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"Have They Not Heard"?
"But I say, Have they not
heard? Yes, verily their sound went into all the earth and their words to the
ends of the world." - Rom. 10:18.
By many, this scripture is understood to mean,
that in Paul's day the Gospel had been preached everywhere and heard by
everyone. This is a mistake, as we shall see. To make such a statement, would not only contradict Paul's utterance in the fourteenth verseof
this same chapter and elsewhere, but it would also contradict facts, for
we know that the Gospel was not preached before Jesus came, and that, since
then-- during the few years after, when Paul wrote this epistle--it never
reached in the remotest sense, one-tenth of all the world. It could not
have reached the vast countries then undiscovered and unknown--America, Lower Africa, Further Asia, Australia,
etc.
The Apostle's meaning will be clear when his
discourse is considered as a whole. The ninth, tenthand
eleventh chapters should be taken together, and studied as one
subject. Then it will be seen that the apostle, by reasoning from the Old
Testament Scriptures, is showing that the Gospel is to be preached to all
the world, and not to Israel
only, as some had imagined. To support his argument he repeatedly quotes from
the Prophets. This is not clearly shown by the ordinary translation, in reading
which it is difficult to discern which are Paul's words and which the
statements of the Prophets.
It should also be borne in mind that the
Prophets seldom speak of things as future, but instead, they take a future
standpoint and speak of things future as though they were accomplished in the
past. Thus Isaiah, in referring to the birth of Jesus--a thing then future--
spoke of it as though already accomplished, saying, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." (Isa. 9:6.)
Thus also "went," in the above text, should be understood; and
the real meaning of the passage is seen to be "Verily their sound shall
go into all the earth." In harmony with this custom of the Prophets,
our translators should have rendered Paul's expression as future also. It would
then read: "But I say, Shall they not hear? Yea, verily
their sound shall go into all the earth." The same Greek word here
translated heard (past tense) is in Acts
3:22,23, and elsewhere translated shall hear (future
tense).
To set our view of Paul's argument clearly
before you, we will briefly paraphrase Romans 9:30 to
11:36, placing Paul's quotations from the prophets in italics.
[Rom. 9:30-33.]
What must we conclude, then, concerning God's dealings with Israel and the
Gentiles? We conclude that though Israel
has been seeking to be right and justified before God for over 1800 years, and
the heathen nations were indifferent to and ignorant of it, yet now that it is
offered, Israel
will reject and the heathen accept the Gospel. Why? Israel, as a nation, is really
hindered because they expect it by works, while the heathen will be
better prepared to accept it by faith in Christ's finished work. Israel, feeling
so confident that she can approve herself to God by works of obedience,
stumbles at the simplicity of the Gospel and cannot believe that
"Jesus died and paid it all,
All the debt we owe."
Therefore, instead of accepting of
Christ's ransom, they stumbled over and rejected the only way to
God. This was foreshown by the prophet's words: "Behold I lay in Sion a
stumbling stone, and rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on
him shall not be ashamed."
[Chap. 10:1-4.] Though I speak
thus plainly about Israel
and their stumbling, do not understand me to rejoice in their fall, for I
desire and pray that they might be saved. I do not accuse them of indifference
and willful unbelief; nay, they have great zeal for God, but they have a plan
and way of their own, and are thus blinded and cannot see God's way and plan of
justifying through a ransom. Hence they are striving to keep the Law in every
particular, which in their degenerate condition is an impossibility, and are
rejecting Christ, who before the tribunal of justice became the ransom,
substitute, or representative of all who will accept of his service; and for
all such he met and fulfilled the claims of the Law--DEATH.
[Vs. 5-10.] Moses explains (Lev. 18:5) that the man who does right according to the Law shall continue to live, and not die; but in all the time
since Moses thus wrote, none have succeeded in meriting life--death claimed
all. It is therefore useless to longer look to works. We are proclaiming that
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Jesus' death settled the claims of the law upon all who accept his ransom, and
this is the glad tidings which we now proclaim, that a right to life may be had
by accepting of the redemption provided through Christ's sacrifice for our
sins.
But, my brethren, as Moses also said (Deut. 30:11-14), this thing is not hidden from
them, neither is it far off, difficult to understand, and those who banish
prejudice and exercise faith will not say, Who ascended into heaven to bring
Christ down from above, or who descended into the grave to bring Christ back
from the dead? But what will faith say? Faith will say just what Moses said (Deut. 30:14). The word (that is, the truth which
we preach), is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart--it is reasonable
and plain that you may understand. Faith accepts of the coming of Christ from
above, his death, his resurrection and ascension, and finds abundant foundation
in the words of Jesus, the Prophets and Apostles--unimpeachable witnesses.
Unless you believe this, you of course cannot accept of his sacrifice as being
the end of the law and the cancelling of its death-penalty against you
as a violator of it.
But if you would lay hold of this great
salvation, you must publicly and openly confess that Jesus is Lord--your
Master; that by his death he purchased you and thus became your owner; for
"To this end Christ both died and revived, that he might be LORD
[owner, master] both of the dead and living." (Rom.
14:9) And you must not only own and believe that he is your purchaser,
Redeemer and LORD, but also that he is a living LORD--that God raised
him from death and highly exalted him to a higher nature than that which he
gave as our ransom. To believe and thus confess is acceptable with God, and to
such believers it will be plain that Christ settled all the condemnation of the
Law against them, and such may have joy and peace in thus believing.
After all, it is with the heart that men believe. No matter how much their
minds may be convinced of the truth, if their hearts are stubborn they will not
believe. Brethren, get your hearts right, and then you will be able both to
believe on and confess Jesus as your Lord.
[Vs. 11-13.] This general
principle of faith and release from condemnation in God's sight, is proved by
the prophet's words to apply not only to Israel but to all mankind, viz:
"WHOSOEVER believeth on him shall not be ashamed." This shows
that no matter how much preference was shown the Jew under the Law, there is to
be no difference shown under the Gospel, for the same Lord over all is
rich enough to settle the claims of all that come unto him and ask for a share
in his ransom. We have proof of this in the prophecy which says:
"WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved."
[Vs. 14-17.] And this brings us to
another question, namely: Is it not very proper to preach the glad tidings of
ransom and salvation through Christ to the Gentiles or heathen, as well as to Israel?
Certainly, the quotation last made implies this; for how could all call on Christ as Lord without believing? and how could they believe on him except they should hear? and how could they hear without a preacher? and
how can preachers go forth truly unless commissioned and sent of God. Hence it
is evident that God meant this glad tidings to be preached to the
Gentiles and to every creature. Not only can we reason it out logically thus,
but we find a positive statement that the glad tidings will be preached,
which implies that the Law will be at an end to every one who heareth and believeth.
The prophets Isaiah and Nahum testify of this preaching, saying: "How beautiful the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace [reconciliation through his blood--the remission of sins] and bring good
tidings of good things," which come as a result.
But we must not hastily suppose that when
preached all will receive the glad tidings; for the Prophet, speaking of things
future as though they were past, again testifies of the result of the
preaching, saying: "Lord, who hath believed our report?" Which
implies that the real believers and confessors would be few, at least for
awhile. But this proves that faith is to be the result of hearing
--hearing God's truth.
[Vs. 18-21.] Now we inquire, Will
the fact that few will believe prove that the testimony will reach all, in proof of which I again quote from the Prophet. He says: "Their sound
went [shall go] into all the earth, and their words to the ends
of the world." This proves that the Gentiles shall yet have this
Gospel preached to them. Now how about Israel? Shall not they as a people
come to know--understand and appreciate --the glad tidings? Yes, but not for a
long time; they are yet a stiff-necked and stubborn people. As Moses said, God will (have to) provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and
by a foolish nation will anger you.
But Isaiah speaks yet more pointedly of Israel's
rejection of the message and the acceptance of it by the heathen, saying: "I
was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest unto
them that asked not after me." And speaking of Israel he says, "All day
long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gainsaying [or self-willed] people."
[Chap. 11:1-5.] In view of these
declarations of the Prophets showing that Israel
will have to be thus dealt with and disciplined, I ask: Hath God utterly cast
away his people Israel?
God forbid; for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin. God hath not utterly cast away his people whom he formerly recognized
and favored. Call to mind Elijah's prayer against Israel, saying: "Lord, they
have killed thy prophets and digged down thine altars, and I am
left alone, and they seek my life." But what was God's answer? "I
have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." Even so at this present time there is a remnant who through God's favor will accept the glad tidings and will not stumble. I,
Paul, rejoice that I am of that favored remnant.
[Vs. 6-8.] But now another point;
this remnant is not saved by the works of the Law, nor because they almost kept it, but by accepting of God's favor through Christ. While Israel as a nation fails to receive the blessing
sought by works of the Law, the chosen ones, the remnant of Israel and
those of the heathen who receive the glad tidings-- these get the blessing.
These being justified, not by works, but by faith in Christ as their Redeemer
(substitute), thereby gain the privilege of becoming sons of God in the divine
plan and joint heirs with Jesus Christ in the coming kingdom. The rest, both of
Israel
and the nations, will be blinded to the Gospel glories. The God of this world
will blind them all except those who by faithfulness make their selection
sure--a "little flock."
[Vs. 9,10.] David also foretold Israel's
stumbling, saying: "Let their table be made a snare and a trap
and a stumbling-block and a recompense unto them" [i.e., their downfall shall be over the very blessings which God gave them; over their
blessings they shall stumble. God had given them food such as he gave
to no other people--to them God had committed the oracles of truth, the
prophecies and the types which shadowed forth the sacrifice for sin, and the
blessings following that atoning sacrifice; yet becoming proud and vain of the
honors conferred; they thereby stumbled over the very graciousness of
God's plan shown to them in types.] Thus their eyes were darkened, and they
were bowed down to see only the earthly promises.
[Vs. 11-14.] But now we come to
another question--admitting that Israel will and is stumbling as
foretold--I ask: Have they stumbled to fall irrevocably --will they ever again
come into fellowship with God? God forbid that they should forever remain cast
off; the significance of their fall is rather to be a blessing to the
Gentiles than a permanent injury to Israel. And we may reason that if
their fall from favor results in riches to the world--the Gentiles --then their
restoration to favor, which God's promises guarantee, will imply an abundance of divine favor both to Jew and Gentile. I speak to you Gentiles thus, because
being the apostle to the Gentiles I desire to show the importance of the
Gentiles in God's plan, and to stimulate my countrymen to emulation, and thus
recover some of them from blindness.
[Vs. 15-21.] Thus is seen the
breadth of God's plans. We know that there are certain promises made to Israel
which must yet be fulfilled; and if they be temporarily postponed and a
blessing unexpectedly given to the Gentiles, it argues that God's plans, as we
now see them, are broader than we had at first supposed, and include Gentiles
as well as Jews; for if the casting away of them opens a door of favor to the
Gentiles, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead. That is
to say, God's promises to Israel are such as imply their resurrection from
death --their restitution--and now that we learn that the World in general is
reconciled to God and their sin atoned for by the ransom, we may reasonably
conclude that "life from the dead"--restitution --will come to all
the heathen as well as to Israel. We see Israel to be merely a first-fruit
of the world, the first favored; and if God has a blessing for them as
promised, it follows that he has the same blessing for other nations, for if
the first-fruit, or sample, be holy --acceptable and blessed of God--so
also the mass which it represents.
If the root or original promise of God made to
Abraham and Israel
retain its life, it must bring forth the promised fruit--the blessing of all
the families of the earth. The root of these promises is Abrahamic and
Israelitish, and though some of the natural branches or offspring were broken
off, and wild heathen branches grafted in instead, with them to partake of the
life from the root--yea, the very fatness of the promise--yet they should not
be puffed up against the broken off branches, but humbly and thankfully
remember that they are occupying the place originally belonging to the natural
descendants. Walk humbly, for if because of pride and unbelief they failed and
were cast off, God would be as likely to cut off the wild [R516
: page 5] branches under similar circumstances.*
*How we see this fulfilled in the
breaking off of the Gentile branches--the nominal Church-- now blinded and cast
out and only the elect few branches, "the little flock," remaining.
They are no more respected than were the natural branches, and are broken off
for the same cause. –Rev. 3:15-17.
[Vs. 22-24.] Here we
find two prominent characteristics of our Heavenly Father illustrated--his love
and his justice --his goodness and severity. He is abundant in mercy and
goodness, but will by no means clear the guilty. His goodness is manifest by
the promise and the blessings it contains and his severity or justice in the
cutting off from those favors of all the unfaithful. But even in cutting Israel off, God
is merciful and kind; and even though cut off they may be re-engrafted, if they
exercise the needful faith.
THE MYSTERY.
[Vs. 25-27.] Here is a point not
generally known; it is a secret as yet-- a mystery--and will show you
that God's plan is more comprehensive than you have yet appreciated; and by
showing you that you have not all wisdom, it will enable you to keep humble and
to search for the further unfoldings of God's plans. The mystery is this: The
blindness and breaking off of Israel
will not continue forever, it will only last until the choicest, fittest
branches from the Gentiles have been properly engrafted on the root--the
Abrahamic promise. Then the broken off branches shall be reunited to the root.
The fact is, the root or promise contains a double set of branches first: the select
branches (natural and engrafted) the spiritual seed of Abraham --the Christ
which is to bless all nations; and secondly, a lower order of re-engrafted
branches (Israel
restored) --the natural seed of Abraham through which the spiritual seed will
principally operate in blessing all nations.
Thus seen, all Israel will be saved FROM THEIR BLINDNESS in due time, and shall yet share in the very blessings
they expected when they were broken off, viz.: the natural or earthly
part of the blessings--the better or spiritual part of the Abrahamic blessing
being conferred upon the elect, the chosen, who through much tribulation
and crucifixion of the flesh and following of the Master are counted worthy of
the chief honor--the spiritual blessings. In proof of what I state as to
the recovery of Israel from
her cast-off condition, I quote Jehovah's words by the prophet: "There
shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is
my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins."
[Vs. 28-30.] This prophetic
statement shows us, beloved Gentile grafts, that though the natural branches
are treated as enemies for the present, and for your exaltation, yet
really they are still beloved of God, and he has blessings yet in store for
them, as promised to their fathers; for any free gift and promise which God
makes is sure of fulfilment. He knew all about this temporary lopping off,
before he made his promises concerning them, and knowing the end from the
beginning makes it unnecessary for him ever to repent of a promise made to any.
Let us now analyze this prophecy and see that it
implies what we have before suggested to be God's plan, viz., to bring the natural
branches again into God's favor. Jacob clearly means fleshly Israel, and from these ungodliness is to be turned away--but not until God himself
shall "take away," or "put away," or "blot out"
their sins. As elsewhere shown, the sins of the world are not put away, until
the close of the Gospel age, until the sufferings of the body of Christ are ended. During this age, only the sins of those who now believe are
cancelled or put out of sight by God. But he who now justifies believers
will then justify them, as believers in the ransom, and he will thus take away
their sin through the ransom which he gave for sin--even his Son.
In turning away ungodliness a Deliverer is made use of. This is none other than Christ, the great Deliverer whom Moses
promised. He shall deliver from all evil, from death, from pain and sickness,
from ignorance and blindness, from every oppression of the Devil. He shall bind
Satan and set free his captives, for he is Jehovah's Deliverer. This deliverer
is the complete Christ, the members of the body with the Head united,
complete--no more twain, but one. This deliverer comes out of Zion; it is the first-born of Zion's offspring--the
overcomer and heir of all things. Hence, before the promised blessings
come to Jacob (fleshly Israel)
the heir of the spiritual blessings must first be developed.
Nor should we suppose that the blessings and
deliverances will stop with Jacob, for, as already shown, they are but a
first-fruits of restored mankind, and when they are turned to God, they shall
become a channel through which the Deliverer will bless and release "all
the families of the earth."
[Ver. 31.] Lift up your eyes and
take now a comprehensive view of God's dealings with Israel--both
spiritual Israel and "Israel
after the flesh"-- and see how grand and large is the plan of God which as
yet is only budding. As for a long while you (Gentiles) were strangers and
aliens from God, and seemingly unloved and uncared for, yet now have
obtained mercy and favor, while fleshly Israel is cut off, even so these of the
fleshly house are now unbelievers and cut off, that by and by they may obtain
mercy and find favor through you: that is to say, God is blessing them
at the very time he is cutting them off, for in blessing you and preparing the spiritual
seed and Deliverer, he is making ready to bless them through you, when you as the body of Christ are complete. (Gal.
3:29.) Thus through the mercy which God now shows you, he is also
providing mercy for them, to be manifested in his due time.
[Ver. 32.] God treated Israel as a
nation of unbelievers, and cast them aside nationally in order that he might
have mercy upon them, and bring them as a people to inherit the earthly
promises made to them.
Looking at the deep workings of God's plan thus,
in the light of what he tells us is future, as well as past, we
can but exclaim: Oh, the rich depths of God's wisdom and knowledge! how useless
for us to try to discover his dealings except as he is pleased to reveal his
plans to us. His doings are all mysteries to us except as enlightened by his
Spirit. Who knew this gracious plan, so much beyond human conception? Who
helped the Lord to arrange such a plan, think you? This is not human wisdom and
supposition. God only could be its author. A Jew never would have planned to
graft in Gentiles to share the chief blessings of the promise! A Gentile
never would have arranged the original stock and branches Jewish and himself a
favored graft. No, the plan is clearly of God, and illustrates well both his
goodness and just severity. Of him is all the plan, through his power it is all
brought to pass, and to him be all the glory forever.
When the Spirit of Paul's argument is caught, it
can be clearly seen that he quotes from Isaiah the words "Their sound
went into all the earth and their words to the end of the world," not to prove that the Gospel had been universally published, but that it would
be in due time.
W.T. R-516c : page 4 -1883r