Deuteronomy 29:4 Cross References

Deuteronomy 29:4

4: But to this day the LORD has not given you minds that understand, nor eyes that see, nor ears that hear!

Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

LORD, why have you allowed us to turn from your path? Why have you given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear you? Return and help us, for we are your servants and your special possession.

And he said, "Yes, go. But tell my people this: `You will hear my words, but you will not understand. You will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.'
Harden the hearts of these people. Close their ears, and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn to me for healing."

Why can't you understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to do so!

He will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them.
So God will send great deception upon them, and they will believe all these lies.
Then they will be condemned for not believing the truth and for enjoying the evil they do.

Yes, even today when they read Moses' writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

So this is the situation: Most of the Jews have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have--the ones God has chosen--but the rest were made unresponsive.
As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this very day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."
David spoke of this same thing when he said, "Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble.
Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs grow weaker and weaker."

This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: "Lord, who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?"
But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,
"The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts--so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them."

'Go and say to my people, You will hear my words, but you will not understand; you will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes--so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.'

But King Sihon refused to allow you to pass through, because the LORD your God made Sihon stubborn and defiant so he could help you defeat them, as he has now done.

And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.

Then he explained to them, "You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not.
To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.
That is why I tell these stories, because people see what I do, but they don't really see. They hear what I say, but they don't really hear, and they don't understand.
This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, which says: 'You will hear my words, but you will not understand; you will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes--so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.'

And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either.
Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.
These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.
So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.
Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows.

They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will believe the truth.

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