Paul was speaking of the Jewish nation in Romans 1:20 when he says these people of whom he speaks were without excuse for they were unthankful to God for His having revealed Himself to them. Comparing scripture with scripture, it is further enlightening to us when we consider these inspired statements made by God’s prophets in the Hebrew scriptures: “You (Israelites) ONLY have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). And just WHO is God addressing there? Verse 1: “Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, against the whole family (all 12 tribes) which I brought up from the land of Egypt…” Notice that God says He had revealed Himself ONLY to the people of Israel. Out of ALL the families of the earth (that would include each and every Gentile people and nation) God had a relationship only with Israel. Keep this fact in mind when reading Romans One and you will quickly realize that those “without excuse” were the people of Israel – NOT the blinded masses of earth’s Gentile inhabitants. Many apply that condemning verse of scripture to all mankind! They pervert the scriptures when they do that. They may be well meaning, but they are wrong and grossly deceived in that area.
In Psalm 76:1-2, we read, “In Judah is God known (there and there only at that time). His name is great in Israel (there and there only for many long centuries). In Salem (shortened form of Jerusalem) also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion (a mount in Jerusalem).” If Christians would stop quoting one another and stop depending upon Bible commentaries and the Internet to get their doctrine, if they would let God’s Word IN ITS’ FULLNESS speak, getting their doctrine from the pages of Holy Writ – the scriptures, both Hebrew and Greek – you would suddenly hear some very different doctrines being preached from the pulpits across America.
“He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel” (Psalm 103:7). When Pharaoh told Moses, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord,” he was speaking the truth. Moses had just “told Pharaoh, ‘Thus saith THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, Let my people go..’.” (See Exodus 5, verses 1 and 2). At that point in time – and for many long centuries – God was just that THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL. He had revealed Himself to no other nation or people. The wonders of creation might have convinced the thinking minds of other nationalities that there must have been a Creator for all that they saw and discerned by their various senses but creation in and of itself does NOT reveal who is the Creator and if that Creator desires a relationship with His creation. That’s why Pharaoh – and millions of others around the globe – worshiped the sun, the moon, the stars, scarab beetles and jaguars in the jungles of South America. They were ignorant. They just did not know PERIOD! And God understood their predicament then and understands it now. These blinded, ignorant masses are not merely written off as forever lost, consigned to a fiery hell. How can people be so blind as to even think that? Why would Christ suffer and die for someone – for BILLIONS – who would never even hear of His sacrifice on their behalf? It doesn’t make sense, and believe me the truth of God makes perfect sense. God help you to understand.
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley