1. A wise and understanding nation 4:6
  1. God chose to reveal himself to the nation of Israel
    1. You shall be my own among all the peoples for all the earth is Mine and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation Exodus 19:5,6
  2. The purpose was to reveal himself to the rest of the world through them
    1. They were entrusted with the very oracles of God Romans 3:2
    2. God’s revelation to the people of Israel. Romans 9: 4,5
  3. God chose Israel before he was even born. Romans 9:10-13
    1. This is talking about nations not people
    2. God does not predestine anyone for destruction.
      1. Perfect and complete revelation of God is in the person of Jesus Christ
      2. he died on the cross to bring all men to himself. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
      3. We are called to be reconciled to God
    3. Paul is not addressing individual salvation, but has God kept his promises Romans9:6
      1. Gentiles were coming into faith so did this nullify the covenant God made with Israel?
    4. God chose Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau so it should not be surprising that he is working through the Gentiles now.
      1. To do what?
        1. Serve God as a kingdom Priest Isaiah 61: 6
        2. Light to all nation Isaiah 42:6, 49: 6
        3. Means whole world would be blessed in hearing about one true God Genesis 12:2,3 Psalm 67: 1,2 Isaiah 2: 2-4
        4. Their election as a nation was always primarily about service not individual salvation.
    5. God is not speaking about Ishmael’s and Esau’s eternal destinies here, he is speaking about the nation he chose to reveal himself through
    6. Potter and the clay 19- 21
      1. Refer to Jeremiah 18 and same illustration.
      2. If Israel would repent, they would be brought back in.
      3. It is God’s right to move through the Gentiles now instead of the Jewish people.
    7. Find this summary in Vs 30
      1. Just like Isaac and Jacob did not do anything right or wrong to receive revelation, now the Gentiles have received the same thing.
    8. Paul’s desire is for all Israel to be saved 10:1
      1. They reject Christ Vs 2 (See Luke 7:30)
      2. Would rather hold onto their own ways of attaining righteousness.
      3. They could fulfill the law by faith in Christ who empowers them to keep the law. Vs 4, 5
      4. They will come back into relationship with Him Romans 11: 12 – 25
    9. They will once again be that wise and understanding nation.

2. They have a God who is near Deuteronomy 4: 7

  1. If they reject God they will be scattered among the nation 4: 27
  2. If they seek God he will return to them 4: 29
  3. They will worship and love God as the most important commandment. 6: 4
    1. This is called the Shema which means listen
      1. Listen the Lord is our god the Lord is One.
      2. Jesus agrees that this is the most important commandment Mark 12:29,30
    2. If we are able to love God then we will keep his commandments 1 John 5: 3
  4. These commandments will be on your heart. 6: 6
    1. This is the first promise of a new covenant.
    2. They understood it as memorizing them, but it was a promise given through Jeremiah 31:33
    3. This was also shown through Messiah as a letter not written in ink or on a stone tablet, but on human hearts 2 Corinthians 3:3

3. Tefillin Deuteronomy 6: 8

  1. Small leather straps on their arms and foreheads.
  2. The exterior of the box is the Hebrew letter shin which is an abbreviation for the name El Shaddai.
  3. Did Jesus wear these?
    1. he criticized the Pharisees for lengthening them Matthew 23:5
    2. This doesn’t mean that he did not wear them, but that he criticized people for making a show of their wearing them.
    3. People wore small discreet Tefillin wherever they went but only later generations made bigger ones that would only be worn during prayer.
  4. Mark of the beast Deuteronomy 6:8
    1. Revelation 13 and the powerful satanic figure who holds sway over all the people.
    2. Revelation 13: 7,8 Roman Caesars were the ones who made war against the saints and overcame them.
    3. Mark of the beast was something they would have understood.
      1. Name is numerical value of Caesar Nero
    4. Wave of persecution against Christians or followers of “Christus” a man put to death by Pilate during the reign of Tiberius (Tactius Annals)
    5. Angel marks the people of God Revelation 7: 1 – 8
    6. Nero starts war against the Christians
      1. People drunk with the blood of the saints Revelation 17: 6
    7. Nero kills Peter December of 64
      1. War on the saints for 42 months Revelation 13: 5 – 7
      2. Nero died 42 months later in June of 68
  5. Bind these words on our hearts