the end of the law

I've recently been reading "The End of the Law: Mosaic Covenant in Pauline Theology" by Jason C Meyer. He has great discussions about the old-ness of the Old Covenant and the new-ness of the New Covenant. He does excellent exegetical work in 2 Cor 3-4, Gal 3-4, and Rom 9-11. The discussion may be seemingly peripheral, but it's ripple effects are very significant.

In the introduction, Meyer begins with an old Puritan proverb/poem/hymn. Spurgeon attributed it to John Bunyan, but others believe it to be John Berridge. It's really beautiful.

To run and work the law commands

Yet gives me neither feet nor hands

But better news the gospel brings

It bids me fly and gives me wings

more baptism and covenant

Here.

is there a future Israel?

Russ Moore discusses it here.

EZEKiEL

Ezekiel was in exile with stubborn, rebellious, obstinate Israel. At least that's what God called them [2.3-4]. They didn't want to hear what Zeke had to say. I wouldn't either.



Ezekiel was telling them that they were whores who, spiritually speaking, "spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry" [16.25]. He even told Israel that they were so okay with prostituting YHWH's covenant love that they quit charging for their whoredom and gave gifts to their lovers instead [16.33-34]. These are powerful words. If they are offensive it is because you don't understand the gravity of your disposition before apart from His kindness. I'm in this boat. But still, this is a metaphor.

The thing that Ezekiel says that really gets me is not a metaphor or word picture, but a bare reality. Maybe that is why it stings so sharply. It could also be so because it is aimed right at leaders and preachers. Israel's "priests have made no distinction between the holy and profane" [22.26] and her prophets see "false visions and divining lies, saying 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the Lord has not spoken" [22.28]. This is why YHWH pours out His indignation and anger. They have long deserved it!

But...

He will remember His covenant [16.60]. And He will be king over Israel [20.33]. YHWH will purge rebellion and transgression from His people [20.38]. He will send His servant shepherd David [34.23] to give new hearts of flesh where hearts of stone once were [36.22-27]. Dry bones will live again [37.3-14].

ROMANS 11

Romans 11 is just as tough as Romans 9 or any other text in Paul. Along with slowly trudging through Romans, I’ve also been reading a little Cambridge Greek commentary on Romans from 1912. It’s so refreshing because much of it is removed from modern debate and discussion. It offers some excellent summary statements. On 11.23,

As the Gentiles came to share in the hope of Israel, so fallen Israel may share the hope of the redeemed Gentile.

On 11.25-32,

The argument is summed up in a picture of the wide and patient purpose of God… to bring both Jew and Gentile under His mercy.

Another helpful thing to remember while reading Romans 11 is that chapters 9-11 are a single unit. Many say that these chapters must be read with the covenant in view. I tend to agree with this. The word “covenant” is only used twice in Romans – 9.4 and 11.27, as bookends for the whole section [and only 9x in Paul total].

The phrase “according to election” is repeated in 9.5, 11.5, and 11.28 so as to give further pointers to his purpose.

Lastly, when reading 11, it is important to note which uses of “Israel” are referring to physical, ethnic Israel and which ones are referring to spiritual Israel.

9.14-23 is a tough pill to swallow; 10.8-17 shows the simplicity of the response to mercy; and 11 is unique about God’s plans for Jew, Gentile, and “Israel.” But Paul’s theological explanation [all of 9-11] and his emotional angst [9.1-5, 10.1-2] are not two issues, but one. Their union leads to the birth of great praise and gratitude for God’s wisdom for all mercy and redemption in history [11.33-36]. Impenetrable is the depth of God’s wisdom and knowledge for His sake.

COVENANT and ROMANS 9

Any time the Bible talks about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob together, it is really talking about God's covenant. Covenant, in the biblical sense, is an intimate and intentional word for relationship. It is just as much about the "who" of the covenant as it is about the covenant itself. God loves people. He loves people more than He loves the words that describe His love and relationships with people [like "covenant"]. Take Ex 32.13 and Deut 9.27 as examples.

In these texts, Moses longs for God to remember His covenant promises. But He doesn't say that exactly. He says, "Remember Abe, Isaac, and Jake." He says it like this because God is into relationships. He is into knowing people [Rom 8.29, 1 Cor 8.3, Jer 1.5, Gal 4.9, Mt 7.23] and people knowing Him [Gal 4.9, Jn 17.3]. He is not into random promises. The reason that the Bible uses such pregnant language like “covenant” is because God had to show people the gravity of their sin and need and the “breadth, length, height, and depth” of His love [Eph 3.18].

With all of this in mind, now you can read Romans 9. If you randomly pick out the hard verses, of course you won’t get it. Look at 9.6. “The word God has not failed.” This means His covenant promises stand in spite of ethnic Israel’s rebellion. Paul then mentions Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in 9.7-13. With this, the jump to theoretical fatalism or deterministic nonsense is almost impossible. Why? Because everything it says is about God’s covenant promises. This is about relationship. If it was about God damning and delivering with His eyes closed, why are there so many people’s names in chapter 9?

Here’s the deal. God loves people. And to those who are recipients of His covenant promises and His mercy, He will exert great energies [mercy in 9.15, 16, 23; compassion in 9.15; power in 9.17, 22; wrath in 9.22] in sustaining those relationships. This is His Church. This is His Body. And He does so for glory, His glory [9.23; 8.29-30].

the barren wombs

So, when women in the Bible couldn’t have babies, that’s when God loved to show off and short-circuit the human reproductive system. It is pretty impressive to scout the line-up of the “barren” women in the Bible. What’s even more impressive is the children these women bore. It is a real shocker that these kids were always main players in God’s redemptive story. Not only does it make me ponder the dead womb of nothingness and matter-lessness before creation [Heb 11.3], but it reminds me of the dead womb of my heart before He revealed and imparted grace.

Sarai [Gen 16.1]
Rebekah [Gen 25.21]
Rachel [Gen 29.31]
Manoah’s wife [Jdg 13.2]
Hannah [1 Sam 1.2]
Elizabeth [Luke 1.7]
Mary [Is 7.14, Mt 1.23]