Isaiah 28:23 & Jesus: Hearing God's Word?
How does Isaiah 28:23 connect with Jesus' teachings on hearing God's word?

Listening to Isaiah’s Urgent Call

Isaiah 28:23: “Give ear and hear my voice; listen and hear my words.”

• Isaiah uses four imperatives—“give ear,” “hear,” “listen,” “hear”—to press home one idea: God’s people must pay close, obedient attention to every word He speaks.

• His context warns Judah that selective hearing ends in judgment, while humble listening leads to understanding (vv. 24-29).


Jesus Echoes Isaiah’s Language

• Parable of the Sower—Mark 4:3, 9: “Listen! … He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

• Warning to measure carefully—Mark 4:24: “Consider carefully what you hear.”

• Parable of the Soils—Luke 8:15: “Those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, retain it and bear fruit.”

• Good Shepherd—John 10:27: “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.”

• House on the Rock—Matthew 7:24: “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”


Shared Themes Between Isaiah 28:23 and Jesus’ Teachings

• Persistent Invitation: Both Isaiah and Jesus begin with an earnest “listen.”

• Heart Condition Matters:

– Isaiah addresses dull hearts that resist God’s wisdom (28:14-15).

– Jesus contrasts receptive soil with hardened, rocky, or thorn-choked hearts (Mark 4:15-19).

• Hearing Requires Action:

– Isaiah’s audience must repent to avoid ruin.

– Jesus links genuine hearing to obedience and fruit (Luke 8:21; John 14:23).

• Consequences of Refusal:

– Isaiah warns of “hail sweeping away a refuge of lies” (28:17).

– Jesus warns of the house falling with a “great crash” when hearers do not act (Matthew 7:26-27).

• Divine Voice, Single Authority:

– Isaiah speaks for “the LORD of Hosts” (28:22).

– Jesus, the incarnate Word, speaks with the same divine authority (John 12:49-50).


Practical Ways to Cultivate a Listening Heart

• Read Scripture aloud to engage both eye and ear (Romans 10:17).

• Pause after passages, asking, “How will I obey this today?” (James 1:22-25).

• Memorize key verses—keep God’s voice available when distractions press in (Psalm 119:11).

• Limit competing voices; create quiet space daily for God’s Word (Mark 1:35).

• Share what you hear with fellow believers; conversation reinforces retention (Colossians 3:16).

What does Isaiah 28:23 teach about the importance of spiritual attentiveness?
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