The Remnant

Introduction

Throughout , Paul has been building the case that says, Israel rejected the Messiah. Because of their rejection, God opened up salvation to the Gentiles.

The question remains, is God rejecting his people? tells us that God still desires that Jews come to know Him through Jesus.

Romans 10:21 NIV84

But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Isaiah says that God continues to hold out His hands to a disobedient and obstinate people—Israel.

Romans 11:1–6 NIV84

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

A Remnant Chosen by Grace

Just like in the days of Elijah when God kept 7,000 who did not bow down to Baal, He has kept a remnant in the present day—chosen by grace.

Paul tells us that God is not finished with Israel. In fact, when you come to the next couple of verses gives us some idea of what God is doing.

Romans 11:7–8 NIV84

What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.”

The first thing we need to do is look at the word “hardened.” This is not the same word that Paul has previously used in 9:18. This word means “God hardening permanently binds people in the sin that they have chosen for themselves.”

One J. Randal Price presents it this way in “The Prophetic Postponement in and Other Texts” (p. 136)

“This postponement in Israelite history is not so much an interruption of redemption as an extension of predicted hardening (). The Exile, which was a punishment for national disobedience, has therefore been prolonged during the present age until the appointed time for Israel’s national (and spiritual) restoration (; ; ).”

To support this idea, Paul combines two texts— and .

Then he further supports this idea by quoting .

Romans 11:9–10 NIV84

And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

I want you to see a couple of words in Psalms. First is the word translated “table.” It could be translated “blessings.” So the blessings God gave Israel became a snare and a trap for them.

This snare or trap ended up to be a “stumbling block” and a “retribution” or “judgement” for them.

Stumbled but not beyond recovery

Romans 11:11–12 NIV84

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

Romans 11:11-

Because of Israel’s stumbling and falling, salvation was opened up to the Gentiles.

Paul says “because of their transgressions, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.”

Yet God has always loved the Jews! So if the Jews have fallen so that the world and Gentiles could be blessed, how much would God rejoice and bless them when they come to Him through Jesus? The answer—A Lot!

Romans 11:13-

Romans 11:13–16 NIV84

I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), .

The Apostle to Gentiles?

I always think of Paul as my Apostle—and he says he’s the apostle to the Gentiles. But even as he saw the Gentiles come to Jesus in great numbers, Paul always had a desire that the Jews would be jealous and want to come to Jesus.

The Warning!

Romans 11:17–21 NIV84

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Consider. . .

Romans 11:22-

Romans 11:22–24 NIV84

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

We—Gentiles—need to consider two things.

First we need to consider the kindness of God—the kindness the Gentiles have experienced.

Secondly we need to consider the sternness of God—the sternness to those who fell.

We love to focus on God’s Love, but we need to understand that God does not tolerate sin. Yes, God opened up salvation to the Gentiles, but He still longs for Israel to be saved!

Romans 11:25-

Romans 11:25–32 NIV84

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

God Still Has a Plan for Israel

I love this fact! “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

God’s gifts are irrevocable, and God will offer Israel mercy! “For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.” v 32.

Because of this Paul sings out the praises of God.

Romans 11:33–36 NIV84

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

This passage reminds us how great and magnificent God really is:

God’s depths of God’s riches

God’s depth of God’s wisdom

God’s depth of God’s knowledge

Man can’t understand His judgments.

Man can’t trace out God’s paths.

Man can’t know the mind of the Lord.

No man has ever counseled God.

No man has ever give to God so that God owes man something.

All things are through God, to Him are all things. To God be glory forever! Amen.

The painful truth is that God does not need man. God doesn’t learn from man. God doesn’t answer to man.

Man NEEDS God. God learns from God. And mans answers to God. Mankind is to give God the glory He deserves.