Study Desk

We may not understand it, but God does, and he likes it.

But, despite all these things, victory is guaranteed for us who ride for the Lord.

Abe, Isaac, and Jake are their ancestors, and Jesus himself was an Israelite by all human standards and nature. But he wasn't just any ordinary human. He was God himself and rules over all of God's spread.

But just because all the Jews won't be saved doesn't mean God has crawfished on his promise to his kids.

But before she even gave birth, before the twins took a breath or made a mistake, Rebekah got a message from God.

In the words of the Good Book, "I loved Jake, but didn't cotton to Esau."

You ain't got to like it, but the truth is that God gets to choose who he will save and whose hearts will be hardened against him.

As for Israel, Old Isaiah hollered out, "There's more people of Israel than blades of grass in the pastures, but only a few will be rescued.

But Israel couldn't wrap their heads around it. They wanted the Code, not mercy. They were an unbelieving lot and never succeeded in becoming right with him.

And don't feel sorry for them. God warned them when he said, "I'm setting a rock in the middle of Jerusalem that will make them stumble and fall. But those who trust solely in me will never be turned away."

They have a lot of enthusiasm, but it is totally misdirected. They are like a Blue Heeler that constantly works the horses instead of the cattle.

But faith's method of getting right with God says, "Don't say, 'Who will go to heaven?

But here's the sticker, how can they cry out to him unless they believe in him? How can they believe in him if no one has ever heard about him? How can anyone hear of him if no one talks about him?

But not everyone is happy to hear the good news. Isaiah said, "Lord, who's believed what we've said?"

But I often wonder, have the folks of Israel heard the good news? Of course they have, "The message has struck a lope throughout the earth, spoken to the whole world."

But did they really understand? I believe they did, for even when Moses was riding for the brand, God said, "You will become jealous of those you think are below you, Israel. You'll throw a fit when I give them my grace and mercy to those who were not even looking for me."

So, here's the deal amigos, most folks ain't come to God for the life they've been prowling the brush for. There have been a few, but those are the ones he has chosen. The rest of their hearts have become hardened.

So, has God totally given up on them? Again, no! Sure, they've been trying it their own way, but all that got them was God inviting the outsiders to his table. It wasn't that he shunned his people, it was so they might become jealous of the favor he granted the outsiders and come back to Him.

They turned their backs on God's grace so he turned toward y'all outsiders. But how much better would it be if God's own people would come back to Him? It would be like bringing the dead back to life.

But some of these branches have been broken off. You outsiders have been grafted in like an apple branch grafted on a pear tree. So, now you get all the benefits that have been long reserved for only Israel.