“Thank You, Lord Jesus, You are bringing both Jew and Gentile to a personal relationship with You. All things consist and hold together in You. Lord, as we look around us, we see people are blinded and far away from You. We, as Your church, have not, sufficiently, brought You, into the minds of people. Our lives have often been, inconsequential. Please forgive us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Peter is hammering home the main purpose of his message, which is to let his audience know that Jesus, whom the Jews had crucified, is the Lord and He is the Christ. The Jews were waiting for their King but when He came to them, they crucified Him.
Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
The Jews had all the prophesies. This was what was prophesied by Ezekiel that the Lord would bring His people, the Jews, back into an intimate relationship with Him and they will be light to the nations. Through the Jews, God was bringing us, the Gentiles, to Himself. This was the purpose of God for the Jews.
Ezekiel 39:25-29 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name — (26) after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. (27) When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, (28) then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. (29) And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.”
As we read this prophecy, we can see the heart of God being poured out for His people, the Jews. The Lord would pour out His Holy Spirit upon His people, the Jews, and they would be His witnesses to the nations, which was their original purpose.
Apostle Paul is bringing understanding to us of how God is reconciling both the Jews and the Gentiles back to Himself.
Romans 11:25-29 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (26) And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “THE DELIVERER WILL COME OUT OF ZION, AND HE WILL TURN AWAY UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB; (27) FOR THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” (28) Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. (29) For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
God’s plan is that all of Israel will be saved. God has chosen them. They are the elect of God because of the fathers. The Deliverer would come out of Zion. God’s calling is irrevocable. These are the ways of God.
Blindness in part has happened to the Jews so that the fullness of the Gentiles might come into God’s kingdom.
Romans 11:30-33 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, (31) even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. (32) For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. (33) Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
We, as Gentiles, were far away from God but because of the disobedience of the Jews, for they rejected the Messiah and crucified the Son of God, we received the Gospel. God has shown mercy on us, Gentiles, for we repented of our sins and received Jesus as the Lord and Master of our lives. When they, the Jews, see the mercy of God on us, they too will be provoked and turn and obtain the mercy of God.
God has committed all to disobedience. This is indeed a difficult statement to grasp but this is the fact. God is sovereign. We cannot question His ways. God has committed all to disobedience so that He can have mercy on all. Paul is not able to contain himself anymore and he erupts into praise and adoration of the judgements of God. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
By bringing the Gentiles into fellowship with Him, the Lord was restoring His people, the Jews, also to Himself by provoking them. _Romans 11:14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
We as Gentiles, ought to be conscious and not conceited in our opinion against the Jews. Blindness has happened in part to the Jews so that the fullness of the Gentiles might come into the kingdom of God.