38 Israel’s Rejection Not Absolute

Paul had previously shown how the Lord had given His all for the nation of Israel:

Romans 10:21

Therefore, it was not unexpected that chapter 11 began with Paul stating that despite Israel’s rejection of Christ, that the Lord had a continuing work in them:

1 Israel Not Cast Away

Paul understood how his fellow Israelites would have been disheartened by some of his previous comments and would be concerned that the Lord might have cast them aside:

Romans 11:1-5

Paul definitively declared that God had not rejected His people, despite the fact that they had rejected Jesus – their only means of salvation.

Everyone, whether Jewish or not, must come to understand and accept, that Jesus is the only way to be saved. And that if we die without having given our life to Him, then we will be “cast away”:

Revelation 20:15

In the text in Romans 11, Paul used himself as an example of how God is not finished with the nation of Israel. Paul had been a very zealous rabbi and Pharisee who had persecuted and consented to the execution of believers.

In verse 2, Paul returned to the subject of God’s sovereignty, something which he had previously discussed at length. Here, he joined the idea of the Lord’s sovereignty with the fact that He always reserves a remnant for Himself.

Paul used the Old Testament account in 1 Kings 19, where the prophet Elijah became emotionally overwhelmed, believing that he was the only remaining servant of the Lord. Eliajah soon learned that the Lord had reserved a great number of individuals who were living for Him, and Paul wanted to show that the Lord was still working in that manner.

In verse 5, Paul speaks of how those remnants are the result of God’s grace, showing that it has nothing to do with will of man.

2 God’s Choice, By Grace

Paul then showed the impact and result of the convergence of God’s grace and sovereignty:

Romans 11:6-10

In verse 6, Paul spoke of how the remnant wasn’t comprised of those Israelites who were intent on keeping the Law, but rather it was by God’s grace alone.

Paul clearly demonstrates how works and grace are in opposition, and that whatever is from our flesh is works.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he spoke of how a one is saved:

Ephesians 2:8-9

In verse 7, Paul spoke of Israel not having obtained the righteousness and salvation they had desired, while the “elect” had obtained it.

The word “elect” referred to believers, both Jewish and non-believers alike.

In verses 8 and 9, Paul once ore used Old Testament scriptures to show how the Lord would reinforce the already hardened hearts of Israel:

Romans 11:8-9

The Israelites were already in spiritual denial, with any attempts on their part to draw nearer to the Lord, was only through their flesh.

In verse 9, Paul referred to David’s words in Psalm 69. Whereas David was complaining about his enemies, Paul was showing how Israel’s insistence on holding to their works and the Law, had become “a snare and a trap” to them.

Any pursuit of God other than through His grace through Jesus, is a vain pursuit, and therefore it is a “snare and a trap”.

Paul also referred to their actions as a “stumbling block” as they were stumbling by holding onto ceremonies and traditions which had been rendered obsolete by the finished work of Christ at Calvary.

Paul continued, when in verse 10, he again referred to David’s words, but he was applying them to the condition of Israel:

Romans 11:10