There are 66
books in the Bible. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. If you match
up each book with a corresponding letter the first letter, aleph, goes with
Genesis (the first book of the Law), Isaiah (the first book of the Prophets),
and Romans (the first book of the Christian Epistles).
Romans was written by the
Apostle Paul. Its major themes are the gospel of God, the redemption truth and
reconciling the promises to Israel with the promises concerning the Gentiles.
Its greatest teaching is the doctrine of grace. This book shows us that all are
guilty before God but can receive justification through the righteousness of
God by faith.
Let’s look first at Romans
3:25, 26:
25 God
presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his
blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness,
because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand
unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present
time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Now compare that to Isaiah
53:11:
11 After he
has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
As promised in Isaiah,
Christ bore our iniquities. Now compare Romans 11:25-27 with Isaiah 45:17:
25 I do not want you to be
ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be
conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of
the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved.
As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
17 But
Israel will be saved by the LORD
with an everlasting salvation;
you will never be put to shame or disgraced,
to ages everlasting.
with an everlasting salvation;
you will never be put to shame or disgraced,
to ages everlasting.
What a great promise! More about the aleph connection in part 2 next week.
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