An Instructive Moment About Hearing

 

A young man named Isaiah stands outside the Temple mount waiting to enter and worship the Lord God Almighty, The Holy One of Israel. This young man is given to visions and dreams that speak truth and share insight about God's Kingdom. He isn't the greatest of prophets throughout his country. The vision he is about to have might be one of the most prolific and life changing, not just for him but for all who will read about it later. The book ascribed to him isn't even the longest in the recorded biblical canon. Jeremiah's book is still longer word for word. Something about Joel's words, spoken more than 100 years earlier, while having to do with future events in Israel's history seem to point to what this young man is going to be given to through his life. "Your old men will dream dreams, your young men will have visions". What Isaiah is about to walk into this day at the Temple will be referenced and talked about for centuries to come. 

A young man has risen to a noticeable place in Israel's eye site and has caused quite the stir in recent events. His name is Jesus. It is said the he is God's Son. Many believe him to be the Messiah, the One who will save Israel and reverse her fortunes of being oppressed under Roman rule. A doctor, a Gentile, an outsider, has chosen to start recording what he learns about this Jesus. Luke will take much of what he hears second hand from people who were actually there and begin to put together a timeline of what has transpired. Today is one of those busier days. People are coming from all over. "Town after town" is what Luke writes here. Seeing the mass amount of people brings Jesus to a place of parable. Able to interpret the right moment where words such as these fit in, he sees the concentration of humanity and finds the right analysis for the human heart. Preaching to the crowds is not easy work. Many want success. When he told his first followers that they would be "fishers of men" did they actually know how hard the work ahead would be? The job alone is difficult just finding the fish, much less hauling in a huge net full as they had done that day on the shore. It is equally problematic to simply find good soil to plant the message of the Kingdom in the human heart. Jesus is hoping that his followers won't just be caught up in the desire of wanting to be well known speakers and heralds of the Message. He hopes through using the proper illustration that they will see just what they are in for as their own ministries unfold. 

It is maybe the most debated topic that Jesus will ever deliver. Many have given their own spin on what the Messiah shares this day. There are pages and pages of commentary on this very moment and what it is that Jesus is actually trying to say. Even the people who were there that day aren't quite sure what they heard. Although Jesus has explained exactly what he was teaching, you can't help but see question marks about the heads of those listening as they wonder what it is they just took in. 

Isaiah's whole book seems like one long vision. His opening statement lends itself to the idea that he is already seeing what the Lord is wanting to share. A major part of the vision seems to be that the people are not hearing what it is the Lord is trying to communicate to them. 

 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!
    For the Lord has spoken:
“I reared children and brought them up,
    but they have rebelled against me.
 The ox knows its master,
    the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
    my people do not understand.”

Apparently, hearing and understanding is not a problem exclusive to the centuries of the prophets. You might think having the actual Messiah in front of them would fix all that. The one prophesied to come and save Israel is here, in the flesh. Being close to the Savior must have been a supremely comforting and yet an equally exciting and exhilarating experience. However, that doesn't mean that the ones following will truly comprehend what God is saying to them. If it was frustrating for the original prophets then here comes an equally difficult struggle for the prophet Jesus. Even for those who walk closest with Jesus won't understand fully what he has to say. The people are crowding around. Word of this foretold One is beginning to spread and everybody wants to see Him, be touched by Him, have just a moment of His time. The disparaging item here is that Jesus is truly able to interpret the reasons people are coming to Him. He can see the selfish excuses. He feel their struggles and their pains. The Messiah has come to save but not from the matters many are coming to Him for and the pain from that hurts Him to the heart. 

This band of disciples will have to carry on in His place at some point. This is why He called them together. He wants them to follow his example, to go out there where the people are and share the message of the Kingdom. These disciples are far from prepared at this point. These twelve have question themselves and barely understand what Jesus is saying most of the time. Jesus knows this about the crowds and he can read it in those near him. From that standing comes this parable.

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

Isaiah pushes his way into the temple doors this day. King Uzziah has died. Another casualty of Israel's pride and arrogance. A testimony to those whose were unwilling to listen and understand. The first 5 chapters of Isaiah's book seems to be dedicated to that theme. The prophets before him seem to have dealt with much of the same treatment from the world because of the words that they have been sharing. It would be easy to feel discouragement in times like these. Maybe that is why the Lord makes Himself known on this day as Isaiah enters. Are there other people present? That isn't made clear to us. All we are told is what Isaiah sees from his vantage. 'the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Angels, more specifically "seraphim" circle his throne. Translated as "fiery ones" that have six wings. With two wings they covers their faces, an act of humility. With two wings they cover their feet, a sign of respect or modesty. With two, they fly. 

And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Jesus, the Son of God, has come to earth to speak and share with humankind. On a day like this, as recorded by Luke, you would think that there would be glad tidings and great joy. The people, however, are not living with such great measures. In fact, the disciple John will go on to say in his account that "he came to those who were his own, but his own received him not..." The people are many this day, according to Luke, but what they carry in their hearts is not a desire to listen. Jesus seems to know this. His disciples are even hard to hearing and understanding exactly what it is Jesus meant by his parable. Since they are hard of hearing, the Messiah explains it to them. 

He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
    though hearing, they may not understand.’
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Isaiah has just seen what no other human being has been able to see and endure. He has been in the very presence of the Lord God Almighty. Unable to stand, he find himself on his knees and begging for forgiveness. A seraphim flies down, takes a hot stone off the altar and touches it to the young prophet's lips. This act cleanses him, making it possible for him to be in the presence of the Almighty. Instantly, he hears words coming for the King of the Universe, beckoning for a servant. "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" Without even a hesitation, this lone servant in the Lord's presence responds. "Here I am, send me." After all that, you might think it will be a courageous, historic moment. God is going to send Isaiah to shake the very foundation of the Temple. Maybe this servant of God will be the one who will break the ways of the Hebrews and see them fall to their knees in an unheard of way. 

Quite the opposite.

He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;

    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

 

Make the heart of this people calloused;

    make their ears dull

    and close their eyes.[a]

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

    hear with their ears,

    understand with their hearts,

and turn and be healed.”

How angry must God be with this people to utter words such as this? Make sure their hearts are calloused over, so as not to feel the shock and awe of the utterances from the Lord. Their sins have brought this on. They have shut out the voice of direction. They have chased after the ways of other nations and gods. It will cause not just the Assyrians, but the Babylonians also to come to their door. First the people of the north in Israel will be dragged away into slavery. Next the people in Judah, to the south and all around Jerusalem, will be taken away. It has been said that history has a way of repeating itself. Will it really take the fist of the Roman army to come and knock down the Temple to gather the people's attention? Isaiah might have thought after being touched by a hot coal, after seeing and hearing the Lord God Himself inside the Temple, maybe....just maybe. No, this generation will not hear. Nor will they understand. But, still Isaiah is encouraged to go and preach. "How long, O Lord?"

“Until the cities lie ruined
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted
    and the fields ruined and ravaged,
 until the Lord has sent everyone far away
    and the land is utterly forsaken.
 And though a tenth remains in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps when they are cut down,
    so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”

A rag-tag band of disciples have chosen to follow this man called "Rabbi" and "Messiah". It's not just Jesus who has chosen them. They have chosen Him as well. They didn't have to drop their nets and follow, but they did. They didn't have to leave their tax collecting booths, but they did. They didn't have to leave the Israeli infantry, but they did. They chose. They listened. They followed. Not all of the people will do that. But, these twelve did. Now they want to understand what the crowds did not from Jesus' short parable. As always, their Master is ready to share. His explanation seems somewhat online with what God told Isaiah. 

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

The Holy Seed. That's all there would be left in the land, according to what was shared with Isaiah. Here He has come. This Holiest of Seeds. He came in living flesh, to walk among the people. To talk with them and share in their hurts and sorrows, and still they did not believe. He came as the son of a lowly carpenter, not a king or magistrate's son so that their would be heralds and outcry about his presence, forcing the people to recognize Him. He just walked in as....Himself. A human being. Hoping that if he presented Himself in a humble and quiet manner it might mean more than being made to respect His presence. That way didn't work in the older times. Only a remnant came back to rebuild, the offspring which has brought the current generation that walk before Him now. 

Here's the catch about the soil. Did you see what Jesus presented? Only one of the seed spreading and planting ideas had a scenario where the Word took hold and grew, freely and abundantly. Some had rocks and hard ground. Can rocks be moved? Can hard ground be made workable and usable? Sure they can. Some ground has weeds and thorns that choke the life out of seeds that try to grow. Can weeds be cut down? They make such products at your local hardware store just for that purpose. Yes, birds can sweep in and eat up the seed. Can birds be shooed away? Can you put up the scarecrow? What can you do to make the ground workable and usable?

Because the people won't listen, Jesus will give it all. He will go to a cross. He will give His life. That's all he could ask of us. We need to believe in what He has done for us. Are you listening? Are hearing what God is saying to you today? You need Him. You need the forgiveness that He offers. You need His Spirit. You need the Life that only He can bring to your tired and weary soul. Jesus was lifted to that scarecrow position. His arms open wide, he gives his life so all. A lamb would be sacrificed at the Temple that day. Another Lamb, on a hill far away, would give His life so that all of mankind could fins mercy and new life. Do you hear the message being presented to you this day? Whatever it takes to get your heart in the place where it will listen, do that. Ask for a broken heart. Seek to be the person God wants you to be. Knock until the door is open and you can enter. Come in and be with Him. He knocks at the door of your heart. Will you answer and let Him come to you with forgiveness and mercy and blessings? Bring yourself to Him today. Listen and hear what God is saying to you. 

Blessings

J