In another thread of similar nature, I find one of several stumbling blocks that prohibits "some" from advancing in the learning of God's grace and ways is the subject of the blindness of the Jews.
What bothers me most is their failure to see that as this so-called "blindness" as well as the hardening of their hearts were set in, many of those same "Jews" believed in Jesus as the Messiah (Christ) and followed him. It was the 'Jews" that started what we know as Christianity, some of them being martyred for the cause of Christ in the process. That is how strong their faith was.
To this very day, some of those claiming to be Jews are coming to Christ recognizing Him as the promised Messiah, and becoming Messianic Jews; while some, leaving behind all forms of Judaism are becoming Christians, with no ties to Judaism other than through bloodline.
Now what I find distressing, is the constant reliance on the "blindness" of the Jews, or the "hardening of their hearts" like it is a crutch every virtue-signally Christian has to lean on, without regard to the countless numbers of former Jews, no longer blinded, no longer with hardened heart, now in the body of Christ. This tells me that the blindness and hardening of the heart are not just to the Jews.
How many have read about the blindness and never thought that the disciples were Jews? Why weren't they blinded? Or the many followers of Christ before witnessing to the gentiles? So there is something to the blindness and the hardening of the heart and I can a good idea of what it might possibly be and why many Christians stumble and bicker so. It is pride and willfulness, both of which silence the conscience.
At any time, any one of the Jews could have shed the scales and sought Jesus just as many have.
Gods design blinded them through the law , it still blinds many people today because they try to make the law fit with the gospel and it doesn’t the gospel is
the culmination of the law and prophets
It’s where the law and prophets led mankind to Jesus and the gospel it blinds minds because they are trying to look through the veil of Moses law and see the gospel rather than looking from the gospel and seeing the law
“Seeing then that
we ( the apostles ) have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: and
not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: but their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
But
even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.”
2 Corinthians 3:12-15 KJV
to hear God command this is to have a veil over our eyes and ears and never really Know God
adultery
“And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife,
the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”
Leviticus 20:10 KJV
pre marital sex
“But if this thing be true, and
the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: then
they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.”
Deuteronomy 22:20-21 KJV
picking up a stick on the sabbath day
“And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness,
they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks
brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
And the LORD said
unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.”
Numbers 15:32-33, 35-36
That is to hear Gods word while having a corrupt d wicked mindset and heart it makes it like a veil of what God is saying To the sinner it’s not I will
Destroy you if you don’t follow
My rules “ it is I’m warning you that if you don’t repent your going to be destroyed by yourself “
the truth of what Gods saying the clarity without the veil of Moses law is what Jesus said in The gospel so rather than Leviticus 20s judgement of adulterers must surely be stoned to death , proven allegations of pre marital sex requires a town stoning of the woman , or picking up a stick on a sabbath day or stoking a fire requires death sentance be carried out by the people
that’s not actually Gods message to us in Christ instead it is this when the veil of Moses word is removed ( note how the dedicated to Moses law Pharisees were still blind to Jesus here )
“And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.”
John 8:3-13 KJV
and note how it’s
not understanding what’s written on Moses law that’s actually causing thier dosbelief
“Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”
“They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.”
Matthew 19:7-8 KJV
“
Moses commanded us a law, Even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.”
Deuteronomy 33:4
moses is the ot mediator of the law we have to go to Jesus our mediator to hear Gods word Jesus commanded us a word also
The difference is stark because the law is for this mknds and heart
“knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;”
1 Timothy 1:9-10 KJV
the law is God speaking to that form of man
the gospel and Jesus word is for his chosen children who he’s making new giving a new
holy spirit , new
loving and honest heart , people who repent and don’t keep living as those the law is for
“the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane,”
repentance from those ways removes the need to hear God speaking to us as though that’s who we are now and brings righteousness through hearing and believing the truth of Jesus Christ Gods mercy and love expressed in full to mankind