Israel’s Remnant
- Therefore I say: “Didn’t God reject His people?” May it never be! For I’m also an Israelite of Abraham’s seed, of Benjamin’s tribe.
- God didn’t reject His people whom He knew beforehand. Or haven’t you known what the scripture says in Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel:
- “Lord, they killed your prophets, they tore down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.”
- But what does the divine response tell him? “I reserved seven thousand men for Myself who didn’t bow the knee to Baal.”
- Then in this way also, there *is a remnant in the present season according to the election of grace.
- And if it’s by grace, it’s no longer from works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. [And if its from works, it’s no longer grace; otherwise, work is no longer work.]
- What then? What Israel is seeking, they didn’t obtain it; but the elect obtained it and the rest were hardened,
- just as it is *written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor; to not see with the eyes, and to not hear with the ears, until the present day.”
- And David says: “Let their table be for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling block, and for a recompense to them.
- “Let their eyes be darkened to not see, and oppressively bend their back through all time.”
- Therefore I say: “Didn’t they stumble so they might fall?” May it never be! But by their misstep, salvation came to the gentiles in order to make them jealous.
- But if their misstep brought richness for the world, and their loss brought richness for the gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring?
- But I speak to you, the gentiles. In as much as I’m indeed an apostle of the gentiles, I magnify my ministry
- if somehow I will make my kinsmen of flesh jealous and will save some of them.
- For if their rejection brought the world’s reconciliation, what could their acceptance bring except life from the dead?
Grafting in
- And if the firstfruit is holy, the whole lump is also. And if the root is holy, the branches are also.
- But if some of the branches were broken off and you – though being a wild olive tree – were grafted in among them, and became a fellow partaker of the richness of the olive tree’s root,
- don’t boast over the branches. But if you exalt yourself over them, remember that you don’t sustain the root, but the root sustains you.
- Then you will say: “Branches were broken off so I might be grafted in.”
- Rightly so; they were broken off by unbelief but you *stand by faith. Don’t be high-minded but fear,
- for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.
- Therefore, behold the benevolence and severity of God. Indeed, severity upon the men who fell; but the benevolence of God to you if you remain in His benevolence, otherwise you also will be cut off.
- And if they also don’t continue in unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God is able to graft them in again.
- For if you were cut off from a wild olive tree by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
All Israel will be saved
- For brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery so you won’t be wise in your own estimation; that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the gentiles might come in.
- And all Israel will be saved in this way, just as it is *written: “He will come from Zion, the One delivering by drawing to Himself. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
- And “This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
- As it concerns the gospel, they are indeed enemies because of you. But as it concerns the election, they are beloved because of the forefathers.
- For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
- For just as you were once disobedient to God, but now were shown mercy because of the disobedience of these men,
- in this way also, these men were now disobedient for your mercy, so now they also might be shown mercy.
- For God enclosed all in disobedience so He might show mercy to all.
- O, the depth of the richness, and wisdom, and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable are His ways!
- For who knew the mind of the Lord, or who became His advisor?
- Or “Who gave to Him first and it will be repaid to him?”
- Because all things are from Him, and through Him, and for Him. To Him be the glory through the ages! Amen.