A chilling paragraph in Isaiah 29 that can be applied to scripture:

Astonish yourselves and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink! For the LORD has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).

And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.” (Isaiah 29.9 – 12, ESV)

This picture of the sealed book has always impressed me (or depressed me). There are a lot of folks who believe that they can’t read the Bible for themselves. To them, it’s a sealed book. For example, when a friend tried to encourage his father to read the Bible to hear from God, his father replied, “If the priest wants me to know something from the Bible, he’ll tell me!”

It’s sad because…

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (1 Corinthians 2.12, ESV)

The warning about the sealed book is followed immediately by another warning:

And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29.13, 14, ESV)

From The Message:

The Master said: “These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their hearts aren’t in it. Because they act like they’re worshiping me but don’t mean it, I’m going to step in and shock them awake, astonish them, stand them on their ears. The wise ones who had it all figured out will be exposed as fools. The smart people who thought they knew everything will turn out to know nothing.” (Isaiah 29.13, 14, MSG)

The chapter closes with a promise that things will turn around:

Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? In that day

• the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and
• out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.
• The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and
• the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 29.17 – 19, ESV)
• …
• And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction. (Isaiah 29.17 – 19, 24, ESV)

PS Happy Friday 13th! I hope you don’t have paraskevidekatriaphobia.