Not All, But God's Word
“But it is
not that the Word of God has taken no effect; for they are not all
Israel who are of Israel” (Romans 9:6)
It’s so puzzling. The world is full
of those who say they are “religious” or “spiritual”, and yet they can
be quarrelsome, insulting, and even murderous toward those who don’t
believe like they do. Some don’t even require differences to be
obnoxious to everybody. Wars are incredibly fought in the name of
religion and history is full of such conflicts. There are instances
where God Himself will direct a war, but wars are also based in the
selfishness and greed of mankind.
There is a definition of the word
“religion” in Scripture that is interesting. James said, “Pure
and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from
the world” (James 1:27). If that was everyone’s definition of
religion, history and the present would have far less wars. To “visit
widows and orphans” is to care for others, to love them. To be “unspotted”
is to find the restored innocence offered in Christ Jesus.
There are those who are the true
“Israel”, as in today’s Scripture. Joseph, Israel’s (Jacob’s) son, was
truly of God because he had faith – he trusted in and believed the Lord
(Hebrews 11:22). Much later in time, Moses’ parents had such faith
(Hebrews 11:23), as did Moses himself (Hebrews 11:24 & forward). Joshua
had faith, resulting in the defeat of Jericho, in a war directed by the
Lord (Hebrews 11:30).
Rahab the harlot (prostitute) was
described in Hebrews 11:30 as a person of faith, and so was David, along
with others who were questionable in character but had faith in God.
The whole of Hebrews Chapter 11 is full of sinners just like us, and yet
they became right with God through trusting in Him. Indeed, “without
faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently
seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Sometimes, the reason “religious”
people can be so difficult is because they don’t know the Lord at all.
Others have faith, but for whatever reason, they personally let you
down. This week we attended a pastor’s meeting, where the speaker,
Pastor Davie Copp, interestingly chose to share the first half of
today’s verse (“it is not that the Word of God
has taken no effect” – Romans 9:6).
Pastor Davie said, “reality
is not always what it seems to be - we must not conform God’s Word to
(what we think is) reality; but we must
conform reality to God’s Word.” Great advice. He continued, “God’s
Word can’t fail. We see a man (Christ),
but He is God. We see God but He has the form of a man. Death is not
death; we see that in Christ. We saw Him laid in the tomb and we are
weeping, but He is no longer there.” We can fail but God’s Word
will not fail.
Pastor Davie, who has a wonderful
gift of teaching, mentioned God’s Word in relation to Moses, who
received the promise, but was faced with the Red Sea. I have been
fascinated for years by Isaiah’s observation, “Was
it not Thou who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; Who made
the depths of the sea a pathway for the redeemed to cross over?”
(Isaiah 51:10). Amazing! God made a PATHWAY through the middle of a
sea, for Moses and the people Israel. And just like God did with Moses,
He can and WILL make pathways through the impossible for you and me.
Sometimes people let you down, but
God and His Word will see you through. Pastor Davie spoke of Joseph and
his brothers, as seen in Genesis Chapter 37. They were jealous of him
because their father, Jacob, preferred Joseph. One day, they threw him
into a pit, hoping he would die. But then a caravan of traders was
sighted and the brothers hauled him out and sold him to the Midianites
(Genesis 37:28). There would be great purpose for Joseph - God’s Word
was that he would LIVE; though his circumstances would be very
difficult.
In the chapters that followed,
Joseph was enslaved, then imprisoned, and was finally made Governor of
Egypt, because God remarkably blessed him in the worst of
circumstances. His own people, including the brothers who had betrayed
him, were delivered from famine because of the providence given by the
Lord. Pastor Davie said about Joseph, “Not
all betrayal is betrayal”. By that, he meant that, yes, he WAS
betrayed on the human level, but God’s Word was that many would be saved
through this man who had faith in the Word of God.
After the death of Jacob, who was
called “Israel” by the Lord, Joseph’s brothers were terrified, because
they thought that with their father dead, Joseph would at last do them
harm. But he replied, “you meant evil against
me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this
day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20). His brothers
were not “of Israel” in the act they
committed, but God’s Word had great effect and delivered them all.
God has great purpose in the trouble
you have experienced. Our friend, Dennis, experienced circumstances
that resulted in him becoming paralyzed. The outward circumstances of
his life worsened because of what happened, but God’s Word is good.
Dennis has said many times since that event, “It’s
the best thing that ever happened to me.” His paralysis brought
him, at last, fully to the Lord. This was an accident that was no
accident.
We’re all sinners and sometimes tend
to be “not all Israel” in what we say
and do. But be patient with others and wait, because “the
Word of God” (as in our Scripture) has a wonderful outcome for
you. Have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, who brings healing to your
life and mine. Thank You, Lord. We trust in You now. In Jesus Name.
Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
