"What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect [those who have come in the predetermined way] have obtained it and the rest were blinded just as it is written: ‘God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.’ [Isaiah 29:10]— Romans 11:7-8. “The few seek and find, because they stoop to seek in God’s predetermined way and along His lines. But when men set themselves against these, they become hardened and overwhelmed by a ‘spirit of stupor,’ Romans 11:8.“ (F. B. Meyer)
Isaiah spoke of the LORD’s judicial hardening of mankind:
“Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. [They are rather drunk with bad doctrine, Isaiah 28:7-13] For the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, ‘Read this, please.’ And he says, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’ Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, ‘Read this, please.’ And he says, ‘I am not literate.’ Therefore the LORD said: ‘Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men. Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.’” (Isaiah 29:9-14)
“And so because they did not receive the truth in the love thereof, that which would otherwise have been the savour of life unto life, has become the savour of death unto death; and this continues to the present day.” (Adam Clarke) Thus : “The blinding here is plainly judicial - God Himself having given them sightless eyes and unhearing ears. But why is this? It is no arbitrary judgment. Matthew 13:13-15 shows clearly that Israel's willful blindness preceded their judicial blindness.” (L. M. Grant)
Matthew 13:
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’ [Isaiah 6:9-12]
“And David says— “the words written by David, but issuing actually from the lips of the Lord Jesus.” (L. M. Grant): “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them.” [Psalm 69:22]— Romans 11:9. “A snare is that by which birds or wild beasts were taken. They are decoyed into it, or walk or fly carelessly into it, and it is sprung suddenly on them. So of the Jews. The petition is, that while they were seeking refreshment and joy, and anticipating at their table no danger, it might be made the means of their ruin.” (Albert Barnes) — “Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always.” [Psalm 69:23]— Romans 11:10. "In the Apostle’s sense, ‘Let them be spiritually blinded, incapable of discerning or receiving the truth, and let their backs be bowed with the yoke of spiritual thraldom!’ The Hebrew is, ‘Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not, and make their loins continually to shake.’ On which Perowne remarks: ‘The darkening of the eyes denotes weakness and perplexity, as the enlightening of the eyes denotes renewed vigour and strength. Similarly, the shaking of the loins is expressive of terror and dismay and feebleness.’”( C. J. Ellicott)
“All these words are declarative, and not imprecatory. God declares what will be the case of such obstinate unbelievers; their table, their common providential blessings, will become a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and the means of their punishment.” (Adam Clarke)
Christ on the cross: ”Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Psalm 69:20-21) Then came the judicial Judgment: “Let their table become a snare before them, and their well-being a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; and make their loins shake continually. Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let Your wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their dwelling place be desolate; let no one live in their tents. For they persecute the ones You have struck, and talk of the grief of those You have wounded. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not come into Your righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.” (Psalm 69:22-28) These are solemn words of retribution. — But the last verse sets the tone for Jesus words on the cross: “But I am poor and sorrowful; let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.” (Psalm 69:29)
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) “But the forgiveness could only apply to the remnant who would receive it - as many did.” (L. M. Grant) And the veil was removed (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Comments