The Blessing of the Gospel Was Rejected By the Jews But Embraced By the Gentiles
Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” Romans 10:19-21
Because preaching leads to hearing and hearing to believing, why then hasn’t Israel responded? Paul has mentioned one possible explanation (they haven’t heard the message [16:18]) and in this passage outlines a second. He will reject both but in 10:21, will explain what he sees as the real reason.
‘Did Israel not understand?’ (10:19). It’s very possible to hear without really understanding. Again Paul rejects this excuse and backs his thinking by quoting Moses’ words from Deuteronomy 32:21.
“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
Moses was the first of a long line of prophets that warned Israel that her refusal to follow Yahweh could well result in His blessing Gentile nations in her place. God was revealing His intention to make Israel ‘envious’ and ‘angry’ at the abundance He would bring them.
If Israel’s rejection of the gospel is neither because she hasn’t heard it, nor because she hasn’t understood it, then the nation has no other excuse. Israel has stumbled over the ‘stumbling stone,’ over Christ (9:32).
Enforcing this understanding, Paul quotes what ‘Isaiah boldly says’ in Isaiah 65:1f. Yahweh is drawing a sharp contrast between the Gentiles and the Jews, His actions toward them and their actions toward Him. The first quote is addressed to the Gentiles:
“I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
Surprisingly Paul omits the next part of the same Isaiah 65:1 scripture:
To a nation that did not call on my name,
I said, “Here am I. Here am I”
Here God deliberately reverses the roles between Himself and the Gentiles. It would normally be expected that they would ask, seek and knock on His door, and to be servant-like by offering to do what He wants. Instead, although they didn’t ask, seek or knock, or offer themselves, He allowed Himself to be found by them. He revealed Himself to them, even offering Himself with “Here I am.” This is grace: God taking the initiative to make Himself known.
But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
How has God treated Israel? He has actively held out His hands to them, not once but ‘all day long,’ pleading with them to return. Have they? No, they remain negative, resistant and dismissive. They are determined to remain ‘a disobedient and obstinate people.’
This is how Paul concludes his second exploration into Israel’s unbelief. In Romans 9 he attributed it to God’s purpose in election, leaving only a remnant who had responded. But in Romans 10 he attributes it to Israel’s own disobedience.