The Glory of God in the Salvation of Israel

Introduction

Silver Dollars over Texas

Many of you may have heard the analogy of the Silver Dollars over Texas made by Peter Stoner and Robert Newman in their 1969 apologetic book Science Speaks.

The analogy went like this, imagine that you must find one specially marked silver dollar (many of you won’t know what that is), one specially marked coin in the midst of a two foot layer of silver dollars, a two foot layer of silver dollars covering the entire state of Texas. Yes Texas, that Texas.

Find one special coin in all of Texas, in the midst of a two foot layer of ordinary silver coins.

The odds of finding that coin are the same of one person fulfilling just 8 of the over over 300 Biblical prophecies Christ fulfilled in His first coming.

Here was their point - the historicity and Deity of Christ, and the validity of the Bible are overwhelmingly proven by the fulfillment of over 300 prophecies in Christ’s first advent.

And here is my point - God's Word does not fail. What He has declared, He most certainly will accomplish.

His faithfulness to His word in the past, to fulfill 300 of His promises and prophecies in His Son, stands as a monument to the reality that every promise and prophecy that has yet to reach its complete and final fulfilment will be accomplished.

Main Point and Structure

And this is what we will see today as Paul climactically concludes his argument for the faithfulness of God to His promises.

God has promised in the law, the psalms and the prophets that He will restore His chosen people Israel to their Land and more importantly He will restore Israel to Himself.

And what Paul argues in our text today is that the Word of God will not fail, for God will sovereignly save all Israel through their promised Deliverer thus displaying His faithfulness and magnifying His mercy.

In verses 25-26a we will see God that God is sovereign over Israel’s salvation

In verses 26b-29 we will witness how God's salvation of Israel displays His faithfulness

Lastly in verses 30-33 we will view how God’s mercy is magnified through His salvation of Israel

Transition

So then let us begin in verse 25 and 26 where we will see the Sovereignty of God in saving Israel

The Sovereignty of God in Saving Israel - 11:25-26a

Romans 11:25–26 (NASB95)

25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved...”

Paul’s Desire for the Gentiles

Paul begins verse 25 with this important phrase “I do not want you, bretheren, to be uninformed. I don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers”

Paul uses this phrase in his letters - when introducing something his readers might not know but he regards as especially important

Paul couples this introduction with the use of the word mystery

Not mysterious in the sense that we use this word today

In Paul’s writings mystery denotes the divine revelation of what was previously hidden

Something that was not known and couldn’t be arrived at by human reasoning alone

Wants to focus our attention

Wise in Your Own Eyes

And he does not want us gentiles to be uninformed of the mystery of Israel’s restoration - because he does not want us to become wise in our own estimation - wise in our own eyes

continuing to address the temptation of pride as he did in the previous passage

Romans 11:18 NASB95

18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

In the church in Rome

Jews who were once expelled from Rome were now allowed back in

Animosity between religious unbelieving jews and gentiles

Doug Moo comments that in the Church in Rome, “Gentile Christians appear to have concluded that the unprecedented degree in which the doors of salvation were open to Gentiles after the coming of Christ meant the closing of those same doors to Jews. At the same time, these Gentile believers were apparently convinced that they belonged to a new people of God that had simply replaced Israel. Those Jews who believed, they apparently assumed, could become part of their community and on their terms”

Why is this attitude so bad? The claim to possess wisdom is the very essence of rebellion and idolatry as we saw in Romans 1:22

Romans 1:22 NASB95

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,

It is the essence of foolishness and the attitude of one who does not fear the Lord Proverbs 3:7

Proverbs 3:7 NASB95

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Application: Don’t Look Down Upon Others, Look up at God with Fear and Humility

Don’t Look Down Upon Others, Look up to God with Fear and Humility

When you are looking down on others, it’s impossible to look up at God with fear, humility

We are so often tempted to look at those around us lost in their sin and think this thought, “thank God I’m not like that alcoholic, like that drug addict, like that adulterer, thank you God I am not like that tax collector…”

Looking down on others feels good because it lifts yourself up

makes you feel superior, makes you feel worthy of God’s blessing

But as Jesus said, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled”

The gospel exalts the wisdom and the love of God and is designed to banish any boasting in the hearts of those who have been saved.

We were not saved because we were more holy, more wise, more perceptive, or more significant than the lost world around us. We were saved by God’s grace and there is no room for boasting.

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 NASB95

27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God.

It is with this attitude of humility and the recognition that salvation is all of grace that allows us to look on the weak and wounded, sick and sore sinful world around us -

to look at our family members,

our friends,

our neighbors,

our classmates,

and our coworkers with compassion and love. I

It is this same attitude that drove Paul to plead for the salvation of his kinsmen in his day and it is the attitude that we should have toward the lost of Israel and toward the lost in our lives

What Mystery?

So then what is this mystery that we the gentile church must not be uninformed about?

1. Israel’s Partial Hardening

This mystery is three fold, with the first aspect being that Israel is experiencing a partial hardening - look back with me at Romans 11:25

Romans 11:25 (NASB95)

25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery...that a partial hardening has happened to Israel

Partial in the sense that not all Israel has been hardened.

Sovereignly hardened the rebellious hearts of a large part of the people of Israel

Sovereignly exercising His mercy upon a remnant

As Paul said in Romans 9:18

Romans 9:18 NASB95

18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

This is His divine right as Creator.

He has mercy upon those whom He has set His love upon and he justly executes his wrath upon sinners who’s hearts He has hardened

2. Fullness of the Gentiles

The second part of this mystery is that this partial hardening will not last forever. Look back at Romans 11:25

Romans 11:25 (NASB95)

a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

This sovereign hardening of the hearts of all but the remnant of Israel will end when the fullness - the full number - of Gentiles comes in

“come in” or “enter in” most often used in the NT to refer to one entering into Salvation

Matthew 7:21 NASB95

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Notice showcasing of God’s sovereignty

The hardening will happen to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles comes in.

Until - divine timing

Fulness - indicating divine election

Bottom line: the partial hardening will only last for a divinely-determined duration

3. Israel’s Full Salvation

This leads us to the final component of the mystery: the salvation of all Israel - look back with me at the text Romans 11:25-26

Romans 11:25–26 (NASB95)

a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved

It’s important to briefly mention that there is much debate surrounding the phrase all Israel

Israel of God Argument

There are many Christians today and many Christians throughout the past 1600 years today, and maybe even several of you in this room who believe that the phrase all Israel in Romans 11 refers to all Jews and Gentiles who have believed in Christ - to the church.

And their argument is not outside the bounds of orthodoxy

Prevalent in reformed circles

We have quoted pastors who hold this view

Promoted authors who hold this view

It is not a reason to break fellowship

All Israel from All of History

God will save every single Jew in all of history

Why would Paul mourn?

Why would Paul write of the condemnation of the Jews for their hypocrisy in Romans 2, their self righteousness and rejection of the gospel in Romans 10

All Israel at the End

But the interpretation that eldership holds to is a plain reading of this text

The salvation of all Israel refers to a future salvation of the full ethnic nation of Israel alive at the end of History

Ethnic Israel- Broad Context

When we look at context, Paul’s intent is clear - this is a reference to ethnic Israel

The failure of ethnic Israel to obtain salvation is what provoked this entire discussion of chapters 9-11

Romans 9:3 (NASB95)

3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, they are Israelites

Troubled that kinsmen are seperated from Christ

causes the question: has the word of God failed?

In Romans 9:30-10:21 Paul indicts ethnic Israel for unbelief

Should have believed

heard the message of Christ, but they did not heed

They failed to call upon their own Messiah to save them

In Romans 11:1-10 Paul reveals that even though corporate Israel at large rejected the call of the Gospel, God has not rejected HIs people as proven by the preservation a remnant of ethnic Israelites throughout history

In Romans 11:11-16 Paul reveals that corporate Israel will not remain unfaithful perpetually and be permanently rejected by God.

And then as we saw last week in Romans 11:17-24, Paul anticipates a future grafting in of the natural branches who were cut off when they repent of their unbelief- a future restoration of corporate Israel

The natural branches who were cut off could not refer to the righteous remnant of Israel - for they remained in Christ by faith. Nor could they refer to Gentiles - for in Paul’s analogy of the olive tree the gentiles were grafted in from a wild tree. The natural branches that are grafted back in must refer to ethnic Israel

Ethnic Israel - Immediate context

So then throughout the entirety of Romans 9-11 leading up to our text, when Paul speaks of Israel, he has been referring to ethnic Israel

Such is the case in the context of verse 25 as well

partial hardening has come upon who? Israel - ethnic Israel

Distinction between corporate Israel and the Gentiles - partial hardening until the fulness of the gentiles comes in

So then, just 8 greek words later, when Paul says “All Israel”, he does not intend for us to think of anyone else except for the whole nation of ethnic Israel

Why this “regression?”

To which these counter points are raised, “why this regression in God’s redemptive plan?”

Why would God design Salvation History to move from setting His divine favor upon a small nation in Palestine to setting His love on His elect from every tribe and tongue and nation of the earth, only to return again to showing special affection toward that small nation in Palestine once again?

Why would God move from building His church made up of the elect from all the earth to restore the physical nation of Israel?

And one of the answers to this question is this:

God has designed redemptive History in this way so that no man may boast - So that God alone receives all the praise and glory and honor. For it is by His sovereign grace alone that Jews and Gentiles are saved.

He is the one who sovereignly orchestrated Israel’s disobedience and their rejection of the gospel to bring about Gentile salvation

He is the one who will sovereignly bring about the salvation of every last one of the gentile elect.

And He has sovereignly designed this gentile salvation to bring about the restoration and salvation of the nation of Israel

The Jews are not the main character here. The salvation of the gentiles is not the culmination of God’s plan.

God is at work. He is the main actor. It is His actions, and His character that are on full display for all His creation to witness and worship

Application: If He is Sovereign over Redemptive History, trust that He is this Sovereign to Redeem your History

And this reality has great significance for you and me. Not only should this mystery cause us to be humble before our sovereign God. It should cause us to trust in His sovereignty even more.

If God is this sovereign over human history and over the hearts of men...

If He is this sovereign to use the sin of Israel to bring about our salvation...

If He is this sovereign to bring about the restoration of all Israel in the end...

Then He is sovereign enough to cause all things...whatever evils are commited against us, whatever harm befalls us, whatever hellish invention that harasses us, He is sovereign to cause them to work together for our good.

If He is Sovereign over Redemptive History, trust that He is this Sovereign to Redeem your History

Transition

There is another answer to the question of why God would construct such a plan to restore and save all Israel and it is this: God is faithful to His promises.

Let’s move on to our next point - The Faithfulness of God in Saving Israel

Look down with me at verse 26

The Faithfulness of God in Saving Israel - 11:26b-29

Romans 11:26–29 (NASB95)

26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

The Return of the Redeemer

I said earlier that we elders hold to the interpretation that the salvation of “all Israel” refers to a future salvation of full ethnic nation of Israel alive at the end of History

The reality that this is a future event that occurs at the end of History is drawn from Paul’s quotation here in verses 26-27 which is a compilation of Isaiah 59, Jeremiah 31 and Psalm 14.

Paul begins by declaring that all Israel will be saved when the “Deliverer will come from Zion”

This is prophecy of the return of the Deliverer who is none other than Christ Himself, the Redeemer who lives, the New Moses, the one who sets the captive free.

future tense verb - He will come - not a reference to His first advent but to His second coming

from Zion - the heavenly Jerusalem

verb here is ek from which we get exit - He will come out from Zion to save His people Israel

In Isaiah 59:20, were the prophet says that the Deliverer will come to Zion, but Paul is also alluding to Psalm 14:7 which speaks of God sending help to Israel from Zion

Psalm 14:7 NASB95

7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

Paul is envisioning the glorious day when Christ will come out of Heavenly Jerusalem to the earthly Jerusalem to restore His captive people by turning their hearts of unbelief to faith in Him. This is the very Day of the Lord spoken of and promised by the Prophets

Removal of Ungodliness

On that day when the Deliverer Jesus will come to Israel from Zion, He will remove the ungodliness from Jacob.

This is the removal of the ungodly acts of the unbelieving Israelites - whom the prophet calls Jacob here

And it is another example showing that Paul has ethnic Israel in view - Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the one whom God renamed Israel - the nation is his namesake.

The prophet Ezekiel speaks of such a removal of Israel’s ungodliness in his prophecy of Israel’s restoration Ezekiel 36:24-28

Ezekiel 36:24–28 NASB95

24 “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 “You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.

Prophesying of this same restoration the prophet Jeremiah says this - Jeremiah 33:7-8

Jeremiah 33:7–8 NASB95

7 ‘I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and will rebuild them as they were at first. 8 ‘I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me.

As Carson comments, “Israel’s unbelief has left it in its ungodly deeds. Only the coming of the Redeemer will bring deliverance.” For he is the one who justifies the ungodly - Romans 4:5

Divine Covenant

Paul continues to make his point with reference to God’s promises made to the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah

Romans 11:27 NASB95

27 “This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

The language here stresses that it is a one-sided covenant initiated by God himself - literally it reads “this is a covenant from Me, for them”

He is the one who will come to them. He is the one who will remove their ungodliness. He is the one who will make a covenant for them - again Israel is not the hero or the star at the center of the stage here - it is God.

Divine Cleansing

And in this covenant God remove His people’s sins.

This is the new covenant promise spoken of by the Prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 31:31-34

Jeremiah 31:31–34 NASB95

31 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

The wonder and amazing reality of this new covenant is that God overcomes the hardness of human hearts by putting His law within.

We know this to be true - we who have been regenerated - who have had this spiritual heart surgery - know this wonderful reality to be true

Moreover, He removes their sin and they know Him - they have an intimate relationship with God who will call them My people

See here that there is not a separate way in which future Israel will be saved. They are saved, when Christ comes and removes their ungodliness and takes away their sins.

In order for all Israel to be saved, all Israel must be justified

There is much that the prophets have to say about the glorious restoration of Israel, but here Paul’s emphasis is on their ungodliness and their sins being forgiven, wiped away, and removed.

That is because Romans 9-11 is not a parenthesis between Romans 1-8 and 12-16. This argument is the culmination of Paul’s teaching on justification by faith.

Israel stumbled due to their unbelief.

On the other hand the remnant remain and the Gentiles were grafted in due to their faith

So too then will future Israel be grafted when the Deliver comes from Zion, on that day they will not continue in their unbelief, but look upon Him whom was pierced for their transgressions, who was crushed for their iniquities and whose blood removes their ungodliness and cleanses them from their sins.

Beloved Enemies

Now in verses 26b and 27, Paul supported his statement that all Israel would be saved by quoting the prophecies that promised this very thing. But now, in verses 28-29 Paul elaborates this point with a brief argument. Let’s look at verse 28,

Romans 11:28 NASB95

28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;

Notice parallel

From the standpoint of the gospel - they are enemies - for your sake

From the standpoint of God - they are beloved - for the father’s sake

Clearly again, the noun “they” is in reference to ethnic Israel from verse 25 and 26 for how could the body of Christ be the enemy of the gospel?

Israel was at enmity with God because their rejection of the gospel of their Messiah. But their enmity, opened the door for the Gentiles to be saved - they are enemies for your sake

This was her temporary position from the viewpoint of the gospel - of the church in Rome

But from the viewpoint of God, from the standpoint of His eternal choice and election they are beloved

Their position of beloved is for the sake of the fathers

Not beloved because of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’s merit.

Beloved because of God’s covenant faithfulness and lovingkindness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Why God delivered out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery.

As the prophet Moses spoke to the people Israel in Deuteronomy 7:6-9

Deuteronomy 7:6–9 (NASB95)

6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation

why God will save His people and bring a final end to their exile when their Deliverer comes from Zion

The salvation of Israel at the culmination of history, then, is the result of God’s eternal election and fulfillment of His covenantal promises made to the Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Stated negatively, if God were to refuse to restore Israel to Himself, He would be unfaithful to His covenant promises and He would reverse His eternal election thus showing that His lovingkindness does not endure forever.

As Paul said in light of this frightening prospect. May it never be!

Irrevocable Gifts and Calling

And this is the point he makes in verse 29

Romans 11:29 NASB95

29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

“The gifts” here refer to the covenantal benefits of Israel that Paul mentioned in Romans 9:4-5 - the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, the promises, the fathers, and the Christ

“The calling” points to God’s sovereign choice of Israel as His covenant people as well as their future salvation

Certainly just as our salvation originated with the predestination, foreknowledge and calling of God, so too did the salvation of every Israelite alive when Christ returns. Those whom He called, He also justified.

And these covenant gifts and this salvific calling are irrevocable.

legal term indicating that God's gifts and calling are unbreakable and eternally bound to happen

Just as God’s sovereign grace and election cannot be earned, neither can they be rejected or thwarted. They are irrevocable, unbreakable, unalterable because He is forever unchanging and forever faithful

What God has done and said stands for all eternity

As it is written,

Numbers 23:19 NASB95

19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Isaiah 40:8 NASB95

8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

And in Jeremiah 31, after promising to restore Israel to their land, to write HIs law on their hearts and to cleanse them from their sins, God makes this guarantee to His people, Jer 31:35-37

Jeremiah 31:35–37 NASB95

35 Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: 36 “If this fixed order departs From before Me,” declares the Lord, “Then the offspring of Israel also will cease From being a nation before Me forever.” 37 Thus says the Lord, “If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done,” declares the Lord.

Surely then He will accomplish the salvation of all Israel, for not only is He sovereign over them, He is faithful to them.

Application: Have Faith in the Faithful God

Dear saints, in light of this reality. In light of the faithfulness of God that reaches to the heavens, have faith in Him that He will accomplish all of His promises to you.

Arthur Pink wrote that, “Unfaithfulness is one of the most outstanding sins of these evil days. In the business world, a man’s word is, with rare exceptions, no longer his bond. In the social world, marital infidelity abounds on every hand; the sacred bonds of wedlock are broken with as little regard as discarding an old garment. In the ecclesiastical realm, thousands who have solemnly covenanted to preach the truth have no scruples about attacking and denying it. Nor can reader or writer claim complete immunity from this fearful sin. How many ways have we been unfaithful to Christ, and to the light and privileges which God has entrusted to us! How refreshing, then, and how blessed (it is), to lift our eyes above this scene of ruin, (this scene of our very sin) and behold One who is faithful,

faithful in all things,

faithful at all times

Transition

So then we saw how the accomplishing of God’s Word in showcases His sovereignty as He saves Israel

And then we witnessed how this sovereign salvation of Israel unveils His unending faithfulness

And We will conclude by learning how this plan for Redemptive History magnifies His mercy

Read with me beginning in verse 30

The Mercy of God in Saving Israel -11:30-32

Romans 11:30–32 NASB95

30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

Our Disobedience, His Mercy

In these verses Paul summarizes the substance of his argument in chapter 11

Mercy to the Gentiles

In verse 30 we have the gentile Christian experience

you were formerly disobedient - gk word - apeetheo - apethetic, unpersuadable, and unresponsive to the command of the gospel to repent and believe

Interestingly Paul does not say, “but now you have become obedient”, but instead he says “you have now been shown mercy”

Our human response to the gospel is not at the forefront here but instead God’s divine mercy is being magnified

The greek word for mercy carries the idea of having a loving compassion for those in need that leads to meeting their need.

Our greatest need as men and women is this: to have our sins removed and to be given spiritual life - and this is exactly what God mercifully provides for us in Christ

And again we see that the mercy of God was shown to us because of Israel’s disobedience.

Mercy to the Jews

Verse 31 acts as a mirror image of verse 30, as Paul describes the experience of the Jews

Presently they are disobedient, hardened, stumbling, and rejected

but because of the mercy shown to us, mercy will now be shown to them

Paul uses the word now, because the salvation of Israel is imminent

In this age, gentiles are now streaming into the church as the gospel is spreading throughout all the earth

And when fullness of the gentiles receives God’s saving mercy, which is imminent, then all Israel will receive His mercy too

Mercy at the Center

At the center of these two verses we find this: God is merciful to both Jew and to Greek.

And the meeting of His mercy to both Jew and Greek is not independent of each other.

His mercy shown to us comes through Israel’s disobedience, so why should we be arrogant toward them.

His mercy shown to them comes through the fullness of the gentiles receiving mercy, so why should their be animosity toward us.

The Magnification of His Mercy

Look with me at our last verse, verse 32

Romans 11:32 NASB95

32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

All people without distinction, both Jews and Greeks are naturally disobedient to God

all have gone astray

each of us has turned his own way

none is righteous no not one,

no one understands

No one seeks for God

All have turned aside

No one does good not even one

And God has sovereignly allowed for both Jew and Greek to be imprisoned in their sinful disobedience - why? So that He might show mercy to us all.

It is Charles Spurgeon who said “God’s mercy is so great that you may sooner drain the sea of its water, or deprive the sun of its light, or make space too narrow, than diminish the great mercy of God.”

Application: Be Set Free by God’s Mercy

Dear friend are you yet still imprisoned by your sin? Have you not yet tasted the mercy of God offered to you in His Son, Jesus?

Are you yet still apathetic, unresponsive and disobedient to God’s command to turn from your life of sin and follow after Him, His command to believe upon Christ to save you through His shed blood upon the cross?

Oh dear friend look upon the God’s plan for His prodigal son. Look at how He will come to them and save them.

His loving arms have not been closed but yet remain upon to receive them, and they remain open to receive you to.

Come to Christ then, and confess with your mouth that He is Lord, believe in your heart that the Father has raised Him from the dead and you will be saved by His magnificient mercy.

Conclusion

So then God’s word has not, is not and will not ever fail.

As God has said, so will He do.

And He has said through the prophets of old and through the apostle here in Romans 11 that He will save all Israel. And this He will sovereignly do through their promised Deliverer who will cleanse them from their sins, thus unveiling His unending faithfulness and magnifying His mercy to Israel and to all the earth. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen

The Saviors Song

One of the most wonderful realities about the future restoration of Israel is that God displays his faithfulness to his promises through His Son.

Just as He does with us, God accomplishes Israel’s salvation through their promised Deliver, through the Redeemer, the Messiah, King Jesus.

And this is why we elders have not shied away sermon after sermon from teaching a literal restoration of the physical nation of Israel at the end of the age.

Not only do we believe that this is the truest interpretation of Paul’s words and that it is the most accurate conclusion in light of the entire theology of the Bible

But we preach this message without apology because we believe it magnifies Christ in the most beautiful of ways.

So that you can see this, I want to end with a reading from the book of Zephaniah.

Zephaniah‘s name means hidden treasure, and as often the case with many of the profits, their name gives us a clue to the overarching theme of their book. And here at the very last part of the very last chapter of Zephaniah we see this hidden treasure of the salvation song of our Savior

Zeph 3:14-17 “Sing for joy, O daughter of Zion! Make a loud shout, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 Yahweh has taken away His judgments against you; He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst; You will fear evil no more. 16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp. 17 Yahweh your God is in your midst, A mighty one who will save. He will be joyful over you with gladness; He will be quiet in His love; He will rejoice over you with joyful singing.”

The King is returning dear saints. And He is coming to save His people so He can sing over His people. What a day!

Come quickly Lord Jesus come quickly,

To which we all say, Amen!

Benediction

As our sister Alyssa sung this morning, “We have known Your mercy and Your love as in the past. If days be few or many You will guide us to the last. You have said it, we believe it, every promise holding fast. For we know that You are good. God is faithful to His promise. He is with us , God is faithful to His own

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.