Romans 10:14-11:21

Has Israel Been Rejected by God?

Paul has opened his heart to his readers in Rom 9:1-5, and Rom 10:1-2.

It is a recurring question: How can those who knew God from the writings, from their history, be those who rejected Him? Or, did Jesus - with His distinct message of the Kingdom of God reveal God’s rejection of Israel?

Even now, thousands of years late, people still wonder: Is God done with Israel?

In this passage Paul wants to lay the groundwork for his conclusion in Romans 11:25-26.

How Can Anyone Hear?

In Romans 10:13 Paul quotes from the OT prophet Joel that there is coming a time when anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - Jew or Gentile.

In a series of questions, Paul outlines the way God has chosen to reveal His message:

How can people call on the name of the Lord if they don’t believe in him?

How can people believe in him if they don’t hear the message?

How can people hear the message if someone doesn’t tell them?

How can anyone tell them if no one is called and commissioned to do so?

Roger Mohrlang, Gerald L. Borchert, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 14: Romans and Galatians (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2007), 164.

Paul is clearly reminding his readers that Israel has heard, that they have no excuse except hardened hearts for not responding the assurance of salvation.

With the last question (vs 15a) Paul calls to mind the truth that God has always had men and women who were prepared to proclaim His name - regardless of the cost.

But is it unbelief or disobedience that keeps Israel from discovering that which they sought?

It’s both! Unbelief always leads to disobedience.

Paul wraps this section up with a series of quotations that most Jews would have been very familiar with:

vs. 16-21

a) The very existence of life and the world in which we live is evidence of God’s purpose and God’s plan

b) Moses told those men and women ready to claim the Promised Land that a time would come when those whom they dispossessed and those who appear to be far from God would respond in faith.

c) God has always been open to those who seek Him.

d) He continues to reach out to Israel.

Romans 11:1-10

Has God rejected His people - the descendants of Abraham?

First and foremost as Paul points out - NO! He himself is a descendant of Abraham. If God had completely rejected His people, how would Paul have been one to whom God called?

Paul refers to a familiar OT account. When Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal at Mt Carmel, Queen Jezebel threatened Eljiah’s life.

He immediately went into hiding. While hiding he spoke out to God:

Take me home to heaven!

I am the only one left!

No one cares but me!

God’s answer to Elijah:

Romans 11:4 (HCSB)

I have left 7,000 men for Myself who have not bowed down to Baal.

God had people in Israel that were His, people that were obedient to Him, people that worshiped Him, people that longed for God’s will to be done.

(see 1 Kings 19)

Paul’s conclusion: Rom 11:5-6

Paul is careful to make an important distinction. Those who have responded to God - Gentile or Jew - have done so explicitly because of God’s grace.

If God’s gift of righteousness is earned, it is not of grace.

Paul had already acknowledged that his people, the descendants of Abraham, had a passion for discovering peace with God (see Rom 10:1-4).

Yet, their passion did not translate into satisfaction because they continued to pursue a righteousness based on works, on their behavior.

Paul’s next step is to call as witnesses the Word of God.

Paul using a common technique among 1st century Rabbi’s takes two statements from the OT and combines them:

“Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.” (Deuteronomy 29:4, HCSB)

“For the Lord has poured out on you an overwhelming urge to sleep; He has shut your eyes—the prophets, and covered your heads—the seers.” (Isaiah 29:10, HCSB)

In Deuteronomy 29 Moses foretells how the people of God will turn their backs on God and will experience a time of exile. Moses also predicted a time of restoration as well.

The verse from Isaiah 29 is taken from longer passage aimed at those in Israel who were speaking for God without God’s authorization or God’s call on their lives. Even in this condition God promised a new day when His word would be accurately proclaimed.

The final quotation (vs 9-10) is from an often quoted Psalms in the entire NT, particularly in connection with the life, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

‘What David prayed would happen to his persecutors, Paul suggests, God has brought upon those Jews who have resisted the gospel. Paul probably did not intend to apply the details in the quotation to the Jews of his own day.

Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Gen. Ed’s: Neb B Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, Gordon D. Fee (Grand Rapids, MI.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996),683.

Application

There a several important issues in this passage.

First, Paul’s insistence on the verbal proclamation of the gospel.

In Paul’s last letter to Timothy he stresses the responsibility of proclaiming the gospel.

People can only believe if someone is talking about Jesus, and to talk about Jesus is the result of a life compelled by the love of God.

Second, the hardening of Israel (vs 7). The verb is in the passive voice, which means the object of the verb is being acted on by the subject.

God hardened the hearts of Israel - those who rejected the gospel.

The same issue occurs in the early chapters of Exodus. Did Pharaoh harden his heart? Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?

The answer in both circumstances is the same.

God confirms people in their choices to sin. Those who rejected the gospel, those who reject the gospel today are hardened in their hearts by their own rejection.

Paul carefully outline this process in Rom 1:18-following.

Finally, Paul is drawing a dark picture on purpose. He is about to remind his audience that all - even those non-Jews among them should constantly be in awe of the grace of God. Apart from His grace, we are all doomed to eternal separation.