Wild Olive Branches

NOTE: This blog counts for 2.

• Read: Romans 11:1-36
• Memorize: 11:33-36
  

In Bible studies on many of the great stories of men and women of faith who fail at some point. Sometimes I will hear people say "that is so dumb, there's no way I would have made that mistake." Adam ate the fruit, Jacob lied to his father to steal his brother's blessing, Peter lost faith and started to sink, Peter denied Christ three times on the night of Jesus' trial, the disciples all fled and scattered. We might fall into the same trap of arrogant self righteousness if we think that we stand by our own strength. Each of these men failed because they depended on their own strength, they thought they were strong enough; Peter even proclaimed "I will never deny you!" just before saying "I never knew the man." We walk by faith and stand firm by God's mercy, and if we ever forget it, then we will end up like those many before us who thought that they had everything under control...

Romans 11 speaks of Israel's response as a nation to the salvation of God. Because they had much enthusiasm for being "righteous", they rejected the notion that they had need of a savior. Their outer facade of self-righteousness could fool some people, but not the Lord, who knows the hearts of men. And so God rejected the very people that he had chosen and called before the beginning of time. This rejection was based on the unbelief of the nation as a whole, and yet there remained a remnant of individuals who had true faith.

God's call and gifts (vs. 29) are irrevocable, which means that the position of being God's chosen people, and the possession of the great promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still continues on. These were all based on God's own goodness, a goodness which has not changed despite the rebellion of the nation of Israel. This is also expressed in the idea of God's foreknowledge of Israel. (vs. 2) When Paul says that God foreknew Israel, he means that God actually had a relationship with them before they existed. (Take a moment and wrap your mind around that concept!) This isn't just knowing that they would exist in the future, but actually knowing them.

Israel as a nation was rejected because of unbelief, and the time will come very soon when gentiles as a whole will also be rejected for their unbelief. But even in these times of rejection, God will reserve for himself a remnant of people who truly believe.

We must be careful to maintain our humility because we participate in the blessings of salvation and fellowship with God by his mercy. We are not better than Israel; we have no merit of heart or action to sway God's decision. To emphasis this Paul declares that "if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either." This is not to say that we can be saved, then lose salvation, but rather that gentiles as a whole now enjoy the blessings of God's mercy. It also gives us a grim reminder that God's patience will not endure forever and when the time for judgment comes, all the arrogant self-righteousness in the world will not help any Jew or gentile to avoid the wrath of God's rejection.

Praise God that in his great plan he saw fit to save me, and to graft me into the nourishing root.
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Comment:

1. Is God done with Israel as a nation? (Hint: see verse 1)
2. What is the purpose for Israel's temporary estrangement? (Hint: see verses 11, 19)
   
3. On what basis are gentiles "grafted into the root"?
4. How should we respond to our position of being in God's blessing? Why