Some Key Words (11/19/00-11/20/00)

Grace (charis [5485]):

a favor done without expectation of return, the freeness of God's lovingkindness towards men, unearned and unmerited favor; that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, and loveliness, good will, the merciful kindness of God in turning us to Christ, the spiritual condition of one governed by God's grace; graciousness of manner or act, the divine influence on the heart and its reflection in the life

Works (ergon [2041]):

the result of making or working, a thing which one has to do or attain, the result of doing or working, an object requiring accumulated effort to obtain; what one is occupied with, what one does, an undertaking, anything accomplished by effort, an act, a deed; toil, effort

Seeking (epizeteo [1934]):

to seek diligently, to crave, to demand, clamor for; to inquire, search

Obtained (epitugchano [2013]):

to hit upon a person or thing, to attain to; to chance upon

Chosen (ekloge [1589]):

election; the act of picking out, the act of God's free will in decreeing blessings upon certain persons from before the world was made; a thing or person chosen, God's elect; divine selection

Hardened (poroo [4456]):

to make hard like a stone, to make insensible to touch, callous; to cover with a thick skin, to harden by covering with a callous, to make the heart dull, to lose the power of understanding; to petrify, to render stupid or callous

Stupor (katanuxis [2659]):

a piercing, severe sorrow, extreme grief, insensibility such as extreme grief might produce, so lost in grief that Messiah's offer of salvation does not affect one; a prickling sensation such as a sleeping limb, lethargy

See (blepo [991]):

bodily or mental vision, to perceive, take heed, earnest contemplation; to discern, to look, gaze at, feel, to discover by use, to observe, perceive, consider, contemplate, examine; to look at

Hear (akouo [191]):

to hear someone or something, to listen to, understand, to hear effectually so as to perform what is spoken, to obey; to be able to hear, to attend to, consider what has been said, to understand what has been said, to perceive what is announced in one's presence, to learn by hearing, to listen to a teacher, to comprehend;

Table (trapeza [5132]):

an eating place, the table of the showbread, to set a table, put food before one, a banquet or feast, the moneychanger's table; a table or stool for food or counting money

Retribution (antapodoma [468]):

the thing paid back, requital;

 

Paraphrase: (11/19/00)

6 If God's choice is by grace, then it cannot be based on works, because it would not then be grace. 7 So what has occurred? Those who were chosen obtained the righteousness that Israel had sought, but the remainder were hardened such that even those who sought did not obtain it. 8 This accords with Scripture, which reminds us that God caused their eyes to fail in seeing, their ears in hearing by a spirit of stupor. 9 And David tells us that the table that was set for them became a trap and a stumbling block to them. What should have been a reward has become retribution, 10 their eyes cannot see the truth, so they are burdened forever [by sin].

Key Verse: (11/19/00)

11:6 - If we accept that God chooses His remnant according to His gracious will, then we leave no room for works-based salvation.

People Mentioned: (11/19/00)

David

but I'm not going there, right now.

 

Some Parallel Verses (11/20/00)

11:6

Ro 4:4 - The wages of a worker are no longer a favor, but merely payment of debt.

11:7

Ro 9:31 - Israel was never able to reach conformity with the Law they pursued, and so never reached righteousness. Mk 6:52 - The apostles were unable to understand the significance of the loaves, because their hearts were hardened. Ro 9:18 - God hardens whom He wills, and has mercy on whom He wills. 2Co 3:14 - The Jews remain hardened, because the veil remains before them at the reading of the covenant unless Christ shall remove it.

11:8

Dt 29:4 - In spite of all God had done, the LORD still had left the bulk of Israel without understanding in their hearts, eyes, or ears. Is 29:10 - The LORD has caused a deep sleep in His people, shutting them off from the eyes of prophesy, and covering the seers who are their heads. Mt 13:13-15 - The reaction of Israel to Jesus, in not understanding His teachings, was a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies.

11:9

Ps 69:22 - This is the psalm that speaks of Jesus' death. David beseeches God to make his enemy's table a snare, and to entrap them in their supposed peace.

11:10

Ps 69:23 - He continues by asking that their sight be blinded, and that they might be filled with fear.

 

New Thoughts (11/21/00)

If it's God's choice, it can't very well be ours, can it? This, I understand. In this, pride finds its death, for there is nothing left for us to be proud of. Shall we pride ourselves in inability? Shall we boast of our greatness in being unable to save ourselves? Utter foolishness, that. Rather, we are given the privilege of boasting about our God and Savior, the One who saw fit to call us His. Shall we be proud that He chose us? How could we do so? It wasn't anything we did to deserve it. We don't even understand why He would choose to do so. Why me, God, and not my brother? In plain truth, it hurts to be chosen, because - having been chosen, we long to see our loved ones chosen as well. But it's not up to us, and it's not up to them. It's up to God. I may ask why, but I've not known Him to be inclined to answer that. If Paul wasn't given to know, nor Job, nor Moses, why would I think I might hear the answer? I don't expect to, but the question remains. I could add to that, why, God, is it better that we not know the reasoning behind Your choosing? If we knew His criteria, would we not think ourselves able to discern who met that criteria? Would we not fall into the same mistakes Job's 'friends' made? "Ah, here's the reason God is hardening you. Well, no sense me trying to explain the truth to you, then." Hearing, in this passage, speaks of hearing effectually, so as to do what has been told. It's the learning of a lesson, so as to do what has been taught. Our task, as Christ's willing slaves, is to teach the lesson, not to decide how the student will react, or whether the student is worthy. God will decide that. Ours is to obey our master's directions - to show by our efforts that we have truly heard, that we have understood the lesson so as to obey it. Those who have not heard, cannot possibly obey, for they have nothing to obey. Do we then bring judgement upon those whom we teach, when they fail to understand? No. We are not given to know the fruit of our labors. Not often, anyway. We are given a job to do, and expected to be faithful in the doing. If that job becomes an instrument of God's judgement, what is that to us? If it becomes an instrument of God's grace, what is that to us? Our joy is in obedience to our Lord. Certainly, we rejoice to see another soul brought to the light. But, let's be honest. We have no way of knowing the certainty of what our senses tell us has occurred. Only God can see the heart. We thrill to see new believers come forth and confess their need for Christ, accepting Him into their hearts. But we really don't know whether their confession is heartfelt. That very uncertainty ought to cause in us a desire to better disciple those that come; to not teach one lesson and run, but rather to truly train and equip. Father, help us to take up the task You have given us. Help us to be bold to stand for Your truth and Your ways. Help us to be faithful to speak Your message to the world around us. God, get our eyes off the numbers, and onto the call. Oh, Lord, we long for all that You desire to come to You. And, we know that all You desire will come to You, for it is Your will that they do so. We know that their coming is no more due to our efforts than our own coming. But we know, also, that You have called us to the work. God, I pray that I would be found faithful in doing what You have told me to do. I pray that You would guard me from taking my hand from the plow You have told me to use. I pray for boldness to be about my Father's business.