"Significantly, he was not called to service until he was cleansed." BKC
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed."
-Isaiah 6:8-10
"Isaiah responds by eagerly offering to be God's messenger. But God forewarns him. His is a gloomy assignment from the start. The people will not respond positively. Isaiah asks how long the situation will last. God says that Judah will be deaf to God's message until their land is desolate and empty. The sobering message of Isaiah 6:9-10 is repeated [six] times in the New Testament:" -Memphis Church, Isaiah Study
Matthew 13:14-15, Mark 4:10-12, Luke 8:8-10 Immediately after he tells the Parable of the Sower, the disciples ask Jesus why he preaches in parables. He replies that he is making known to them the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, "but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. (Isaiah 13:11-12) Jesus goes on to say that the Jew's response is a fulfillment of Isaiah 6:9-10, citing the passage in full. In contrast to those dull of hearing, Christ says, "But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." (v. 16-17).
BKC Commentary:
"Significantly Jesus did not speak of any “mysteries” concerning the kingdom of heaven until the nation had made its decision concerning Him. That decision was made by the leaders when they attributed His divine power to Satan (Mat_9:34; Mat_12:22-37)."
There is a sense that the mysterious nature of God's work is being revealed to a handful of people in that generation and that the revelation is a great privilege. There is also a sense that it is being kept from others. The Bible Knowledge commentary points out that this was only after the leaders rejected him. It's puzzling to me, but then, I suppose that's part of why it's a mystery.
John 12:38-42--The context of this passage is Jesus addressing the crowd after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jon Courson notes that He came on the 10th day of Nisan. A group of Greeks attended the festival as wisdom seekers (in the tradition of the Magi). They were symbolic of the Gentiles coming to Christ. Phillip inquired about them to Jesus (John 12:21-22), and Christ saw this as a fulfillment of the timing--it was time for "the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (v. 23) The crowd did not understand his words about "light"---
"So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him" John 12:35-37
"Self-righteousness and self-sufficiency are evidences of positive darkness dwelling within." -The Evangelist
"Christ does not explain the difficulty by logical disquisition, but by exhorting them to practice holiness (verse 35). It is the pure heart, not the logical understanding, that solves the problems of Christianity."BI
"Since they didn't want to believe, they weren't able to believe because God hardened their hearts. Why? To ratify their choice. You see, had not God blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Jesus' teachings would have been so powerful, so persuasive, and so overwhelming that they would have believed against their will. The same is true today. To those who don't want to believe, to those who continually stand in the posture of unbelief, there will come a time when they cannot believe (Mat_12:31)." -Jon Courson
Christ does not explain the difficulty by logical disquisition, but by exhorting them to practice holiness (verse 35). It is the pure heart, not the logical understanding, that solves the problems of Christianity. Christ
Acts 28:24-28--Paul before the local Jewish leaders in Rome, explains his cause and then when they disagree amongst themselves, his parting words to them come from this passage in Isaiah.
Romans 11:7-8--Paul is talking about grace vs. works and cites Israel's rejection and hardening:
"What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened."
"Isaiah had pronounced woes (threats of judgment) on the nation (Isa_5:8-23), but now by saying Woe to me! (cf. Isa_24:16) he realized he was subject to judgment. This was because he was unclean. When seen next to the purity of God’s holiness, the impurity of human sin is all the more evident." BKC
1b. For how long? "Until the cities be wasted, without inhabitants," in other words, until Judah has been taken into captivity" (v 11). "Until the men be moved far away and there has been a great forsaking." (v 12) He says that even if a piece survived (a tenth) the devastation would start again (v 13).
1c. Why? There is a holy seed in the stump (13).
2. This type of commission would be difficult and humbling. Who would welcome it? To be a part of God's hand, His instrument, would be a great honor, and I hope that I would do what was requested and be as eager as Isaiah to be sent. I suspect I might be more like Moses, reluctant.
3. It's important that He save a remnant because Christ comes through the remnant and thus all salvation.
Esther 3:12-4:14--Modecai exhorted Esther---that she might be a crucial part of the plan for the remnant being spared. King Ahasuerus via Haman.
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