August 15, 2024 — Suggested Reading: Romans 11:1 – 12

“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept 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. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” Romans 11:1-6

What Paul does in the chapters of Romans 9:1 – 11:36 is to proceed through a four stage progression of the initial rejection of Christ by most Jews except for a remnant who do believe, through to the final stage where, upon seeing the acceptance of the Gospel by the Gentiles, the Jews will be aroused to jealousy, then repentance, belief and salvation. Thus, what appeared to be a failure of the divine plan actually results in in a greater fulfillment of it for both Jews and Gentiles. It seems that Paul’s final argument is that Israel will be saved – in fact he says all Israel will be saved. What does all Israel mean? That will be another argument for another time — but if Israel, as a whole, is the chosen race, the people with whom G-d made a covenant, then it seems the Israelites are and continue to be G-d’s chosen people.

Another interesting comment by Paul is that G-d has hardened the heart of Israel, just like G-d tells Isaiah that the people’s eyes, ears, and minds will also be hardened and closed off to Isaiah’s preaching. How do you feel about this fact that G-d hardens the heart of some intentionally? As I have lived my life, I have encountered some people who have hardened (or who have had hardened for them) the walls of their hearts against the Word of G-d. Does G-d eventually soften the same hearts? Did G-d soften the heart of Pharaoh when the people finally fled Egypt? How does this effect your ideas of evangelism when it seems that much of our efforts to reach people with the good news of the gospel may just fall upon deaf ears?

Pastor Dave