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Romans 11 "Dumped?"
I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, "Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. (Romans 11:1-6)
When I was in the 5th grade of elementary school I dreamed
of the new girl in school who sat in the next row. Her name was Darla
and I had eyes only for her. Darla and I were soon "going out".
My mom would always tease and ask me "where?" The problem
was that although I couldnÕt think of anybody else, Darla wasnÕt that
focussed. In fact I was really DarlaÕs second choice behind Brian, the
cutest boy in school. Over the next year Darla and I broke up seven
times. Whenever Brian looked her way, Darla would dump me, and each
time I would wait for her to come back. Finally, mercifully, Darla moved
to Colorado, never to return. Paul asks the question here, "Did
God dump Israel?" It would seem that as the gospel spread to the
Gentiles and the Jews persecuted the Christians that God had switched
sides. But Paul says, "Certainly not." You see Paul considered
himself to part of a remnant chosen by God to keep the faith for the
Jews. Even though most of the Jews were rejecting God and persecuting
the faithful Paul knew that God had not given up on His people. Actually
the Bible proves that even though Israel had been unfaithful to God,
He had never totally given up on them. Elijah complained to God after
running from Jezebel. This evil queen of Israel had led the Jews into
idolatry, killing the prophets and tearing down the altars of God. Elijah
felt all alone but God had a plan that Elijah did not even know about.
God had reserved seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal.
Likewise even though the Jews are not saved, there are some whom God
is preparing who will have faith. God has not given up on the Jews.
What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have
obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: ""God
has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see and
ears that they should not hear, to this very day."" And David
says: ""Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling
block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that
they do not see, and bow down their backs always." I say then,
have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through
their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches
for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles;
inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh to
save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of
the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans
11:7-15)
God has not given up on Israel, but it sure looks that
way. Paul explains here the plan of God. Truly the Jews have fallen,
but they are not down for the count. It isnÕt over yet. It is like boxing
movies. Even though the hero is lying on the mat and the referee is
counting, "1...2...3". Even though the count gets to "9"
you know that somehow he will get up and continue the fight. God still
has plans for Israel.
Remember that in Chapter 9, Paul told us that to Israel "pertains
the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law , the
service of God and the promises;" Yes, for a time God has blinded
their eyes and stopped up their ears so that the gospel could come to
us. But when the time is right and the Jews come to faith in Christ,
watch out world! When the one people of the world act in unison to be
born again, spiritual adopted by God. When they receive the new covenant,
the fulfilment of the law, the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ the world
will never be the same.
But in the meantime, God has chosen the Gentiles to carry the faith.
The JewÕs failure is our gain! Because God has chosen us to shine for
Him so that the Jews would not forget Jesus and would be jealous of
GodÕs blessings on us. Paul even goes so far as to tell us that the
best way to reach the Jews is not to minister to the Jews but minister
to the Gentiles.
Studying mission through history and around the world
it is interesting to see the difference in responsiveness of peoples
at different times and places. Many people have wondered why Korea and
Japan, responded so differently to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course
there are cultural reasons and societal reasons but there is a spiritual
timing as well. Jesus looked out on the harvest fields and said that
they were white unto harvest. There is a spiritual time when the harvest
is ready and we must jump in to bring the gospel. Before that time there
will always be an elect of God who will respond to the word that they
hear and belief in faith, but the rest have eyes that do not see and
ears that do not hear. Paul says that the Jews are closed to the gospel.
But he hopes that by bringing salvation to as many Gentiles as possible
he might be able to provoke them to jealousy so that their eyes will
be open. Does this mean that we should not send missions to the Jews,
that we should not try to evangelize them? No, there will be people
that God has called to minister to Israel, but it will be tough going.
I have a good friend whoÕse calling is to Israelis. I think that if
there is any mission field that is harder than Japan it has to be the
Jews.
So when will the right time be? Paul gives us a clue here in the next
verses.
For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:16-25)
This is very important for us to read and know. Satan has used Christians against the Jews many times in the past precisely because they had not read Romans 11. We are grafted into the tree of faith by grace alone but the Jews belong there. We must not put ourselves above them, but respect them as the root that they are. But the mystery, the plan of God is that the blindness of Israel will continue until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. In Matthew Jesus told us, ""And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Mt 24:14) The Revelation of John is even clearer explaining that there will be 144,000 of the tribes of Israel sealed as servants of God in the last days. Look with me at chapter seven. From verse 5 the tribes that are sealed are listed and then John looks and sees the throne room of God and there before the throne are "a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb!" Who are these people? The angel teaches John in verse 14, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." These Christians from every ethnic group and country of the world will come out of the tribulation that God will pour out on the unbelievers. How will they come out? "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall be always with the Lord. Let me put this all together for you. Starting from the time of Jesus the Jews have been blinded except for a very few. However there will be a time when the fullness of the Gentiles have come in that their eyes will be opened. We also know that this is the beginning of the end. The Gentiles who have their robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb have no condemnation from God, and therefore they will not go through the tribulation but will come out of it, being caught up in the air at the second coming of Christ. Meanwhile the Jews that have finally had their eyes opened are sealed as special servants of God during the tribulation. Unlike us they wonÕt be raptured out, actually because all of the Christians will be gone they will be the only oneÕs left to preach the gospel after the start of the tribulation.
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out! "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" "Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?" For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:26-36)
The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. God promised that He would take away their sins, and He will. Like Paul I have to shake my head in amazement at the wisdom and knowledge of God. If this is true for the Israelites then it is true for us as well. God never goes back on His promises, He is not fickle. Know this, that God never takes back His Spirit from us, He never fires us from His service. Our role in ministry might change and adapt over time but God does not abandon us. Unsearchable, past finding out, but uttery faithful, this is the God that we serve.
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