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The God Who Is
THE BLINDNESS OF ISRAEL
In Romans chapter 11, Paul writes in verse 7, "What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded." They did not blind themselves: someone blinded them. This is the passive voice. In verse 8, we are told who it is that blinded them. ("According as it is written, `God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.'" Is it not on account of this sin—that America has forsaken the God of our fathers—that God has given up Americans to moral and spiritual blindness?
THE HARDENING OF KING SIHON
In Deuteronomy chapter 2, we read that when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, Sihon, king of Heshbon would not allow Israel to pass through his land. We are expressly told the reason: "...for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day" (verse 30). God hardened the heart of the king in order that he might deliver him up to judgment.
Sometimes God Withholds His Grace Whereby Men Might Have Been Enlightened
"And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, `Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharoah, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day" (Deuteronomy 29:2-4).
THE EXAMPLE OF HAZAEL
In II Kings chapter 8, note beginning with verse 7. "And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, `The man of God is come hither.' And the king said unto Hazael, `Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?'
"So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, `Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?' And Elisha said unto him, `Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shown me that he shall surely die.' And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.
"And Hazael said, `Why weepeth my lord?' And he answered, `Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.' And Hazael said, `But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?' And Elisha answered, `The LORD hath shown me that thou shalt be king over Syria.'
"So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, `What said Elisha to thee?' And he answered, `He told me that thou shouldest surely recover.' And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead" (II Kings 8:7-15).
God withheld His grace whereby Hazael might have been enlightened.
THE USE OF PARABLES
We have already noted that "When he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, `Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables, that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them'" (Mark 4:10-12).
FORBIDDEN PREACHING
"Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not" (Acts 16:6,7). God withheld His grace whereby they might have been enlightened. That is His right.
In his Commentary On The Gospel Of Matthew, John A. Broadus wrote, "If we shrink sensitively from the idea that the Lord of heaven and earth reveals to some and hides from others, we are strangely out of sympathy with Jesus and Paul." At the heart of this difficulty is the unwillingness of man's nature to accept the Biblical teaching that God has never intended to save everyone. If such had been His design, He who is Almighty is certainly able to have done it. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.