lesson 4749

 (Lesson 4749) (02-04-25) Romans 11:7-12 

    What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day." And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always." I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” 

 

   Today’s lesson explains that Israel, as a whole, had not obtained what it sought, but the elect had obtained it while the rest were intentionally blinded. Paul referenced Scripture, stating that God had given the nation of the Jews a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear. David had also prophesied that their own law would become a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and recompense, and that their eyes would be darkened to the truth. 

Paul then asked whether their stumbling meant their complete fall, and he immediately answered, “Certainly not” Instead, their fall had led to salvation for the gentiles, and to provoke the future Jews to jealousy. He concluded by stating that if Israel’s fall had brought riches to the world, how much greater then, would their full restoration be. ~