Isaiah 6 part 3

I would like to get back to Isaiah 6 where Isaiah was given the assignment to go and preach to a people who would not hear, see, or understand. Can you imagine an assignment that you know will end in failure? Why does God give such an assignment? One of the reasons is that it provides a reminder for others. We today are able to learn from the hard heartedness of those of the past.

Centuries later Jesus uses Isaiah's words in chapter six to describe the hard heartedness of the people. In both Matthew and Mark Jesus quotes from Isaiah six and uses it to describe the condition of those who were following him. As a result of their hard heartedness he spoke to them in parables. Upon hearing this approach the Apostles were curious why and questioned Jesus. He said to them that he had to speak with such "baby" language because to them were not given the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 13:11)
I would like to explain a couple of things. Speaking in parables is what I call baby language. There has been a long misunderstood concept that parables were to hide and conceal truth. Parables were in fact an easier way to convey truth—an earthly illustration of a heavenly truth. Parables were to help enlighten those with little or no understanding.
The problem with those who required parables instead of the straight truth, was that their hearts were already so hardened because they had previously rejected truth when it came to them. As a result the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: with eyes they see not, and with ears they hear not, and with their heart they cannot understand, lest they should believe and be forgiven.
That last part of the sentence is what puzzled me for thirty years. I thought, "Why would Jesus not want these people to believe and be forgiven?" He is not saying that he doesn't want them to be forgiven, but that they won't turn to be forgiven because their eyes, ears, and hearts are hardened. That is why he had to speak to them in parables, in baby language. And still they would not believe, because their hearts had become so hardened, they couldn’t receive truth. I see so many people today, even Christians who can't see, hear, and understand simple truths. Why? Because they have previously rejected the truths that they were given. It usually starts with something simple like unforgiveness. With unforgiveness comes bitterness, and with bitterness comes a hardened heart.
To illustrate the hardened heartedness of the people to the disciples Jesus performed two unusual miracles which occurs immediately after he teaches in parables. The first is the healing of the deaf man. Jesus sticks his fingers in the man's ears and after the miracle he commands the deaf and dumb man now healed, not to tell anyone. The fact that Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears is unusual. The reason behind this unusual activity is to illustrate Isaiah's prophecy that these people's ears are dull of hearing. Next is a blind man. This is the one I like the best. Jesus for the first time in his ministry doesn't heal the man immediately. After spitting in his eyes with a salve like remedy, the man is unable to see clearly. He says that he sees men like trees walking. Some commentators actually say that Jesus is tired and losing power. This of course is absurd. Jesus being God is not losing power. He is trying to once again illustrate Isaiah's prophecy that these people have ears that hear not, and eyes that see not. Jesus's method of teaching and then illustrating what he was teaching is ingenious.
It is a dangerous thing to hear the Word of God and not respond to its teaching. The result of not responding is a hardened heart, ears that hear not, and eyes that see not. Those who heed the teaching of the Word when they hear it, will reap the benefits of all its promises.