Spiritual Deafness in the Bible

Spiritual deafness is the inability to hear and respond to the voice of God. Jesus repeatedly used this solemn formula: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15). Not everyone who physically listens to the Word receives it in the heart. Isaiah 6:9-10 describes the spiritual deafness of Israel: "Hear ye indeed, but understand not... lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." This word is taken up by Jesus in Matthew 13:15, who speaks of a heart that has grown "gross": the people have "closed their eyes; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears." Spiritual deafness, then, is not the simple matter of never having heard; it is to have heard and hardened one's heart. It can result from a hardened heart (Hebrews 3:8), from pride, from the cares of the world, or from a prolonged refusal of the voice of God. Hebrews 3:15 issues this urgent warning: "To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." The remedy for spiritual deafness is sincere repentance, humility, and a return to the Word and to prayer. James 1:19 exhorts, "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." If the voice of God has seemed distant for a long time, it is worth asking what has hardened the heart, and then returning to Him with an attentive ear.