Romans 10:20-11:6
This writer is taking the liberty to pick-up the words
spoken by Isaiah but not in it’s entirety, so please read all of verse 20. The words of God spoken with the mouth of
Isaiah; “I have been found by those who did not
seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he
says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary
people.” “ I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself
am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God
against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets,
they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.”
But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven
thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So
too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works;
otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”
Who are the ones Isaiah is making
reference to, the ones who did not seek God’s Son, the Messiah, the Redeemer,
was it not Gentiles, yes and even the chosen people of God who wanted the
Messiah on their terms. The plan was not
one you or I would have ever come up with, it began before the creation of the
world, before man took his first breath, before the Law of Moses was given, God
knew that sin would entice Adam and Eve, that they would fall for the line you
cannot trust God, but bought the lie, if you eat the forbidden fruit you will
be like God.
As a time critters do not try to read
the Bible as if God is under the influence of time, for God is not controlled
by time, time was designed for you and me.
But look for signs of things that happened outside of time, like when
God created Lucifer, or better known in Scripture as the "morning
star" or "star of the morning" or "bright star" which
is presented in Isaiah 14:12-14. The
book of Ezekiel gives insight to the fact Lucifer was created just as you and
I, but before mankind. He is not like
us, and Ezekiel gives us this information; “You were in Eden, the garden
of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire,[a] emerald, and carbuncle; and
crafted in gold were your settings and your
engravings.[b] On the day
that you were created they were prepared. You were an
anointed guardian
cherub. I placed you;[c] you were on the
holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from
the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.”
Now lets go to Isaiah for it is
there we find the history of the unrighteousness that was found in Lucifer, “How you are
fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are
cut down to the ground, you who laid the
nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will
ascend to heaven above the stars of God I
will set my throne on high; I will sit on
the mount of assembly in the far reaches
of the north;[a] I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.”
It is important to state that Satan/ Lucifer works in the
hearts of men and kings, but it is also very clear that in Ezekiel 28:14
Lucifer is called the anointed Cherub, and that leaves no room for a human
king. By definition a cherub is singular
for cherubim who are first viewed in the Bible as chosen in the Garden of Eden
to guard the “Tree of Life.
With that backdrop, much later in what we call time Jesus, born
of the Virgin Mary came and lived, taught, and preformed miracles and yet the
chosen people rejected Him, it is all recorded in John 1:1-19. But God, I sure hope you do not get tired of
me stating that, for in those two words is found the reason for the hope I have
in Christ. But God, rich in mercy and
grace allowed you and I who were seeking other gods, gods that cannot save to
see and understand the good news that is found in Christ, and it is God’s plan
to make His chosen jealous of our being called the children of God, or as Paul
so states to be grafted into the vine.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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