Romans 11:8– God chooses and hardens

Even as it is written: God gives them a spirit of stupor, eyes not to be observing, and ears not to be hearing, till this very day.

God chooses and God hardens. That is a biblical truth that always meets with much resistance because it knocks people off their pedestal. People cannot believe it because it takes away any motive for self-glory. The fact that the vast majority of the people of Israel do not believe in their Messiah “until this very day” is because the people have been hardened by God Himself. And Paul substantiates this by quoting a statement of Moses (Deut.29:4) and of Isaiah (29:10) in one quote. in other words Paul’s statement is in line with, but also based on, the testimony of “the law and the prophets.”

God not only allows unbelief, but He is the cause of Israel’s current unbelief! In John 12:39,40 we read something similar about Israel’s leaders who rejected Jesus’ words: “Therefore they could not believe, seeing that Isaiah said again that He has blinded their eyes and callouses their hearts…”.

Our faith is God’s achievement. He opens eyes, ears and hearts. And He does that with each in his own time. Precisely this truth guarantees us a universally good outcome!

Delen: