Romans 10:19
But I ask, did Israel not know? First, Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those not a nation; I will anger you by a nation without understanding."
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 801
Without Understanding: unintelligent, unwise, undiscerning
From the Greek word 'asunetos' (pronounced as-oon'-ay-tos): without comprehension, foolish, illogical because unwilling to use good reason.
Deuteronomy 32:21
They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God; they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding.
Romans 11:11
I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.
1 Peter 2:10
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
The prophecy against Israel goes all the way back to Moses' time. It is beginning to be fulfilled in Acts 2, when the Spirit-filled disciples go out into the city and preach the gospel. But because persecution was swift, many left the city and went out to other countries, other nations, sharing the gospel message as they went.
Very thankful for that. Where would I be without God's mercy? I'd be dead and in hell. For I was without understanding. I was foolish and ignorant of God's lovingkindness. I knew nothing and in the darkness of this world, I sought that which I knew not, but where I looked for it, I found it nought.
Cocaine, marijuana, 'ludes, LSD and liquor brought me neither joy nor lasting happiness. I had no peace, no hope, no awareness that I was living/dying in the darkness of sin. Death tried to have its way with me. Until Jesus found me and called my name. And I began to make my way to His cross.
God's grace and mercy are found at the cross of Christ, where the blood of His Lamb washes away the stain of sin on my life. At the cross I found the only God I would ever need again. He found me first and brought me to the place of forgiveness and hope, for I had no hope. I didn't know joy until I gave my heart to Jesus Christ.
At the cross I was grafted into the Vine. In order to be grafted one must first be cut from one rootstock and grafted into another. There is a separation from the old and a twisting into the new.
At the cross I saw the light of God's love. It was both beautiful to me and a horror to look upon. For the Lamb of God was tortured, and beaten and had heavy nails pounded into His hands and feet (to hold Him onto the cross). He was a bloody mess.
Blood ran down His face from the crown of thorns that was pushed forcefully into His head. Rivulets of blood ran down His chest from the whip lashings He endured for my sake. Pain coursed through His body until His heart broke and He died. For me, for you: for a foolish, ignorant people that we might be restored to a right relationship with God.
At the cross we see Jesus. In the garden we see Jesus. Both times He is unrecognizable. Until He speaks. On the cross He speaks forgiveness for the ignorant. In the garden He speaks Life to the seeker.
Mercy is mine because I am forgiven. And because I want to be where He is, I went to the garden, too, seeking Jesus. And He spoke to me. He speaks Life because He is Life Eternal. He speaks Love because He is the representation of God's Love to a broken world, a lost people, an ignorant nation. I'm so thankful I made my way to the cross. It's the wisest, smartest decision I ever made.
A Thousand Hallelujahs
God Be Merciful To Me
Holy Forever
River of Life
At The Cross
Greater
Flawless
Redeemed
Broken Things
Forgiven
Heart of God
Different
