In writing circles, we are taught to identify and speak to our target audience. And when teaching, to aim for heart change, not merely information transfer. Since this is my goal, it’s frustrating when my communication doesn’t land or my message doesn’t stick. So I feel for Isaiah when God calls him to be his prophet with this caveat:

Go and say to this people: “When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so they cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot turn to me and let me heal them.”

Isaiah 6:9–10 (Greek Version, footnote in Bible App)

Before he even begins, Isaiah knows his target audience won’t listen to his messages or pay attention to his warnings. At least God gave Isaiah a heads up so that he might lower his expectations! And so he continues:

For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”

Isaiah 29:10 NLT; 29:13–14

I’m encouraged by the fact that even Jesus and Paul faced audiences who were spiritually blind and deaf. And they turned to Isaiah:

• This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ (Matthew 13:13–15, also Mark 4:12)
• They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: “ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ (Acts 28:25–27)
• as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” (Romans 11:8)
• Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” (Matthew 15:7–9V, also Mark 7:6–7)
• For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (1 Corinthians 1:18–19, also 2 Timothy 3:7)

Are you speaking a message that people don’t heed? Does your audience fail to listen?

First, check yourself. Is your heart hard? Are your eyes and ears open to the Holy Spirit? Is your message in line with his? Do you humbly seek to learn and admit when you discover you are wrong? Do you thoughtfully consider whether or not you are espousing mere human rules? Are you trusting in your own wisdom to “get it right”?

Then consider your method of delivery. Do you listen to understand the concerns and feelings of your audience? Do you speak and write with grace and kindness? Do you present a God worth following? Does your heart (actions and attitudes) match the words from your lips? Are you trying with your own ability to open blind eyes and deaf ears?

If God has called you to speak, do so faithfully despite the response. The Holy Spirit will guide you (Jn 16:13) and enable you to see and hear (Matt 13:16–17). And God will soften hard hearts, unstop plugged ears, and open closed eyes.

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Matthew 13:16–17

PRAYER

Lord God, I don’t presume that my writing and speaking is on par with Isaiah. I simply want to be faithful to share the words your Spirit guides me to speak in my corner of the world. Once again I ask you to confirm my commission. Show me exactly what you have asked me to communicate, and when and where. And I release the results, the response, into your hands. Please open eyes, ears, and hearts.

---

All scripture is from the New International Version (unless noted) and emphasis is added.