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THE KING’S BUSINESS
the true relation existing between God and Israel, between the promises of the old dispensation and the gospel of the new. As we know from the history of Paul, he was now about to bid farewell to Jewish territory. His face was turned towards Gentile Rome. No more fitting oppor tunity could present itself for the discus sion of the whole problem of the relation of the Jew to the promises of God and tht gospel than in connection with the letter to the Romans. The truth of these chapters may be summed up somewhat as follows: While it is true that God had entered into cer tain peculiar relations to the nation of Israel, those relations were necessarily sovereign and gracious. They did not leave the dealings of God open for challenge or discussion. Whatever favors God bestowed upon these people were of pure grace. If God at any time desired to withdraw those gracious favors, He was at liberty to do so without being suspected of unfaithful ness or of being untrue to His promises. If the Jew would closely consider the promises made, he would find that they were based on faith and applied just as well to a Gentile as to a Jew. Indeed, that Jew, alone was a true Jew who was a Jew irf heart by reason of his faith in God. If the promises made have not been, fulfilled, the fault is with Israel, and not with God, and yet the fault is not with all Israel, because there is a remnant who had faith. The day is coming when the reconciliation of Israel as a nation shall take place. In that day Jesus will be seen and acknowledged to be the Messiah. What great purposes God has for the world! Hpw we limit them by making them individual! Let us beware lest that which was given us ■ for service we lose by selfishness. We keep what we give away; we lose what we keep. What an encouragement lies in these chapters to believe in the ultimate and final purposes, of God and His gospel. The true Chris tianas the best kind of an optimist. Christ shall see of the travail of His soul and be
satisfied. Righteousness will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. “Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does his successive journeys run.” This means glory and blessing for every true believer in the Lord Jesus. Canst thou, my heart, canst thou lift up thy, voice and sing, “I know that my Redeemer liveth and because He lives, I too shall live?” A general view of the argument of these chapters may be presented from a three fold point of view: First we have the argument from God’s side, setting forth the divine sovereignty and dealing with the question of election (c. 9). Second. We have the argument from man’s side, setting forth human responsibility and dealing with the ques tion of rejection. (c. 10). Third. We have the purpose of God set forth with regard to Israel, asserting that the rejec tion is but temporary and not final, and that ultimately Israel will be Restored, conclud ing with the comforting thought that what seems to be severity on the part of God is but His kindness working out His pur poses for both Jew and Gentile (c. 11). I. The A rgum ent from God’s Side (c . 9 ). The apostle, after expressing his deep Sorrow for the rejection of Israel, declares that that rejection is by no means incon sistent with God’s faithfulness to His prom ises, with His justice, or with His work of prophecy. i. The apostle’s sorrow for Israel’s rejection ( 9 : 1 - 5 ). It may have been that Paul had been accused of being disloyal to his nation. The expressions of these verses show the oppo site to be the case. The sincerity of the apostle is witnessed to by his conscience, by Christ, and by the Holy Spirit. Paul really meant what he said. There may be some question as to whether we really understand his statement, which may be rendered as follows: “I could pray, if such a prayer would be heard, if it would
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