For Sure!
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Romans 11:25-36
As Paul writes these chapters he is letting the Christians in Rome know that it is a surety that God will Redeem Israel.
God loves is unchangeable.
If Israel will call upon the name of the Lord they will be saved.
This is evident in their history, and it will be true in their future.
Israel’s restoration is a surety and stands as a pillar of the truth that God’s love never changes!
In these verses we see Six Reasons It is Sure That Israel Will Be Restored.
I. God Has Revealed It
I. God Has Revealed It
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:
This revelation has been revealed by Paul, but Paul is also quoting Isaiah 59:20-21.
There are a couple things to note concerning Israel’s current state and future returning:
A. It Was a Mystery
A. It Was a Mystery
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,
The word mystery doesn’t exactly mean what we think in today’s terminology.
Something that was unknown is now reavealed
something that was hidden is now made known
something that was a secret is now told
The future of Israel, which was once an unknown…now has been revealed.
Why?
Two reasons:
that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits;
God wanted us to know the truth
But he didn’t want us to become conceited.
Gentiles can become puffed up thinking they are more acceptable to God because they have responded to God’s call.
But God has revealed, No, Israel will be restored too.
Not only was it a mystery, but
B. The Blindness Was Not Total
B. The Blindness Was Not Total
There are Jewish believers who followed Christ in his day, and in the days since.
The blindness and the hardness of hearts of Israel is not total.
Israel’s blindness is partial
Not only that ...
C. The Blindness Was Not Permanent
C. The Blindness Was Not Permanent
…until the fulness of the Gentiles come in...
Once this time comes, the blindness of Israel will be removed.
Verse 26 says “All Israel shall be saved:”
This means Israel’s blindness is temporary.
This means the restoration of Israel is a surety.
Israel will experience revival.
Israel will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ as Messiah.
There is hope for every person!
As long as a person is alive they can still turn to Christ!
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
If a person will just believe the darkness and blindness will be removed.
I believe there are many reasons to take this passage at face value as far as a surety that hte Jewish people will be converted:
The whole context of this passage favors this view.
As was seen before it is not speaking of every individual, but as a community or nation or majority they will turn. and be restored.
Paul speaks of a great event, something that will attract universal attention.
Paul says that it is a mystery - a few Jews slowly and gradually getting saved is no mystery, it happens everyday.
But a great revival is something to speak about.
So God has Revealed It through Paul here in Romans.
II. Scripture Has Prophesied It
II. Scripture Has Prophesied It
As mentioned in the last point, Isaiah prophesied of this turning of Israel back to Christ.
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.
Scripture gives us a glimpse into the future o Isarael’s restoration in this verse.
But it is really only a glimpse.
two things are given to us:
1. Some kind of manifestation of Christ the Deliverer will cause Israel to turn to the Gospel. 26
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.
10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, The spirit of grace and of supplications: And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, And they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, And shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
What a great day that will be
2. The Great Deliverer, Jesus the Messiah, will do two things for Israel:
a. Jesus will turn away ungodliness from Israel
26c and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob
9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; And this is all the fruit to take away his sin; When he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, The groves and images shall not stand up.
b.Jesus will fulfill God’s covenant with Israel
he will take away her sins
25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, And will not remember thy sins.
What a great revival that will be!
IT is a surety because God has revealed it through Paul
It is a surety because Scripture has prophesied of it.
It is a surety because...
III. God’s Calling Is Without Repentance
III. God’s Calling Is Without Repentance
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.
This is another clear statement for eternal security.
If God has called us, which He has, then it is without repentance.
Verse 28 makes the statement, “they (the Jews) are enemies for your sakes.”
It sounds on the surface as though God predestined Israel’s rejection.
However God does not cause people to reject His Son.
The Jews would be included in all men in 1 Tim 2:4
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
The Word enemies is both active (they are hostile toward), or passive (they were hated by)
The Jews were hostile to God; They refused God’s plan of salvation through Jesus.
They refused to be the messenger for God’s Son.
This caused God’s displeasure and wrath to come upon them, as they were still in enmity with God.
So God turned to the Gentiles.
God found reception among the Gentiles.
Many Gentiles accepted him.
So in their rejection (again as a whole - nationalistically, not as every individual) they are enemies.
But God still chose them.
as touching the election
as far as the nation of Israel being God’s chosen people…His calling is without repentance.
They are still beloved for the father’s sake.
As a people they are still very special to God.
How is this possible when they have rejected him, are enemies with Him, are hostile toward God’s Son?
The Patriarchs were godly people.
They had an unusual faith and trusted in God.
Many lived by faith: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Ruth, Elijah as are mentioned in the Hall of Faith
But it continues on telling of many more:
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
These Godly men knew God — personally trusted in Him.
Secondly, God still loves Israel because God is unchangeable in his gifts and calling!
God doesn’t change His mind!
He is constant, immutable, unchangeable!
11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
IT is a surety because God has revealed it through Paul
It is a surety because Scripture has prophesied of it.
It is a surety because God’s calling is without repentance
It is a surety because...
IV. The Gentiles Are to Be a Witness
IV. The Gentiles Are to Be a Witness
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.
In time past we had not believed, yet because the Jews did not believe the gospel came to us.
Now they do not believe still, but now they will see through the mercy of the Gentiles.
If mercy resulted from unbelief how much more effective will mercy be from mercy?
This seems to be Paul’s point: We truly know the mercy of God that is come to us through the Lord Jesus Christ, and so we want the world to experience the same mercy and forgiveness of sins.
The Jews hold a special place in our heart because they are God’s chosen people, they have given us God’s Word, His Son through lineage, and His promises through their prophets.
This stirs the Christians to pray for Israel.
The Jews will be reached by the mercy of God.
They will be restored.
We as ambassadors of Jesus Christ need to be busy sharing the Gospel to Gentile and Jew alike so that they may hear the truth!
IT is a surety because God has revealed it through Paul
It is a surety because Scripture has prophesied of it.
It is a surety because God’s calling is without repentance
It is a surety because the Gentiles are to be a witness
It is a surety because of...
V. The Mercy of God
V. The Mercy of God
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
The word concluded means to shut up in a place, to close up, to lock up, to imprison.
God has imprisoned them in their unbelief.
Because they rejected they have been locked up in unbelief.
This is the judicial judgment of God.
But there was a point to is....that he might have mercy upon all.
not just the Jew - but all can have mercy.
God takes the sin and works it out for the good of the whole world.
God locks man up in his own sinfulness and selfishness, Why?
So that the true nature of sinfulness can be clearly seen, and cause the seeking man to seek God.
It calls them to repentance when they see the end of the path.
God wants and desires to show mercy to everyone on earth, but before men can come to God they have to confess:
that they are sinful and
they are in desperate need of God
If they will repent, God will have mercy…it is available to them!
29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn unto the Lord your God: For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And repenteth him of the evil.
The restoration of Israel and their repentance is a surety because God has revealed it through Paul
It is a surety because Scripture has prophesied of it.
It is a surety because God’s calling is without repentance
It is a surety because the Gentiles show forth God’s great mercy
It is a surety because
VI. God Has a Plan
VI. God Has a Plan
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 counseller?
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.
Notice four things:
A. His Thoughts and Wisdom Are Unsearchable
A. His Thoughts and Wisdom Are Unsearchable
He knows everything from the beginning to the end.
His wisdom and knowledge is so deep and rich:
that the angels desire to look into them
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
That they are infinite
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
That they are too wonderful for man
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it.
That they are too numerous and greater than the grains of sand in the world
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee.
Oh his plans for us and the Jews are more wonderful than we can imagine!
His judgments are said to be unsearchable and past finding out because
the secret things belong to God
29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; Marvellous things without number:
There is no searching of God’s Understanding
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, That the everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding.
So His thoughts and Wisdom are unsearchable
B. We Cannot Grasp the Plan
B. We Cannot Grasp the Plan
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?
we cannot know what God is thinking, we cannot give Him counsel.
However it is still said that we, as believers, can have the mind of Christ!
This doesn’t mean that the believers understand God or His ways perfectly, but it does mean that God reveals Himself and the truth to believers.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
But man cannot even grasp God’s plan.
C. We Cannot Earn God’s Gift
C. We Cannot Earn God’s Gift
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
No man can put God in debt to himself.
who hath given to God anything that you could expect him to pay back (recompense)
God owes man nothing.
Man has rejected God and chosen his own way.
If man is to receive anything from God it is only by His mercy!
Many will think they have earned their spot in heaven by their good deeds, but God will reject their efforts.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
D. God is All and in All
D. God is All and in All
He is the source of salvation , the means of salvation, and the end of salvation.
Therefore only he can receive the glory!
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Everything was created by God
All things have their continued existence through God.
All things are to God - They are for His glory.
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Praise the Lord God has a plan for Israel and all the world.
We trust in the surety of this prophecy that Israel will return to God.
We trust it because Paul revealed it through the Holy Spirit
We trust it because Scripture prophesied this truth
We trust it because God’s calling is without repentance, and Israel is God’s chosen people.
We trust it because God’s great mercy.
And we Trust it because God has always had, and always will have a plan!