ISRAEL: PART 2 Romans 11:16-29

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1 ISRAEL: PART 2 Romans 11:16-29 Has God rejected the nation of Israel? That s a question that we dug into last Sunday. We looked at God s Pursuit of Israel (1-6) God s Problem with Israel (7-10) God s Purpose for Israel (11-15) After studying those verses we came away with a clear understanding that God has not cut Israel out of His redemptive plan for the human race. Do you remember our take-away truth from last week? Here it is in case you forgot or you were not here. GOD REMAINS FAITHFUL EVEN WHEN WE ARE UNFAITHFUL! If you need proof that God is faithful, I don t think you need to search any longer. Just feast your eyes on the nation of Israel and you will see the single most important example of God s faithfulness in the entire world. Keep this in mind: God s faithfulness is set against the backdrop of Israel s lack of faithfulness to their God. Obviously the height of their unfaithfulness reached its apex when they called for the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah. Now, in the same vein as last week, let s look carefully at our text today. There are some tremendous truths 1

2 we need to pull out of the Scriptures and apply to our own lives. 1. A PICTURE TO PONDER (16) 11:16 If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also Paul s reference is to the first fruit offering in Numbers 15. Paul s logic is this all the dough is holy if the first piece is. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you enter the land where I bring you, then it shall be, that when you eat of the food of the land, you shall lift up an offering to the LORD. Of the first of your dough you shall lift up a cake as an offering; as the offering of the threshing floor, so you shall lift it up. From the first of your dough you shall give to the LORD an offering throughout your generations. (Numbers 15:17 21, NASB95) And if the root is holy, the branches are too God accepted the founder of the nation (the root), Abraham, and in so doing set apart his descendants as well. God also accepted the other patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob, in spite of their sins or failings. The obvious implication here is that if God accepts Abraham, Isaac, 2

3 and Jacob, then He will keep His promises to them concerning their descendants the nation of Israel. GOD NEVER FAILS AT ANYTHING HE DOES! In verses 17-24, Paul builds on this picture of the tree by referring specifically to the Olive Tree. This brings us secondly to 2. A LESSON TO LEARN (17) Last week we learned that God never fails at anything He does. I mean, it s not like God had to come up with Plan B when Israel rejected Jesus Christ. The church was never a secondary option for God because God has only one plan of redemption, and before the creation of the world God knew exactly how He would assimilate Israel and the church into His plan to save the human race from its sins. So the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to use the image of the Olive Tree to explain this whole process to people just like you and me. 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree God made His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and He cannot deny it or change it. I want to make this 3

4 clear: God s covenant is what keeps Israel relevant as it relates to God s kingdom to this very day. 1 Many of the Jewish people did not believe. Paul pictured them as branches broken off the tree. But he saw an amazing thing taking place: Other branches were grafted into the tree to share in the life of the tree. These branches were the Gentiles, and they became partaker(s) with them of the rich root of the olive tree. Here is the defining illustration of the relationship that exists between Israel and the church. The normal process was to take a shoot from an olive that bears good fruit, though it does not grow vigorously, and graft it onto a wild olive stock, whose fruit is poor but which grows strongly. The result is a tree with vigorous growth which bears good olives. 2 What s the lesson to be learned? GOD IS SO GRACIOUS! The church is a part of the Olive Tree. We have joined with believing Jews to carry out God s plan of redemption. Listen, salvation is rooted in God s covenant with Abraham. Israel is not indebted to us; we are deeply indebted to them! 1 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter- Varsity Press, 1988),

5 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. (John 4:22, NASB95) So far we have seen that there is a picture to ponder and a lesson to learn. Now I want you to see that there is 3. AN ATTITUDE TO AVOID (18-19) 11:18 Do not be arrogant toward the branches The verb means boast against, exult over (BAGD cite its use by a gladiator boasting over his defeated foe). 3 This speaks of an attitude of superiority that a Gentile believer might develop toward an unbelieving Jew. Carried to its extreme, it can even result in anti- Semitism. Did you know that some of the most revered leaders in the church fell into this hate-mongering trap? Martin Luther 1543 What then shall we Christians do with this damned, rejected race of Jews? Since they live among us and we know about their lying and blasphemy and cursing, we 3 Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter- Varsity Press, 1988),

6 can not tolerate them if we do not wish to share in their lies, curses, and blasphemy. First, their synagogues should be set on fire, and whatever does not burn up should be covered or spread over with dirt so that no one may ever be able to see a cinder or stone of it. And this ought to be done for the honor of God and of Christianity in order that God may see that we are Christians, and that we have not wittingly tolerated or approved of such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of His Son and His Christians. Secondly, their homes should likewise be broken down and destroyed. For they perpetrate the same things there that they do in their synagogues. For this reason they ought to be put under one roof or in a stable, like gypsies, in order that they may realize that they are not masters in our land, as they boast, but miserable captives, as they complain of incessantly before God with bitter wailing. John Calvin Their [the Jews ] rotten and unbending stiffneckedness deserves that they be oppressed unendingly and without measure or end and that they die in their misery without the pity of anyone. But if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you 6

7 We are blessed because we have been grafted into the stock of Semitic blessing. We partake of all the blessings of salvation because we are grafted into the covenant that God made with Abraham. Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU. So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:6 9, NASB95) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us for it is written, CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:13 14, NASB95) The graft from a wild olive into a good olive tree has no cause for feelings of superiority. 4 11:19-20 You will say then, Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right, they were broken off 4 Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter- Varsity Press, 1988),

8 for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear The issue isn't who is better and who is worse; the issue isn't racial; the issue isn't ethnic; the issue isn't intellectual superiority or any other thing. The issue is faith. They didn't believe in Jesus! If God didn't spare them in their unbelief, then believe this, folks He won't spare Gentiles in their unbelief either. The word fear speaks of awe and reverence! Listen, if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, you have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus alone. You contributed nothing toward your salvation. Don t ever be guilty of pride and arrogance toward anyone including Jewish believers and unbelievers. 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either Paul is giving a strong and unmistakable warning to his readers not to presume on God s mercy. 5 11:22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God. To those who fell, severity, but to you, God s kindness 5 Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter- Varsity Press, 1988),

9 God s sternness is seen in His dealings with faithless Israel. He cut them off. God s kindness is seen in the inclusion into His family of those who at one time were foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world (Eph. 2:12). If you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off Paul is warning against a false sense of security. There is a humble security that leans constantly on the kindness of God, and there is a proud self-dependence and self-righteousness that scorns any need of help. It is the latter against which Paul is warning. 6 There is no place for smug complacency for either the unbelieving Jew or the unbelieving Gentile! 11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again Paul is referring to unbelieving Jews becoming believers. Obviously if they were cut out because of their deliberate unbelief, they could be brought in again 6 Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter- Varsity Press, 1988),

10 if they turned to God in faith. However, the primary thing that creates the possibility is the power of God. God is able to save them if they will come to Him in faith. Our God is a God who specializes in doing the difficult and even the impossible thing. Our God is mighty to save! The destiny of Israel can and will be reversed. 11:24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? The Gentile was cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature. It was contrary to nature that Gentile believers were grafted into a cultivated olive tree Israel. God is not bound by the limits of what people see as natural. GOD IS GOD AND WE AREN T! ''How much more" is an appeal to reason. Really it is unreasonable to expect that anyone would be saved, but standing where the Apostle stood it seemed more probable to expect the future salvation of Israel than even the salvation of the Gentiles. 10

11 So far we have seen that there is a picture to ponder, a lesson to learn and an attitude to avoid. Now I want you to see that there is 4. A TRUTH TO TREASURE (25-29) 11:25 Until now Paul has spoken of a remnant of Israel that is saved while the bulk of the nation has experienced a partial and temporary hardening. Now he looks forward to the time when all Israel will be saved. 7 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel Paul used the word MYSTERY in reference to something that was formerly hidden but now is revealed by God so that all may understand. That mystery centered on the salvation of Israel. The mystery was that Israel was set aside partially and temporarily. The Jew in the Old Testament never saw that. He saw the nation Israel going along as the blessed people of God and some day the Messiah would come and 7 Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter- Varsity Press, 1988),

12 establish His Kingdom. He didn't see their total rejection and their being cut off the place of blessing and a new people being grafted in, the church, and then becoming the source of witness in the world. They couldn t see the church being cut off by apostasy and the Jew being grafted back in when the fullness of the Gentiles had come in. That's the mystery that Paul is unfolding. [John MacArthur] Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in What is the fullness of the Gentiles? Today God in His grace is visiting the Gentiles and taking out a people for His name (Acts 15:12 14). After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT. (Acts 15:13 16, NASB95) Individual Jews are being saved, of course; but this present age is primarily a time when God is visiting the Gentiles and building His church. When this present age has run its course, and the fullness of the Gentiles has 12

13 come in, then God will once more deal with the nation of Israel. 8 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. As he has done before in Romans, Paul draws on several Old Testament prophetic passages to put together a description of future events, in this case, Isaiah 59:20 21, 27:9 and Jeremiah 31: When we say all we mean the nation Israel, but that does not mean every single individual Jew alive at that time will be saved. Oh, what a glorious day it will be when massive numbers of Jews turn to their Messiah in saving faith! The world will be rocked by God s supernatural activity. 11:27 THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS. An important feature of God s covenant salvation is that sin will no longer be there to disrupt relationships. The saved will live in unbroken fellowship with God. 9 8 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996),

14 11:28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake The Jewish people are enemies to the believing Gentiles because of their hostile attitude toward the gospel. Because of their stubborn resistance to the good news of Jesus Christ, they are objects of divine discipline. They have been partially hardened. But from the standpoint of God s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers God s purpose in all this was that the Gentiles would have a glorious gate of salvation opened to them so that they could receive the blessings of covenant salvation that had been promised to Abraham and his descendants. The fact that God chose Israel to be the only covenant nation on earth means that they are loved on account of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! Paul is talking about the place of Israel in God s eternal plan of redemption. 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 9 Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter- Varsity Press, 1988),

15 In the Greek the first word of this verse is irrevocable; God does not change His mind after He has made promises or instituted covenants. What God has done and said stands. GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES! You can rely on Him! Isn t that a truth to treasure? He will do all this regardless of what sinful Gentiles and Jews might do. What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? (Romans 3:3, NASB95) CONCLUSION We can learn so much by studying how God has responded to Israel as His covenant nation. In fact, today we have locked in on four important points. 1. A PICTURE TO PONDER (16) God never fails at anything He attempts to do! 2. A LESSON TO LEARN (17) God is so gracious! The church has joined with believing Jews to form ONE OLIVE TREE and to carry out God s plan of redemption. Listen, salvation is rooted in God s covenant with Abraham. Israel is not indebted to us; we are deeply indebted to them! 15

16 3. AN ATTITUDE TO AVOID (18-24) God is God and we aren t! There is no room for the Christian to develop a sense of pride concerning his/her salvation. Surely we must never be guilty of falling into the trap of anti-semitism. 4. A TRUTH TO TREASURE (25-29) God always keeps His promises! That fact gives us a security we can t find anywhere else. Will you glorify God today by turning from your sins and your self-righteousness and instead turn to Jesus in faith? He can apply to your soul and your life the blessings of His cross and His resurrection, and in so doing link you with the covenant blessing of Abraham. The issue is faith not how good you are, not how spiritual you are, not how intelligent you are, not how religious you are. Will you trust Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord? Believer, will you worship God for who He is and not who you want Him to be? Being so richly blessed with a salvation we don t deserve, can we not love Jesus and live for Him with everything we have? Devote your life to Him! GOD REMAINS FAITHFUL EVEN WHEN WE ARE UNFAITHFUL! 16