9:27,28
Next Paul quotes from Isaiah 10:22,23. This comes from a section in Isaiah about God’s judgement upon Israel, saying salvation would only come when they stopped relying on men and instead relied fully on God. Some might have argued that since most of Israel did not recognise Jesus as the Messiah then He could not be so. Paul is showing that such an argument is nonsense. It is totally in keeping with the Scriptures for a remnant to be saved. Likewise, today we live in a time when most reject the Bible, that does not mean that God’s plans are wrong, or that the Bible is not the word of God. God’s promises to Israel never meant that all Israel would be saved (Morris). Israel was never promised exemption from judgement. She was in the same boat as the rest of the world.
9:29
Now the tone turns to the positive, with Isaiah 1:9 up next. Israel needed to realise her true situation. As it stood she was a rejected nation because she had rejected her saviour. And we do well to remember the terrible events that were about to befall Jerusalem in a few years time (AD 66-70). Yes only a remnant was left, but a remnant was left. God’s plan was not to leave Israel totally destitute, she is not completely omitted from His plans. The two extreme views on the place of Israel are dangerous and wrong. One is that Israel can do no wrong and will always be blessed. History shows this not to be the case, the Bible shows this not to be the case. She is a sinful nation of sinful people, just like the rest of humanity and there is only one way of salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. The other extreme is to say that Israel no longer has a place in God’s plans. I cannot see how anyone reading chapters 9-11 can possibly come to that view.
No comments:
Post a Comment