Bible Reading: Acts 28
Acts 28:25-28 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Paul explained that the Holy Spirit had inspired Isaiah hundreds of years earlier to explain the reason for them not receiving the message of Christ. They would hear, but they would not understand. They would see but they would not perceive. This was not something God did to them as a cruel joke, but was the result of their own doing. Their heart was ‘gross’ or thick as with a callous. Their ears were dull of hearing. They had closed their eyes. It was not that they could not hear. It was that they would not hear.
The Bible says: Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
When you will not hear the Word of God, you cannot believe. It is as simple as that. These Jews were so set in their ways that they could not hear the truth. They were like many today. They had made up their minds and would not be confused by the truth. It is a sad thing when someone will not listen to the Word of God. You can show them something plain and simple in the Bible and they will contradict it and argue against it.
This happens often to a group of people who are used to having their ears tickled instead of allowing the sword of the Spirit to pierce into their lives and expose the truth. Please do not let this happen to you! Keep your heart tender to God’s Word. Stay close to Jesus and search the Scriptures daily. Make sure you are hearing and obeying the Word of Jesus. That is true faith!
Notice also that Paul said when he turned to the Gentiles with the gospel message they would hear it! What a wonderful promise in the Word. Paul knew not everyone would believe but some would and that was his motivation to keep on preaching. The Salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and they will hear it! Let’s keep on preaching Christ because some will hear, believe and call upon the name of the Lord.
In Christ,
Rody
