Romans 9 spoke of God's sovereign election of Israel as His chosen. In chapter 10 we saw how in the obsessive pursuit of a righteousness of their own, they rejected the righteousness that comes from God. But the rejection was clearly temporary, its duration dependent upon their response.

Our last study began with God's election of Israel as His chosen people. In Chapter 10 we'll see how they came to be rejected.

Romans 3:21-4:25
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth. (Genesis 14:18-19)

After all is said and done there remains one unpardonable sin.

How buried treasure and oysters symbolize the destinies of Israel and the Church.

How the principle of Expositional Constancy reveals the true nature of the Kingdom of Heaven in its Earthly phase.

It's called the Kingdom of Heaven, but it's here on earth. It describes our need for a savior and points out the unpardonable sin millions will commit.

As the Roman Empire grew in prominence, Rome soon became the world's center for the practices and traditions of the Babylonian pagan religion.

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

(NOTE: Ray C. Stedman’s book “The Queen and I” was a major source of inspiration for this series of articles on the Book of Esther.)

This is part of Jack’s, Bible Thru the Eyes of Its Writers series where he tells the stories in first-person—as if the authors were telling the story themselves.