“But as for Israel He says, ‘All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.’”  Romans 10:21

Throughout the letter to the Romans, Paul has been moved by the spirit to cite the numerous prophetic utterances in the Old Testament that pointed to the inclusion of the Gentiles as a part of God’s people. From Abraham in the book of Genesis (Gen. 17:5), Moses in the book of Deuteronomy (Deut 32:21), Isaiah (Isa. 65:11, 66:2-20), and Hosea (Hos. 1:10, 2:23) the LORD revealed His kind intention to graft them in, these “vessels of mercy” called from among the nations. 

(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. Rom. 4:17

The apostle Paul, in one among several allusions to Abraham’s example of faith in the letter to the Romans, quotes here from the context of chapter seventeen, verse five of the book of  Genesis. 

“May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, ‘That Thou mightest be justified in Thy words, And mightest prevail when Thou art judged.’ ” – Romans 3:4

The apostle Paul, in answering those who would say the Jews record of unbelief nullified the faithfulness and righteousness of God, quotes from a familiar psalm of David, Psalm fifty-one, verse four.

“Now that no one is justified by the Law before god is evident; for ‘The righteous man shall live by faith’” Galatians 3:11

The apostle Paul, while working through the life and death issue of faith versus law in his letter to the Galatian churches, cites a portion of an Old Testament passage from the prophet Habakkuk. 

“But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke, ’ we also believe, therefore also we speak” 2 Corinthians 4:13

The apostle Paul, while enumerating the afflictions, perplexities, and persecutions that come from preaching the gospel, along with the constant risk of death for the name of Jesus, cites  a passage from the book of Psalms.

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16

As we’ve mentioned in a previous bulletin (4-26-09), the first three chapters of Paul’s earliest letter to the Corinthian church deals with the schisms in the body created by competing ideologies or affections based upon human wisdom versus the wisdom of God as revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, His predetermined plan set forth from before the foundation of the earth. We need to be aware that the city of Corinth and many of its inhabitants valued and were enamored with the great orators and philosophers of their day.

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.’ ” Rom. 12:19-20

The apostle Paul, as he worked on the issue of how to respond to evil (Rom. 12:17-21), particularly that which may have been perpetrated upon a believer, laid out a practical guide from scriptural principles and concepts of how to effectively “overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21)

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, ‘He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.’ ” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 (NAS)

The apostle Paul, in working to alleviate the schisms among the brethren in the church at Corinth, is continuing to work on the early theme in the letter to the Corinthians, the issue of worldly wisdom versus God’s plan and wisdom in Christ Jesus. 

“As it is written, ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.’ ” 2 Corinthians 8:15

The apostle Paul, while writing to the Corinthian church concerning their participation in the support of the saints, quotes from the book of Exodus referencing the gathering of the manna for the daily needs of the nation of Israel during their desert wanderings. 

“But Jesus turning to them said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” ‘Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us,” and to the hills, “Cover us.’ ” Luke 23:28-30

One cannot but marvel at the discipline exhibited by our Lord Jesus Christ. After being scourged, beaten with a staff, spit at and mocked, Jesus, as He was being led away to be crucified and while being lamented by the women at the injustice of His predicament, had the clarity of mind to quote from the Old Testament prophet Hosea warning those women of the impending conditions to come.