First We Pray: Lesson 6--Question 4B

What part did the Jews play in bringing about God’s plan for the world?

Because of their rejection of Christ, salvation was made available to the rest of the World.

I think that sometimes we as Christians are very hard on the Jews. I think we sometimes assume that because God was so intimate with them as a people, because He so clearly revealed to them the signs to look for when the Messiah came, that they shouldn’t have missed it, that it should have been “obvious” to them. And for some of them, it was. They became the early church. I think we sometimes forget that like Saul/Paul, though not always quite so dramatically, the opening of the eyes of the spirit is a supernatural event. The ability to recognize Him, was something only God could do. Consider: if the Pharisees and High Priests recognized Him as the Messiah, Christ would never have been crucified. (2 Corinthians 2: 5-10) If the Jews had not rejected Him, the Good News would not have been open to the Gentiles.... to us. For our sake, many of the Jews were “kept” blind, their hearts hardened for His purposes.


This does not “excuse” them. They are still held accountable for their choice, but their redemption is coming. When the eyes of their spirit are opened imagine how devastating it will be to know they crucified the very one they’d been longing for, but also how humbling and overwhelming to see that He submitted Himself to that death for their sake.(Acts 2:22-40). Romans11 does an excellent job of summarizing it all.

Romans 11: 25-26a

25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters,[g] so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved.

Romans 11: 7-8, 11-12, 28-32

7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. 8 As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[d]

11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. 12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.
28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share[k] in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

I don't know about you, but those verses are kind of hard to wrap my mind around (verses 7-8, 32 in particular) . I think that is why Paul follows this passage with these words (Romans 11:33-36):

33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! 34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?[

l] 35 And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?[m] 36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Amen indeed.