Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"
35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
What did the Lord say to Job when he was complaining? "Where were you when I hung the moon?" That is one of the things that God said to Job. God had to point out the obvious to Job in his situation. In Isaiah, the prophet states the obvious in this way: God's ways are not our ways. Paul has tried to lay out in three chapters how God has been working here on this planet in order to save it. At one time God used Israel as His main way of reaching out and now it is this thing called the church which has included the Gentiles. Paul gives a doxology at the end of this chapter to try to explain God's plans in human terms. I believe Paul knew he could only explain God's plans up to a point and then faith has to take over. We have to believe that God is good and that He is good all of the time. What we find in verses 33-36 is an acknowledgment that God is wise and knowledgeable beyond anything we can fathom and we cannot in good conscience question His plans. We can take these verses to heart in our own personal lives. There have been times that I have questioned what God is doing - or at least allowing - and then I have to come to the realization that I am not God. I can barely see the next step, let alone look around the corner. There is only one acceptable position when in God's presence and that is on our face in complete humility and repentance. Have you been questioning God's plans of late? Have you been taking on more of a role as God's life planner instead of letting God be God and you be a follower? Believe. Faith. Hope. Trust. Love.
The attributes of God, though intelligible to us on their surface yet, for the very reason that they are infinite, transcend our comprehension, when they are dwelt upon, when they are followed out, and can only be received by faith.
Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801–1890)
Friday, July 9, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Romans 11:25-33 (NIV)
Romans 11:25-33 (NIV)
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
29 for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.
30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.
32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
I really like a good mystery and in the Bible we have more than one. Paul reveals to us a mystery and reveals the answer for the mystery. The mystery is that Israel is only hardened in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. The exact number has not been revealed to us. Then Paul comes back with this staggering news, "...all Israel will be saved." Paul then quotes some O.T. verses to show that this was part of the plan all along. Does all of Israel, mean all of Israel? I do not know the answer to that question. Here is what I have come to believe about Paul's statement. In the book of Revelation John says that there will be people in heaven from every tribe and nation. As you know, John also talks about the 144,000 that will be sealed and therefore saved in the end times. Most agree that the 144,000 are Jews. A little math shows us that would be 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes. I will go that far and that is at least 144,000 Jews will come to faith when Jesus comes back. This means all the tribes that received the promise are represented. I do not have the time to go into how "all" is used in the Word of God. It has come to my attention in different readings that sometimes depending upon the context "all" does not always means "all." This has to do with the way Eastern people think. Now here is something we kind of understand and that is God's mercy. Paul is letting us in on the way God has worked and that is on the basis of mercy. God has made sure that we all need it. No one can say that they somehow have proved themselves and therefore are exempt from needing God's mercy. We have all sinned and therefore we all need mercy. The more you are in touch with your sin the more you will be be glad for God's mercy. It is also in God's mercy that the Lord has kept us from becoming what we could have become. We have every reason to thank God for His mercy that He has poured upon us.
Whoever falls from God’s right hand
Is caught in his left.
Edwin Markham (1852–1940)
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
29 for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.
30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.
32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
I really like a good mystery and in the Bible we have more than one. Paul reveals to us a mystery and reveals the answer for the mystery. The mystery is that Israel is only hardened in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. The exact number has not been revealed to us. Then Paul comes back with this staggering news, "...all Israel will be saved." Paul then quotes some O.T. verses to show that this was part of the plan all along. Does all of Israel, mean all of Israel? I do not know the answer to that question. Here is what I have come to believe about Paul's statement. In the book of Revelation John says that there will be people in heaven from every tribe and nation. As you know, John also talks about the 144,000 that will be sealed and therefore saved in the end times. Most agree that the 144,000 are Jews. A little math shows us that would be 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes. I will go that far and that is at least 144,000 Jews will come to faith when Jesus comes back. This means all the tribes that received the promise are represented. I do not have the time to go into how "all" is used in the Word of God. It has come to my attention in different readings that sometimes depending upon the context "all" does not always means "all." This has to do with the way Eastern people think. Now here is something we kind of understand and that is God's mercy. Paul is letting us in on the way God has worked and that is on the basis of mercy. God has made sure that we all need it. No one can say that they somehow have proved themselves and therefore are exempt from needing God's mercy. We have all sinned and therefore we all need mercy. The more you are in touch with your sin the more you will be be glad for God's mercy. It is also in God's mercy that the Lord has kept us from becoming what we could have become. We have every reason to thank God for His mercy that He has poured upon us.
Whoever falls from God’s right hand
Is caught in his left.
Edwin Markham (1852–1940)
Monday, July 5, 2010
Romans 11:17-24 (NIV)
Romans 11:17-24 (NIV)
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."
20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
It is my interpretation that when Paul is talking about the branches being grafted in that he is talking about the church. The branches that were broken off were the nation of Israel as a channel of redemption to the world. The new way of reaching people for Christ and bringing God's glory to this earth is through the church. In verses 20-22 it looks as if Paul is teaching that we as individuals can lose our salvation. That would be true if he were talking about individuals and not God's overall plan for reaching His mission. God's plan certainly includes individuals, but the part about not becoming arrogant has to do with the church. If God corrected the original plan because His people would not obey do not think for a moment God will not correct His plans with the church, if we as the church do not do His work. In verse 23 Paul again addresses the issue of Israel as a nation and not just individuals. Israel will be coming back at the right time. Individual Jews can come to faith in Christ right now, as Paul came to faith. Even in the O.T. individual Gentiles came to faith in the Lord and were baptized to show their new life. It is the nation of Israel that has been set off to the side not individual Jews. It is the same with the church. God will set aside the church as a whole if we do not do what God asks us to do. This also applies to individuals because we must obey God and never become arrogant. Verse 22 is a great verse to help us grasp who God is to some degree. God is not some pushover as we see His sternness with Israel. We also see His kindness in reaching out to the "wild by nature" people and giving them a place in the cultivated olive tree. We serve a kind God who is also all powerful and holy through and through. It is only by His grace and mercy that we walk with Him.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."
20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
It is my interpretation that when Paul is talking about the branches being grafted in that he is talking about the church. The branches that were broken off were the nation of Israel as a channel of redemption to the world. The new way of reaching people for Christ and bringing God's glory to this earth is through the church. In verses 20-22 it looks as if Paul is teaching that we as individuals can lose our salvation. That would be true if he were talking about individuals and not God's overall plan for reaching His mission. God's plan certainly includes individuals, but the part about not becoming arrogant has to do with the church. If God corrected the original plan because His people would not obey do not think for a moment God will not correct His plans with the church, if we as the church do not do His work. In verse 23 Paul again addresses the issue of Israel as a nation and not just individuals. Israel will be coming back at the right time. Individual Jews can come to faith in Christ right now, as Paul came to faith. Even in the O.T. individual Gentiles came to faith in the Lord and were baptized to show their new life. It is the nation of Israel that has been set off to the side not individual Jews. It is the same with the church. God will set aside the church as a whole if we do not do what God asks us to do. This also applies to individuals because we must obey God and never become arrogant. Verse 22 is a great verse to help us grasp who God is to some degree. God is not some pushover as we see His sternness with Israel. We also see His kindness in reaching out to the "wild by nature" people and giving them a place in the cultivated olive tree. We serve a kind God who is also all powerful and holy through and through. It is only by His grace and mercy that we walk with Him.
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