Isaiah 6:9-10 English Standard Version (ESV) And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Do you see the quote within quotes? There is a distinct separation of comments meant to separate cause and effect. Those who were entrusted with teaching the people did not have spiritual ears and eyes. They did not have the ability to relate to the people how to have their spiritual ears and eyes opened. You can only teach what you know. They did not know.

Jesus came and saved us from this ignorant condition. When we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts the Comforter was sent. Look at the second parenthetical line. “Understand with their hearts.” Spiritual ears and eyes only belong to those who have accepted Jesus into their hearts.

The primary principles of acceptance now come into play. We have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Obedience can only come if we hear His commands.

John 14:15-16 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

Love is shown by obedience and His commands are relayed to us by the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 English Standard Version (ESV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

The Holy Spirit teaches all things, including how to open our spiritual ears and eyes.

Isaiah 28:9 English Standard Version (ESV) “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?

Without looking do you know what verse follows this one? Does being weaned bring into memory another passage from the bible? Because context and relevance in spiritual matters are the province of the Holy Spirit recall demands that we must have been there before.

The human mind records by a physical process which is not taught nor completely understood. The mind is created to process data in many forms which are all sensory. Touch is an important memory sensor. A stove is hot but touching the stove implants the importance of pain association. Smell activates memory for the taste of items being cooked, pleasant or not.

The eye is a vital sensory because of its ability to relate words to an assortment of real life events and emotions. The understanding of language can covey history, adventure, fantasy, fiction and deep emotion. Text and context is a real world tool. It is one of the most influential senses.

These are the natural senses. The opening verse today relates to natural senses in the most basic of senses, the taste of mother’s milk. Then it goes on to tell us that being weaned of our natural senses is how we are to receive knowledge from God.

Hebrews 5:13 English Standard Version (ESV) for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

Before we were baptized in the Holy Spirit all knowledge was passed down by natural means. While we are still in this fleshly form the tools available to us to implant the Word of righteousness is a natural process. The meaning, spiritual context and rightful understanding are conveyed by the Holy Spirit and not by the will of our own intellect. This is where those spiritual eyes and ears are required.