1 Samuel 25; Psalm 105; Romans 9

June 2: There's a lot to look forward to when we get to heaven. We'll "know, even as we are known" (1 Corinthians 13:12) probably means far more than I know, but at the very least, the things that are now more or less mysteries to me will be solved. The controversies of the faith will be settled. And my the revelations and providence of my life will have an explanation. God expresses His kindness to us  through Christ Jesus not only in terms of our salvation, but those things He  also gives us with Him (Romans 8:32), including opportunities, interventions, resources, relationships, gifts, empowerments, insights. For of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things.  (Romans 11:36)


1 Samuel 25: David has been so careful to reserve vengeance for God with respect to Saul, but what about Nabal? In his passion to avenge Nabal’s insult, he seems to have forgotten Deuteronomy 32:35, which he was so careful to remember in the last chapter. But by God’s providence, Abigail intervened. This is the kind of act that will be explained in the future ages when we are shown the exceeding riches of God’s glory in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)

Psalm 105:1-23: Is it not universal that people suffer from amnesia about their own history? Our identity is wrapped up in Who God is. We learn Who God is when we take pains to identify who we are and how we came to be where we are. So much of God’s amazing intervention in history is forgotten and He doesn’t receive the glory He deserves from succeeding generations that would never have come about if He hadn’t acted. This is why I believe Ephesians 2:7 describes a review of all human history explained by God Himself.

Romans 9:1-24: Paul makes a statement much like Moses’ in Exodus 32:32 because he understands God’s judicial blindness that has been imposed on the majority of Israel. What is he explaining in this chapter as he wrestles with this fact?
  1. Israel has had every advantage to this point: the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the priesthood, the promises, the patriarchs and Christ Himself. (4-5)
  2. Yet the biological descendants of Abraham were never all children of God. Just as it was only Isaac who was ultimately considered Abraham’s son, (Genesis 22:2), God predicted that Esau would serve Jacob, and ultimately rejected the descendants of Esau as he had rejected the birthright. (Gen. 25:34; Mal. 1:2-5)
  3. It is in response to the “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” statement that Paul asks and answers the charge of unrighteousness, referring to Exodus 33:19. In context, Moses is still afraid that God will either judge, abandon or send away Israel without His presence and is doing a very Christlike thing in his intercession for Israel: putting himself in the mix ("blot me out of thy book”, “if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence”). Satisfied with this, God then makes an amazing statement to Moses: "I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.” (Exodus 33:14-17) God’s statement, then is in response to Moses’ emboldedness by this to ask that He show him His glory: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Ex. 33:19) This statement leads Paul to conclude that God’s mercy is not in response to man’s will or man’s “run” (works).
  4. As another, counter-example of this, Paul highlights the Pharaoh of the Exodus: he was an individual who was raised up for the express purpose of demonstrating God’s supremacy to the whole world. The conclusion here is that God has mercy on whom he will have mercy and hardens the hearts of those whom he will harden.
  5. Another way of coming at the case against God, then is to say, well, it’s not an individual’s fault, then. Who can resist His will? In claiming that, that’s exactly what you’re doing: laying a charge against God as to His purpose in making you. He has the right to raise up individuals whose purpose is ultimately destruction. With them, He is patient as they rebel against Him and accumulate wrath. With us who have been called to salvation out of both Jews and Gentiles, He is making His glory known while we are being prepared for glory. (Ephesians 2:7)

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