What of Israel?

 

Text: Romans 11

 

Introduction:

 

I.       Individual Jews Are Still Being Saved (v. 1)

A.    Paul is an example that God is still saving some Jewish people

B.     The true seed of Abraham are his spiritual seed, not his natural descendants

II.     God Has Always Preserved a Remnant (v. 2-10)

A.    Elijah thought he was the only one

1.      There were others

2.      The nation was not fully decadent at that time

B.     God always had a believing remnant

1.      In the OT, the emphasis is on the believing remnant, not the physical descendants

2.      Abraham had many physical descendants but MOST of them did NOT follow God

a)      They killed the prophets and the fathers

b)      They followed after idols

C.    The remnant is there by God’s grace

1.      Salvation has always been by grace through faith

2.      Works could never provide the righteousness needed

D.    The rest were hardened

1.      They would not see or hear

2.      They let their privileged position become a snare

a)      The Law, which was supposed to bring them to Christ, actually kept them from Christ

b)      Their own self-righteousness became a snare and stumbling block to them

III.  God is Saving Gentiles, Therefore He Will Also Save Israel

A.    God has promised to restore Israel

B.     God promised to bless the Gentiles through Israel

1.      This blessing comes from:

a)      Christ

b)      The Word

c)      The prophets

2.      The Gentiles blessing is also linked to the “rise and restoration of Israel”

a)      Is. 11, 60

b)      They will join in Israel’s blessing

3.      Therefore, if Gentiles are being saved, then Israel must be saved also in order for the Gentiles to receive their full blessing

C.    The Gentiles today are to “provoke” Israel to jealousy

1.      We have all the “spiritual blessings” (Eph. 1:3) while Israel has not obtained what it was looking for

2.      Israel will be “received” (v. 15) and enter into her “fullness” (v. 12)

IV.   God Promised the Patriarchs That Israel Would Be Saved

A.    Two Illustrations

1.      First fruits or first lump of dough (Nu. 15:17-21)

a)      The first part of the lump was accepted so the rest must be also

b)      Though they sinned, Israel was still to partake of the Abrahamic covenant because it was given unconditionally

2.      Root and the tree

a)      The root is the patriarchs and God’s promises to them

b)      Since the root is good, the tree is good, even if most of the branches have gone bad

c)      Here, you have wild branches grated into a good tree instead of good branches grafted into a wild tree like men do

d)      I have seen trees that have lived with only one living branch that had several dead branches

e)      Picture a tree with good root system but with several dead branches that are cut off.  Then picture some wild branches grafted in to replace the dead branches.  That is the picture given in this illustration.

f)        God’s Kingdom will encompass both Israel and Gentiles.  The key is “belief.”

B.     Some considerations

1.      Israelites can be grafted back in if they exercise belief

2.      This verse is not teaching the loss of salvation (v. 21)

a)      It is referring to the Gentiles as a whole, not to individuals

b)      Gentiles were grafted in because of Israel’s unbelief

c)      Apostate Israel will be saved and grafted back in or restored

d)      Apostate Gentile church will NOT be grafted in but will be cut off forever

e)      Apostate Israel has a better end because of the promises to the patriarchs and the “root of the tree”

V.   God is Following His Purpose and Plan

A.    Israel will remain in unbelief “UNTIL” the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled (v. 25)

1.      Today God is calling out a people which constitute the church

2.      This was a “mystery” in God’s program

3.      When this is complete, all Israel will be saved

B.     Israel will be saved (v. 26)

1.      This is national, not individual

2.      Quote from Is. 59:20-21

3.      Cp. Zech. 12-13

C.    For now, Israel is an enemy of the gospel, but a friend to election (v. 28)

1.      For Gentile believers, the Jews are beloved because of their place in God’s program

2.      yet, they are our enemies as far as the gospel is concerned because they are against the gospel

D.    God does not change (v. 29)

1.      The promises He made to Israel will be fulfilled

2.      The election of Israel has not been nullified

E.     Israel is to obtain “mercy” through our obedience (v. 31)

1.      We are not to be anti-Semitic

2.      We are to be a light to the world just as the Jews were to be a light to the Gentiles

3.      Their “hardness” was only “in part”

a)      Individual Jews could be saved

b)      The nation will turn again to God when the time of the Gentiles is complete

4.      We are all “disobedient” and need God’s mercy