The sad truth of Israel is the sad truth of all mankind… If God does not interrupt our wickedness and hardness, then none of us would remain before Him. And God patiently endures the wickedness of some, up until the point of wrath, for the purpose of revealing the greatness of His mercy to those who have received it. Paul concludes that Israel failed to attain righteousness, because they were unwilling to pursue it by faith in God. Instead, they attempted to pursue righteousness by works of the Law, and as Scripture predicted, they stumbled upon Jesus, Son of God, who called them to believe on Him. So, Jesus becomes to Israel (and to others) either a Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offense, or the source of ultimate victory.
This Week’s Bulletin:
