Morgan wrote:
With your last quote 44:18 My question would be why? Answer this for me if you can.Why would God shut the very eyes that should be opened,and why would he close anyone's heart so that they cannot understand.
For me these are not the teaching of God or Jesus.
These are the Holy Spirit inspired words written down by the Old Testament Jewish prophet, Isaiah, (whose name means ¨The Lord Is Salvation¨).
Isaiah, the son of Amoz, ministered in and around Jerusalem as a prophet to Judah during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, during the time period of the years from 739 B.C. to 686 B.C..
Isaiah is directly quoted in the New Testament over 65 times, far more than any other Old Testament prophet, and mentioned by name over 20 times.
He was from a wealthy family and was married with two sons.
Isaiah met his death under the reign of King Manasseh (695-642 B.C.) by being cut in two with a wooden saw.
Everyone has the free will to choose whether or not they believe the book of Isaiah is the inspired Word of God.
We are blessed to live in a country where the Bible is still readily available to anyone desiring one. It is also available online for everyone who can read and is actually interested in what God´s prophets have written to them.
Prayer is also available free of charge 24/7 for anyone with questions for God.
http://biblehub.com/isaiah/44-15.htmThe Folly of Idolatry
Isaiah 44:14 Surely he cuts cedars for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak and raises it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow.
44:15 Then it becomes something for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also makes a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a graven image and falls down before it.
44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, "Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire."
44:17 But the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image. He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god."
44:18 They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.
44:19 No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!"…
44:20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"…
44:21 "Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.…