Romans 11
(1) God Did Keep Some Israelites Close
Does that mean that God rejected his people? Of course not! Because I am also Abraham’s descendant and an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin. God hasn’t rejected the people He knew beforehand. Remember what the writings say about Elijah pleading with God against Israel:
“Existing One, they’ve killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I’m the only one left, and now they want to take my life!”
— 1 Kings 19:10
And how does God respond to him?
“I’ve kept 7,000 people for myself who haven’t bowed to Baal.”
— 1 Kings 19:18
Similarly, there are a few Israelites today who God has graciously chosen. But since it’s by grace, it isn’t dependent on actions anymore (or else it wouldn’t be grace).
Israel was blind to God
So where does that leave us? Israel didn’t obtain what it was looking for, and the chosen people obtained it instead while everyone else became calloused. Just like it’s written:
“God gave them a numbed spirit: eyes that couldn’t see and ears that couldn’t hear, even to this very day.”
— Isaiah 29:10
And David says:
“Let their money become a snare and a trap. Let it be the rock that trips them and their payback. Darken their eyes so they can’t see, and snap their backs forever.”
— Psalm 69:22–23
Israel’s failure led to salvation for non-Israelites
And now I ask: did they trip up so badly that they fell? Of course not! Israel’s missteps are what made salvation possible for the non-Israelites (for the purpose of making the Israelites jealous). Now if their misstep is worldly riches, and that failure produced riches for the non-Israelites, then how much more glorious will their fulfillment be! (But I digress since I’m writing to those of you who are non-Israelites.)
Since I’m a messenger to the non-Israelites, then I am accomplishing my job if I can somehow make some of my fellow Israelites jealous and save them. If their rejection caused the rest of the world to reconcile with God, then their reconciliation would be like life from the dead! If the first piece of dough is pure, then the rest of the lump is also pure. And if the root is godly, then the branches are godly too.
Entrusting God is what makes us his people
But if some of the branches were broken off and you were grafted in as a wild olive that feeds off of the root’s nutrients, then don’t brag to the other branches. Don’t be arrogant, because you’re not the one who supports the root—the root supports you! You might say:
“Look! Other branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
The reason why they were broken off was because of their lack of entrusting, and the reason you were grafted in was because of your entrusting. So instead of being conceited, you should be afraid. Because if God didn’t spare the original branches, then he won’t spare you either. Notice both God’s kindness and his sharpness: he showed sharpness to the people who fell, but kindness to you (if you remain in his kindness… or else you’ll be chopped off too). And if the ones who were chopped off don’t remain in their independence, then they’ll be grafted back in (because God can do that). You were removed from your natural olive tree in the wild and were unnaturally grafted into the Gardener’s tree—so then how much more eagerly will the natural branches be grafted back into their natural olive tree?
(25) God is Using Israelites and Non-Israelites to Save Each Other
Fellow believers, I want you to be aware of this mystery so that you don’t get shrewd about it: Israel has been partially calloused until the non-Israelites reach completion. Just like it’s written:
“The Rescuer will come from Israel and will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
— Isaiah 59:20
“This is my arrangement with them when I take away their corruption.”
— Isaiah 59:21 + 27:9
According to the good news, you are the Israelites’ rivals—but according to God’s choice, Israel is loved for the sake of the patriarchs. After all, no one ever regrets it when God calls them to salvation and gives them His gifts. YOU used to disobey God, but now He’s shown you mercy because of ISRAEL’S disobedience. In that same way, the Israelites have also been disobedient and can be shown mercy now that you’ve been shown mercy. God surrounded everyone with disobedience so He could extend mercy to us all.
(33) God’s Ways are so Incredible!
God’s wisdom and knowledge are so richly deep! We could never fully understand the sentences He issues, and we could never predict His course of action. Who could ever recognize the Authority’s intentions, and who could ever be His advisor? Who could ever give something to God in such a way that God owes him? Everything comes from Him and through Him. All the splendor infinitely belongs to Him for sure.