Verse 10: “Fat is the heart of this people. Their ears are heavy, and their eyes are closed; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn and be healed.”

Fat: That which is not functioning properly, that which is dull or heavy.

Heart: Proverbs 23:7 tells us that we think/understand with our hearts. These people do not want to think, they do not want to perceive what God is doing. They are dull in regard to the things of God. They are not listening. They are not watching. They are not thinking
appropriately.

Closed: Dim.

Turn: This is a word of repentance.

Turn and be healed: The best way to understand this is to remember the parable that Yeshua taught on the seeds and the sower (Matthew 13:3-9, 13-23). One of the examples Yeshua gives is of seed that falls on rocky ground. This seed sprouted and started to grow
but as soon as the sun came up (hard times, persecution) it shrivelled up and died without producing any fruit. Often people hear the message (or part of it) and they respond to it and say it is good, but they do not really understand what it means for their lives – they do not give it full consideration. 

When difficult times come, they quickly give up and walk away. This shows a lack of understanding and a carelessness with the Word of God. These people are only committed to the things of God for the short term, when the times are good. They thought responding to God was in their best interest. The instance they were called on to suffer a little for their faith they walked away.

This is what God was concerned about regarding the children of Israel. He wanted Isaiah to speak in such a way that the people heard that a massive commitment was required of them. God wanted them to know what His expectations for them were. God wanted them
to bear fruit worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8). It is implied in Luke 3:8 that repentance is followed by fruitfulness. These people did not take repentance seriously. God does not want a half-way repentance, or a repentance based on selfish thoughts, He wants a sincere
repentance.

Verse 11: “Then I said, ‘Until when my Lord?’ And He answered, ‘Until the cities are utterly destroyed and without inhabitant, no man within the houses, and the land shall be utterly destroyed and desolate.’”

Until when: The rabbis teach that this phrase always has last days significance.

Destroyed: In Hebrew this is the same word as the word we translate “holocaust’ in English. It is a word that speaks of an unbelievably great diaster, complete and utter destruction. In the context of Isaiah this is referring to the Babylonian captivity – the destruction of
Jerusalem and the temple and being carried into Babylon. This also foreshadows the utter destruction that was going to occur at the hand of the Romans many years after Isaiah’s time. This also foreshadows the utter destruction that is going to happen in Israel at the
hands of the antichrist – a time yet future (the time of Jacob’s trouble – Jeremiah 30:7). It is only at this final and end time that Israel will eventually respond rightly – as she is meant to respond.

Without inhabitant: No one living in the houses.