11:29
“for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable”. This verse is often quoted in connection with gifts like prophecy or preaching or pastoring etc. This is not the context of the verse. The context is God’s gift to Israel and His call on the nation of Israel. God’s love for Israel is a gift to them, His salvation to us is a gift. None of us have done anything to deserve it. God has also called Israel, one day that call will be fulfilled. When God decrees something it will happen. Now as I have said several times already, possibly ad nauseum, I will say it again. The certainty of God’s decree does negate our responsibility, it does not negate the reality of the situations we go through in life.
11:30
This is a timely reminder to all who seem to be anti-Israel or adopt a very judgemental attitude towards them. Now this is definitely not to say Israel should be above criticism, they get many things wrong and it is a very atheistic society in many ways. Half of the Biblical truth is that Israel is guilty of sin, deeply guilty, terribly guilty, guilty to the extent of deserving to go to hell. But then exactly the same statements apply to you and me. Half of the truth is that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The other half of the truth is that by faith in Christ we have received forgiveness and new life, and the same offer is equally open to all Israel. More to the point, it is a miracle that I ever came to believe in jesus, I guess the same is true of you. Humanly I cannot imagine how Israel will ever come to believe in Jesus in large numbers, but thankfully my imagination is not the point, God’s grace is the point. So if we have a judgemental attitude towards Israel we need to seriously consider our attitude.
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