ROMANS Study Guide

a prophet or apostle) stirs up “Sozo faith” (rescuing, healing or delivering faith) in the one listening.

b) But once the Rhema Word has gone out and the Holy Spirit has stirred the heart with it … the listener must respond and receive it. This is what Israel had failed to do.

b. Paul makes clear that the Jews have had the same opportunity

as the Gentiles to hear this “empowered” word from His

“sent” ones (Jesus and apostles) … this word has in truth gone

out to all the earth (the gospel had already spread to the known

world at that time) … but the Jews had rejected the message and

the witness of the Holy Spirit. Vs.17-18

1) Paul asks again an obvious Question …” but didn’t Israel

know?” (vs.19 ) Did they not have the words of the prophets

and the messianic predictions in scripture to prepare them?

(i.e. Isa.53, Ps.22)

2) Paul immediately gives an example of God’s preparational

word to Israel by quoting Moses in Deut.32:21… where God

says that Israel had provoked God to jealously by

worshipping other God’s, therefore Moses prophesied there

would come a day when God would provoke Israel to

Jealously by causing the idol worshipping heathen to have the

covenant salvation Israel had been promised and had thought

belonged only to them.

3) Paul goes on to give another evidence of scripture that Israel

should have seen and understood. Isaiah declares that God

is going to use the Gentile nations who never had the

advantages of Israel… who never even knew about the Lord

or desired him… God would manifest (demonstrate) his grace

to them so that they will enter into his salvation and into the

new covenant God had promised his people. (Isa. 65:1-2;