Thursday, July 2, 2009
Romans 11:25-32
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. (ESV)
by John H. Camenga
The good news is that the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Israel was selected to be “a light to the nations.” That is irrevocable. We gentiles have been blessed beyond measure by what God did with this group. God chose them because they were so “average!” God has also chosen us! Israel was to be “a light to the nations,” putting God’s love and power on display. God’s universal Messiah was introduced to the world from a Jewish environment. Paul shared the news that Israel would eventually join the rest of believing humanity at the foot of the cross.
Copyright Information
Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2010, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.
