Paul
the apostle told the people in Rome,
“Israel
has not obtained that which he seeks for; but the election has
obtained it, and the rest were blinded”,
and
in
chapter eleven and verse eight of Romans,
Paul told the people in Rome, “God
has given them the spirit of slumber”
where
we read:
(According
as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber,
eyes
that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto
this day.
The
verse begins, “(According
as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, ...”
Paul
began with the words, “according
as”
which means “since, just as, even as, in proportion and to the
degree that”, “it
is written”
or “the letters are delineate or formed on a tablet, parchment,
paper, or other material”, “God”
or “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the
Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “has
given them”
which means “has granted, bestowed, supplied and furnished” “the
spirit”
which means “the simple essence which is devoid of all or at least
all grosser matter and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring,
deciding, and acting” “of
slumber”
or “pertaining to prickling, piercing, severe sorrow and extreme
grief”. Paul shared how he referred to Isaiah's words concerning
God granting to people a state of “severe sorrow and extreme
grief”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...
eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;)
unto this day.”.
Paul
added the word, “eyes”
which means “the body part used for seeing or vision and by
implication spiritual sight” “that
they should not see”
or “so those who have the spirit of slumber will not have spiritual
sight”,
“and ears”
which means “the part of the body used for listening and hearing”
“that
they should not hear”
or “so those with the
spirit of slumber
will not be able to hear”;) “unto”
or “until” “this
day”
which refers to “this very day”. Paul continued Isaiah's thought
as he shared how those who have “the
spirit of slumber”
will not have the capacity to “hear or see” God's gospel.
When
we consider these words of Paul, we see his reference to Isaiah
chapter twenty-nine and verse ten where it reads, “For
the LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has
closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers has he
covered.” Paul knew there were people in the world who would
reject God's Son Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”,
and at some point, God allows them to have “severe sorrow and
extreme grief”. This is not His desires, but when a person rejects
God's invitation over and over again, there arrives a point when they
shall remain “blind and deaf”. Oh that those reading these words
would “yield” to Jesus today while there is “sight” and
ability to “hear”.
Next
time Paul tells his readers how “David
said,
let
their table be made a snare”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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