Romans Chapter 9 Vs. 33

 

Israel's Unbelief

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Rom 9:33

Behold, I lay... The 7th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (Rom. 9:33; Isa. 8:14; 28:16). Next, Rom. 10:15.

stumblingstone and rock... I will send the Messiah, not as a mighty prince and a conqueror whom everyone will be willing to trust in, but as a man of sorrows, humiliation, and death. Many will think it disgraceful to trust in such a person for salvation. In spite of this, whoever trusts in Him will not be ashamed of Him or be confused.

1 Peter 2:6-8 “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” “Unto you therefore which believe [he is] precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,” “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, [even to them] which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”

And just one more Scripture makes it very clear.

1Jhn. 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

There is little to add to this, except to say that our faith in Jesus Christ is our salvation, whether we are Jew or Gentile believers.

Long before His coming, the Old Testament prophets had predicted that Israel would reject her Messiah, illustrating again that her unbelief is perfectly consistent with the Scripture.

Isa. 8:14 “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

Isa. 28:16 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”

Consequently they stumbled (cf. Rom. 11:11) over the “stumbling Stone.” The Lord Jesus Christ, “the stumbling Stone” (cf. 1Pet. 2:4-8), did not conform to the Jews’ expectations, so they rejected Him instead of responding to Him by faith. To show that God anticipated this, Paul quoted from Isa. 8:14 and Isa. 28:16 (cf. Rom. 10:11), combining the two statements to indicate the two contrasting reactions by men to the Stone that God placed in Zion (cf. “Zion” in Rom. 11:26).

Ezekiel Chapter 38 Vs. 1

 

Ezekiel Chapter 38

These next two chapters, 38 and 39, tell of a coming northern confederacy of nations who will invade the Promised Land.

Prophecy Against Gog

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Eze. 38:1




This begins a new prophecy. We must look at this from the standpoint of future prophecy, because the things mentioned in the following verses have not happened yet. This prophecy is for the day of the Lord. Some call it the time of the end. This prophecy is primarily spoken against Gog in the land of Magog as we will see.




Israel has been trampled underfoot by her enemies, but God will intervene in the future to insure her safety. He will defend His people and judge her enemies in distant countries (judgment on the nearby countries had already been cited, chaps. 25-32).

Some of the countries mentioned in Eze.38:1-23 and Eze. 39:1-29 had already been identified as trading partners with Tyre.

We must look at this from the standpoint of future prophecy, because the things mentioned in the following verses have not happened yet. This prophecy is for the day of the Lord. Some call it the time of the end. This prophecy is primarily spoken against Gog in the land of Magog.

Romans Chapter 9 Vs. 32

 

Israel's Unbelief

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; Rom 9:32

Wherefore? Because they... Question 62. Next, Rom. 10:6. Why has Israel not attained to the righteousness she sought so long? Because she sought it not by faith, but by works of the law, and because she stumbled over the way her Messiah came (Rom. 9:32-33).

sought it not... The Jews were ignorant of God’s way of righteousness by faith in Christ (Rom. 3:25-31; Gal. 2:16; 3:10-28). They went about to establish their own righteousness by works. They attained not to the Abrahamic covenant, which stands alone on the principle of grace through faith (Rom. 4:1-25; Gen. 15:6). They set all their efforts upon the law of works and imagined they were justified by outward observance of a few rituals. When the gospel came along offering free salvation to Gentiles as well as Jews on the basis of grace and faith without works, they were offended and rejected it.

We see in all of this that the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah. Faith is what pleases God. By faith the elders received a good report. Abraham’s faith was counted unto him as righteousness. Our faith in Jesus is what saves us. We cannot be good enough to be saved and neither could the Jews who had the law. We all need a Savior and His name is Jesus Christ the Righteous.

To seek to attain righteousness by observing the Law requires that it be kept perfectly (cf. Jas. 2:10). Why did Israel not attain it? Because they pursued it not by (ek, “out from”) faith but as if it were by (ek, “out from”) works. The Israelites did not admit their inability to keep the Law perfectly and turn by faith to God for forgiveness. Instead a few of them kept trying to keep the Law by their own efforts.

Daniel Chapter 12 Vs. 13

 The Time of the End

Daniel 12:13 "But go thou thy way till the end [be]: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."




But go thou... But he will be resurrected (you will rise at the end of the days), and he will receive his allotted inheritance in the Millennium. Because of Daniel’s faith in God he led a life of faithful service for Him, and for that faith and that obedience he will receive a glorious reward. All who like Daniel trust the Lord will share in the blessings of His millennial kingdom.

for thou shalt... Soon Daniel’s own career would involve death and he shall rest. Daniel would not live to see the fulfillment of his own prophecies, but is here promised that he would be resurrected to receive his reward (thou shall stand in thy lot). All who trust in Daniel’s God will likewise be blessed.

stand in thy... This assures Daniel a part in these things after his resurrection. It teaches saints shall judge the world and rule forever under the Messiah (Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 7:18, 7:27; Luke 22:30; 1Co. 6:2-4; 2Ti. 2:12; Rev. 2:27; 5:10; 12:5; 20:4-6; 22:4-5).

Luke 21:36 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."



Daniel did not live to see many of his prophecies fulfilled. He, the angel said, would rest, that is, in death (cf. Dan. 12:2). But he will be resurrected (you will rise at the end of the days), and he will receive his allotted inheritance in the Millennium. Because of Daniel’s faith in God he led a life of faithful service for Him, and for that faith and that obedience he will receive a glorious reward. All who like Daniel trust the Lord will share in the blessings of His millennial kingdom.

Every individual person, who ever lived, stands before Jesus to be judged. Those who did not receive Jesus as their Savior will be judged guilty, and sent to everlasting torment.

Those who are Christians will be judged to receive their rewards. They all receive everlasting life, but some receive a reward for their work on earth.

Salvation is a free gift. It does not need to be earned. Rewards are extras.

Romans Chapter 9 Vs. 31

 

Israel's Unbelief

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Rom 9:31

We see in all of this that the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah. Faith is what pleases God. By faith the elders received a good report. Abraham’s faith was counted unto him as righteousness.

The latter pursued (“kept on pursuing”) a Law of righteousness, but has not attained it. “A Law of righteousness” refers to the Mosaic Law (cf. Rom. 7:7, 7:12, 7:14). To seek to attain righteousness by observing the Law requires that it be kept perfectly (cf. Jas. 2:10).

Daniel Chapter 12 Vs. 12

 The Time of the End

Daniel 12:12 "Blessed [is] he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."




Blessed is he... Blessing is pronounced on one who waits for and lives to see the end of the 1,335 days. This is an additional 45 days beyond the 1,290 days (Dan. 12:11). Forty-five days after the end of the Tribulation Israel’s long-awaited blessings will be realized. This may mark the blessing of the Millennium; or it may be when Christ, who will have appeared in the heavens (Mat. 24:30) 45 days earlier, will actually descend to the earth, His feet touching down on the Mount of Olives (cf. Act. 1:11). For believers Christ’s coming is a blessing and a glorious hope.

The Christians are the blessed.

This is in the kingdom (2:35, 45; 7:13-14, and 27) that gives blessedness after the subjugation to Gentile empires in chapters 2, 7 and 8.

Forty five more days, even beyond the 1290 days, allows for transition between Israel’s time of being shattered (v.7) and God’s setting up of His kingdom. (7:13-14, and 27)

Rom. 5:9 "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

We are not saved from tribulation, we are saved from wrath.



Blessing is pronounced on one who waits for and lives to see the end of the 1,335 days. This is an additional 45 days beyond the 1,290 days (Dan. 12:11). Forty-five days after the end of the Tribulation Israel’s long-awaited blessings will be realized. This may mark the blessing of the Millennium; or it may be when Christ, who will have appeared in the heavens (Mat. 24:30) 45 days earlier, will actually descend to the earth, His feet touching down on the Mount of Olives (cf. Acts 1:11). For believers Christ’s coming is a blessing and a glorious hope.

Romans Chapter 9 Vs. 30

 

Israel's Unbelief

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. Rom 9:30

What shall we... Question 61. Next, Rom. 9:32. What shall we finally conclude from all these prophecies? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained it; but Israel which followed after the law of righteousness has not attained it (Rom. 9:30-31).

Paul concludes the lesson on God’s divine choice by reminding his readers that although God chooses some to receive His mercy, those who receive His judgment do so not because of something God has done to them, but because of their own unwillingness to believe the gospel. Sinners are condemned for their personal sins, the supreme one being rejection of God and Christ.

Mat. 21:42 “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?”

Mat. 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

God’s sovereign choice applied

Israel’s Stumbling

Once again Paul asked his familiar rhetorical question, What then shall we say? (cf. Rom. 4:1; 6:1; 8:31; 9:14) preparatory to his summation of this situation. His identification of the Gentiles (lit., “the nations”) as the ones who have obtained… a righteousness that is by (ek, “out from”) faith is interesting. As Paul stated later, the church included Jewish as well as Gentile believers (Rom. 11:1-5), but by the time of Paul’s third missionary journey the increasing rejection of the gospel by the Jews and the predominance of Gentiles in the church led the apostle to speak of “the Gentiles” as antithetical to Israel. The latter pursued (“kept on pursuing”) a Law of righteousness, but has not attained it. “A Law of righteousness” refers to the Mosaic Law (cf. Rom. 7:7, 7:12, 7:14).