John 12:40-41
“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.”[a]
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
This is why you read the chapter and the book that is being written so as to understand the scripture. This is taken out of context
Lets take a look at everything that pertains to those verses.
John 12:37–50
37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. 42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
---------------------------------------------
Lets take a look at something that is going on here. The verse above explains everything for you, but a couple of quick points.
1) They would not believe (v. 37) though they had seen the evidence for His divine nature.
2) They could not believe (v. 39) because their hearts became hard and their eyes blind.
3) God said They should not believe (v. 39) because they had rejected His grace.
Isaiah 55:6–7
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
This tells unbelievers when God sends an opportunity to receive grace, salvation, to teach them truth, they better take it. There's only so many opportunities he gives before he allows you to rest in your unbelief. He knows before hand that you will reject him. However, regardless that he knows already that you will reject him or not, he still allows you opportunities to be saved. This is because when you come before him during judgement and cry out Lord I didn't know. He'll tell you i sent him, i showed you this, and I sent him again, and I sent him, I sent you here to learn. You will be without excuse because of the creation around you and the opportunities he gives you spiritually. You have all the proof that you need. I didn't know or I didn't understand wont be an excuse.
----------------------------
These verses give even more understanding to the what Christ was saying and which was said several other times throughout the word of God.
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
16 But blessed
are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous
men desired to see what you see, and did not see
it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear
it.
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand
it, then the wicked
one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands
it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
------------------------------
Reading these verses should give you a clear picture of what is happening.
The bible states that God blinds the eyes and hardens the hearts of those who continue rejecting Christ. This type of verse is found several times in the Bible, and each time it speaks of judgment on unbelievers who continue to reject God's opportunities of salvation.
If you look at the verses above, you see how important it is to not just read a verse, but everything that is around it.
----------------------------------
This thing can be done for every single verse you pulled out of context. When God is angry he has every right to be angry. He forgives all who trust him and ask. God has a righteous anger and is a jealous God. He is our creator and wants our love. He doesn't want your love going to some false idle or nothing. He loves you and he wants you to love him back. He created you. Is it really wrong for your creator to want you to love him?
