Saturday, December 1 - by Pamela

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is 1 Corinthians 9-11

Today's scripture focus is Romans 11:7-10

^{From the NIV:}

⁷ What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, ⁸ as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes so that they could not see
    and ears so that they could not hear,
to this very day.”

⁹ And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
¹⁰ May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.”

^{From the Message}

⁷ What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, ⁸ as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes so that they could not see
    and ears so that they could not hear,
to this very day.”

⁹ And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
¹⁰ May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.”

^{From the New Living Translation}

⁷ So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. ⁸ As the Scriptures say,

“God has put them into a deep sleep.
To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see,
    and closed their ears so they do not hear.”

⁹ Likewise, David said,

“Let their bountiful table become a snare,
    a trap that makes them think all is well.
Let their blessings cause them to stumble,
    and let them get what they deserve.
¹⁰ Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
    and let their backs be bent forever.”

Reading this passage reminds me of the first time I realized that when Moses was asking Pharoah to let his people go that it was God that hardened Pharaoh's heart. Here we read again that it is God who "has put them into a deep sleep"....it was God who "gave them a spirit of stupor".

This commentary explains:

"Some are chosen and called, and the call is made effectual. But others are left to perish in their unbelief; nay, they are made worse by that which should have made them better. The gospel, which to those that believed was the savour of life unto life, to the unbelieving was the savour of death unto death. The same sun softens wax and hardens clay. Good old Simeon foresaw that the child Jesus was set for the fall, as well as for the rising again, [but] many in Israel, Luke 2:34 —Were blinded; epoµroµtheµsan—they were hardened. They were seared, and made brawny and insensible. They could neither see the light, nor feel the touch, of gospel grace. Blindness and hardness are expressive of the same senselessness and stupidity of spirit. They shut their eyes, and would not see; this was their sin: and then God, in a way of righteous judgment, blinded their eyes, that they could not see; this was their punishment." (emphasis mine)


I've been doing the Jesse Tree devotional with my Grade 1 students and it has reminded me again that our sin had cut us off from God. We were separated from Him. It is our sinful nature that makes us blind to belief. I think too as we live in a culture that relies less and less on God's word for the direction. I heard on the radio yesterday that the number of people who identify themselves as "without a religion" is growing each year. People have become self-reliant and stubborn and we do our own thing without consideration for what God has desired for us. The line between good and evil has been blurred and we are desensitized to the moral crumbling around us. The erosion of following God's teaching and the inability of that we have in recognizing what it has done to us and it will continue to do for our society is causing blindness.

We are blessed to listen to a Christian radio station when we are in our vehicle (and I do live in my van sometimes!!) and the NHOP has broadcasted a few sessions in the last little while about our role as Christians to be the "watchmen".

From session 2:

What were the weakest places of an ancient fortification?

Often it was the city gate or an area that did not offer a good vantage place.

The City would depend on the Watchmen to identify these vulnerable places and order them to build up greater fortifications at these sites.

The King would also place more Watchmen in these susceptible areas.

Now, let’s apply this individually, and then next week we will apply it to our nation.

First, ask yourself, and ask God:

• “What are my weakest points?”
• Could it be something like anger, greed, or lust?
• Maybe an obvious weakness is only a reaction to something that is more hidden
• Possibly an old emotional wound, or a fear, like the fear of failure

When God puts his finger on a place of weakness,

• It is there that we place more sentries to keep Watch
• God’s Word is compared to a sentry or a ‘Lookout’ in our lives
• When there is an enemy attack, the alarm of God’s Word within us goes off

Through this greater vigilance,

• We can see an area of weakness fortified to become one of our strongest
• It is here that God can then use us to help strengthen others.

From session 3:

One interesting role a watchman played, is that of lighting the torches if danger was approaching. Instead of groping around in the confusing darkness, the light would help in organizing the city to defend itself.

In today’s world, we are called to be light. In other words, we are to turn the light on in the midst of confusing darkness. Imagine someone who liked to build a house in the dark. He would have to go on feelings rather than precise measurements that he could never see.

“It feels like an inch and a half.”

“It seems to be pretty straight”

Well we all know that this would never do and that that house would come tumbling down. Here we are in a society today, which much of our decisions are based on feelings, or what seems right. Our foundation is being lost and now good is being called evil and evil is being called good.

Instead of getting angry at those who are building, we, as Christians, need to turn on the light switch.

Blindness can be compared to being in the dark. As Christians, we can help shine the light, lead others by our example, and show them God-the creator of light.

We are sinners. Totally and completely deserving of God's wrath. Our sin has cut us off from God like a dead stump that refuses to grow. However, God gave us new hope through sending His son to offer us salvation. Let us not be blind to this.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Romans 11:11-12

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: 1Cor 12-14