Will God Surprise in Mission: A Stumbling Stone

Introduction

Last time, we looked at Hosea the prophet and were introduced to his family. Hosea was a prophet to Israel, that is the Northern ten tribes of Israel. The first verse show his during four kings of Judah but only mentions one king of Israel. I cannot answer the question of why Hosea the prophet to the notrh would mention the kings of the south. But, it does give a timeline of his work. One scholar I read calculated that is time in ministry could be up to seventy years. In other words, this is a life time’s work. The Lord told Hosea to do something is not normally done. His assignment was to marry a prostitute and have a family with her. A family of a wife and three children.

Gomer his wife, son Jezreel, daughter Ruhamah, and son Ammi. We looked at the meanings of their names. Gomer means “to finish or bring to completion” or in the negative sense, “to the abrupt and seemingly permanent termination of that which previously existed.” When God brought judgement of the Israel, the Northern 10-tribes, it seemed like He abruptly ended what He had promised by sending them into captivity. It looked like He wiped out those ten tribes from the inheritance of land and the promise He had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Jezreel, the first born son, means to sow and to scatter. God was doing this to the 10-tribes in part to avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu. (1:4-5) The daughter, Ruhamah means I will not have mercy. (1:6) The third child and second son, Ammi means “you are not my people and I will not be your God. (1:9)

God gave Israel the story of Hosea to illustrate the story of Israel. The things that happened in Hosea’s story are the same things as happened in Israel. Gomer was representative of Israel laden with sin.

The people did not serve the One True God. They serve the baals the claimed that it was the baal’s that gave them their food and water, warm and cool clothing, the oil and drink from the very beginning when they split from the southern kingdom. But, after the judgement, it was promised that the people who were not a people were called the people of God.

This week Paul will takes to Isaiah a prophet in Judah, the southern kingdom, of the same time period when Israel is under God’s judgement at the hand of the Assyrians.

Romans 9:20–33 KJV 1900

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

A remnant shall be saved. (27-28)

This is a quote from Isaiah 10:19–22 “19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, That a child may write them. 20 And it shall come to pass in that day, That the remnant of Israel, And such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, Shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; But shall stay upon the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, Unto the mighty God. 22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, Yet a remnant of them shall return: The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.”

Notice the word escaped or survived in 20 these further described their captivity. It was not an easy captivity. It Hosea it is described as being scatter and sown. Later, Hosea says that he reveal Gomer as in the day of birth and put is a parched land and be killed by thirst. Think about that language for a moment, scattering seed on dry ground means the seeds will not flourish.

On the other hands, when Judah is supplanted to Babylon the Lord says to them go have families and plant gardens and thrive. We often here the verse taken from context, “I know my plans for you, they are for good and not evil.” Well, that is what God said to Judah going to Babylon.

It was not that way for Israel. It was a hard time for them.

Israel had to escape their captors. Judah was sent back with blessings for their captors.

We clearly that God make a distinction in the whole nation of Israel.

This an example of what Paul is getting at in Romans 9:6 “6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” Romans 9:8 “8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” The children of the flesh is a description of the northern tribes in Hosea.

Left us a seed (29)

Paul quotes Isaiah 1:9 “9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, We should have been as Sodom, And we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”

There is a remnant left to the Lord.

What shall we say then? (30-31)

Why has the Gentile received salvation and Israel has not?

Paul has made an argument showing that not all Israel is of Israel.

It seems like Israel should be included because of all that God has exposed them to.

Why is Israel missing it with all their effort?

They did not seek it by faith. (32)

Romans 3:28 “28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

The stumbling stone (33)

The stumbling stone of faith.