This is out of sequence - looks like I left it out when I was posting these.
Romans
11:25-27 (HCSB) So that you will not be conceited,
brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: A partial hardening
has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as
it is written: The Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away godlessness
from Jacob. And this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.
Last week
we saw that Paul turned his attention explicitly to the Gentiles in the church
at Rome. He argued that Gentiles have no cause of boasting, as it was grace
that grafted us into Abraham’s spiritual promise just as it was for the Jews –
perhaps more difficult for us as we were not in the covenant people to whom the
oracles of God were given. Verse 25 continues in this thought, plainly revealing
a mystery to us so we will not be conceited. The mystery, that had confounded
many Jews and, no doubt, caused many Gentiles to get the big-head, was that the
rejection of Israel was complete; it was a partial hardening. There has always
been a remnant in Israel, the 7,000 who did not bow the knee to Baal, who were
brought from spiritual darkness that enveloped the nation into the glorious
light of Christ that all His redeemed enjoy. As with much of Paul’s use of the
word “mystery,” here it does not mean something difficult to understand, it
means something revealed that had been hidden. Jew and Gentile both thought
national Israel was God’s chosen people, just as the Pharisees demonstrated –
through trust in their flesh. The mystery is that most of Israel’s people were
hardened and only a small number were reconciled to God. For from the
beginning, God made clear that ALL nations would be blessed in Abram – not only
national Israel. This partial hardening continues until all the Gentile elect –
people from every nation, tongue, and tribe – have been brought into the
sheepfold of Christ. As one commentator put it, “until all elect Gentiles come
into Israel.” And in the same way, all Israel will be saved. What does he mean,
“in the same way”? How are Gentiles saved? Paul explained to us in chapter 10
how one calls upon the Lord and is saved. In the same way means that those Jews
who will be saved, the ones who were not hardened, will be saved in the same
way as us Gentiles are saved. They will call upon the name of the Lord! Every
one of His elect will call upon His name and be saved.
Paul then
does what is fairly common in the New Testament – he cobbles together a “quote”
from the Old Testament from several fragments that his audience would have been
familiar with. Not a precise citation as we are accustomed to when we read
books. He grabs part of Isaiah 59 (which has connections with Psalm14, Micah 4,
and Isaiah 2) and Jeremiah 31. The
Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away godlessness from Jacob. And
this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins. These were
promises of the Messiah coming to redeem Israel. Paul applies these promises
the work of the Spirit that was going on as he was writing to the Romans, and
will go on until the full number – all Israel and Gentile – are saved. Those
who were by nature captive to the sin we hold so dear will be liberated by the
King of Zion. Freedom does not come from Sinai! This King will turn His people
away from godlessness, take their sins away, and bring them into the New
Covenant. All this action is of God. Our part is godlessness and sin. His part
is to take those away and make us new creatures in Christ.
Romans
11:28-29 (HCSB) Regarding the gospel,
they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved
because of the patriarchs, since God’s gracious gifts and calling are
irrevocable.
Returning
to his argument to keep Gentiles from getting self-important, Paul says the
Jews, being partially hardened, were our enemies regarding the gospel – and
this was for our advantage! Recall how in Acts 13 and 18 different apostles
were rebuffed by the Jewish leaders and announced they were turning to the
Gentiles. Recall how Jesus told the 70 to knock the dirt off their sandals if they
were not welcomed in a town. Enemies of the gospel were used for advantages to
the Gentiles just as the evil deeds Joseph’s brothers did worked to his – and
their – advantage. But the remnant within Israel are beloved because of the
patriarchs. This due to election, he says. Which tells us he is speaking of the
remnant within Israel and not all the Hebrews. This is tied to the patriarchs –
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We know that Abraham is the father of all the elect
(in him all nations will be blessed, if you belong to Christ, then you are
indeed true descendants of Abraham, and are heirs in fulfilment of the promise.
If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to
promise.) And these three men are tied together very tightly in Jewish and
Christian theology. Note how Peter ties them all together in his sermon to
Jews; and ties them to Christ. Men of
Israel, why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though we had
made him walk by our own power or godliness? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus. Acts 3:12
& 13 (HSCB) This identification is also found in Exodus 3:6 & 15; 4:5;
Deuteronomy 9:27; 2 Kings 13:23; Matthew 22:32; and others. A quick survey of
the key promises to each of these three patriarchs will show why they are tied
together with more than a human bloodline. While only of one of them was named
Israel, they are each and all together the foundation stones of that nation,
which had Moses as its prophet and the faith that has Jesus as its prophet.
Promises
Made
|
Abraham
|
Isaac
|
Jacob
|
|
Nations would
be blessed – Gen 12:1-3
|
Nations would
be blessed – Gen 26:3-5
|
Nations would
be blessed – Gen 28:14
|
|
Father of many
nations – Gen 17:1-7
|
|
|
|
Descendants
would be as the stars in the sky – Gen 15:5
|
Descendants
would be as the stars in the sky – Gen 26:3-5
|
Descendants
would be as the dust of the earth – Gen 28:14
|
|
The promise was
to his seed – Gen 12:7; Gal 3:16
|
Isaac’s seed
would be blessed – Gen 26:24
|
Jacob’s seed would
be blessed – Gen 28:14
|
Although
there are some differences, and a critical promise is made to Abraham that is
not given to Isaac or Jacob, we do see commonality in the essentials among
these three patriarchs of the Jewish and Christian faiths. Each of them were
heirs to the same promise (Hebrews 11:9), each of them knew what God had
promised was better than the picture of the promise seen in Canaan (vs 16).
Their descendants were numerous, as promised (vs 12) as YHWH counted the heirs
according to promise (Galatians 3:29). Fulfillment is found in Christ, not in
the flesh. Through each of them the promised seed would pass.
Because of
His promise to these three men, and because of His indelibly holy character,
God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. Abraham was called out of the
post-flood mass of humanity. Everyone who believes is called of God to do so.
I’ve mentioned this next passage several times during our study; it is a deep
truth that we need to keep in mind: 2 Timothy 1:9-10 (HCSB) He has saved us and called us with a holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and
grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. This has now
been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has
abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel. See how this parallels what is found in our passage? God’s calling
and gracious gifts are irrevocable – His purpose and grace were given to us in
Christ before time began. God would have to deny Himself and be like a man in
order to allow any promise to fail.
Paul shows
us the other side of this argument. One side is all about YHWH – He is
faithful, He will not fail. This side is about us – Jew and Gentile. Verses 30-32:
As you once disobeyed God, but now have
received mercy through their disobedience, so they too have now disobeyed, ⌊resulting⌋ in mercy to you, so
that they also now may receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in
disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all. Paul observes that we Gentiles once disobeyed God, meaning we
were a law unto ourselves (chapt 1), hostile towards God (chapter 5). But now,
as Paul was preaching and writing, Gentiles were finding mercy – God had turned
His attention away from national Israel and was bringing Gentile sheep into His
fold. As we’ve seen elsewhere, national Israel’s disobedience was the proximate
cause, the reason identified, for the apostles turning to the Gentiles. Their
house having been left to them desolate, the temple veil torn; first century
Jews were without hope – unable to even pretend to keep their own laws. Having
turned the temple into a den of robbers, they were now turned out of the
temple. Their long string of disobedience appeared to be complete, but it was
not. Hence the apostle’s insistence that God had NOT rejected them! And now
that the Gospel is going out to the Gentiles around the world, Jews were and
are being raised up and returned to the sheepfold of Christ. Both Jew and
Gentile have long-standing histories of rebellion against God – it is our
nature as men. In making this imprisonment known to them, those to whom God
have ears to hear, He gives mercy in time of trouble, saving all – Jew and
Gentile; those who are called.
Just
writing this letter, proclaiming the glorious truths about God’s saving grace
and mercy towards sinners in both camps, Paul brings out in one of the most
God-exalting hymns of praise known to man.
Romans 11:33-36 (HCSB) Oh, the depth of the riches both
of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable
His judgments and untraceable His ways! For who has known
the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who
has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him
and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be
the glory forever. Amen.
The vast
difference between God and man are repeatedly shouted from the Scriptures. YHWH
told rebellious Israel that one of their main problems was that they thought He
was altogether much like them. Job was a humble man who refused to blame God
for his trials and in a blast that goes on for 4 chapters, He questions Job so
that he might better grasp the immeasurable distance between creature and
Creator.
God’s
judgments and ways are unsearchable – this means we do not imagine we can
understand the whys of what God does: why does He save this one but not that
one, what is the good purpose behind these horrible circumstances, how can life
go on when loved ones die? As He made known to Job, He made known to Paul – no
man can comprehend the awesomeness of God’s mind. We stand in awe of some
bright people in our day. Mere men. Nations are dust in the hands of God –
really bright people are like burnt-out light bulbs in comparison to Him. Our
language does not have the words to provide a stark enough contrast!
When Paul
spoke to the Oprah Winfry crowd in Acts 17, he told them God did not live in
temples made by human hands as though He had need of anything human hands could
do for Him. As he wrote to the Corinthians, For
who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if
you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Cor 4:7) All
things are from Him, through Him, and to Him – meant to bring Him glory. This
is how the apostle preached this idea to the Colossians:
Colossians 1:15-20 (HCSB) He is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created
by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible
and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers
or authorities— all things
have been created through Him and for Him. He is
before all things, and by Him
all things hold together. He is also the head
of the body, the church; He
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might
come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased ⌊to have⌋ all His
fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything
to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross—
whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Dear saints, the praise due our God
springs from the same overwhelming awe Paul experienced. He was not caught up
in praise because every Jew would one day be saved. He was caught up in
exultation because sinners from the Gentiles and Jews would be saved in his day
and until the great day when He returns.
