THE KING’S BUSINESS
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be possible, that I myself might be sepa rated from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Or, others would read the verse as follows: “Myself was once wishing to be separated or accursed from Christ, that is, when I was in my Jewish condition, before conver sion.” In this sense, then, he prays for his brethren, for their condition now is what his was formerly. It is probably best to see truth in both these views. The privileges of Israel are set forth in verses 4 and S, privileges which are described also in 3:1-8. These are set forth in order to show the purpose of such blessings, namely, to be a benediction to the world. How sad that a nation with such a high calling and such glorious priv ileges should have had such a sad fall; that a nation from which the Messiah had sprung should, after all, be shut out from the blessings of the gospel and in a sense be cast away! 2 . The righteousness of Israel’s rejec tion ( 9 : 6 - 29 ). (a) The question of God’s faithfulness to his promises is dealt with in verses 6 - 13 . The apostle says that because some Jews were excluded from the blessings of the gospel, no violence has been done to the faithfulness of God, for while some are rejected, others, through faith, were accepted. (b) God’s promise was not made to all Israel, nor is all Israel rejected ( 9 : 14 - 18 ). Physical descent is not enough to prove a tnan to be a Jew. Ishmael and Esau were children of Abraham, although neither was a child of promise. God has always worked along the lines of selection, as his dealings with the nation in the past clearly show. God’s blessings are by promise, not by birth. God is not bound to save Israel, even though it has fallen, for the covenant He made with them was not one which could not be dissolved through unfaithful ness on their part. Furthermore, God has greater plans than those which concern
Israel alone. God’s heart is big enough to take in the world. P ractical Lessons Where God’s promises seem to fail, the fault is to be found with us and not with God. We should not charge God with unfaithfulness. All the blessings that come to men in life come, not because they deserve them, but simply because of the gracious will of God. God gives us bless ings' with which to bless others. When these blessings are kept for ourselves, we lose them. Not all Israelites are of Israel. Not all members of the church belong to the real Church. Not all who profess Christ are real Christians, To have one’s name on the church book is one thing; to have it written in the Lamb’s Book of Life is quite another. Just as in 9:6-13 the rejection of Israel was compatible and consistent with God’s faithfulness to His promises,^so here the rejection of Israel is consistent and compatible with His righteousness. This is shown, first; by quotations from the Old Testament (9:14-18) setting forth God’s right to grant spiritual blessings to whomsoever He will and to harden those whom He chooses. This He has a right to do irrespective of anything that man can say. It is within the privilege of God to have mercy and compassion if He will. It is worthy of note that in these verses, nothing is said of God hardening men. What is stated is the absolute right of God to have mercy and compassion on men if He wants to. This is not the usual view taken of this argument, but it is the true one. We know from the teaching of Scrip ture that God wills to have mercy on all who will receive it. It is only those who, like Pharaoh, for example, deliberately/ harden their own hearts, who are 'allowed to remain in that hardened condition, and thus God’s will is carried out even in the hardening. We are not to understand that Pharaoh was created in order that he might be hardened of God. What we are to under stand by verse 17 is that God took such
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