The Testimony Of The Prophets
THE TESTIMONY OF THE PROPHETS
If it is true that there are none of God's chosen people who will be lost, then how do we explain the case of Israel? After all, Israel is God's chosen people. Yet there are many of the Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah.
Paul has already given a partial answer in Romans 9:6 when he said that “they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel.” Now he goes on to show that this was in accordance with the promises of the Old Testament. The Promise of the Salvation of the Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,' and her who was not beloved, ‘Beloved.'” 26 And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,' there they shall be called sons of the living God.” (Romans 9:25-26).
Paul quotes from two separate passages in the book of Hosea (Hosea 2:23 and Hosea 1:10). His purpose is to show that God promised in the Old Testament to make those who were “not God's people” to become “God's people.”
Unbelieving Gentiles|Believing Gentiles|
Those who were not My people|My People|
Her who was not beloved|Beloved|
You are not my people|Sons of the Living God|
Hosea wrote in a day of apostasy. The 10 tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel had rebelled against God. Because of their rebellion, the Lord said that He would reject them. Those who had been considered to be His people would no longer be His people. But with this message of judgment also came a message of grace. There was hope for the future. Although Israel would be taken away into captivity and scattered among the Gentile nations, God would gather from among those same Gentile nations a people for Himself. Those who were “not God's people” would become “His people.” Though they had sinned and had become “non-Israelites,” they could repent and return and become the people of God. The Promise of the Preservation of the Jews.
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; 28 for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.” And just as Isaiah foretold, “Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left to us a posterity, we would have become like Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah.” (Romans 9:27-29).
Paul now turns to Isaiah. This passage promises that there shall always be a remnant. This is a promise of hope. It is a promise that, even though not all Israel is Israel and even though those who are not God's people are going to become God's people, there shall continue to be a remnant of Israel who shall be Israel. Apart from the grace of God, Israel would have degenerated to the moral depravity of Sodom and Gomorrah. Do you see the principle? Man without God always degenerates. It is only by God's gracious election that some men are saved. Apart from God's gracious choice, none would ever be saved. The Promise of Israel's Failure leading to Gentile Victory.
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 just as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” (Romans 9:30-33).
Paul now presents a general contrast between Jews and Gentiles as they relate to the righteousness of God. That contrast is set forth in the following chart:
Gentiles|Jews|
Did not pursue righteousness|Pursued a law of righteousness|
Attained the righteousness which is by faith|Did not arrive at that law because they did not pursue it by faith| The righteousness which the Gentiles attained is the one which Paul set forth in Romans 3:1-31 -- the righteousness which is imputed through faith in Christ. The irony is that the Gentiles were not all that concerned with righteousness in the first place. It was the Jews whose very culture consisted of a search for righteousness. The problem is that they could never manage to attain that for which they sought. It seems a bit unfair. The Gentiles stumble onto righteousness with no effort at all. Where did the Jews go wrong? The answer is seen in Romans 3:32. They stumbled. The cause of their stumbling was a stone.
Paul combines Isaiah 8:14 with Isaiah 28:16, both of which speak of a “stone of stumbling.” Those who trust in Jesus as the Messiah find Him to be their rock of salvation. But to those who reject Him, He is a stone of stumbling. What kind of a “stone” is Jesus to you? Is He the rock of your salvation, or is He a stone of offense? Is Jesus the basis of your stumbling or the source of your salvation?