Tag: longed

32.x. ““Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not”

 

Matthew 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’” But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

 Deuteronomy 29:3-4    the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders.  But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.

 Isaiah 44:18    They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

 Jeremiah 5:21   “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.

 Ezekiel 12:2    “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.

 2 Corinthians 4:3-4   And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 Zechariah 7:11   But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.

 Hebrews 5:11    About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11  and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,

The way Jesus used parables prompted the disciples to ask this. Apparently, Jesus’ use of parables wasn’t as easy as simple illustrations of spiritual truth. Jesus explained that He used parables so that the hearts of those rejecting would not be hardened further. In this sense, the parables of Jesus were not illustrations making difficult things clear to all. They presented God’s message so the spiritually sensitive could understand, but the hardened would merely hear a story without heaping up additional condemnation for rejecting God’s Word. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay, and so the very same gospel message that humbles the honest heart and leads to repentance may also harden the heart of the dishonest listener and confirm that one in their path of disobedience. (Guzik)

“The parable conceals the truth from those who are either too lazy to think or too blinded by prejudice to see. It puts the responsibility fairly and squarely on the individual. It reveals truth to him who desires truth; it conceals truth from him who does not wish to see the truth.” (Barclay)

 The idea is that for those who are open and sensitive to spiritual truth more will be given. Yet to those who are not open – who do not have, these ones will end up in an even worse condition. We are always gaining or losing the love, purpose, and application of God’s Word in our lives.  Weakness, like strength, is ever increasing in our lives. Neglect and complacency to God’s Word in our lives – stagnation- will result in weakness of God’s Word and the power, strength, courage, hope, and purpose it should give us to face every day. We become weaker and weaker to things of God.  The quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit into our lives to light our path for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ is snuffed out. Spending little to no time in His Word and giving no thought to it weakens our resolve and purpose. It will result in eyes that no longer see or ears that hear. In this deafness and blindness to things of God, we will be influenced by things of this world that have no honor and glory for or to Jesus Christ. 

Obviously, there are Scriptures in God’s Word that are hard to understand. Not everything is understood immediately when we are born again. That is in agreement with God’s Word in Isaiah – For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. The problem is when we stop reading and searching God’s Word – when we stop hungering and thirsting for it. Intentionally choose to commit to spending time in His Word – think about it – seek to understand and apply it – talk about it – allow it a place in your mind and daily lives – feed on it – drink it in – allow the things of this world to become dimmer and dimmer and the things of God to become brighter and brighter. You will be blessed as your life’s purpose ever increases its honor and glory to Jesus Christ.

22.d. “Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn”

 

 

1 Corinthians 2:14  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

 Matthew 13:11-17    And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.  This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”  For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’  But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.  For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

 Romans 8:5-8    For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

The natural man – one who lives in a natural state, and under the influences of these natural passions, lives in opposition to things of God and things taught by and through the Holy Spirit.  Instead of living with knowledge and understanding, they live void of God.  They have blocked their own eyes from seeing and their ears from hearing things of God.  Their heart has become like a stone to things of God.  They choose to live in this state of blindness and deafness.  Everything they do is void of doing it for the honor and glory of God.  Even the good that they do is done out of selfish desires. All of us were born in the natural state, with natural desires, and lives that were in opposition to and void of understanding things of God.  There is not a single person who can claim a birth other than this.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God”

The amazing and awesome Good News of Jesus Christ is that, in the grace, mercy, and love of God, He made a way, a mystery, for us to have a “New Birth”, “Born Again”, “A New Creation”.  This mystery can not be understood or found by the wisdom and understanding of the natural man.  The heart and mind of the natural man are void of this understanding.  Somehow, God, is able to soften the heart and mind of the natural man with the “Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have no comprehension of how this works, but I know the most stone-hardened heart can be changed by hearing the Good News.  I was lost but now am found, I was blind but now I see, I was deaf but now I hear.  Somehow the Gospel penetrates through the hardness and the heart and mind are able to understand the Gospel.  At that moment, in that very second, that person makes an intentional choice to believe it or reject it.  In that very moment a once hardened heart, that intentionally chooses to believe, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ, is changed and is “Born Again”, becomes a “New Creation”, and is a “New Birth”.   

Everyone will make an intentional decision to believe and trust God or to reject deny or reject Him before they die.  In this decision, they choose eternity in heaven or eternity in hell.  There ought to be a difference in how the lives are lived of those that are “Born Again” compared to those who are spiritually void.  

21.n. “The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.”

 

 

Romans 16:25  Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.  

 Amos 3:7   “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

 Matthew 13:17    For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

 1 Peter 1:20    He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

 Luke 10:23-24   Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!  For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

 Ephesians 3:9    and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

 Colossians 1:26  the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

Once the mystery has been revealed, people will look at it in a host of different ways.  Some will see it clearly and welcome the revelation with open arms.  They see their sin, redemption through Christ, and firmly take hold of it by faith.  Some take hold of it by faith because of what was written in the past about a coming messiah, the coming of Jesus Christ fulfilling these past prophecies, and assurance of eternity.  The mystery was revealed and they believed.  They believed in the grace, mercy, and love of God through Jesus Christ our redeemer. 

There are those who have seen the mystery revealed and reject it.  They mock, deny, and reject it as not a mystery but a fairy tale told by weak-minded people and believed by the simple-minded followers.  They not only deny the revealed mystery but they deny God.  Paul makes it very clear that God has revealed himself to everyone and that no man is without excuse.  (Romans 1:18 “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools”)

Think about how gentiles were grafted into the redemption plan of God.  This is truly a mystery.  Prior to the rejection of Jesus Christ by the Jews, gentiles were, as it were, separated and without hope.  They knew nothing about the prophetic writings from old but surely some of them heard of the God of the Jews.  I wonder if this is the reason they came up with their own gods.  The fact that God, in His wisdom, grace, mercy, and love, chose to reveal the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to gentiles, and continues to open their hearts and minds up to their sin and the need of redemption, and be able to clearly see not only Jesus Christ but the need for Him.  This is truly the revealed mystery of grace, mercy, and love of God.

12.p. “Those who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.’ Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished.

Zephaniah 1:11  Wail, you who live in the market district; all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be destroyed. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.’ Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. Though they build houses, they will not live in them; though they plant vineyards, they will not drink the wine.” The great day of the Lord is near— near and coming quickly. The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter; the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry. That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness— a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. “I will bring such distress on all people that they will grope about like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”

James 5:1    Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

Revelation 18:14   “The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!  The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,  “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!  For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.” And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off  and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?”

Have you ever put your trust in what you have?  Trusting your job or position and the income from it.  Trusting in your health. Trusting in the economy.  Trusting in the safety of your home.  Trusting in your finances.  Trusting in your education.  Trusting in your experience.  What if we were to change the word from pridefully trusting to humbly thankful.  There is a difference isn’t there?  One, our reliance is on what we have and what we can do.  The other is faith, trust, and reliance on Jesus Christ, His plan and purpose, His best for our life, His supplying everything that we need, His steadfast love, grace, and mercy, His promises and…… The difference is all in the intentional choices we make one way or the other in our hearts, minds, and souls.  This difference will manifest itself in one of two ways.  If we are self-reliant, when things happen, trials, troubles, and chaos, we will find a deep-rooted fear, confusion, and lack of peace and rest.  We will complain rather than rejoice.  We will despair rather than have joy and hope.  We will have fear rather than peace.  We will have confusion rather than clarity.  We will believe lies rather than truth.  If we cling to, rely on, and trust in Jesus Christ the opposite will manifest in our lives.  Peace and certain steadfast hope that passes all understanding will flow through our entire being.  We will not fear tomorrow but rejoice in the Promises of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.  We will see new blessings each day.  We will have peace at night for our hope and trust is in Him alone.  He is our refuge, strength, courage, power, fortress, and the reason we have no fear or confusion.  There is much going on today in our cities, nations, and the world.  Media outlets are vomiting up narratives of fear and danger.  People are buying into these lies because they reject the peace that only Jesus Christ can bring.  Oh that Jesus would open their eyes and ears once more to see and hear the truth.  Oh that He would soften hearts to the Gospel and would flood our cities and nation with an overpowering understanding of the need for salvation, redemption, and forgiveness.  Oh that He would use each of us to bring this Good News, live this Good News, and proclaim this Good News.  Oh that He would remove all fear, confusion, and anxiety from His children and allow them to walk in strength, courage, and power of the Holy Spirit.