Definition: Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Explanation: Okay, let's break down this verse from Isaiah 6:10. It’s a pretty powerful message about how to influence people and bring them into the right path. Here’s a simplified explanation: The Core Idea: This verse is saying that we need to discourage people from seeing, hearing, understanding, and truly feeling something – and then gently guide them towards a better way of life. It's about creating a situation where they don’t see the truth, don’t hear the message, and don’t feel the consequences of their choices. Let's unpack it word by word: “Make the heart of this people fat…” – This is metaphorical. "Heart" represents a person’s emotions, desires, and understanding. “Fat” means full, abundant, and maybe even unhealthy. It suggests that they are complacent, perhaps stuck in a cycle of negativity or despair. “…make their ears heavy…” – This refers to silencing the mind. It's about making it difficult for people to hear or think deeply. They’re being shielded from important truths. “…and shut their eyes…” – This is similar to the previous point, symbolizing a lack of vision and awareness. They are preventing themselves from seeing what’s really happening. “lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” - This is the crucial part. It's saying "lest" – if only … If these things don't happen, then there will be a positive outcome: “see with their eyes”: They don’t see the truth about themselves or the world around them. “hear with their ears”: They don’t hear God's message or a clear truth. “understand with their heart”: They don't understand the consequences of their actions or the importance of goodness. “convert, and be healed.” – This means they are drawn to a new way of life, to repentance, and ultimately, to being set free from pain and suffering (like healing). In simpler terms: Isaiah is saying that if people aren’t receptive to a message or truth, we need to deliberately dim their awareness so they don't fall into bad habits, wrong beliefs, or harmful actions. We want them to be open to God's grace and the possibility of salvation. Why is this verse important? This passage is often interpreted as a call for spiritual leadership – to guide people toward righteousness rather than simply telling them what to do. It’s about creating an environment where genuine faith and repentance can flourish. --- Do you want me to: Explain any of these concepts in more detail? Give you some examples of how this verse might be applied in a real-life situation (without being overly specific)?