All right, you know that this
is just a part of what Paul has said, so we'll make up the difference,
get our contextual bearing along the way. But verse 19, 20 and
21, But I say, did not Israel know First, Moses said, I will provoke
you to jealousy by them that are no people. By foolish nation,
I will anger you. But Isaiah is very bold and said,
I am found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto
them that ask not after me. But to Israel he said, all day
long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and
against saying people." Now, Isaiah's very bold prophecy. You have to understand something
about this section of the Scripture. That is that Paul, right now,
is dealing in the midst of a very painful and a very difficult
task for him. and very offensive unto the Jew. What Paul is saying here. And
to prove from their own scripture that there was a prophecy of
the casting away of the greater majority of the Jewish nation
and that there would be a calling and engrafting of many Gentiles
into Messiah's fellowship. Now, he is put on the task of
defending here, what we call the theodicy, the action of God
in acting in such a way. In other words, why are so many
Jews lost? in light of the covenant made
with Abraham, their father. Does this mean, he asked in chapter
9 and verse 6, that the word of God has failed? Does this
mean, he asked in chapter 11 and verse 2, that God has cast
off His people which He foreknew? If so, has He done so completely? And if so, has He done so forever? That's in chapter 11. Now before
we get into this, before we can throw ourselves into the text
that we have taken as our study today, they must have a grasp,
we must, on the history of God's dealings with both the Jew and
the Gentile in time past. Before we can understand, or
before we can follow Paul, we have to recognize the historical
ramifications that are tied up in all of this. What Thomas Goodwin
called, quote, the enmity between the Jew and the Gentile and how
great and how lasting it had been, unquote. For centuries
God had manifest Himself under the Jew. He had left the other
nations to walk in their own way, Acts 14 and 16. The prophet Amos even wrote these
words, You only have I known of all of the families of the
earth. At the time of our Lord, the
Jews had no dealings even with the Samaritan, John chapter 4
and verse 9. The Lord, in Matthew chapter
10 and verse 5, restricted the twelve from going among the Gentiles
to preach the word of the gospel unto them at that time. There
was a deep enmity that existed between the Jew and the Gentile
according to Ephesians 2 and verse 16. The source of what
had been the commandment contained in ordinances, and according
to Paul, it acted as a middle wall of partition to divide the
Jew and the Gentile. Now we might catch a glimpse
of the significance of this. One has to understand the historical
context which existed for centuries. That was that God had chosen
Abraham to be the father and progenitor of a race of people
that would be peculiar unto him. leaving the other nations in
their own way, and to worship their idol. We must recognize
that there is no greater source of enmity and division than that
of religion. that religion is one of the great
dividers of all time. And with the Jew and the Gentile,
there was a double enmity. Both the Jew and the Gentile
were at enmity one with another. As an example, you might consider
the present enmity that there is between Islam and Christianity,
or between the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and the world,
or even between one denomination and another. There's a great
amount of fire and a great amount of disagreement even denomination
to denomination in Christianity. In fact, there is still enmity
between Christianity and Judaism, and the source of it is none
other than the Lord Jesus Christ. They want a Christless religion. We say that a Christless religion
is little better than paganism. Now there's no such thing as
a Christless Christianity. In fact, it just came in my mind,
but the other day I heard a new term, Chrislam. Chrislam, in
which some stupid and ignorant and apostate Christians are beginning
to find out what they have in common with Islam. But coming
to our text and onto our subject, first to acknowledge that Romans
chapter 9, chapter 10, and chapter 11 should be read, or considered,
or studied together as a unit. Now what is the subject of these
three chapters of the Roman Epistle? Of course the general theme is
the Doctrine of Justification and of Righteousness. And in
chapter 9, chapter 10, chapter 11, Paul shows that the justification
of sinners is guided solely by the sovereignty of God. One commentator on Romans, Robert
Haldane, put it this way, to exhibit the sovereignty of God
in his dealing toward the Jew and the Gentile, unquote. John
Murray, writing on the same matter, these chapters, he said, delineate
for us the worldwide design of God in reference to the Jew and
to the Gentile. Now, there is the case of Jacob
and of Esau, chapter 9, verse 13, There is the matter of Pharaoh,
chapter 9, verse 15 and 16. There is the statement of God
to Moses of old, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and
I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy. Paul quoting that. in Romans chapter 9. Now the
first thing that Paul does in dealing with this matter is establish
and declare the sovereignty of God. And he gives examples from
the Old Testament Scripture of God's sovereign acts. Now this
application, the Bible comes not into clear focus until one
sees and one confesses the sovereignty of God. So long as one fights
against the sovereignty of God, as declared in the Scripture,
so long is a veil upon their eye to see, behold, and understand
so much of God's Word. Now coming to the end of chapter
10, the apostle returns here to consider the question of the
unbelief of Israel. And he does so from verse 16,
down through verse 21. And note the method. That now,
instead of casting it only in the mold of reprobation, Paul
here demonstrates the unbelief of Israel. Though it is not a
denial of the divine sovereignty of God, even in that. But in this matter, to show that
Israel was guilty of unbelief. They rejected and set aside the
Messiah. Isaiah said, chapter 53 and verse
1, not all believed our report. Who hath believed our report
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Now there are
two questions at the end of chapter 10. Number 1 in verse 18, But
I say, Did they not hear? Paul answers, Yes, they heard,
but they have not all obeyed the gospel report, as Isaiah
calls it. Thus two things are put in a
clear light. who is the apostle describing? Jews or Gentiles or both, who
heard? Now, the quoting of Psalm 19
and 4 in Romans 10 and verse 18, it may have reference to
the diffusion of the gospel among both Jew and Gentile. But B, what is it that they had
heard? Paul cites, in verse 16, the
gospel, the report, the hearing, the preaching of the word of
God and the gospel of Christ. But then the second question
is in verse 19. But I say, did not Israel know? Now again, two things. Who is Israel? But I say, Did
not Israel know? And then B, Know what? What is
it that Israel knew or should have known that was clear in
their scripture? And they know it because it was
constantly and repeatedly spoken of in the scripture. Now, what
Israel knew is answered by the two references there in verse
19 and in verse 20. That is, they knew from the testimony
of the Scripture that they were to be cut off, they were to be
cast out, many, and the Gentiles were to be brought in. They knew
that their was to be a rejection of many Jews clearly stated in
the Old Testament scripture. And we notice that Paul, to defend
his position, cites two such passages in support of the contention
that Israel knew. As Gil said, they could not but
know it, quote, since they were such strong hints of it in the
writing of the Old Testament, end quote. But Paul quotes two. First of all, look at verse 19. But I say that it did not Israel
know, for in the first place, as an example of proof, Moses
said, and Paul quotes the passage from Deuteronomy 32 and verse
21. But Paul only quotes the last
half of the verse, because it serves his purpose in this particular
place. And the last part of the verse
said, I will move them to jealousy with those that are not a people. I will provoke them to anger
with a foolish nation. Now the context of this was,
Moses was upbraiding the Jews for their unfaithfulness, for
their going after forbidden gods. They had provoked their God with
all of their vanity. And as Murray wrote, Paul felt
that that occasion corresponded to the exact situation he was
dealing with. And that is that God, again,
would provoke Israel to jealousy by showering His blessing upon
strangers and aliens, a.k.a. Gentile, which Moses referred
to as a non-people, a foolish nation is how he referenced them. Nor is that all, look at verse
20, Isaiah said, now first Moses said something and then Isaiah
said something that Paul considers to be very bold. And if Moses'
words seem to be obscure, and if in some way they seem to be
lacking in clarity, not so with Isaiah. He declared in clear
terms the calling and conversion of the Gentiles. Now Paul says
the words of Isaiah are very bold. He considered that a very
bold thing that Isaiah said. Quite bold. Outspoken. In other words, Isaiah did not
speak obscurely, but he used plainness of speech. He meant
no words. Isaiah used all manner of forthrightness. He had set it forth in the clearest
possible terms that could be expressed in words. Isaiah set
it forth, nothing could have been plainer. There is no misunderstanding
the meaning of the prophet Isaiah. Now the question or the quotation
from Isaiah is found in chapter 65 of Isaiah and verse 1 and
2. So that Romans 10, 20 and 21 must be connected, for as the
contrast is as relevant in Paul's argument as it was in the argument
of Isaiah, for he emphasized the contrast between the unmerited
favor of God shown under the Gentile, and the deep and horrible
disobedience constantly of the Jew. First note what Isaiah wrote
in regard to the Gentile, and this involves a strange paradox. Now a paradox is not two doctors,
but it is a statement that seems to be contrary to reason when
we look at it on the surface. I was found of them that sought
me not. Now is that not a paradox in
our thinking? And again in verse 20, It is
there clearly said, I was made manifest unto them that asked
not after me. I'm found to them that sought
me not. I'm manifest to them who did
not seek after me or question after me. Be sure that those
words take root in our mind. The one's not looking for me. The one's not asking for me. Now, other such paradoxical statements
seem to be found back again in Romans chapter 9, as in verse
25 we won't read. This is quoted from the prophet
Hosea chapter 2 and 23, And Romans 9 and 30 again, but we won't
take time to read it. Once again, let us put all these
statements together that we have here. To make a deep impression
upon us, give us a great idea of what Paul is saying. who did
not seek Me. I am manifest to them that were
not asking after Me. And again, I will call them My
people which were not My people. I will call that beloved which
was not beloved, the Gentiles, not pursuing after righteousness,
have yet attained unto righteousness, that is, the righteousness that
is by faith. Now, how in the world can such
a thing be? How can a people find God who
have not sought Him? How can He be manifest unto them
that have no interest in asking or learning of him. Nor is that
all, for of Israel Paul says, Romans 9.31, Israel which followed
after the law of righteousness has not attained to the law of
righteousness. Romans 11 and verse 7, Israel
hath not obtained that which he seeketh far, what he seeks
did not obtain it, what Israel seeks after, he did not find
or attain it. Now, should we consider the question,
what was it that Israel sought after and could not find? Now, if so, it requires us to
note a distinction in verse 7 between, number one, Israel, number two,
the election. I'm talking about Romans 11 and
verse 7. Although the little words, that
and it, that what they sought and failed to find is not here
in Romans 11 and 7 mentioned absolutely by name, just referred
to as that and it. It previously is defined. What they sought was a justifying
righteousness. Romans 9, 31, 32. Romans 10 and
verse 3. But they failed to obtain it
because they sought it by means of or through the works of the
law. And righteousness can never be
found in that manner. But back to our text. and Isaiah's
very bold prophecy or statement that the Gentiles who neither
sought God nor asked after Him have found Him. Now we must have
a clear understanding in our mind of that past condition,
past estate of the Gentile that existed and continued for century
after century. That will give us an understanding
of why Paul regards Isaiah's prophecy as a very bold declaration. Now Paul says of their past,
that is the Gentile, you're familiar with that passage in Ephesians
chapter 2 verse 11 through verse 13, we'll not read it, but in
verse 11, in time, path, Gentiles in the flesh by nature and by
nationality. They were called the uncircumcision. They were without Christ. They
were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. They were strangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God
in the world. Verse 13, Ephesians 2, they were
afar off, and then were only made nigh, brought near, brought
in to the covenant of grace by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2 and verse 13. Now
concerning the Gentile in time past, prior to their calling,
prior in fact to Acts chapter 10 in the scripture, which some
have called, and I like the term, the Gentile Pentecost, in Acts
10 occurred, I ran upon a distinction made by Thomas Goodwin, which
I had not fully realized or heard before. What Goodwin called,
and I quote, those several degrees of spiritual latitude and distance
which these Gentiles lay in, unquote, how far off They were. And he adds that though all Gentiles
were far off, some were further degree and of greater latitude
than others. Goodman made four distinctions.
Number one, the Samaritan. Here is a mixed breed of Jew
and Gentile mixed together. You have their origin, I think,
2 Kings 17. Such was the woman of Samaria
in John 4. She belonged under this group.
One author called them a mongrel between the Jew and the Gentile. Though they owned the writings
and they submitted to circumcision and in profession were Jew, yet
they had set up a separate place of worship where they worshiped.
You see that? in John chapter 4. Secondly,
the second sort were Gentile proselytes. These are another
sort that we meet with in the Scripture, like those in Acts
chapter 2 and verse 10, such as Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch,
as he is called. These were made Jews by the Jew. They submitted to circumcision
and they embraced the ceremonial law, they crossed over as proselyte,
they began to live as Jew and to live by the ceremonial law. These the Jews embraced. into their fellowship. Thirdly,
rather, there were some Gentiles holding to the fear of God like
Cornelius in Acts chapter 10. Yet they were not circumcised,
nor kept the ceremonial law, but worshipped God. A man of
this order would be Naaman. in 2 Kings chapter 5. There is this distinction in
Acts 13, 43, Jews and religious proselytes. These were Gentiles
who had crossed over and left their idols and began to worship
God. And then fourthly, the largest
group of Gentiles by far were such as were full-blown heathen
idolater. They remained in their paganism,
they lived apart from the worship of the one true God. These did
not seek after, these did not inquire after God or the way,
yet were many of them called by the grace of Christ. Thomas
Goodwin, I relied on him pretty heavily for this study, reasons
for making these distinctions, is that by having these things
in our mind's eye and having an understanding of the differences,
then, quote, we the better shall discern the approaches God made
by degrees in this great work of the Gentile conversion." And
here in Romans chapter 10, two great truths are emerging for
our instruction. A, that God had spoken of old. of another nation by which he
would provoke Israel. Another nation. He would move
them to jealousy. Secondly, that God had of all
purpose and predicted the calling of the Gentile. As proof of the
latter, Paul quotes the very bold prophecy of Isaiah that
we have in our mind this evening. Isaiah 65 in verse 1, which is
rendered in this way, at least in the King James Version, quote,
I am sought of them that ask not after me, I am found of them
that sought me not, I said behold me, behold me, unto a nation
not called by my name." This is another way of expressing
the sovereign election and grace of our God. That God has saved
a people long excluded from covenant blessings. God has saved them
who for centuries had no interest or part in covenant blessing. It was a people left long to
their idols and their idolatry, not asking, not seeking, until
God stirred their hearts by divine calling and regeneration. How else can it be that God is
found of them that sought Him not and made manifest unto those
who made no inquiry after Him in the past? Paul intends for
us to understand that this is the fruit of election. I think John Gill nailed the
point when he wrote these words, quote, that salvation came among
them unasked for, unexpected, undesired, as well as undeserved
by them, end quote. Since they neither sought nor
asked, yet it came unto them. This means that it was a work
of God. This means that it was not a
part owed unto them, not the result of some diligent search
on their part, not a reward, not a merit of any kind, and
after centuries and centuries of idolatry. How amazing! Who would have expected it, except
it was declared in the Scripture. They did not seek the salvation
of the Lord, they did not ask for it, they did not study about
it, and they did not pray for it. They had no interest in it. No interest at all until the
sovereign grace of God begin to work into their heart and
to draw them. On a smaller scale, perhaps we
can demonstrate this very principle, that here is one who has been
regular in their church and profession from their earliest days. Another
has only lived in sin and in rebellion and for themselves
and been a real scoundrel and a rebel against the things of
God. A wicked sinner, a hater of God,
one who spoke his mind against God and yet marvelously by sovereign
grace The formalistic professor goes on in his blindness, and
the great sinner is delivered from that former life of sin,
and he comes to the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, sometimes the
one we expect will become a Christian does not, and the one we never
expected would ever be converted. is converted by the power of
God. Some have been saved who not
before were seeking after God. They had no plans and no desire. It was not their intention at
all to become a Christian. I think a good example of that
is Saul, a.k.a. Paul, in our own Scripture. Though he was not a Gentile,
but his first aim and goal The desire of his heart was the eradication
of Christianity and what he called the way. And yet, here he is,
struck down by Christ and made a preacher of the gospel. I think of my own life, you might
think of yours. I never planned on becoming a
church goer, much less a Christian, much less even that, a preacher. Never was it my intention, but
the work of God within us is a wonderful, wonderful thing. How great is that when God works
in us. And in our text, it was not they
who kept the law, it was not they who sought righteousness
that found it, but it was the Gentile who sought it not, had
no interest in it, had no desire after it, that came to be the
people of God. What amazing grace! What amazing
grace! The least likely are sometimes
the first ones that God calls into His fellowship and into
His grace and works in their heart to bless them with the
knowledge of Christ and the conversion under the gospel way of worship. We look at all of our lives.
Some of us might have started out in church. Some might not
have ever been in church until we were grown. And yet, the work
of God, the work of God in our life. Some of us came up in Arminianism. And thank God, He delivered us
also out of that, into the truth of His great and sovereign mercy. So that's why Paul said this
is a very bold prophecy. that people who knew not God
would know him, that people who sought not God would be found
of him, and that people who asked not after him would have a manifestation
of his great salvation revealed unto them. Thank God, it is a
bold prophecy, and it is a wonderful work of God.