God Isn't Done With Israel
by James Lincoln on August 20, 2006
Last Sunday we began to look at two questions Paul raised about Israel. When Israel rejected Jesus and the gospel He said, "The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation who will bear it fruits." (Mtt.21:43)" But did that mean that God had totally reject Israel (11:1)? Had God written her off completely? In vv.1-11 Paul said, "No!" and then he gave three reasons all flowing from His grace:
1. Paul himself was a converted Jew, even though he had rejected Jesus and even persecuted the church. He was on the receiving end of God's gracious choice and stood as living proof that God was not yet done with Israel. God forgives. Just as Paul's grievous sin didn't disqualify him or put him out of the pale of grace the same is true for Israel. 2. (v.2) Paul quotes 1Sam. 12:22 where God promised He would not forsake Israel His people because of His name sake. God has so tightly attached His name or His reputation and glory to Israel that to forsake Israel completely would diminish the glory of His grace and mercy. So, He has more grace yet to pour out on Israel.
3. God promised He would keep a remnant or (a piece) of Israel unto Himself to worship Him faithfully just as He kept 7,000 in Israel from worshipping Baal in the days of Elijah and just as He kept Abimelech from touching Sarah in Ge. 20:6. So, Paul says, "Look God hasn't forsaken Israel completely."
A New Question Beginning in v.11 he restates his question with a different emphasis. 11-32. This time the question is, "Has God forsaken Israel permanently?" When Israel stumbled over the cornerstone (Jesus) did she stumble or fall permanently with no future hope of recovery? Is God done with Israel as His people? Paul is introducing a time element here. Again his answer is "No." Let me organize his comments around three answers.
First, God is using the riches of His blessing on Gentile believers to whet Israel's appetite for those same blessings in Christ (11-15). Second, God's grace and power are so great that He is able and willing to graft dead natural branches (Israel) back into the root of Christ just as He was gracious and willing to graft wild branches (Gentiles) into the root of Christ. Third, God plans to save "all Israel" that is Jewish believers in Christ and Gentile believers who have both by grace been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel and who are now the true circumcision.
OK...Why is God not yet done with Israel? Why doesn't He just say to Israel, "That's enough. There is no future for you. Although He has just cause He doesn't"
First, Paul says God will use the riches of His blessings on Gentile believers to whet the appetite or to make Israel jealous for blessings that were originally offered to her (11:11-15).
"I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous." (11:11) NAS
Now, God is just doing what any parent, teacher or coach might do. Even a good boss might give extra privileges to a responsible or motivated worker to create a thirst or an incentive for those who are not so motivated. When I worked for Teamsters Platform Workers in Chicago they did this quite often.
Let me change illustrations. A few years ago I read that if you tie a red ribbon on a branch of your tomatoes early in the planting season your tomatoes will ripen quicker. Here's the theory. If one branch has red on it that will signal to the rest of the branches that they need to get with the program and start producing ripe tomatoes. Now that must be true because I read it in the Oregonian. I should say that I have tried it and I my tomatoes ripened before my neighbors. Perhaps there were other factors.
Here's the question for us who say that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. Are we demonstrating any riches of God's grace in such a way that would make anyone want to be like us? Do our lives reveal the riches of His grace? Paul's not talking about material wealth here. Are we rich in gratitude? Are we rich in faith? Are we rich in joy? Are we rich in love? Are we rich patience, kindness, wisdom, justice, integrity, love, peace, righteousness and contentment? Paul says that God's plan is to use the riches of his grace to whet the appetite of those (Israel) who don't know the blessings of grace. What about you?
He restates the same idea in vv 12-13. If Israel's transgression (her failure to trust in Jesus) led to the crucifixion which in turn gave the "riches" of salvation to the world... If God takes that which men intend for evil and redeems it for good... If God used the occasion of Israel's rejection to bring about the riches of our blessings in Christ, then how much more of a blessing will the fullness of her faith in Jesus be?! Notice that the fullness stands in contrast to their transgression and rejection. So what is the fullness? It can only be a time when Israel believes and obey the gospel in some glorious and extensive way.
And notice in v. 12 that he's talking about future blessings for Gentile believers. Now, this is beyond my imagination here. Because what blessings could possibly be greater for us than the riches of our salvation? I can only thing of one or two. One of course will be when Jesus returns and puts everything to rights. But until then there is only one other blessing greater than the riches of our salvation. And that is that those blessings would fall on more and more people. Whatever the "How much more" means... it must be an unimaginable future grace that Paul wants us to consider and anticipate. If God redeemed Israel's rejection for blessings how much more will He redeem her acceptance? It's hard to imagine. How often has this future reality encouraged you?
So in v. 13 Paul can magnify or celebrate his ministry to the Gentiles because God is going to use it to bring about glorious things beyond our imagination for both Jewish and Gentile believers in Jesus. His personal ambitions were modest. In v.14 he says, "If somehow I might be used to save some." He doesn't confuse arithmetic for faithfulness. But God's promise is huge.
There's even more. In v. 15 he adds another blessing, "For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?"
It's hard not to remember God's promise to Israel through Ezekiel. In Exk.37, God took Ezekiel to a dry barren desert valley full of dry dusty bones. He set Elijah down in the middle of the bones and made him walk past them and He asked him. "Ezekiel, can these bones live?" Remember they're dead as doornails. Ezekiel's thinking, "Is this a trick question?" Of course they can't live. They're dead! That is the only logical answer. But God is asking the question. If he factors in God there may be another answer. So, Ezekiel says the smart thing, "God you know if they can live." What did God tell Ezekiel to do? He told him to prophesy over the bones. Again this is an irrational thing to do unless God tells you to do it. He told him to preach to dead people. And say to dead people, "O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. " Then God said,
"Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. And I will put back sinews on you, make flesh to grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive and you will know that I am the Lord." "So, I preached and there came a noise and behold a rattling and the bones came together, bone to bone And I looked and behold sinews were on them and flesh grew and skin covered them but there was no breath in them. 9 Then He said to me Prophesy to the breath, and say to the breath 'Thus says the LORD Come from the four winds O breath and breathe on these slain that they come to life. So I prophesied...and the breath came into them and they came to life and stood on their feet and exceedingly great army." (Ezk.37:7-9)
Israel's acceptance will be like dead people coming alive... alive to God in Christ through faith. So, this is Paul's first answer to the question, "Is God done with Israel?" Oh No. God will use the riches of His blessings on Gentile believers to whet Israel's appetite for those same blessings to fall on her.
Charles Feinberg Some of you may know the name Charles Feinberg. He was a beloved theologian at Dallas Seminary. His son taught at Trinity Divinity School. Charles was a Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Pittsburgh and lived in an Orthodox Jewish home. They had what they called a "Sabbath Gentile"or a Gentile woman who was hired to serve them on the Sabbath. Their Sabbath Gentile just happened to be a Christian woman and radiated the blessings of Christ. Dr. Feinberg became jealous of the joy, hope and contentment that was so obvious in her life. He began to ask her questions that she was unable to answer. So she put him in touch with someone who could and Dr. Feinberg trusted Jesus as his Lord and savior. He became jealous, thirsty, and hungry for the rich blessings he saw in this Gentile Christian. As a result he found peace and joy in Jesus and began a heritage of faith in his family that continues to this day. God will use the riches of our blessings in Christ to whet the appetite of Israel for those same blessings. His second answer begins in v. 16-17. God is not yet done with Israel because
God will graft dead natural branches (Israel) back into the root of Christ just as He was gracious and willing to graft wild branches (Gentiles) into the root of Christ (16-26).
Some accuse Paul of being a city slicker who knew nothing about the way things work on the farm. C.H. Dodd said that no farmer would ever do what Paul suggests. Well, of course he wouldn't. Paul admits his illustration is "contrary to nature" in v. 24. He's stretching an illustration to make a point. Look, Paul knows that you don't graft in dead and wild branches onto a living olive tree. His point is that if the root is holy then the branches that have been grafted into it are also holy (16). It doesn't matter if they are dead or wild. Our God is an awesome God! He can make a living connection with both. The olive tree represents the commonwealth of Israel with all God's covenant blessings and callings. The root is The living Lord Jesus Christ.
In 18 Paul, says to the Gentile believers. "Look, don't get all proud and arrogant toward Israel because God broke them off and grafted you in. The root supports you. You wouldn't last a minute if Jesus wasn't keeping you and supporting you.
He says in v.20-22 you can only stand by your faith in Christ. So, He says, "Don't be conceited but fear. There's an appropriate fear that moves us to live right. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom?" God expects us to continue in the faith. Then he gives a warning.
A Warning If we stop believing and reject the gospel we too will be cut off. So, he says to "Behold both the kindness and the severity of God." He's kind to those who believe and severe to those who reject. John 3: 16 is the most famous passage of the Bible and it says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. His grace saves those who believe from perishing. I know it's a rarely mentioned motivation today but just because it lacks popularity doesn't make it less true. So believe. Trust in Jesus and receive his kindness not the severity of His judgment.
Paul says, "Look, someday God will graft the dead natural branches back into the root of Christ by grace just as He has grafted us wild branches in by faith in Christ. He's not yet done with Israel. So don't boast over Israel. In v.24, he suggests, "If it sounds ridiculous to you that God would graft in natural branches how much more ridiculous does it sound for God to graft in unnatural branches? You see his point. God is not yet done with Israel so don't start crowing over Israel and feeling superior. He will use the riches of His blessings on the Gentiles to whet her appetite and He will graft Israel back into the root by grace and through faith in Jesus just like Gentile believers have been grafted into Christ. His last answer goes like this..."Is God done with Israel?"
No...Israel's present hardness toward Jesus is temporary until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. In this way the mystery of the gospel will be realized. And all Israel will be saved.
Now, a Biblical mystery is not like an Agatha Christy mystery where she keeps you guessing about who done it. A Biblical mystery is something that God has revealed that we often have a hard time seeing or accepting. Here's the mystery. Israel's hardening has happened until the full number of Gentile believers has been grafted into Christ and the commonwealth of Israel and then all of Israel who believe will be saved. In the context here "All Israel" in my mind has to be both the natural branches (Israel) who have believed in Christ and the wild branches in Christ who have been grafted into Christ and the commonwealth of Israel as well. In 9:6 Paul said, "Not all of Israel are of Israel." I know that it is staggering but Paul teaches that ethnicity is not enough to claim one's identity as a Jew. And in Galatians he proclaims that anyone who believes in Christ is a child of Abraham, folded into the covenant promises and the true circumcision. So, all Israel will be saved. None will be left out Jew and Gentile believers. Then he says,
"The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." Rom 11:26-27
Now, everyone wants to know when this takes place. I wish I could give you the answer. It would have been great if Paul would have said when. But notice that he doesn't. If there were ever a place where he could have set us straight on the timing and time table of these things, this would have been it. But beloved notice that he doesn't. He makes no mention of the 144,000, the tribulation, the man of lawlessness or the common market. Some speak and write today as if they knew more than Paul. He doesn't answer the question of when.
However, he does say, just as the prophets said: The Deliverer will come from Zion and He will remove ungodliness form Jacob. The Lord says, "This is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins." Is this referring to Jesus' first coming? Is it His second coming? Is it somehow a reference to both the Paul telescopes together? I don't know. I think the answer is unimportant. What is important is that it's a certainty that is guaranteed by the covenant God made to Israel and Jesus will do it. God is not yet done with Israel. Some day all Israel will be saved and all Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ will be united to Jesus as one people of God bearing an enormous harvest of fruit for His Glory and Kingdom.
OK. Let me make some applications.
1. Four times in this chapter Paul speaks of the gospel as about being "saved' or "spared". So, we must ask, "Saved from what or spared from what?" His heart doesn't break primarily because Israel may have low self esteem or even because of the agonizing troubles that life can bring in the here and the now. His heart breaks because without Christ they will perish in hell (cf. chapters 1-3). He's grieved that they spend eternity suffering the just penalty of their sin. Are we? Could it be that our hearts don't break like Paul's did because we don't have the same awareness or motivation? Again, John 3:16 says, "...whosoever believes in Him will not perish...will not perish.." Do you ever hear this anymore as Jesus' reason for coming, living and dying? I don't know if we will ever have the heart and resolved to spread hope in Jesus without some sense of the destiny of those who perish without Christ. I think my heart resists this as being too unpopular or intolerable for people to accept. I'm told that post moderns don't respond to such things and they don't want to here about hell. Well, who does? But you know...sometimes we need to hear things we don't want to hear. Christianity is not a popularity contest. At least I hope it hasn't come to that. It's about hearing from God. Recently Tom Brokaw visited a mega evangelical church. He spoke to the minister afterwards and asked him why he didn't hear the message that Christ came to save sinners from hell and condemnation. The minister said something about the world needing a kinder and gentler Jesus. I think we need Jesus as he is. And He came to give us eternal life and save us from perishing in hell. To overlook Paul's motivation for preaching would be to distort his purpose. Jesus saves. And he saves us from an eternity without God, His grace and blessing. He saves us from eternal judgment and condemnation. So, flee the wrath to come and believe in Jesus.
2. Paul repeats a theme in this chapter three times: "Don't be arrogant...don't be conceited...don't be wise in your own estimation of yourself." Humility is necessary if we're going to know what it means to bear witness to the gospel. The gospel is about the reconciliation that comes from love, forgiveness and humility. The pride that comes so natural to us can easily distort this blessing. We have to ask ourselves, "Is my pride and sense of superiority standing in the way of that witness? I often stand in need of your forgiveness for thinking...I'm right, my way is best... So, let's humble ourselves before God and each other and let's ask each other from sincere hearts, "How can I serve you?' You may not be able to do all that others ask of you. But we can humble ourselves before God and each other.
3. The blessings of being in Christ could not be more rich and abundant. By faith in Jesus and by His gracious choice we have been united to Jesus who is the root of Jesse, the Good Shepherd, Great Physician, the Prince of Peace, the one who binds up the broken hearted. Isaiah tells us a bruised reed he will not break a smolder wick he will not blow out. Do you know about this? Do you know that when your soul is bruised that Jesus won't break you? Instead He will dedicate His mercy and love to heal and repair. He's gentle and meek, forgiving and kind. In Him we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Through faith in him we Gentiles have been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel. We are as Paul says the true circumcision. We are the true children of Abraham. We are a holy priesthood... a holy nation... all the promises of God find their "Yes" in Jesus.
We were once not a people but have now become the people of God. All of this is by His gracious choice. And the future he holds out to us here is staggering. If Israel's unbelief brought to us such blessing how much more will the fullness of her acceptance and belief bring? Let's be patient. Eye has not seen nor ear heard of the things the Lord has in store for those who Love him. So, let's love the Lord with Joy and gladness and patience and faith. He will get us there. Maybe our ship won't get there without being beaten up and bruised but it'll get there and when it does that will be glory!