GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR MAN FROM START TO FINISH

Part V: God's Righteousness Vindicated In His Dealings With Israel And The Gentiles, Romans 9:1-11:36

C. God's Future Salvation Of The Nation Israel, Romans 11:1-36

2. God's Purpose In Israel's Current Lack Of Spiritual Blessing

(Romans 11:11-24)

I. Introduction

A. Though the Abrahamic Covenant claims God will bless all the Gentiles through Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), Israel is not now in a place of blessing since she has rejected her Messiah, Christ. Amillennialists claim this state is permanent, that the Church has replaced Israel, C. C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, 1970, p. 95.

B. Romans 11:11-24 clarifies the future of Israel and God's purpose in her current lack of blessing (as follows):

II. God's Purpose In Israel's Current Lack Of Spiritual Blessing, Romans 11:11-24.

A. Speaking of Israel in Romans 11:11a, Paul asked a rhetorical question that demanded a negative answer in the Greek text, "Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery?" (Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 483) The verb "fall" with "its contrast with the verb translated 'stumble' imply the idea of falling beyond recovery," Ibid.

B. Paul's answer was another one of his emphatic denials, "Not at all!" (Romans 11:11b NIV)

C. The Apostle then explained that the fall from the position of God's blessing has led to God's blessing the Gentiles as the Gospel has gone out to the world so as to provoke Israel to jealousy in fulfillment of Moses' Deuteronomy 32:21 prophecy that Israel might be moved to trust in Christ for salvation, Romans 11:11c.

D. If the fall of Israel from the place of God's blessing results in the spiritual enrichment of the world, Paul argued that the end time fullness of blessing to come upon Israel would be that much greater, Romans 11:12.

E. Thus, Paul stated that he sought to magnify his ministry to the Gentiles before his Hebrew countrymen in order to move them to be envious so as to trust in Christ, knowing that the reconciling of Israel to the Lord would amount to a national resurrection from the dead for Israel, Romans 11:13-15.

F. Paul then used two illustrations to show that Israel's stumbling is temporary, Romans 11:16a,b:

1. First, he noted that if the part of the dough that is offered as the firstfruits offering to God is holy, then the whole batch of dough is also holy, Romans 11:16a.

2. Second, he noted that if the root is holy, so also are the branches, Romans 11:16b.

3. "The firstfruits and the root both represent the patriarchs of Israel or Abraham personally, and the lump and the branches represent the people of Israel. As a result Israel is set apart (holy) to God, and her 'stumbling' (rejection of Christ) must therefore be temporary," Ibid., p. 484.

G. However, in the generation of the Apostles, "God put aside as a whole the people of Israel, an action Paul described as one in which some of the branches have been broken off," Romans 11:17a; Ibid.

H. Speaking of Gentile believers in the Church, Paul likened them to the wild olive branch that had been grafted into the tree of the Abrahmic stock to share in God's nourishing blessing, Romans 11:17b; Ibid., p. 484.

I. Gentile believers should not then boast against the branches of Israel that were broken off of God's "tree of blessing," for Gentile believers did not bear God's blessing, but God in grace bore them, Romans 11:18.

J. Thus, Gentile believers were not to boast that they were grafted into the place of blessing while Israel was removed, for Israel through unbelief was removed and Gentile believers stood in the place of blessing by faith, Romans 11:19-20a. God could just as easily remove the Gentile world from having opportunity for blessing and graft Israel in again, giving no room Gentile boasting v. 20b-21; Ibid., p. 485. [The "you" in verses 21 and 24 is singular (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 561-562), indicating Paul is referring to Gentiles as a whole turning from the Gospel, not that saved Gentiles can lose their salvation; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., N. T.]

K. We Gentile believers must thus remain humble: we stand in the position of blessing by faith, not by human merit. We must appreciate God's grace unto us lest God cut off the opportunity of the Gentile world from blessing by unbelief and see God graft in Israel when she trusts in Christ, Romans 11:22-24; Ibid.

Lesson: Contrary to Amillennialism, the Church has NOT PERMANENTLY replaced Israel in God's plan, but God has TEMPORARILY put Israel aside to bless individual Gentiles who trust in Him to move Hebrews out of jealousy to trust in Christ. God plans to RESTORE ISRAEL in the future to His place of blessing in LITERALLY FULFILLING the Abrahamic Covenant. We Gentile believers must thus humbly praise God for His grace to us!

Application: (1) May we hold that God still plans to fulfill His Abrahamic Covenant to the nation Israel. (2) May we Gentile Christians then humbly praise God for His grace to us and (3) treat Jewish people well.