Thematic Bible: Who stumbles
Thematic Bible
Stumbling/slipping » Who stumbles
"Are not there twelve hours in the day?" answered Jesus. "If a man walks about in the day-time, he does not stumble, because he can see the light of the sun; But, if he walks about at night, he stumbles, because he has not the light."
"Only a little while longer," answered Jesus, "will you have the Light among you. Travel on while you have the Light, so that darkness may not overtake you; he who travels in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you still have the Light, believe in the Light, that you may be 'Sons of Light.'" After he had said this, Jesus went away, and hid himself from them.
I ask, then, 'Has God rejected his People?' Heaven forbid! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his People, whom he chose from the first. Have you forgotten the words of Scripture in the story of Elijah- how he appeals to God against Israel? 'Lord, they have killed thy Prophets, they have pulled down thy altars, and I only am left; and now they are eager to take my life.' read more.
But what was the divine response? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have never bowed the knee to Baal.' And so in our own time, too, there is to be found a remnant of our nation selected by God in love. But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love. What follows from this? Why, that Israel as a nation failed to secure what it was seeking, while those whom God selected did secure it. The rest grew callous; as Scripture says--'God has given them a deadness of mind--eyes that are not to see and ears that are not to hear--and it is so to this very day.' David, too, says--'May their feasts prove a snare and a trap to them--a hindrance and a retribution; May their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; and do thou always make their backs to bend.' I ask then--'Was their stumbling to result in their fall?' Heaven forbid! On the contrary, through their falling away Salvation has reached the Gentiles, to stir the rivalry of Israel.
But what was the divine response? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have never bowed the knee to Baal.' And so in our own time, too, there is to be found a remnant of our nation selected by God in love. But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love. What follows from this? Why, that Israel as a nation failed to secure what it was seeking, while those whom God selected did secure it. The rest grew callous; as Scripture says--'God has given them a deadness of mind--eyes that are not to see and ears that are not to hear--and it is so to this very day.' David, too, says--'May their feasts prove a snare and a trap to them--a hindrance and a retribution; May their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; and do thou always make their backs to bend.' I ask then--'Was their stumbling to result in their fall?' Heaven forbid! On the contrary, through their falling away Salvation has reached the Gentiles, to stir the rivalry of Israel.