Why God Said, "Make the Heart of this People Calloused"

In Isaiah 6, after Isaiah offers to go wherever God sends him, God tells him something we could easily misunderstand:

“Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (verse 10)

God isn't promoting unbelief.

 

He's explaining that the people are hardened, having refused God's repeated warnings. They no longer listen to true spokesmen for God. God told this same thing to Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jeremiah 7:27; Ezekiel 3:7) proving that the road to salvation is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

God is past speaking warnings. He's sending Isaiah to speak judgment.

 

But that is not the end of Isaiah's purposes. He will also be sharing God's future redemption. 

Our God is patient. He repeatedly tries to get people's attention. But there comes a time when He realizes some people are not going to change. As Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32, God eventually “gives people over” to their sins. 

This doesn’t mean God won’t take them back. It means that they will not listen without first experiencing His wrath.

The message of this passage is relevant to our current world situation.

 

God’s loving commands sound harsh to those with calloused hearts, but we must be unafraid to warn people, explain God’s truth, and offer hope of redemption to any who respond.

 

💙💙💙 

 

I encourage you to read 3 Times God "Gives Them Over" to Their Sins. It will give you a fuller look at this concept.

 

In many ways, the modern church is suffering from half-truths. If you haven't checked out Lies in Disguise, I strongly recommend you do so. It will help you avoid false teachings and help you warn others.