God said, “Go and say to this people: ‘Listen intently, but don’t understand; look carefully, but don’t comprehend. Make the minds of this people dull. Make their ears deaf and their eyes blind…'” — Isaiah 6:9-10a
What a weird passage. Young Isaiah has just accepted the call to be a prophet. And his message? Preach in such a way that people are made worse than better. In short, Isaiah is to make people dumber and more stubborn regarding what God is doing.
Such a calling is not exactly why people sign up to go into the ministry. It is, however, a possible outcome.
How do you think Isaiah fulfilled this mission? It was by simply presenting God’s message. Obey the 10 Commandments instead of ignoring them. Have integrity. Care for the “widow, orphan, and immigrant” (Deuteronomy 10:18). Worship sincerely. Be generous.
No one said proclaiming God’s word would change people’s lives for the better. Sometimes the brighter you shine the light, the more the people retreat into darkness. The story of Isaiah, though, is even if people prefer that darkness, God will use it. When people come to their senses and realize the death that lies in self-centered living, that will be when they are best able to “change their hearts and lives” (Acts 3:19).
It’s God’s job to change lives. The only thing we can do is be faithful to the calling Jesus has given each of us.
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Interesting!!
Hard for me to understand, but your explanation helps.