18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; "THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD."
19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, "I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION, BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU."
20 And Isaiah is very bold and says, "I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME."
21 But as for Israel He says, "ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE."
Paul continues with his concern for the Jews. Here he deals with some typical questions that allow people to avoid the question of who is Jesus. Objections like, “What if the Jews hadn’t heard of Jesus?”, or “What if the Jews didn’t know about Jesus?”
V. 18 - “surely they have never heard, have they?” - First, how can the Jews be held responsible for their rejection of Jesus if they haven’t heard of Him? On the face of it, this seems to be a silly objection. How could the Jews not known? Go back in their history - Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, the Prophets - all of these received the promise of a Messiah. The record of the Torah, the historical books, and the prophets all promise of salvation through a savior sent by God. The Jews have the written word to study and learn about God’s salvation for them.
"THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH..." - Quoted from Psa. 19:4, in which we are reminded the heavens, the stars in the night sky, tell of God’s glory. The Psalm goes on to tell us the ‘testimony’, the ‘precepts’, and the ‘commandments’ of the Lord warn us, reward us, and keep us from ‘presumptuous sins’. The TV show “X-Files” has the tag line, “The Truth is Out There.” The truth of Jesus has been there all along. Obstinance and arrogance has kept them from acknowledging Jesus as Lord, Jesus as Messiah and savior.
V. 19 - “surely Israel did not know, did they?” - Secondly, how can they be held responsible if they didn’t know Jesus came to be the Messiah? This is more immediate and personal. During the last days of the southern kingdom of Judah, Jeremiah warned them of what was coming. In fact, the Jewish leaders asked Jeremiah to tell them what the Lord said. After Jeremiah told them the Lord was going to send them into exile with the Babylonians, the Jews rejected the message and refused to believe it. History is repeated here.
The Jewish leaders were enraged whenever Jesus claimed to be from the Father, to be the Messiah. They knew the meaning of His claims. They refused to accept Him.
“First Moses says, "I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS ...“ Quoted from (Deut. 32:21, in the ‘Song of Moses’) in which God warns Israel concerning their rebellion. They are rejecting God, by being perverse and faithless, provoking God.
God is telling Israel if they reject Him, He will turn to other people - people who are not a chosen nation. God is saying He is more than a tribal god. He will be God of people all over the world, every nation, every ethnicity. The Jew will be upset. They will be jealous of these believers. In essence saying, “Who are you to take our God, to worship our God!?” The Israelites will think they have lost the specialness of exclusivity. They could not (would not) see that God wanted to save the whole world, to be the God of all nations and people.
V. 20 - "I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME... " (Quoted from: Isa. 65:1,2) - Paul’s apostleship and ministry in a nutshell: Gentiles coming to believe in God through Jesus Christ. Nowhere in religions elsewhere around the world is a god who loves people enough to save them. We don't need to save ourselves. We cannot. He can and He does.
“... I WILL ANGER YOU” - Look at the response of the Jewish leaders to the church. Anger and hate, fear and revulsion. The leaders were alarmed that the followers of Jesus were upsetting the whole world. (See: Acts 6:12-13; 7:54, 57; 9:12; 17:5-6)
V. 21 - "ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE." (Quoted from: Isa. 65:1,2) - God has beckoned them. He has called upon them. He was warned them. He has chastised them, up to and including diaspora and exile! Look back to Deuteronomy, chapter 28. Verses 1-14 starts off with “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God…”, cataloging the blessings that will come to the Jews. However, verses 15-68 list the calamities that will befall them if they are disobedient! The prophet Isaiah in Isa. 48:18 gives us Gods’ lament, “If only you had listened to my commands!” Several statements in Jeremiah indicate the destruction coming upon the Israelites are because they turned away from God, refused to listen, and disobeyed. They were repeatedly warned. God pleaded with them to return to Him.
Had they heard God was going to save the world through them? Yes, they heard. Did they know God was going to send a Messiah? Yes, they knew. They had all the advantages for which anyone could ask. They chose to go their own way.
*** End of Chapter ***
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