Rom 11:1-36, God is not finished with his people

Rom 11:1-10 (ESV) I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2  God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3  "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life." 4 But what is God's reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.


7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,


 "God gave them a spirit of stupor,
 eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day."


9 And David says,


 "Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever."


• What is Paul's argument about God's rejection of his people?
• God's rejection is not total.  God rejected the nation in Matt 12:22-24, 41-42, because Israel rejected the Messiah
• Matt 12:22-24 (NIV) Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" // 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."
• The people recognized the Messianic miracle, but the leaders reject it
• The Pharisees and Teachers ask for a sign, although they already had all three Messianic miracles  (healing of leper (investigated); healing of a blind man (Pharisees reject the individual involved) and healing and casting out a dumb demon (Pharisees reject claims of Christ)
• Matt 12:41-42 (NIV) 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.
• From this point in Jesus' ministry, the term "this generation" is a very specific term to the nation and people who lived during his visit.  Note that individuals still come to the Lord, but the nation has been rejected because they rejected God first
• Paul is an example of a saved Jew
• Elijah also thought that the entire nation had deserted God, which God clues him in was not true
• So why is Israel hardened? They rejected God
• Can Jews still come to the Lord? Yes as individuals


Rom 11:11-16 (ESV) So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!


13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16  If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.


• First, what does God called Israel's rejection? They stumbled
• Who stumbled? Israel
• If God caused them to stumble then they could not recover.  Can they recover? Yes
• If God sovereignly prevents them from understanding the gospel, why try to make them jealous?  What is the purpose?  What is Paul's purpose?
• Paul is using envy to save some of them (that remnant)
• So then, it still depends upon man's choice even though they have been rejected and God has given them a spirit of stupor (vs 11:7), at least as a nation
• Constable suggests that the "part of the dough" or "firstfruits" are the believing remnant in Israel now.  The lump or batch is the whole of Israel.  The roots are the Abrahamic covenant.  The branches are believing and unbelieving Jews and Gentiles
• It is important to note that he has been talking about groups of people and not individuals up to this point
• That will be important as we move into the next section


Rom 11:17-24 (ESV) But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.


• Constable argues that the natural olive tree is a symbol for Israel used in the scriptures. The wild branches are Gentiles (maybe even Gentile nations).  They benefit of now being part of the olive tree I from the blessings that come through Israel (Messiah, scriptures, …)
• Key point is that Israel is not replaced as reformed theology would argue
• Also, Gentile believers / nations should not feel superior to Jewish unbelievers / Israel (broken branches)
• As Gentiles, we have done nothing to deserve our status except believe
• What could God do?
• He could reverse it
• He could break off the wild branches (Gentile nations)
• He could restore the natural branches (Jews / Israel)
• And they will naturally graft back in, much more so than the Gentiles did before
• Technically, this is exactly what will happen in the millennial kingdom, especially the last half
• It is the Gentile nations who rise up against the Israel.  It the Israel who comes to the Lord and defeats the Gentile armies at Armageddon
• There will be a remnant of Gentile nations and a remnant of Israel that arise after the rapture
• Finally, note that the status of the branches is not dependent on God's whim but on a group's unbelief, thereby nullifying some aspects of Calvinism


Rom 11:25-36 (ESV) Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness 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 banish ungodliness from Jacob";
27 "and this will be my covenant with them
 when I take away their sins."


28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.


33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!


34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?"
35 "Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?"


36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.


• We are now at the climax of chapters 9-11
• What is a mystery in biblical terms?
• It is a truth not previously revealed in the scriptures, although it could be hinted at
• What is this mystery? (note that there are seven mysteries mentioned in the NT)
• The mystery is that there is a partial hardening of Israel until the program for the Gentiles is complete
• So, God knows how many Gentiles will be saved. Which is different from saying that God has already chosen who will be saved
• Interestingly, who has God shown mercy to?
• God has shown mercy to all men
• Does God have to show mercy to all men?
• No, the previous argument stated that God will have mercy on who he wills (chap 10)
• So, the previous statement which included the theoretical "if then" does not necessarily imply that God has limited the gospel
• So, based on verses 33-36, how do we understand all this? How do we fit it together?
• We can't
• Our finite minds cannot comprehend the mind of God
• APPLICATION:
• We need to have a right attitude toward Jews (and to Israel)
• I think it is wise to support Israel
• I think we need to be thankful for our salvation, because we did not deserve anything but Hell
• Finally, we need to realize that God has not forgotten Israel.  He still has a plan for Israel, and in the end, all Israel will be saved