5 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. 6 Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace. 7 What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually.”
This is the final blow dealt to the unbelieving Jew! Remember that Israel has been trying to make its own way of salvation:
“Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.” — Romans 10:3
Israel was trying to establish her own righteousness apart from God. Paul says that the Jews did not find what they were looking for. How could they? Since each one of us has transgressed God’s law, there is no way for us to be made righteous apart from Christ crucified and raised.
“The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” — Romans 8:7-8
It is as Paul says, only the elect will find it. Only the remnant that God has chosen will confess and believe. The rest have rejected the message; their hearts have been hardened. Paul quotes the prophet Moses: “as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this day.” (v. 8) Quoted from:
“Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen with your own eyes everything the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his entire land. You saw with your own eyes the great trials and those great signs and wonders. Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.” — Deuteronomy 29:2-4
Isaiah says something very similar:
“And he replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive. Make the minds of these people dull; deafen their ears and blind their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed.” — Isaiah 6:9-10
“Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with beer. For the Lord has poured out on you an overwhelming urge to sleep; he has shut your eyes (the prophets) and covered your heads (the seers).” — Isaiah 29:9-10
Paul shows us that even from the time of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, a large portion of the nation did not faithfully follow God. Even after everything they had just seen in their exit from slavery under the oppression of the Egyptians, even after all the miracles and moments of clear divine intervention, they did not have a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear. God had hardened their hearts.
In verses 9-10, Paul shows us what happens to those who seek their own righteousness apart from God. He quotes David: “And David says, Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution to them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually.” (v. 9-10) Quoted from:
“Let their table set before them be a snare, and let it be a trap for their allies. Let their eyes grow too dim to see, and let their hips continually quake.” — Psalm 69:22-23
Paul has used these verses to show us that it was never God’s intention to save every ethnic member of the Israelite nation. Rather, God’s elect are the ones He has chosen to save, both those who are from His chosen nation Israel, and those who are from among the Gentile nations. So what will come of Israel? Why has God called them His people and why has He focused on this nation for so many centuries? We’ll discuss the answers to those questions in the following devotionals.
Great lesson today Tyler. Election is hard to understand, but then God knows what He’s doing and it’s not my place to question Him or even wonder about it. We have to accept that as His will and rejoice in the fact that He chose ME!!!! Wonder of wonders!!