CHAPTER 11

Paul asks the question, "Hath God cast away His people (Jewish nation)?"
Then, he answers with a 4-part discussion.
1) NO! Even a remnant are being saved today (Vss 1-5). 2) It is "by grace" -- God's elective choice to those who surrender to Christ, even though some remain willfully blinded (Vss 6-10).
3) God has used their rejection to bring salvation to the Gentiles (Vss 11-24).
4) God's wisdom includes ALL who believe (Vss 25-36).

1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

The Hebrew nation was chosen of God to bring the GOOD NEWS of His salvation to the world.
However, God's salvation is by grace to those who BELIEVE.
Many of the Hebrew nation did not believe a suffering Messiah would come into the world.
Many of them rejected Him when He came.
Many of them still reject Christ today.

But God has not "cast away" the Hebrew nation totally!
Because SOME of them BELIEVE!
Paul is one of those!
So was Peter, James, John, Matthew, etc.

They were Hebrews saved because they cast their lives upon the Savior, Jesus Christ!

2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

The prophet Elijah was overwrought about the fact that the Hebrews had killed the prophets and torn down God's altars!
When he complained to God, he was told that God had "reserved" "seven thousand men!"
(See 1Kings 19:1-18)

God has a way of weaving into time and people His purposes.
And, even though some reject those purposes, God STILL has a way of accomplishing HIS purpose.
God never thwarts the free will of man.
He sometimes must work THROUGH and even AROUND men in order to achieve His perfect purposes.

5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

God needed only ONE man to start the Hebrew nation -- Abraham.
And God only need a few Hebrews to start the Christian nation!

The first church was nearly ALL Hebrew Christians!
And, the first sermon preached brought over 3,000 to be saved in Christ!!

6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

God's plan of salvation has ALWAYS been "by grace"!!
Abraham did not have the law when God "counted" Abraham's trust in God "as righteousness."
(See Genesis 15:6)

Those who seek to find salvation "by works" fail to see the point!
Man is a sinner ALL the time! (See Romans 3:23)

We cannot WORK our way to being seen as righteous in God's sight!
Therefore, God's salvation comes ONLY BY GRACE to those who surrender themselves to Him in contrition for sin, begging for mercy, and believing He will give it!

7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

NONE who came by "works" have received salvation.
ONLY those who were chosen by God's grace because of their surrender to Him.

Seeking to EARN salvation makes a man "blinded" to the generosity and love of God!
If God applied the law of God perfectly; "eye for eye" (See Leviticus 24:20), then we would
ALL be BLIND, toothless, handless and footless!

But God has MERCY!
And, He applies the mercy "by grace" to those whom He CHOOSES by "election" (divine choice).
And, God CHOOSES those who surrender to Him in belief!

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.
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Because of their obstinence and unbelief, God allowed the Hebrew nation to be sleepers, unable to awaken to His salvation by Grace. (See Isaiah 29:10)

Does that mean that God allowed them to totally become UNsaved?
NO! For those who believed (for instance Isaiah), God still had mercy and applied salvation by grace!

But Israel as a whole "stumbled"!
They focused on works, and stumbled on grace!

Yet their failure brought in the Gentiles through God's mercy and grace!
God USED the Hebrew nation to deliver the Messiah - Jesus!
God USED the Hebrew nation to cause the Messiah to suffer according to God's prophecy. (See Isaiah 53:1-10)
And, God IS USING the Gentile nations to "provoke them (Israel) to jealousy" today!

12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

Israel failed because they rejected God Incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ.

But their falling brought "riches" to the Gentiles!
The riches of Christ's atoning blood, and eternal salvation by grace!

Paul (and we also) sought to "provoke" the Hebrew nation by preaching the Gospel of Christ.
His purpose (and ours should be also) was to bring to them "life from the dead!"
For ANYONE can be made alive through surrender to Christ! (See Ephesians 2:1)

16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Paul uses two examples here.
The "firstfruit" was the offering that sanctified the rest of the harvest. (See Leviticus 23:10-12)
If they did not offer the "firstfruit" then the harvest was UNlawful to eat!

But, when the firstfruit was offered, the rest of the harvest, "lump" was lawful for them to eat.

That passage of Scripture (Lev. 23:10-12) was also prophetic.
They were to make the offering the day after the Sabbath.
WITH that offering, they were to offer a ram, without blemish.
Jesus was risen from the dead the day after the Sabbath.
He is the "firstfruit" of God's perfect salvation!!
Since HE was holy, then ALL (the lump) of those who surrender to Him are holy!!

The second example is about an olive tree.
God referred to Israel as a "green olive tree". (See Jeremiah 11:16)

Some of those "branches" (Hebrews) were dead, or lacking fruit, and were "broken off."
And, some "wild olive" branches (Gentiles) were "graffed in"!
This was all part of God's immaculate plan of salvation by grace.

Therefore, let we who are Christians never "boast .... against the branches" that were broken off!
Because it is the TREE ROOT that bears all!!
Jesus is the ROOT!

We are not to be "highminded," thinking ourselves worthy for we certainly are NOT!
We are ALL sinners!
By GRACE God has "graffed" in Christians, and we are to "bear fruit" to Christ!
It is HIS work, not ours, that has made us "accepted in the Beloved!"

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

God is good ALL the time!
God is also severely straight in His decisions.
He ALWAYS keeps His promises, and ALWAYS goes by His Word.

The Christian church of today will have grace and favor of God according to whether it "continue(s) in His goodness." Remember, God has called the church His "bride." (See Isaiah 62:5, and John 3:29)
God expects fidelity from His bride!

Israel was not faithful, and God cut them off.
If the church today is not faithful God may do the same!

We must remember that God is GOOD!
And, He Who "graffed in" the Gentiles, can also graft BACK IN the Hebrews!
"God IS ABLE to graff them in again!"
And, He DOES today and SHALL!

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Here there are two uses of the word "Israel."
In verse 25, it refers to the Hebrew nation, under a physical birth.
In verse 26, it refers to all who are spiritually born by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Note that the "blindness" to physical Israel is only "in part."
Some of them believed and were saved BEFORE Messiah came!
(As was Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.)
Some of them are being saved today!
(As was Peter, James, John, Andrew, Matthew and Paul, et al.)

Now there has been (over the years) much discussion about the "all Israel" in verse 26.
I believe (since the context of the sentence is in the future tense) Paul is speaking of the fact that
all of the Hebrew nation will turn to Christ when He comes again to set up His kingdom on earth
for 1,000 years.
Of course, he very well could be speaking of all those spiritually born by grace through faith in Jesus.
(See Romans 9:6)

Isaiah prophesied (See Isaiah 59:20-21) that the Redeemer would come out of Zion and would "turn away ungodliness from Jacob:".
Again, I believe this refers to Jesus' 2nd coming.

And, God prophesied through Jeremiah (See Jeremiah 31:33-34) that He would make a "new covenant with the house of Israel."
In verse 27, I believe Paul is speaking of when Jesus comes the 2nd time.

During that time, God will set up a kingdom and Jesus will reign over the earth for 1,000 years.
(See Revelation 20:1-4)

28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Notice the words "As concerning the Gospel."
The Hebrew nation is NOT an enemy to Gentiles.
They are not even an enemy to God, per se.
But, as a general whole, they are enemies of the GOSPEL!
Most of them do not believe that Jesus was/is God in flesh and came to die substitutionally for mankind.

Now notice "as concerning the election..."
The word election is derived from the Greek ekloge, which infers divine selection.
God chose Abraham, and conferred grace and mercy upon Abraham.
God's choice was because He knew Abraham's present life, and ALL of Abraham's descendents!

Perhaps you'll be interested to read (again if you already have) the passage of Scripture where God made a covenant with (actually for) Abraham.
(See Genesis 15:1-21)
God told Abraham to prepare a heifer, a female goat, and a ram (along with a turtledove and a young pigeon).
Abraham was to DIVIDE (cut up into parts) the heifer, female goat and ram -- but not the birds.
Then, Abraham was to WAIT until God came to make the covenant with him.
This was the form of making a "treaty" in those days.
A man would make a treaty with another by killing an animal and dividing the pieces.
Then the two men would walk between the pieces of the dead animal in circular form, making the sign of infinity (a figure 8 lying down).
This symbolized that if one did not hold up his end of the treaty, the other had the right to divide HIM in half!!

Abraham prepared the pieces and got everything ready.
But then, God caused Abraham to SLEEP DEEPLY!!
And, while Abraham was asleep, God Himself performed the ritual WITH HIMSELF!!

You see, if God made a covenant with Abraham, then it would depend upon Abraham's ABILITY!
It only takes ONE weak link to break a covenant!
But God did NOT rely upon Abraham....He relied TOTALLY upon Himself in the covenant promise!!

THAT, my friends, is ekloge, or divine favor!!
It was BY God and FOR Abraham's benefit!

Now that is how Jesus made a covenant on the cross of Calvary!
He died on that cross, God paying God the atonement for our sins!
Again, THAT is ekloge, or divine favor!
The covenant does not depend upon you and me fulfilling any obligation but to TRUST Jesus!
It depends TOTALLY upon the FINISHED WORK of Christ!

As Abraham and all his descendents were included in the covenant by "election", so are you and I included in Christ's covenant by election!
God confers divine favor upon a repentant soul who surrenders to Christ as Lord!

Salvation is both a GIFT and a CALLING of God!
The gift is eternal life with Christ!
And, the calling is to LIVE for Christ!
And God NEVER repents from giving that gift and making that calling!

Today, though Israel (as a whole) are "enemies" of the Gospel,
they are still "beloved" by God as a nation.
God does not condone their sin!
But God does look to the END, and sees that many will turn to Christ and be saved!

For this reason, the nation is favored by God.

30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

"In times past" YOU did not believe God's gospel of salvation by grace through surrender to Christ Jesus.
(You may not NOW believe it.)
But YOU have "obtained mercy" before God because of Israel's rejection of Jesus as Messiah.

When Israel rejected Jesus and murdered Him, many things happened in Jerusalem:
The veil of the Holy of Holies in the temple was torn in half on the day of the Passover sacrifice, and at the precise time the High Priest was to enter the Holy of Holies and place blood on the mercy seat;
Later, the entire temple was torn completely apart so that one stone did not connect to another.
Then, the Jewish nation was persecuted tremendously and scattered throughout the nations.

Some of those were Christian Jews.
And they carried the news of the Gospel across the world!
THAT'S how YOU obtained mercy!

Now, some of those Jews did not then, and do not now believe.
But through our preaching of the Gospel they CAN "obtain mercy!"

God has included them ALL in unbelief" and desires to "have mercy upon ALL!"

Jews and Gentiles alike are included in God's Gospel of salvation!
"WHOSOEVER" may come through Jesus!! (See John 3:16, and Romans 10:13)
PRAISE GOD!
What a WONDERFUL Savior!!

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

God knows EVERYTHING from the beginning!
How DEEP and how UNSEARCHABLE is the wisdom, planning, and judgments of God!

It is OF God, THROUGH God, and TO God that all things (and people) exist!
We were created BY God and FOR His purposes!

None of us can give God anything, because it ALL belongs to Him!!

And NONE of us can comprehend the infinite mind of God, because we are finite creatures!

So, let us not say that Israel is lost ... because God still has a plan for that nation.
And let us remember that divine favor is STILL upon them today!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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