Romans 11:32 – All locked up

For God locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all.

God had compassion on the stubborn nations. Precisely through a (until now) stubborn people of Israel. But God will also have mercy on Israel. According to the promises made to the fathers. So God has compassion on all, Israel as well as the nations.

The stubbornness of all was not invented by men. Nor is it unforeseen or ‘accidental’. GOD is in perfect control of everything. Stubborn humanity serves as a black background for GOD to display his mercy. Note: GOD Himself locks up all together in stubbornness. In the NT we encounter the verb for ‘lock up’ in Luke 5:6, where there is talk of a multitude of fish that are locked in the nets. They can’t go anywhere. Such is humanity. That every man is a sinner is not his own choice, but it is deployed by God. Inescapable.

But just as inescapable as the stubbornness of all people is the fact that GOD will have mercy on all of them. The first is not a human choice, and neither is the second. GOD has mercy on whom He wills (Rom.9:16) – ultimately on all. Unavoidable!

Delen: