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Stopping Our Ears to the Lord


And now, go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness for ever. For they are a rebellious people, lying sons, sons who will not hear the instruction of the Lord: who say to the seers, “See not”; and to the prophets, “Prophesy not to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no More of the Holy One of Israel.”

Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rely on them, therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a break in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose crash comes suddenly, in an instant: and its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel which is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern” (Isaiah 30:8-14).

The first thing I notice is that this was written down “as a witness forever.” The second thing is the unwillingness to listen to the truth even when they know it is truth. “Prophesy not to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions” (v. 10). The third thing is that the uncorrected iniquity does not have immediate judgment. But it is “like a break in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse” (v. 13). The judgment is certain, devastating, and we have an advance warning (the bulging wall).

How does this apply today? We as Christians have two temptations. We want to hear smooth things, so we seek teachers who speak of pleasant things. Paul warned Timothy about this in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.”

The second temptation is the willingness to respond to the demand and become a prophet of “smooth things.” We cannot lay this charge at the feet of liberals. It is a major problem among evangelicals. We want to hear and we want to teach “smooth” things.

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