Romans 11:7-8: What Then? Israel Failed To Obtain What It Was Seeking

Romans 11:7–8
[7] What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, [8] as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” (ESV)

The Jews of the Apostle Paul's day would have surely made a claim that they were pursuing God. Isn't it interesting that those who put Jesus to death on a cross also would have made the claim that they were pursuing God. They accused Jesus himself of blasphemy. One who does not care about God would not care about blasphemy.

It is a tragic thing when those who are sincere also happen to be sincerely wrong. That was the case for the Jews of Paul's day. He says here in verse 7 that Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. It was seeking righteousness, but had to settle for self-righteousness, not the righteousness which is by faith that comes through belief in Jesus Christ.

Who did obtain what the Jews were seeking? The elect. These were those who God had called unto himself. Those whom God called he also moved in their hearts by the Holy Spirit to draw them to faith. The elect of God did not try to depend on their works as the "hardened Jews" did. This is to say that some Jews believed and some did not.

In verse 8 Paul refers to Old Testament references where God hardened the hearts of his rebellious people. The fact is that God did not harden any hearts that were not also willing to be hardened. Sadly, there were people who would not yield to God's sovereign plan for their lives. They may have been seeking. They may have even been sincere. Sincerely wrong.

Be very careful that you are not just sincere. Be sure that you are following the truth of God's Word. Place your faith in the work of Jesus Christ, not in your own works. Be sincere. Do not be sincerely wrong.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

Search This Blog