Paul
the apostle referred to the prophet Isaiah's words as he told the
people in Rome, “Let
their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a
recompense unto them”,
and he added, “Let
their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their
back alway.” In
chapter eleven and verse eleven of Romans,
Paul told the people in Rome concerning the Jews, “through
their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles”
where
we read:
I
say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but
rather
through their fall salvation is
come
unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
The
verse begins, “I
say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall?”
Paul
began with the words, “I
say then”
which means “Paul uttered, proclaimed and declared therefore,
wherefore, accordingly, consequently and these things being so”,
“have
they stumbled”
or “that the people of Israel have erred, made a mistake, sinned
and become wretched” “that
they”
which refers to “so the people of Israel” “should
fall”
which means “might descend from a higher place to a lower, be
thrust down, fallen under condemnation and lowered from an erect to a
prostrate position”? Paul questioned whether the people of Israel
had “erred and made a mistake” to be “thrust down and fallen
under condemnation”.
The
verse continues, “God
forbid: but rather
through their fall salvation is
come
unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. ”.
Paul
added the words, “God
forbid”
which means “no, not in the least and perish the thought” “but”
or “nevertheless, notwithstanding and without objection and
exception”
“rather through their fall”
which means “instead by way of their sin, misdeed and lapse or
deviation from truth and uprightness” “salvation”
or “deliverance, preservation and safety” “is
come”
which means “has been carried to and brought” “unto
the Gentiles”
or which refers to “toward the tribes, nations and people groups
who are not Jewish”, “for
to provoke them”
which means “to excite and stimulate the people of Israel to
rivalry and emulation” “to
jealousy”
or “toward rivalry and emulation”. Paul shared how the “gospel”
of Jesus Christ was given to the “Gentiles”
to “stimulate and excite” the people of Israel toward receiving
the “gospel” themselves.
When
we consider these words of Paul, we see how God used the “Gentile”
nations to “provoke” the people of Israel. The Messiah Jesus came
through “Israel”, and when God's plan of “salvation”
was offered to people who lived outside of “Israel”, they
would be “jealous”. This “excitement and stimulation”
was to encourage the Jewish people to receive Jesus Christ as their
“Savior and Lord” as well, and when that takes place, both “Jew
and Gentile” have received God's “salvation”
plan.
Next
time Paul tells his readers about, “the
fall of them be the riches of the world”,
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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