It is a challenge to the people. Keep God's commands. Why? Consider the historic evidence of what happened to Pharaoh and what happened to Dathan and Abiram, both destroyed by God's power and strength. And the stakes have gone up.
In Egypt, it was the Nile that watered the crops. It had a power and regularity that was not easily disrupted. The Promised Land is watered by rain. Rain is sent by God. The sending of the rain will coincide with the obedience of the people to their LORD.
Some Jewish households have a blessing in a little container up on the doorpost of their homes, sometimes also of their businesses. This obeys verse 20. Some wear these things wrapped to their hands or on their foreheads when they pray. This obeys verse 18. Keeping the law is to understand and obey what God wants.
The promise in vss. 22 and following is a huge empire for the Israelites if they obey. The chapter ends with looking forward to entering the Promised Land, to Mt's Ebal and Gerazim to confirm these promises.
In Romans 9, Paul is upset. There is anguish in his heart for the Jews, those chosen by the LORD. They have turned away from what Jesus has taught. But Paul will not hold the LORD responsible for their unbelief. God does what God will do. He draws from the Old Testament, that God chose Jacob over Esau, the younger over the older. He selected the Pharaoh of the Exodus that the Pharaoh's heart would be hardened against their leaving.
Is it fair?
Can the clay say to the potter what is fair in how the clay should be constructed? God is the potter and has turned his blessings to the Gentiles upon their rejection by the Jews. He appeals to Isaiah, who prophesied this before, that only a remnant of the people would believe.
The distinction given is that the Jews have fallen into a pattern where they believe right works may them right with God, whereas the Gentiles, not necessarily knowing the 'right works', come to the LORD through faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment