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Romans 11:8
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorifiedhim not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Psalm 69:23
Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

and bow.

Deuteronomy 28:64-68
And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known,even wood and stone…

Isaiah 51:23
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Isaiah 65:12
Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choosethat wherein I delighted not.

and their backs be bent forever.
This part of the verse continues the theme of judgment and consequence. A bent back symbolizes oppression and burden, often associated with sin and its consequences. In the cultural context of the time, a straight back was a sign of strength and dignity, while a bent back indicated subjugation and weakness. The phrase "forever" emphasizes the severity and enduring nature of this judgment, though it is important to note that in the broader context ofRomans 11, Paul speaks of hope and restoration for Israel. The imagery of a bent back can also be seen as a type of the burden of sin that Christ came to lift, as He invites all to take His yoke, which is easy and light (Matthew 11:28-30).

- Paul lifts this line straight fromPsalm 69:22-23, applying David’s plea against hardened opponents to those in Israel who have rejected their Messiah. Because Scripture is both accurate and literal, we understand that God sometimes allows willful unbelief to deepen into judicial blindness.

- Darkness here pictures a loss of spiritual perception.Isaiah 6:9-10 records a similar judgment: “Make the heart of this people dull… blind their eyes.” Jesus echoes it inJohn 12:40, and Paul reminds the church inActs 28:26-27 that the prophecy still stands.

- By granting the request, God shows He is not the author of unbelief but the righteous Judge who confirms people in the state they insist on (seeRomans 1:24-28).

- The darkening leads to incapacity: they literally “cannot see.” Second Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,” and First Corinthians 2:14 explains why: the natural man “cannot understand” the things of the Spirit.

- This inability is not mere ignorance; it is moral and spiritual. The light of Christ stands before them, yet, like those inMatthew 13:15, their eyes “hardly see.”

- Still,Romans 11 assures us the blindness is neither universal nor final. Verses 5-7 mention a remnant chosen by grace, and verse 25 hints the partial hardening will end when “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

- The picture moves from eyesight to posture. A bent back speaks of ceaseless toil and captivity.Deuteronomy 28:65 warns of a curse that brings “a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul,” whilePsalm 38:6 describes being “bent over and greatly bowed down.”

-Luke 13:11 portrays a woman “bent double” until Jesus loosed her; her release illustrates that Christ alone straightens what sin has bowed. Until He intervenes, the burden remains.

- The word “forever” reads like a final sentence, yetRomans 11:11-12 immediately reveals divine purpose: Israel’s stumbling brings salvation to the nations, which in turn is meant to provoke Israel to envy and eventual restoration. Judgment stands, but mercy still beckons.

Paul citesPsalm 69 to explain why so many of his kinsmen remain unresponsive to the gospel: God has granted the blindness and burden they chose, confirming them in unbelief. Their darkened eyes cannot discern Christ, and their bent backs picture the heavy yoke of sin and judgment. Yet even this stern verdict serves a redemptive aim, opening the door for Gentiles and setting the stage for Israel’s future awakening when they, too, will look upon the One they have pierced and find rest in Him.

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