Enemies who are beloved of God

[gregoryfl]

Rom 11:28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake.

How can natural Jews be both enemies and yet at the same time beloved by God?

Isa 57:4 Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you make a wide mouth, and stick out your tongue? Aren't you children of disobedience, a seed of falsehood,

These Israelites here are called children of disobedience...

Isa 57:17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry, and struck him; I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

so God punishes, and yet they continue in their evil ways.

Isa 57:16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls who I have made.
Isa 57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
Isa 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near," says Yahweh; "and I will heal them."

God however, instead of displaying his anger without end, will heal, restore comforts to, and create peace, not only to those who are near to him

Isa 57:15 For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
"I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

but also to those who are far away, these sons of disobedience he has been angry with. But why?

Rom 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

God never reneges on what he promises. Notice that when God speaks of his enemies, he is speaking of his own people. He even calls them sons of disobedience. And yet, even while they existed as enemies in the first century in how they treated the early believers in Messiah, they were considered beloved by their God, and their day of healing had come from the very Messiah they scorned, for he brought them peace, and took away their sins, and through his shutting all [I will leave you to think on who the all is] up in disobedience, in that way mercy would extend toward all. While they are in that disobedience, the scripture truly speaks of their condition in this way:

Isa 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
Isa 57:21 "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."

Yet truly even sons of disobedience, ones who persist in their wickedness despite God's punishments, will all have their experience of this healing God speaks about.

Ron

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Amen Ron.........who knew?  :laughing7: Blessings....