ROMANS 11:1 – 10. YOU’RE NEVER WALK ALONE.
PAUL HAS SHOWN US THE TRAGIC CONDITION OF ISRAEL WITH HER UNIQUE PRIVILEGES 9:1-4 YET DISTANT FROM GOD (UNBELIEF). PAUL HAS SHOWN THAT GOD WAS NEITHER UNFAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES 9:6 OR UNJUST TOWARDS THEM WHEN IT CAME TO THEIR SALVATION 9:14 - BUT IT WAS IN ORDER THAT GODS PURPOSE IN ELECTION MIGHT STAND 9:11 AND THEIR REJECTION OF CHRIST 9:32 AND THEIR CONTINUAL REJECTION OF GODS ADVANCES 10:21.
YET IN THEIR DISOBEDIENCE THEY FAIL TO RESPOND TO GOD….… SO IN THIS CHAPTER PAUL UNPACKS TWO QUESTIONS WHICH DEALS WITH THE IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE.
1ST V1 DID GOD REJECT HIS PEOPLE? 1- 10 .
2ND V11 DID THEY STUMBLE SO AS TO FALL BEYOND RECOVERY? 11 – 32 .
THE FIRST QUESTION DEALS WITH ISRAEL’S PRESENT PREDICAMENT AND THE SECOND QUESTION DEALS WITH THEIR FUTURE PROSPECT. TODAY WE ARE GONG TO ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION
• “DID GOD REJECT HIS PEOPLE?” HAS GOD ABANDONED HIS PEOPLE?
TRUE STORY: ITS HALF PAST EIGHT IN THE MORNING, THERE WERE CROWDS OF BUSY PASSENGERS IN THE CHANGYUN NANCHANG LONG DISTANCE BUS STATION, JIANGXI PROVINCE. NONE OF THE PEOPLE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE BABY PLACED ON THE BENCH IN THE CORNER.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE BABY CRIED OUT AND DREW THE ATTENTION OF THE PEOPLE AROUND. THEY FOUND THAT THE SOUND CAME FROM A BABY ON THE BENCH WHO WAS WRAPPED BY A SMALL PIECE OF QUILT. HOWEVER, NO ONE AROUND SEEMED TO BE HIS (OR HER) PARENT, AND ONLY A NURSING BOTTLE WAS NEAR BY.
PEOPLE WHO WERE WAITING THERE CAME UP AND SOMEBODY SAID THAT IT MUST BE SOMEONE CARELESS THAT LEFT THE BABY HERE. ANOTHER SAID THAT IT MUST BE AN ABANDONED BABY. ONE PERSON TOUCHED THE NURSING BOTTLE AND FOUND THAT IT WAS ALREADY COLD, AND THEN HE WENT TO FETCH SOME MILK FOR THE BABY.
A CREW MEMBER WORKING AT THE BUS STATION GOT THE BOTTLE HEATED AT ONCE, AND THEN SHE TOOK THE BABY INTO HER ARMS AND FED HER. THE HUNGRY BABY HAD SOME OF THE MILK AND FELL ASLEEP, NOT CRYING ANY MORE.
SOMEONE AMONG THE SURROUNDING PEOPLE SAW A NOTE IN THE QUILT. IT READ “HOPE SOME KIND PERSON TAKE CARE OF THIS BABY GIRL. SHE WAS BORN AT TWO IN THE MORNING, JAN. 28TH, 2007. I CAN’T RAISE HER BY MYSELF. IF THERE IS A CHANCE, I WISH WE CAN MEET TEN YEARS FROM NOW AT BAYI BRIDGE, WHITE CAT AREA.”
AFTER THAT, THE CREW MEMBER WORKING AT THE BUS STATION CALLED 110 (CHINA’S 911) AND SENT THE BABY TO THE NANCHANG SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTE. HTTP://RESEARCH-CHINA.BLOGSPOT.COM/2007/03/CHILD-ABANDONMENT-FROM-INSIDE-II.HTML
SO HAS GOD JUST ABANDONED ISRAEL AS A NATION? AS A HUMAN BEING WOULD JUST DUMP A NEW BORN CHILD ON A BENCH AT A BUS STATION? PAUL’S ANSWER IS CATEGORICAL V1 BY NO MEANS.......
WE COULD BE MISTAKEN IN THINKING THAT GOD HAS REJECTED ISRAEL AS A NATION, ABANDONED IT, AFTER ALL THEY HAD REJECTED HIM 9:32, 10:21. YET THIS IS NOT THE CASE, BECAUSE IT DOESN’T DEPEND ON THE WILL OF MAN BUT UPON THE UNCHANGING NATURE OF GOD AND HIS COVENANTAL PROMISES MADE TO ISRAEL.
GOD CANNOT REVOKE HIS PROMISES HEB 6: 13- 15 17 -18 , GOD EMBODIES ALL TRUTH , THEREFORE HE CANNOT LIE. BECAUSE GOD IS TRUTH, ISRAEL CAN BE SURE IN HIS PROMISES - GOD DOES NOT CHANGE HIS PLANS. ISRAEL MIGHT BE LOST (IN THE WILDERNESS) BUT THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.
PAUL WANTS THEM TO KNOW THAT GOD HAS NOT FINISHED WITH ISRAEL, IN THE PRESENT IT MEANS THERE IS STILL A REMNANT CHOSEN BY GRACE V5 TO BE SAVED . SO THE REJECTION OF ISRAEL IS AT PRESENT ONLY PARTIAL THERE IS A BELIEVING REMNANT WHO WILL BE SAVED. TO SUBSTANTIATE HS FIRST CLAIM PAUL BRINGS FORWARD THREE PIECES OF EVIDENCE:
1. 1ST PIECE OF EVIDENCE IS PERSONAL V1 .
HE’S SAYING LOOK GOD HASN’T REJECTED ISRAEL BECAUSE I’M LIVING PROOF … LOOK AT ME… I’M A JEW FROM THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN A DESCENDANT OF ISRAEL…. AND GOD HAS SAVED ME ….IF GOD HAS REJECTED ISRAEL HE WOULD HAVE REJECTED ME FOR I AM A JEW MYSELF!
HE CONFIRMED EARLIER JEWS WERE BEING SAVED 9:24, HE TOOK HOLD OF ISAIAH’S PROPHETIC VOICE TO ISRAEL AND APPLIES IT TO THEIR PRESENT SITUATION IN ROM: 9:27 ISAIAH’S 10:22 PROPHETIC VOICE SPEAKING TO ISRAEL THAT A REMNANT WOULD BE SAVED.
ROM 9 29 , ISAIAH 1:9 . THAT UNLESS THE LORD ALMIGHTY HAD LEFT US DESCENDANTS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE SODOM AND GOMORRAH. YES THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF ISRAEL WHOSE HEARTS HAVE BEEN HARDENED 10:21 YET THEIR IS STILL A REMNANT WHO ARE BEING SAVED GOD HAS NOT ABANDONED US V5 THERE IS A REMNANT OF US CHOSEN BY GRACE. JUST LOOK AT ME!
APPLICATION: PAUL IS REFERRING TO HIS OWN CONVERSION AS A JEW AND TO THE JEWISH NATION AS ISRAEL. THAT GOD HAS NOT ABANDONED THE NATION BECAUSE IF HE HAD IT MEANS HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABANDONED ALSO. THIS SHOULD SPUR US ON TO SPEAK TO OTHERS WHO FEEL ABANDONED AND FORSAKEN IN LIFE, POINTING THEM TOO OUR OWN PERSONAL SALVATION BECAUSE IT IS LIVING PROOF TO OTHERS …THAT GOD HAS NOT ABANDONED THIS WORLD THAT IF PEOPLE CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD, LIKE WE DID! THEY TO WILL BE SAVED ROM. 10:12-13. OUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY IS A GREAT WITNESSING TOOL IN THE SALVATION OF OTHERS SO GOD HAS NOT FORSAKEN YOU JUST LOOK AT ME! HE SAVED ME! HE CAN SAVE YOU!
2ND PIECE OF EVIDENCE IS THEOLOGICAL. V2 GOD DID NOT REJECT HIS PEOPLE , WHOM HE FOREKNEW
INVOLVES GOD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE GOD DID NOT REJECT HIS PEOPLE THOSE ‘WHOM HE FOREKNEW’. PAUL INTRODUCED US TO THIS WORD EARLIER ROM 8:29. FOR THOSE GOD FOREKNEW HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE LIKENESS OF HIS SON . GODS ELECTING LOVE HIS CHOOSING OF US BEFOREHAND 1PET 1:1-2.
THIS REALLY CLARIFIES WHAT PAUL IS SAYING HERE: THOSE WHOM GOD FOREKNEW WILL NOT BE LEFT OUT, WILL NOT BE REJECTED BUT WILL BE SAVED AND GLORIFIED. THAT WITHIN ISRAEL THERE ARE ELECT INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE SAVED V7. THIS CONFIRMS WHAT PAUL HAD TOLD US EARLIER ROM 9: 6 NOT ALL DESCENDED FROM ISRAEL ARE ISRAEL.
SO GOD HAS NOT REJECTED THE NATION OF ISRAEL JUST AS HE HAS NOT REJECTED THE WORLD BECAUSE THEIR ARE GODS ELECT WITHIN THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND WITHIN THE WORLD.
THIS WONDERFUL TRUTH ABOUT GODS FOREKNOWLEDGE BRINGS A REAL SECURITY TO THE HEART AND MIND OF THE BELIEVER BECAUSE OUR SALVATION DOESN’T REST UPON OUR ENDEAVOURS BUT UPON FREE AND MERCIFUL CHOICE OF ALMIGHTY GOD. V5-6 CONFIRM THAT WE ARE NOT SAVED BY OUR ACTIONS BUT BY GODS GRACE AE WE SAVED. V7 ISRAEL SOUGHT IT (BY WORKS) BUT ONLY THE ELECT OBTAINED IT.
IT ALSO MEANS THAT WHEN WE ARE WITNESSING TO OTHERS WE CAN KNOW LIKE PAUL THAT GOD WILL SAVE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS WORLD..... SURELY THIS STIRS US UP FOR EVANGELISM.
THE LEAD SINGER OF THE WHO ROGER DALTREY HAS GOT HIS OWN TROUT FISHERY WHICH HAS BEEN STOCKED UP WITH THE FINEST FISH. SO THOSE WHO GO FISHING ARE GUARANTEED THAT THERE ARE FISH IN THE LAKE TO CATCH, YET NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED A CATCH. FOR YOU CAN BE POOR FISHERMEN.
SO AS WE GO OUT INTO THE WORLD WE KNOW THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE WHO WILL BE SAVED BECAUSE GOD HAS STOCKED THIS WORLD UP WITH PEOPLE TO BE SAVED. A REMNANT OF PEOPLE (JEW AND GENTILE TO BE SAVED) OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO GO... THOSE WHOM FREELY RESPOND AND BELIEVE ARE SIMPLY THOSE WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN BY GODS FOREKNOWLEDGE.
3RD PIECE OF EVIDENCE IS HISTORICAL. 2- 4.
PAUL THEN ASKS THEM TO LOOK BACK HISTORICALLY TO THE TIME OF ELIJAH THE PROPHET .......... THESE WERE DARK DAYS IT APPEARED THE NATION HAD TURNED IITS BACK UPON GOD. THE PEOPLE HAD FALLEN INTO IDOLATRY.... ELIJAH DID BATTLE WITH 400 PROPHETS OF BAAL ON MOUNT CARMEL AND A GREAT VICTORY WAS HAD.
YET ELIJAH FELL INTO A GREAT DEPRESSION AS QUEEN JEZEBEL SOUGHT THE DEATH OF ELIJAH. ELIJAH FLED FOR HIS LIFE HE DESIRED TO DIE BUT GOD PRESERVED HIS LIFE AND LED HIM TO A MOUNTAIN TOP WHERE GOD APPEARED IN A GENTLE WHISPER....ELIJAH’S COMPLAINT BEFORE GOD HE ALONE REMAINED FAITHFUL TO GOD, YET GOD ASSURED HIM THAT HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE LEFT AND THAT HE HAD LEFT 7000 WHO REMAINED FAITHFUL TO GOD. 1KIN 19:12, 18.
PAUL’S HISTORICAL REFERENCE OF ELIJAH IS APPLIED TO THE CURRENT SITUATION V6 AND SO TO TODAY AT THIS PRESENT TIME THERE IS A REMNANT CHOSEN BY GRACE.
DID YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL ARE ONE OF THE OLDEST PEOPLE GROUPS THEY HAVE SURVIVED FOR CENTURIES BECAUSE GOD HAS HAD HIS HAND UPON THEM, THROUGH THE MOST EVIL OF TIMES ASSYRIANS – BABYLONIANS - THE ROMANS – CONSIDER HITLER’S GERMANY THE ARABS GOD HAS PRESERVED A GROUP OF HIS PEOPLE. IT WAS THROUGH ISRAEL THAT GOD CHOSE TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO THE WORLD HE HAS ALWAYS SAVED A REMNANT THAT IS A HISTORICAL FACT.
A. WHAT WE APPLY TO THE ELECT OF ISRAEL - CAN BE APPLIED TO GODS ELECT CHURCH WHICH CONSTITUTES PEOPLE FROM EVERY TRIBE AND EVERY NATION THROUGHOUT HISTORY GOD HAS PRESERVED A REMNANT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HONOURED HIM,AND NOTHING IN THE WHOLE OF THE PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL WORLD WILL PREVENT GOD FROM BUILDING HIS CHURCH.
B. PEOPLE OFTEN TALK ABOUT HOW BLEAK THINGS ARE TODAY OUR SOCIETY IS SO MATERIALISTIC CHRISTIANITY SEEMS TO BE DWINDLING - THAT PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER GOING TO CHURCH - THESE ARE DARK TIMES FOR US , BRITAIN IS A SECULAR SOCIETY, THE TRUTH OF OUR SITUATION FITS INTO THIS HISTORICAL PICTURE – THAT GOD ALWAYS PRESERVES A REMNANT IN THE BLEAKEST OF TIMES .
SO PAUL HAS SHOWN US FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE - THEOLOGICALLY AND HISTORICALLY GOD HAS NOT FINISHED WITH ISRAEL THAT THE TRUE ISRAEL WILL NEVE WALK ALONE, BECAUSE THEIR IS A REMNANT CHOSEN BY GRACE AND THAT IS TRUE OF THIS WORLD ALSO. GOD HAS NOT FINISHED WITH IT BECAUSE THERE IS A REMNANT OF PEOPLE CHOSEN BY GRACE WHOM ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WHOM GOD WILL SAVE.
WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US? V7-10 WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES ONE QUESTION DO WE BELONG TO THIS REMNANT. PAUL SHOWS US HOW WE CAN DISTINGUISH WHETHER WE DO. THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS REMNANT IS TO BE FOUND:
GRACE: V5B CHOSEN BY GRACE THUS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH (TOTALLY UNDESERVED FAVOUR) AND NOT BY WORKS V6 YOU SEE IF IT WERE BY WORKS (OURSELVES) THEN IT WOULD NO LONGER BE GODS WORK OF GRACE AND WE WOULDN’T BE JUSTIFIED BT FAITH BUT BY WORKS.
V7 ONLY THE ELECT OBTAIN IT (SALVATION) WHO ARE THESE ELECT? THOSE WHO BY FAITH WHO CONFESS JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND BELIEVE IN THEIR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD WILL BE SAVED ROM 10:9.
WORKS:
BUT IF YOU ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO SATISFY GOD BY WHAT YOU DO.... LIVING TO SET STANDARDS, EVEN LIVING TO NO STANDARDS (ANTI-NOMINISM THE OTHER EXTREME) FOLLOWING RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS AND RITES.... YOU ARE PURSUING GOD BY WORKS THIS IS HOW ISRAEL SOUGHT TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD V7 YOU WILL NEVER OBTAIN IT.
STRICT WARNING ...HARDENING: V7 – 10 EVENTUALLY IF PEOPLE CONTINUALLY REJECT THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL THERE WILL COME A TIME AND GOD WILL REAFFIRM THEIR HARDENED HEARTS WITH HARDENING OF THEIR OWN HEARTS ALL THE MORE (CONSIDER PHARAOH) THIS WAS GODS PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR SIN - IT WAS CONFIRMATION OF HIS OWN STUBBORNESS – HE EXPERIENCED THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS OWN REBELLION TOWARDS GOD.
YET GODS ELECT OF ISRAEL WITH JEW OR GENTILE WILL NEVE WALK ALONE.
AMEN
