THEY COULD NOT HEARKEN

"To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and THEY CANNOT HEARKEN: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it." -- Jeremiah 6:10

Frequently, though not always, the Lord provides explanations for certain conditions. Such is the case with the text before us. Here were a people who defied human logic. God had richly blessed them. He had wrought great signs and wonders before them, chastened them faithfully, and consistently sent prophets to them, calling them back to Himself (Jer 7:25). The Lord Himself affirmed there was nothing more He could have done for them. "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?" (Isa 5:4). Every advantage had been given to these people. Likening them to a select vineyard, it is written, "He fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein" (Isa 5:2). If people can be made better by changing their environment and giving them advantages, Israel would have been the best of all nations.

But, alas, that is not what happened. After giving them remarkable blessings, the Lord looked for good results from them. As it is written, "He looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes." In a grievous assessment of Israel, the Lord said, "Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" The Word of the Lord was good! Their environment was good! The objective for them was good! Their circumstances were good! Yet, they conducted themselves as though enemies of God, who had never been blessed.

What answer can the psychiatrist or sociologist give for this condition? Together with the historian and the behavioral scientist, these self-professed experts stand speechless before this condition.

But the Spirit explains it to us. Israel had a serious hearing problem. Their ear was "uncircumcised." Sin had caused a growth over their spiritual ear–a growth that rendered them incapable of hearing, or listening, to the very One Who made them. Of them it is written, "they cannot hearken." Note, it does not say they would not hearken, but they could not hearken! Because of this condition, the word of the Lord was "offensive" to them, and they found "no pleasure" in it (NIV).

Something similar is said of the ministry of the Lord Jesus. Several of the many wonderful miracles Jesus wrought are recorded for us–a mere sampling of an unspeakable number of them (John 21:25). If anyone could be changed by seeing something, surely the miracles of our Lord would be sufficient to produce that effect. But this was not the case. It is written, "But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him" (John 12:37, NASB). Again, the condition defies human explanation. Yet, the Spirit opens the matter to us. "Therefore they could not believe . . . " The Spirit traces their condition to the judgment of God, because of their hardheartedness. " . . . because Isaiah said again: He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them" (John 12:39-40, NKJV). Thus, the Lord ratified, or confirmed, the hardness of their heart.

When addressing the Jewish council, Stephen charged them being "stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears" (Acts 7:51). He did not have all of the palatable explanations we hear for the lack of receptivity among religious people. Nor, indeed, did the holy prophets run to the worldly-wise to explain why the people to whom they spoke refused to hear them. Their ears were NOT circumcised, and therefore they COULD NOT hear or respond to the very message of God.

There is more of this condition around us than is commonly acknowledged. You do not have to travel a great distance to find professed Christians who have no delight in the Word of the Lord–who cannot hearken to it. It is not uncommon to find powerful preachers of the Word, and their message, despised. The people can find "no delight in it." This condition does not exist because of any deficiency in presentation skills on the part of the preacher. It is not because he never had a good class in homiletics. No! It is because the people cannot hear. Their ears have been overgrown with the things of this world, and need to be circumcised.

God's people must see things as they really are. It is not normal for people wearing the name of the Lord to not be able to hear, or have no delight, in the Word of the Lord.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I love Your word, and delight in it. In Jesus' name, help me to be an encourager of all who speak and preach Your word.

-- Monday: NOT BOASTING WHEN PUTTING ON THE ARMOR --