The Bible in 2020

Today’s Reading

Psalms 88-89; Romans 10

Selected Verses

 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments,  then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes,  but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. Psalm 89:30-33

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”  But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”  Romans 10:20-21

Reflections

The Psalmist laments deeply the loss to Israel of God’s apparent abandonment of them.  He reasons that God’s covenant with David was to maintain his offspring on the throne forever, conditional on the obedience of his descendants.  Clearly the conditions were not met. David’s descendants were a sorry lot, for the most part.  After Solomon, the kingdom was divided and Rehoboam ruled over Judah alone.  Idolatry became the norm in both Judah and Israel.  Eventually foreign powers conquer those kingdoms and take the people into captivity.

But God had promised to keep the Davidic line alive while punishing the rebellion of the kings in that line.  How would He do this? What did His promise really mean? We learn from the New Testament that God sent His Son through the Virgin Mary of the line of David to be the King forever.  Jesus was also called the “Lamb of God" (John 1:29).  He took away the sins of the world. He became the High Priest Whose offering was perfect and removed forever the need for further sacrifices (Hebrews 10:11-14).

Paul longs for Israel to recognize their Messiah as their King and High Priest.  In another move showing God's wisdom, He sends the gospel to the Gentiles, and they believed it. Yet this move was, in part, to make Israel jealous of the blessing they were missing. Paul says that Isaiah had foretold this strategy.  Ironically, those who sought to be righteous by their own efforts [the Jews] did not obtain it while those who did not seek God and His righteousness [the Gentiles] found justification before Him by faith in Jesus.

Think about it

In light of world events and apparent chaos, consider the wisdom and faithfulness of God.  Praise Him that His ways are not our ways and that He has triumphed over sin and Satan. He has won the battle.

© 2017 John A Carroll  Used by permission

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