Romans 11

Romans 11:1–36 (KJV 1900)

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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 stumblingblock, 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.

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?

1. PAUL HIMSELF (11:1)

"Hath God cast away his people? God forbid! For I also am an Israelite." If God has cast away His people, then how can the , conversion of the apostle Paul be explained? The fact that his conversion is presented three times in the book of Acts is significant (Acts 9; 22; 26). Indeed, Dr. Luke did not write these chapters and repeat the story just to exalt Paul. No, they were written to show Paul's conversion as an illustration of the future conversion of the nation of Israel. Paul called himself "one born out of due time" (1 Cor. 15:8). In 1 Timothy 1:16 he stated that God saved him "that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."

The accounts of Paul's conversion tell very little that parallels our salvation experience today. Certainly, none of us has seen Christ in glory or heard Him speak from heaven. We were neither blinded by the light of heaven nor thrown to the ground. In what way is Paul's conversion "a pattern"? It is a picture of how the nation of Israel will be saved when Jesus Christ returns to establish His kingdom on earth. The details of Israel's future restoration and salvation are given in Zechariah 12:10—13:1. The nation shall see Him as He returns (Zech. 14:4

Zechariah 14:4 (KJV 1900)

4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, Which is before Jerusalem on the east, And the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, And there shall be a very great valley; And half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, And half of it toward the south.

Acts 1:11 (KJV 1900)

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Revelation 1:7 (KJV 1900)

7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

recognize Him as their Messiah, repent, and receive Him.

It will be an experience similar to that of Saul of Tarsus when he was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians (Acts 9).

This is why Paul used himself as the first witness. The fact that he was saved does not prove that there is a future for Israel. Instead, what is essential is the way he was saved.

2. THE PROPHET ELIJAH (11:2-10)

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 (see 1 Kings 19). But Elijah discovered that there was yet a remnant of true believers. He thought he was the only faithful Jew left and found that there were seven thousand more.

Paul referred to this "remnant" in Romans 9:27

Romans 9:27 (KJV 1900)

27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

a quotation from Isaiah 10:22-23

Isaiah 10:22–23 (KJV 1900)

22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, Yet a remnant of them shall return: The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

23 For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, In the midst of all the land.

At no time has the entire nation of Israel been true to the Lord. God makes a distinction between Abraham's natural children and his spiritual children (Rom. 2:25-29

Romans 2:25–29 (KJV 1900)

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The fact that the Jews shared in the covenant by being circumcised did not guarantee their salvation. Like Abraham, they had to believe God to receive His righteousness (Rom. 4:1-5

Romans 4:1–5 (KJV 1900)

1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Note that this remnant is saved by grace, not works (Rom. 11:5-6). Note also the parallel in Romans 9:30-33

Romans 9:30–33 (KJV 1900)

30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

It is impossible to mix grace and works, for the one cancels the other. Israel's main concern has always been trying to please God with good works (Rom. 9:30-10:1.

The nation refused to submit to the Church’s righteousness, just as religious. Self-righteous people refuse to submit today.

If a remnant had been saved, thus proving that God was not through with His people, then what had happened to the rest of the nation? They bad been hardened (a better translation than "blinded" in Rom. 11:7

Romans 11:7 KJV 1900

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

This resulted from their resisting the truth, just as Pharaoh's heart was hardened because he resisted the truth. Paul quoted Isaiah 29:10

Isaiah 29:10 (KJV 1900)

10 For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, And hath closed your eyes: The prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

to support his statement, and also referred to Deuteronomy 29:11

We would expect a pagan ruler to harden himself against the Lord, but we do not expect God's people to do so.

Romans 11:9-10

are cited from Psalm 69:22-23

Psalm 69:22–23 (KJV 1900)

22 Let their table become a snare before them: And that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; And make their loins continually to shake.

This psalm is one of the most important messianic psalms and is referred to several times in the New Testament. (Note especially Romans 11:4, 9, 21-22.) Their "able to become a snare" means their blessings become burdens and judgments. This happened to Israel: Their spiritual blessings would have led them to Christ, but instead, they became a snare that kept him from Christ. Their very religious practices and observances became substitutes for the real experience of salvation. Sad to say, this same mistake is made today when people depend on religious rituals and practices instead of trusting in the Christ pictured in these activities, which proves that God has a future for the nation. "Flardness) in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles come in" (Rom. 11:25). The existence of the believing Jewish remnant today, as in Elijah's day, is evidence that God still has a plan for His people. Paul did not imitate Elijah's mistake and say, "I only am left!" He knew that there was a remnant of Israel in this world who trusted God.

3. THE GENTILES (11:11-15)

In Romans 2:1-3

Romans 2:1–3 (KJV 1900)

1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Paul used the Gentiles to prove the Jews guilty of sin, but here 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 (Rom. 11:11

Romans 11:11 KJV 1900

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.

was lost (Rom. 11:12, "diminished"),

and was cast away (Rom. 11:15).

None of these words suggests a final judgment on Israel But the fantastic thing is that through Israel's fall, salvation came to the Gentiles. God promised that the Gentiles would be saved (Rom. 9:25-26), and He kept His promise.

Will He not also keep His promise to the Jews?

It is essential to understand that the Old Testament promises to the Gentiles were linked to Israel's "rise"- -her entering into her kingdom.

Prophecies like Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 60:1-4

Isaiah 60:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, And his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, And kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: All they gather themselves together, they come to thee: Thy sons shall come from far, And thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

clarify that the Gentiles will share in Israel's kingdom. But Israel did not "rise"; she fell! What would God then do with the Gentiles? God introduced a new factor church—believing Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ (Eph. 2:11-22). In Ephesians 3, Paul called this new program "the mystery," meaning "the sacred secret" that was not revealed in the Old Testament.

Does this mean that God has abandoned His kingdom program for Israel?

Of course not! Israel is merely set aside until the time comes for God's plans for Israel to be fulfilled.

Paul stated that the Gentiles had a vital ministry to Israel. Today, the saved Gentiles provoke Israel "to jealousy" (see Rom, 10:19) because of the spiritual riches they have in Christ. Israel today is spiritually bankrupt, while Christians have "all spiritual blessings" in Christ (Eph. 1:3

Ephesians 1:3 (KJV 1900)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

(IF an unsaved Jew visited the average church service, would he be provoked to jealousy and wish he had what we have —or would he just be provoked?)

There is a future for Israel. Paul calls it "their fulness" (Rom, 11:12) and their "receiving" (Rom. 11:15). 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; He has promised to restore them. (See Jer. 31:35-37

Jeremiah 31:35–37 (KJV 1900)

35 Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, And the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, Which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name:

36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, Then the seed of Israel also shall cease From being a nation before me for ever.

37 Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, saith the Lord.

where God links His promises to Israel to the sun, moon, and stars.)