8th August 2010
Romans 11:1-36
There is no greater illustration of God’s faithfulness than what we learn from His relationship with Israel.
Israel really is a miracle nation – just a tiny strip of land – but with a strategic importance way out of all proportion to its size and worth; perhaps because it joins the three great continents of Africa, Asia and Europe.
And it was here that God chose to establish for Himself ‘a chosen race and a holy nation’.
More often than not the land God gave to Israel has been controlled by other nations; yet the Jews have survived. I think this is a testimony to the faithfulness of God.
I. Review Of Romans 9 – 11
Over the last two weeks we have dealt with Israel’s past (Chapter 9) Israel’s present situation in Chapter 10 and today we will look at Israel’s future (Chapter 11).
God is not finished with Israel, and from this study we can also learn some wonderful thing about the character of God.
In the OT God made a number of promises to Israel – many of which have not yet been fulfilled.
This is what Romans 11 is all about.
Now we have already talked about why God chose Israel and why He gave them special privileges.
Not because they were better than anyone else, but because God wanted them to fulfil a missionary task they were “blessed to be a blessing”.
God said, “I will bless you and though you well all the nations of the world be blessed.”
He also said, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse…” Gen 12:3
So principally God chose the Jews to be missionaries to the rest of the world.
But in Chapter 10 we saw that God has set the Jews aside for a time because although they wanted to receive the blessing of God they didn’t want to be a blessing to other nations.
And as a result God has provided a new way to get His message out to the whole world through the Church.
Q. But does this mean that God has set aside the Jews permanently?
Not at all!
What we saw in Romans 9 was God’s Sovereign choice of Israel.
In Chapter 10 we saw God’s fairness. He said “I want everyone to know me.”
In Chapter 11 we are going to see God’s faithfulness i.e. how all of the promises He made long ago to the nation of Israel, that have not yet been fulfilled, will be fulfilled in the future.
“I ask then did God (totally) reject his people? By no means.” vs. 1,
Actually Paul uses a very strong negative. No way, has God permanently set aside the Jews – and Paul spends the rest of the Chapter explaining what he means by that.
II. The Setting Aside of Israel Is Only Partial Not Complete.
And Paul gives three different proofs.
1. Paul himself is proof.
He says, “I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.”
If God had given up on Israel He wouldn’t have chosen Paul. Paul’s Jewishness is very important to God’s plan.
2. There is a remnant
Paul says there is a remnant, a small group of Jews, who have always been faithful to God. Even though the majority have been unfaithful and Paul gives the example of a similar occasion during the time of Elijah.
“God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what the scripture says in the passage about Elijah (1King 19) – how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left and they are trying to kill me.” And what was God’s answer to him?
“I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knees to Baal. So too, (Paul says) at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” vs. 2 – 5
If you don’t know the story of Elijah’s struggle with Ahab’s queen, Jezebel, you may like to read it in 1King 19.
Jezebel introduced Baal worship to Israel and most of the people followed her. And even though Elijah eventually won a great victory over Jezebel, when he challenged her 400 prophets of Baal to a contest to see whose offering would be acceptable to God.
Even though he had a resounding victory, when Jezebel threatened his life he took off like a frightened rabbit to the other side of the desert where he wanted to give up.
“It’s no good Lord (he said). I have had enough.” 19:4
“The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” vs.10
And Paul repeats what God told Elijah, “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have remained true and not bowed the knee to Baal”. vs.4
Paul says, ‘there is always going to be a group of believers throughout history who remain true to God’. And he is talking about the nation of Israel. He is not talking about Christians or the Church. There have always been some within Israel who were true believers.
3. Israel Was Chosen By Grace
“So too, at the present time there’s a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace”. vs. 5 & 6
Paul says, ‘remember why God chose Israel in the first place – by grace’.
They weren’t chosen on their performance – if they had, they definitely wouldn’t have been chosen.
So even Jews, or Christians for that matter, who fail still have a future because of the principle of grace.
Now there are some Christians who believe that because Israel didn’t keep their part of the bargain and they turned away to other gods at times, the covenant was broken and therefore God is freed from His promises to them.
But this is not so and if we read Jeremiah 31:31-37 we see a very clear statement of purpose from God as far as Israel is concerned. God says, ‘I will discipline them for breaking my covenant but I will forgive them’.
Then in verse 37 the Lord says,
“Only if the heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done declares the Lord.” i.e. It’s not going to happen.
And in vs. 7-10 Paul is simply explaining what we can read for ourselves in Jeremiah 31, Psalm 89 and other places.
God will not break His covenant promise to Israel but He will discipline them and they are being disciplined.
III. The Setting Aside of Israel is Only Temporary Not Permanent. Vs. 11-30
“Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all.” vs. 11-16
And Paul gives three reasons to explain why it was necessary.
1. Why the Jews Were Set Aside
i. So that the Gentiles could be saved.
It wasn’t going to happen if left to the Jews (example of Jonah).
ii. To make Israel envious.
One day the Jews are going to wake up to what they have lost – that it is the Christians enjoying life in all its fullness because of their Messiah.
iii. To open a new channel of blessing to the World.
Paul says, “But if their transgression means riches for the world…how much greater riches will their fullness bring!” vs.12
And we talked about Jewish zeal last week. And then Paul gives the illustration of a grafted olive tree.
(Remember that the olive tree is the symbol of Israel Jer. 11:16) which brings up the next question?
2. What Should Be Our Attitude Towards Israel? vs. 17-24.
“If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root but the root supports you.” vs. 17 – 18.
Paul says our Christian heritage came from the Jews.
It’s like God had an olive tree and it wasn’t producing the fruit He expected from it – so he cut off the unproductive branches (not all of them) and he took some wild olive cuttings – previously worthless (because they weren’t growing in the favoured conditions of Israel) and He grafted them onto the stock of Israel and in this way we have become Abraham’s descendants by faith – a part of the Real Israel (9:8).
But Paul’s point is we have been grafted in so there is no room for complacency, in fact in verses 20 & 21 he says,
‘Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.”
Paul is not talking about losing our salvation here because He is talking about the nation of Israel.
This is a warning for nations. NZ used to be a Christian country: ‘God’s own’.
Sadly not anymore and we are witnessing the dismantling of our Christian heritage all the time.
As long as a nation follows the Lord and there are godly people making a difference then God will continue to bless and protect us.
But don’t assume that God is going to keep any nation safe forever – look at Israel.
Now look at what Paul says about Israel vs. 23.
“If they (the Jews) do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.”
If God can graft us in, if we can be converted to Christ, how much easier is it for a Jew?
They just need some help to recognise Jesus is their Messiah and they are right at home. (Where as, we as Christians have this huge learning curve to fully understand God) Next Question.
3 How Long Will the Setting Aside of the Jews Last? – vs.25.
Paul says, “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening of heart in part, until the full number of Gentile has come in.
Paul says when all the Gentiles (non Jews) have had the opportunity to hear and respond then God will turn his attention back to Israel in a special way.
Although note that the words ‘in part’ points to the fact that there are many believing Jews right now. Not all Jews are unbelieving.
4. What is Ultimately Going to Happen? – vs. 26 & 27.
“And so all Israel will be saved as it is written. “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
Now let me just give you a couple of references from the OT to complete the picture.
First from Zechariah chapter 12, a prophecy of what will happen to Israel, given 500 years before Jesus:
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a first born son.” 12:10
Who is Zechariah referring to? It’s a clear reference to Jesus!
And Zechariah 13,
“In the whole land, declares the Lord, two thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one third will be left in it. And this third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.
They will call on my name and I will answer them. I will say, “They are my people, “They will say The Lord is our God.” 13:8 & 9
Many Bible scholars believe that this will happen during a terrible time at the end of history as we know it, called the tribulation and only one third of Israel will survive it.
Paul says it will bring about a great change of heart in the nation of Israel. And they will look to Jesus to save them.
This is what Ezekiel 37 is about; the story of the dry bones coming together. It’s a parable of Israel’s restoration.
So in these three chapters, a parenthesis, carefully placed in the middle of Romans Paul says,
“Yes the Jews are God’s chosen people, yes they have been set aside for the moment (Chapter 10) and yes there is a new channel of grace through the Church. But the setting aside of the Jews is only temporary and it’s only partial.
Paul says God isn’t finished with Israel and God always keeps His promises. And this is what Paul gets so excited about in vs. 33-36.
IV. Paul Explodes in Thanksgiving for God’s Faithfulness.
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and his path beyond tracing out!” vs. 32
This is what Romans 11 is all about.
No matter what you feel you need to understand or know about Israel’s future – know this, Israel is proof that God keeps a promise when He makes one.
Now in the notes I’ve given you seven things we can count on because of the faithfulness of God.
V. What God’s Faithfulness Means To Us Personally
1. God will keep His promises to us.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
2. Remember our salvation is by grace not works
“If we are faithless he will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Tim 2:13
3. God will finish the work that he has begun in us.
“May God himself the God of peace sanctify you through and through.” 1 Thes 5:23-24
4. The faithfulness of God strengthens and protects
“He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thes 3:3
5. God will always help us to overcome temptation.
“He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear but when you are tempted he will also provides a way out.” 1 Cor. 10:13
The Christian who says, “I couldn’t help myself did not seek God’s help.
6. We can always find God’s forgiveness.
“If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgave us.” 1 Jn. 1:9
7. God will always bring good out of our suffering
“Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” 1 Peter 4:19
We are to trust God with our suffering. He will always bring good out of it. God is a friend to His children.
Romans 11 says, sin can break the fellowship we have with God, and certainly today the Jews are out of fellowship with God, but it cannot break our relationship with God.
God still loves and has a plan for His people the Israelites.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for the example we have in Scripture of your faithfulness towards Israel. Lord, let your faithfulness towards us be a motivation force that we might be faithful to you. Thank you that our salvation is not dependent upon our performance. None of us can ever be perfect.
We all fall short. So thank you for your grace. In Jesus name. Amen.