Romans 10:19-21, "But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation. But Isaiah is very bold and says: "I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me. But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people."
“Again,” Paul asks in verse 19, “Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says [in Deut. 32:21], ‘I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.’” Yes, Israel understood, but they failed, and God told them in advance that he would work with other peoples. And this key verse revealed to Paul what God was doing in Paul’s ministry: He wanted the salvation of Gentiles to make Israel envious, so the Jews would then accept the gospel.
The testimony of these prophets help us to understand that we should not be so amazed that Israel, for the most part, has rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ; this too was foretold.
Isaiah is talking about wayward Israelites, but Paul applies it here to Gentiles. If God can reveal himself to disinherited Jews, then he can do it to anyone. So God turned away from the zealous, and blessed people who didn’t even know to ask.
God did not want the Jewish people to go astray, but they would not listen. Israel had an opportunity for salvation, but most were refusing it.
Dear God, thank you for pursuing me until I gave in to your love and forgiveness on my behalf! I pray that everyone I know will accept it too!
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