God’s faithfulness in saving Israel: (chap.11)
Most of the Jews have rejected the Gospel as we see in (Rom.9 & 10). Does it mean that God has not been faithful to His promise? Paul says ‘no.’ God is faithful to His promise. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Lk.21:33). In (chap.11) the apostle Paul emphasizes God’s surprising plan for the people of Israel.
God has kept a remnant in Israel: (11:1-6):
Apostle Paul asks a question, did God reject His people? By no means. Israel has heard the message of God, but refused to accept. God has absolutely not rejected His people. For Paul himself was an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. This is one such proof that God has not abandoned His people.
- God did not reject whom He foreknew: (11:2-3a)): Here the word “foreknew” means those who had a covenant relationship with God. God made covenant with Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand in the sea shore.
- God reserved Seven thousand during the reign of wicked King Ahab: (11:3-5). Paul quotes a reference from the Scripture during the time of Elijah. Elijah replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left and now they are trying to kill me too.” The Lord said to him “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him” (1 Ki.19:14,18). Paul pacified the Jews, that they need not despair. God’s grace is abundant that it is more than our rejection. God still loves us.
- God reserves His children in every generation: (11:6): In every generation, God has kept his children in spite of the severe situation. Today also we see there is wickedness rampant in every society, state and country, yet God has kept his own people. In every generation God’s people stood out for God’s cause sacrificing their lives. Each generation is responsible for their generation. It is like a relay race. If any generation fails to do God’s work, or do not pass on the Gospel, we can never have the Gospel. Twentieth century was the bloodiest century because more blood was spilled than all 19-centuries put together. Yet God had used wonderful people viz. William Carey, Spurgeon, DL Moody, John Wesley, Billy Graham, Hudson Taylor etc.
In Paul’s day thousands of Jews believed in Christ. There was remnant, a small percentage of Jews who believed and accepted Christ. They were chosen by grace, not by their zeal for the law. Presently the situation is also as bad as in the days of Elijah, yet God has reserved His children in each and every country by His grace. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph.2:8-9).
Many times we think that God needs lot of people to do His great work, but often God works through small groups and humble beginnings in a big way to bring mighty revival.
God’s right to chose a remnant according to election grace: (11:7-10):
The apostle Paul asks a second question: Why then? why didn’t Israel get what they have asked for? Yes, God is righteous. Israel rejected God’s gracious gift but relied upon the Mosaic Law. They have not obtained what they earnestly desired.
- Received in God’s election:(11:7): But in God’s election, they have obtained it. God chose a remnant . It is only grace and no longer works. Grace is nothing but the free gift of God. Grace and works do not go together. The elect have received and responded to the mercy of God. The rest have hardened their hearts.”Yet to all who received Him to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (Jn1:12). “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God” (1 Jn.3:1a).
- Rejected ones received a spirit of stupor: (11:7): But those who chose to reject Him or hardened their hearts or shut their eyes against the light are in the very circumstances of those mentioned by the prophet Isaiah: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear to this very day” (Isa. 29:10, Deu.29:4). A spirit of stupor an attitude of deadness towards spiritual things. They had wilfully closed their eyes against the light, so God in his judgment, given them up to the spirit of slumber.
“The very word and revelation of God which should have awakened their consciences, and opened their eyes and ears, had caused a very different action. Because they did not receive the truth in the love thereof, that which would otherwise have been the saviour of life unto life, has become the saviour of death unto death; and this continues to the present day.” (thought taken from Adam Clarke’s commentary)
“The idea is that men are sitting feasting comfortably at their banquet; and their very sense of safety has become their ruin. They are so secure in the fancied safety that the enemy can come upon them unaware” (Barclay).
The Jews of Paul’s day were so secure in their idea of being the chosen people that the very idea became the thing that ruined them.
- The rejected ones received punishment: 11:9-10): If people refuse to hear God’s word, make their hearts hardened, they will eventually be punished. Continuing from what the prophet Isaiah (29:10) said, the apostle Paul once again refers to what David said: (Ps.69:22-23). This psalm is a Messianic psalm, referred several times in New Testament. Their tables become burdens and judgements instead of blessings. Their very blessings would become curses to them, their mercies would become a retribution for them. Instead of enjoying the earthly blessings, they stumble over and fall down and receive punishment. It is very sorry state of affairs that people depended on religious rituals and practices instead of trusting in Christ in every generation. However
God has a future for the nation. “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (11:25b). The existence of the believing Jewish remnant today, as in Elijah’s day, is evidence that God still has a plan for His people. Paul did not imitate like Elijah to say: “Lord I only am left!” But he knew that God has preserved a remnant of Israel in this world who trusted God.