Isaiah 42:18-25: Theology through a Description of our Collective Condition

Isaiah 42:18-25 is a terrible picture of the collective condition of God's people.  Theology is conveyed through a description of spiritual disabilities (unable to hear and see God's laws), the terrible response of God's punishment, and a question (cf. Isaiah 42:23).  Every Sunday is an opportunity for us to test our listening abilities.  True believers have ears that can hear.  The reason: later in Isaiah 50:5 we learn of God's Servant who has perfect spiritual hearing.  Faith-family members respond to the question in Isaiah 42:23: "We will give ear to this. We will attend and listen..."  Those who are in Christ have inherited His supernatural hearing.  Out of the collective condition of God's people--spiritual deafness--comes a remnant of people who do hear Isaiah's prophecy and "take it to heart" (cf. Isaiah 42:25).