Paul ends the three chapters, 9, 10
and 11 with a doxology, in chapter 11, verses 33-36, a prayer of praise to God
for the wisdom He has shown in His plans. In these three chapters, which by the
way, can stand on their own as a separate treatise on the Destiny of the Jews,
Paul is grappling with God’s plan for Israel. That he is a part of this
destiny, makes him all the more vulnerable and we have seen the anguish of his
heart poured out in these chapters.
Israel is the chosen race by God, chosen
so that His blessings could flow to all the families on earth through the
descendants of Abraham. The one thing that the Jews were eagerly anticipating
over centuries was the coming of the Promised Messiah, who will deliver them.
But when the Son of Man came, they rejected their own Messiah, crucified him
and killed him off.
They couldn’t understand how a
carpenter could dare to equal himself with God and how he could deliver them from
the rule of Romans. When they were looking for a Messiah to deliver them from
the Roman rule, Jesus talked about another Kingdom and deliverance from sin.
They could not take it; they finished him off.
Now what is going to be the destiny
of the Jews? They had rejected God’s provision of salvation; will God reject
them as well? If so, what about the promises made by God to their patriarchs? Will
God honor His promises or not?
Paul has tried to show that because
of the unbelief of the Jews, doors of salvation were opened up to the Gentiles
and they were able to come into the kingdom of God as His children. Through the
hardening of the hearts of the Israel, Gentiles came in. It is Paul’s
contention that all Israel will be saved. None of God’s promises will go unfulfilled.
How and when will this final salvation
of all Israel take place? Though Paul does not spell this out clearly, we can presume
how and when it will happen from biblical references.
In Zechariah 12:10, it is
prophesied that “…I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one
they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child,
and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”
The Jews as a nation will realize their
folly and the grievous error they had committed when Jesus Christ returns, as
the Lord and Master of this world. The Second Coming of Christ will be like the
First Coming to them. Then they will repent and be gathered into the kingdom of
God.[1]
Then, ‘I will say, “They are my
people,” and they will say, “The Lord is our God.”’ Zechariah 13:9.
Every covenant made by God with the Patriarchs of Israel will then be
fulfilled. God’s gifts and callings are irrevocable.
Having assured himself that all
Israel will be saved, now Paul turns to praise God for his wisdom and justice
and love. In so doing, he makes three or four points very clear.
First, none of us, human beings can
understand the ways or methods of God. God goes about His purpose of bringing
salvation to the lost race of mankind in His own way, using His own methods. We
may never be able to understand it clearly, but one thing we can be sure that
God will never be unjust or arbitrary. It goes against His character and
attributes. The wisdom and knowledge of God are unfathomable and his justice
unsearchable.
Second, none of us, the human beings
can know the mind of God. Our own puny brains can understand only so much. It
can produce philosophy, scientific inventions, including the deadly
ammunition, but cannot know or analyse God’s mind.
Can any one of us be that great in
understanding that we can act as counsellor to God, suggesting Him how to rule
the earth or the heavens? When we see wrong and horrible things happening in
the world and the cruelty and injustice that prevail on earth, we are tempted
to blame God and ask the question, is God blind or is He incapable of righting
the wrongs?
Paul is quoting Isaiah 40:13
here to show we can neither understand God’s mind nor instruct Him as His counselors.
When we presume to do so, we only expose our own ignorance and arrogance. Who
are we to criticize or judge God? Are we above God?
Third, Paul makes it clear that God
owes none of us anything that He should repay us by obliging us. Here he is
quoting Job 41:11, where God in replying Job asks, “Who has a claim
against me that I must pay? Everything under the heaven belongs to me.” God is
the Sovereign Ruler of heaven and earth, which He created by His power and
wisdom. We have nothing, no claim against Him. We can utmost depend on His
mercy and grace.
Most of the times in our lives we
make wrong decisions using our own free will and land up in bad situations. Then
we blame God! Are we right in doing so? Not really.
Paul ends the whole doxology by
stating, “For from him and through him and to him are all things.” All things
receive their sustenance from God; He is our source, our origin, our destiny
and our end. As created beings, we are totally dependent on God. When we
realize this fact and order our lives accordingly, we get his unhindered blessings
and can live for His glory.
Let us strive towards this goal and
may the Holy Spirit give us the motivation and the ability to live so.
Amen.
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