Romans 11:25-36 (NIV) 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
The verses above in the Epistle of Saint Paul, is a clear statement that we Gentiles are the Benjamins during the time of Joseph, (the dreamer ). Joseph was sold by his brothers to Egypt and he became governor and made Egypt well secured with food being in the LORD’s favor. His brothers except Benjamin went to Egypt for food because there was famine all over the land including Canaan. At their second coming back to Egypt, Joseph ( not identified with his brothers at that time), conditioned that they could not enter Egypt again without Benjamin with them. And so they were admitted all of them , and no one was without them. (Genesis 43)
The prophetic story reflects the will of GOD the Father through Jesus for us. John 6: 37-43 says, “37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Jesus said those after introducing Himself as the Bread of life. In John 6:35 Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” This means that many people at that time and until now, were and are suffering for famine in Spiritual way. The famine was prophesied through prophet Amos. It said in Amos 8:11-12, “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water ,but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. 12 People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.”
Thanks be to GOD, that HE send us the Word to rescue us from this hunger and thirst. And more, thank GOD for including us Gentiles not to suffer from this famine and the Great Wrath to come. No wonder why Jesus summoned His apostles and disciples to preach us the Good News that we are included in the Covenant of Grace of GOD and make us Gentiles like them, followers and believers too. Matthew 28:18-20 says, 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus was so serious about including us. He said in Matthew 24:14 “ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” It was also mentioned in Revelations 6:11. it says, “ Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.” The event that the number of those chosen ones make it to completion, then the opening of sixth seal, the beginning of Great Wrath will take place.
However we, who have taken Jesus, The Word Of GOD, we are from the LORD. We are made because of HIM, and will return to HIM if we abide in Christ, our Bread Of Life. Let’s not forget to eat our Spiritual Food everyday because the Holy Scripture says “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). Like Jesus, we should know what is the food that can satisfy us. Jesus said to His disciples, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about, “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the Will of HIM who sent me and to finish His Work.” (John 4:32,34). Let us enjoy this food everyone! AMEN
ความคิดเห็น