Romans 11:1-15 God Is Not Through With Israel

Paul spends chapter 11 letting us be reassured that God has not given up on Israel and He's not through with them.  He is a promisekeeper who never reneges.  My commentary says, "We must not apply this chapter to the church today, because Paul is discussing a literal future for a literal nation.  He called five witnesses to prove there was a future in God's plan for the Jews."  The section I read today covers three of those witnesses:

1)  Paul himself -- "Paul includes the reminder of his own conversion as an illustration of the future conversion of the nation of Israel.  Paul called himself one born out of due time.  In 1 Timothy 1:16 he stated that God saved him 'that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting ... Paul's conversion is a picture of how the nation of Israel will be saved when Jesus Christ returns to establish His kingdom on earth ... It will be an experience similar to that of Saul of Tarsus when he was on his way to Damascus ... what is important is the way he was saved."

2)  The Prophet Elijah -- "Israel is God's elect nation:  He foreknew them, or chose them, and they are His.  The fact that most of the nation has rejected Christ is no proof that God has finished with His people.  In his day, Elijah thought the nation had totally departed from God.  But Elijah discovered that there was yet a remnant of true believers ... There were 7,000 more."

3)  The Gentiles -- "He used the Gentiles to assure Israel of a future restoration.  His logic here is beautiful.  When the Jews rejected the Gospel, God sent it to the Gentiles and they believed and were saved.  Three tragedies occurred in Israel:  the nation fell, was lost, and was cast away.  None of these words suggests a final judgment on Israel.  But the amazing thing is that through Israel's fall, salvation came to the Gentiles.  God promised that the Gentiles would be saved, and He kept His promise.  Will He not also keep His promise to the Jews? ... There is a future for Israel.  Paul calls it their fullness and their receiving (11:12-15).  Today, Israel is fallen spiritually, but when Christ returns, the nation will rise again.  Today, Israel is cast away from God, but one day they shall be received again.  God will never break His covenant with His people, and He has promised to restore them."

Father, I don't know what I'd do if You weren't a promisekeeper.  you've given me faith to hold on in the darkest times, because I know that I can trust Your promises!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford