn’t hear. They saw, but refused to see. They had stopped up their ears and closed their eyes on purpose, not responding in faith but rejecting truth. Because of this, God could not heal them and set them free. Paul was now free to preach to the Gentiles in Rome. God had sent him there and provided each opportunity, although in custody and a prisoner!
Have you ever suffered with a hard heart that refused to listen to God’s Word or see God at work? Why are religious people often the hardest to reach with God’s Good News? Why do you think Paul was so direct in using Scripture to confront the Jews, knowing it would cause anger against him?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for this record of Paul faithfully preaching the Good News to Jews and Gentiles. Give me wisdom and boldness to preach Your Word as led by the Holy Spirit to break through hard hearts and stopped ears. Help me to leave results up to You and pray for those not believing. Amen.