What is the meaning of Isaiah 28:23? Listen “Listen …” (Isaiah 28:23a). • This word calls for an immediate, deliberate decision to open our ears. Scripture often prefaces pivotal truth with a simple summons to listen (Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 81:13). • The verse sits in the middle of Isaiah’s rebuke of Judah’s leaders; the Lord interrupts their complacency with a plain “listen” because His coming illustration about the farmer (vv. 24-29) will expose their folly. • Genuine listening is a mark of wisdom (Proverbs 1:5). God does not waste words; every syllable is life-giving and authoritative. and hear my voice “… and hear My voice …” (v. 23b). • Listening progresses to recognizing exactly whose voice is speaking—“My voice.” The personal pronoun makes it clear: this is no human opinion but the Lord Himself (John 10:27; Hebrews 3:7-8). • Hearing His voice involves relationship, familiarity, and trust. Sheep do not debate the shepherd’s credentials; they follow. • Isaiah’s audience had been tuning in to scoffers (v. 14). God reorients them: only His voice interprets reality accurately. Pay attention “Pay attention …” (v. 23c). • The original readers were distracted by political alliances and religious ritual. God demands focused, undivided attention (Proverbs 4:20-22; Luke 9:44). • Attention implies humility—setting aside our own chatter so His words dominate our mental landscape. • Practically: – Silence competing noises. – Slow down enough to ponder. – Expect that God will speak plainly and helpfully. and hear what I say “… and hear what I say.” (v. 23d). • The Lord moves from simply hearing His voice to embracing “what I say”—the content that follows. The next verses compare His calibrated dealings with the farmer’s methods, proving His judgments are measured, purposeful, and wise (vv. 24-29). • Real hearing results in obedient response (James 1:22; Luke 11:28). The command is not merely to admire His words but to align life with them. • In Isaiah’s day, that meant repenting of scoffing and resting in God’s plan; for us, it still means surrendering to every clear directive of Scripture (Isaiah 30:21). summary Isaiah 28:23 is a four-fold summons: open your ears, recognize God’s personal voice, fix your full attention, and obey the specific truth He is about to unfold. The verse presses us from passive listening into active, responsive faith, reminding us that every word from the Lord is authoritative, precise, and intended for our good. |
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