The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 11:7-10,
"What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written: 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.' And David says: 'May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.'"
We read in Psalm 86:5, "You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you." As Paul speaks of the Israelites as a disobedient and obstinate people, he quotes Isaiah 65:2 where he reminds us of God's posture toward those who spurn him, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."
Paul observes Israel sought God earnestly and yet did not obtain God's acceptance, a standing of righteousness with him. I suspect many find God's rejection of people who reach out to him startling and baffling. But this is the sobering point Paul makes here. God does not accept everyone- he only accepts those who embrace him in faith. In verse 20 he observes, "they [the Israelites] were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith." The "elect" are all who embrace God in faith.
We see that amongst the Israelites many had stumbled into his judgment and found themselves lost in a darkness, cast on them from God himself. Here is the frightful warning Paul makes as he considers his own people, the Israelites. Those who reject God will at some point find themselves completely unable to see the things of God.
God goes to great length to reach out to us. He sent his Son as a sacrifice of atonement to pay for our sins. Jesus said, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32. He also taught his followers, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him...", John 6:44. While here Jesus Christ taught us the things of God. God also sent his prophets, carried along by the Holy Spirit to tell us about the things of God that we read in the Scriptures. In John 16:8 Jesus said of the Holy Spirit he would be sending to the world following his ascension into heaven, "When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment..." God has actively pursued mankind.
There comes a point however, when opportunity rejected turns to judgment. As Paul quotes Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 he points to an incapacitating darkness God visits on the spiritual senses of those who continue to reject him. In the Deuteronomy 29 passage Moses observed, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 29:29. It is these very things the Lord withdraws and seals the fate of those who deny him. In the Isaiah 29 passage the Lord speaks of those whose hearts are far from him. He says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Isaiah 29:13. These are the ones who follow laws and rules, but never embrace the Lord in faith. God says, "Be stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from beer. The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers)." Isaiah 29:9-10.
Here is the horrific judgment of God on those who spurn him in this life. While still in this life, God casts them in a darkness where they never will be able to find him! As Paul speaks of the importance faith plays in pursuing God, he warns, "Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God..." Romans 11:22.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment