Lesson 147

Romans Chapter Eleven

The Faithfulness of God

Grace and the Future of Israel

11:28-29. Here Paul summarizes God's dealings with Israel and with the Gentiles. [corporately]

In order for God to bring the gospel to Gentiles He had to deal with Israel corporately as enemies.

- me.n...... de. structure gives us the logical sequence;

- me.n on the one hand according to the standard of the gospel, Israel is God's enemy;

- de. On the other hand according to the standard of His choice (they are) beloved because of the fathers;

This is another reason Israel's hardening must be temporary and she must finally be saved corporately: God chose her. Can God go back on His word?

A point made very forcefully in vs:29. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (lit., "for not repented of are the grace-gifts and the calling of God").

What He gives and whom He calls is irrevocable; that is He will not change His mind and will not regret not changing His mind.

He called Israel to be His earthly people (Isa. 48:12), separate from the rest of the nations.

- Here Paul places the word first in the sentence, places great emphasis on the fact that God will not and does not change His mind.

- "Calling" = klh/sij refers to God's bringing into existence and preservation of the nation Israel for a special purpose and role in history.

- All these things, are irrevocable, that is, something that God will never change His mind on or regret in any way.

11:30-32. The Gentiles to whom Paul wrote were at one time disobedient to God, but in this Age of Grace Gentiles (you) have now received mercy.

Consistent theme here is that man is recipient of God’s mercy!

Israel now at this time, is now corporately disobedient to God, broken off branches, so that now God's mercy, the offer of salvation through Christ might come to the Gentiles (you) until it reaches its full number (Rom. 11:25), at that time Israel will again receive mercy (cf. vv. 26-27); They will be regrafted in.

In Rom 1-3 Paul proved exactly what is said here in vs:32;

For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

"Both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin" (3:9), So that "there is no distinction" (3:22). "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (3:23).

When we first read verse 32, we might get the idea that God has arbitrarily condemned both Jews and Gentiles to unbelief, and that there was nothing they could do about it.

The unbelief was their own doing. What the verse is saying is this: having found both Jews and Gentiles disobedient, God is pictured as imprisoning them both in that condition, so that there would be no way out for them except on His terms.

We must know the Word of God and flowing from that, we must have strong convictions about what God's plan and purposes are!

From the context, what can we add to our convictions?

God accomplishes all that He promises. God finishes what He starts.

God's commitments to the patriarchs, to Israel as His beloved people were literal, and so will their fulfillment be. God keeps His promises.

He promised to set this people apart, to sanctify them, and through them to bless the whole world.

This He has done, in part, through their disobedience, now and through their future salvation and restoration.

Two dominant themes are found in verses 30-32.

The first is disobedience, and the second is mercy.

First, Paul emphasized that disobedience is the occasion for God's grace and mercy.

- The disobedience of men sets the scene for God to display His grace toward sinners by providing everything needed for salvation, forgiveness of sins, the gift of eternal life, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.

Second, Paul emphasizes that there is really no distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles in that both were disobedient sinners saved by grace.

TO THE PRAISE OF GOD (11:33-36 a hymn of praise)

This concluding doxology I believe also reflects Paul's response to the fantastic truth of this Epistle and the divine wonders that have been unfolded.

What has been unfolded to this point?

1. Paul has expounded the marvelous plan of salvation by which a just God can save ungodly sinners and still be just in doing so.

2. He has shown how Christ's work brought more glory to God and more blessing to men than Adam lost through his sin in the garden.

3. He has described the fantastic provision of our identification with Christ in His death and the fact that we're raised together with Him so that we're able to walk in newness of life.

4. He has explained how living under grace, being motivated by grace produces holy living in a way that law could and will never do.

5. He has traced the unbreakable chain of God's purpose from foreknowledge to eventual glorification. [eternal security]

6. He has set forth the doctrine of sovereign election and the companion doctrine of human responsibility.

7. And he has traced the justice and harmony of God's dispensational dealings with Israel and the nations, the Gentiles.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

The riches of God! He is rich in mercy, love, grace, faithfulness, power, and goodness.

And then to expand on the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge he says;

“How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!"

- There is a thread that runs through this verse as Paul speaks of the depths, the riches, are unsearchable and untrackable; what Paul is emphasizing is that the wisdom, the knowledge the judgments and the ways of God are inexhaustible, that is they cannot be tapped out.