Paul has been talking about how the Gentiles are equal recipients of the grace of God. And that there is a mandate that all the world hears the words of Christ. God did so by proclaiming his glory through the great deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. And he also commands all to go to the world to share with the Gentiles in far away places. How can they hear and repent otherwise?
The question then is posed about the Israelites.
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world” (v. 16-18)
The truth is the Israelites knew about God and his ways. In fact, they were recipients of the Law and the covenant. But not all of them accepted the good news. We see this frustration from Isaiah.
It is not enough to hear the message. It must be combined with faith. The Israelites did not do that. Instead, they followed their own desires and lusts and served other gods.
Worse, they rejected Christ. Isaiah 53 is quoted when it says, “who has believed our message?” Isaiah 53 is the most clear description of the death of Jesus on the cross and the purpose of the cross to ransom people from their sins.
It’s all right there in Isaiah. But they did not believe because they did not want to believe.
They are without excuse on multiple levels. First, as we have already seen, they rejected the clear prophecies that point to Jesus. They of all people should see Jesus as the fulfillment of the Scriptures.
But then there’s another verse quoted that’s very interesting.
But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world” (v. 18)
This verse is quoting Psalm 19 where David says the character, nature and reality of God are observed in His creation.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world (Ps 19:1-4)
The Israelites are without excuse. What is known about God can be seen clearly in creation. We have observed this theme already.
since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20).
In short, Paul is saying that Israel did not believe. It was because of their hardness of heart which we will see. But they are without excuse. They were giving the very clear prophetic word of the Messiah we see fulfilled in Christ. And we also see that they can know God through creation.
It’s just that they loved their sin more, did not desire to repent, and because of their sin, their hearts became hardened to true faith and belief.
Let this example serve as a warning to us all. Because we, too, have Isaiah 53. We, too, have the natural world to learn about Him. And if we think we can sin and love God, we, too, are susceptible to the hardening of our hearts in a way that diminishes faith.