Romans 10:18-21 (WEL) Yet, I ask, haven’t they heard? Yes, truly, their sound went into all the earth, and their words went into the farthest ends of the world. 19 Yet, I ask, didn’t Israel know? First, Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy by [those] not a nation, and by a nation of fools I will make you angry.” [See Deuteronomy 32:21]. 20 Isaiah is very bold when he says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I appeared to those who didn’t ask about me.” [Isaiah 65:1] 21 But to Israel, he says, “All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.” [Isaiah 65:2]
V18 Yet, I ask, haven’t they heard? Yes, truly, their sound went into all the earth, and their words went into the farthest ends of the world.
The sound and words refer to the Gospel message. It is a message that applies to all people anywhere on Earth.
Compare Psalm 19:4. The Greek word for “sound” is φθόγγος phthóngos (5353). It means a musical sound, not just a voice. The voice of these words of the Good News is like music. This witness is the creation itself, according to Psalm 19. See Romans 1:18-21.
V19 Yet, I ask, didn’t Israel know? First, Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy by [those] not a nation, and by a nation of ignorant people, I will make you angry.” [See Deuteronomy 32:21].
Didn’t Israel know that Gentiles could be saved too? Yes. Here are two verses that Paul quotes to show it.
Israel thought they were the favored and chosen nation, which is true. What they missed was this: salvation is intended for all people if they will believe.
There is Israel, the chosen nation (Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 15:18-21), and there are all the other nations.
There is Israel, that had God’s law, and the other nations who did not have it and were ignorant.
Constable writes: The quotation from Deu 32:21 comes from Moses’ criticism of Israel for forsaking the Lord. God said that He would give Israel a desire to return to Himself (provoke her to jealousy) by blessing another people. This is what had happened since Jesus Christ had died. God had opened the door of the church to the Gentiles. This should have made Israel more desirous of returning to God, accepting His Messiah, and experiencing God’s blessing. However, this had not happened, as the record of the church’s growth in Acts proves. As time went by, fewer and fewer Jews responded to the gospel, whereas ever more Gentiles accepted it. This response was not due to ignorance but to deliberate rejection.”
V20 Isaiah is very bold when he says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I appeared to those who didn’t ask about me.” [Isaiah 65:1]
So ignorant were the Gentiles that they didn’t have a clue about all of God’s ways. All they had was the general revelation of creation and conscience.
V21 But to Israel, he says, “All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.” [Isaiah 65:2]
The words of sorrow. God is longsuffering.
Matthew 23:37 (EHV) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
We learn:
- God desires, but humans are ignorant and in darkness.
- Israel missed the obvious about God’s desire to save the Gentiles, too.
Questions:
- Are you sharing the Gospel with others?