Hardened Hearts and God’s Sovereign Grace
Romans 11:7–10 (NLT)
7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. 8 As the Scriptures say,
“God has put them into a deep sleep.
To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see,
and closed their ears so they do not hear.”
9 Likewise, David said,
“Let their bountiful table become a snare,
a trap that makes them think all is well.
Let their blessings cause them to stumble,
and let them get what they deserve.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
and let their backs be bent forever.”
Message
King Ahab and his wife Jezebel promoted Baal worship, and they killed prophets of God (Romans 11:3, 1 Kings 19:10, 14). Elijah thought that he was the only prophet of God who had survived (Romans 11:3, 1 Kings 19:10, 14). But God had preserved 7,000 others who had never bowed down to Baal (Romans 11:4, 1 Kings 19:18) by His grace. Likewise, not every Israelite rejected Jesus. Some Israelites God had chosen believed Him. It was because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them (Romans 11:5; also see Romans 11:6).
Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly (7a). A few God has chosen have, but the hearts of the rest were hardened (7b).
In verse 8, Paul quotes Isaiah 29:10, and Deuteronomy 29:4:
Isaiah 29:10 (NLT)
10 For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep.
He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.
Deuteronomy 29:4 (NLT)
4 But to this day the Lord has not given you minds that understand, nor eyes that see, nor ears that hear!
In verses 9–10, Paul quotes Psalm 69:22–23 (NLT, Greek version)
22 Let their bountiful table set before them become a snare,
a trap that makes them think all is well.
Let their blessings cause them to stumble,
and let them get what they deserve.
23 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
and let their backs be bent forever.
In fact, none of us deserve God’s kindness. We all could have lived and died without understanding and without believing in Jesus, who is full of grace and truth. Jesus said in Matthew 11:27 (NLT),
“No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
We know Jesus because He chose to reveal Himself.
Another thing we need to know is what 1 Corinthians 1:21 says,
21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.
So, God reveals the truth through our preaching. God uses our obedience. Jesus commanded us to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone (See Mark 16:15-18, Matthew 28:18-20).
Being chosen is by His grace. Receiving revelation and knowing the Son is by His grace. Being used by God to reveal the truth is by His grace.
