Commentaries:
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Romans 11:7-15
God Himself has kept Israel from seeing and hearing (understanding and applying) His truth, giving Israel a spirit of slumber to make possible the salvation of the Gentiles. He has determined to call and choose only a limited number from Israel in this age, allowing the rest to remain blinded. With the rest of humanity, they will rise in the second resurrection and have the opportunity for salvation.
Martin G. Collins
Basic Doctrines: The Second Resurrection
Romans 11:7-10
Elsewhere, Paul says Israel has zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. God has not cast away His people; He will still save them, but He lets us know why things are the way they are now. He has given them over to being deceived; He has permitted it. God, writes Paul, has given them a spirit of stupor. He permitted it even as He permitted Adam and Eve to be tested in the Garden. These scriptures show that Israel's spiritual diet was misleading them; their table had become a snare. A table is a symbol of where we eat. It is literally where we eat physical food, but spiritually, it refers to our mental and spiritual nourishment. What the Israelites were feeding their minds was distracting them to the degree that they were unable to see the truth when it was presented to them.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Division, Satan, HumilityRelated Topics: Spirit of Stupor | Spiritual Food | Spiritual Junk Food | Spiritual Nourishment | Table as Symbol | Zeal without Knowledge
Romans 11:7-10
Paul explains the fundamental reason for God's current blinding of Israel: God is working with the elect in a way He is not working with Israel yet. Thus, He has blinded Israel until He calls those Gentiles that He has determined to convert. Israel was disobedient, so He scattered and blinded her, intending to regather her and restore her understanding in the future. Then she will recognize her Savior and learn what a relationship with Him truly entails.
David C. Grabbe
Spiritual Blindness (Part One): The God of This WorldRelated Topics: Blinding is Exclusively in God's Domain | Blinding is Solely God's Prerogative | Blinding Spiritually | God Removes Wisdom and Understanding | God's Blinding of Israel | God's Scattering of Israel | Spiritual Blindness | Spiritual Blindness: The God of this Age | Spiritual Blindness: the God of this WorldOther Forerunner Commentary entries containing Romans 11:7:
Ecclesiastes 7:26-29
Romans 9:18
Romans 9:21-24
Romans 11:17
2 Corinthians 3:12-16
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