God is not done with His people, but He has purposely put a partial hardening over Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. What then is the future for the Jews?
“THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION,
HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.”
27“THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM,
WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”
▪︎ “mystery” was not some mysterious, mystical thing, it is just an explanation being supplied as facts unfold.
▪︎ “partial” is to be understood as a hardening extending over a part, ie, not everyone has a partial hardening, only a part (of the nation of Israel) is hardened.
• Rom 10:16 – some do heed the call.
• Rom 11:5 – includes remnant of Jews.
▪︎ “until” indicates that the hardening has an end, it is not forever, it is temporary.
▪︎ “happened” it is not by chance or luck or circumstance but rather this is a plan executed by God for His purposes.
• Rom 11:8 – God is in control.
• Rom 9:15,16 – God has mercy.
• Rom 10:12 – All the same.
• John 6:44 – God calls.
▪︎ “fullness” doesn’t mean that every single Gentile has to come in, but a significant group of those God chose has been brought into the family of God.
• Rom 11:12; Luke 21:24;
• Isa 59:20;
► God’s plan starts w/ Him… He chose:
• Not by works – Rom 4:2;
• It is a heart thing – Rom 4:3-4;
• Based on faith – Rom 4:5;
• He promised – Rom 4:16;
• He made an oath – Heb 6:17;
• Giving Hope – Heb 6:18;
• Anchor of the soul – Heb 6:19;
► Sin leads to death – Rom 6:23;
► Requirement – The Whole Law
• Gal 5:3;
• James 2:10;
► God’s grace is given to:
• The contrite- Ps 51:17; Isa 57:15, 66:2;
• God has limited patience – Gen 6:3; Neh 9:30;
33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’
AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’
26“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’
THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”
27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED; 28FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, THOROUGHLY AND QUICKLY.”
29And just as Isaiah foretold,
“UNLESS THE LORD OF SABAOTH HAD LEFT TO US A POSTERITY,
WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH.”
30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; ¨but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at ¨ law. ¨Why? Because ¨ not ¨ by faith, but as though ¨ by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
¨just as it is written,
“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENCE
AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
- i. It is suggested that the nation concept of Israel and Gentile (people groups, not individuals) is meant similar to how the concept of nations fits in with Rom 11:12 “Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!”
- f. “all Israel will be saved” Scholars have not agreement on this statement but many say things like this “that “all” bears a less exact reference here, as so often in Scripture, and means “in general;”—“Israel in general, the Jews of that day as a great aggregate, on a scale unknown before, shall be saved.” Examples include Is 59:20 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD.”
- When will the fullness of the Gentiles occur? Scriptures are not clear. Here is one explanation: “Paul seems to be building on the foundation of Daniel 9, in which is revealed a 490-year prophetic timeline after which God will accomplish His covenant blessings for Israel. After the first 483 years of the timeline, the Messiah was cut off (Daniel 9:26a), signaling a shift in the focus away from Israel as Gentiles (Rome) would dominate, and there would be wars and desolation. But one day in the future, the ruler who would be known as the Antichrist would make a seven-year agreement with Israel. That last seven years of the timeline would begin to return the focus back to Israel and would conclude the times of the Gentiles of which Jesus spoke in Luke 21:24.”
- a. Rom 11:29 “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” God keeps His promises, Jews will be saved.
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1. God promised Abram a significant list of things that would have made the Israelite nation the envy of the world. God told Abram to walk before Me and be blameless (Gen 17:1) God also gave His descendants detailed instructions for how He expected them to live (Ex 20:1-17). God said to teach your children these instructions (Deut 11:19, 31:11-13, Ps 78:5-8). (Looking for root causes in issues)
a. Based on Pastor Don’s showing how things all come back to the nuclear family and the history of Israel’s obedience track record, what can we consider may have happened that God has said
b. If we learn from history – how should we handle our kids’ education? (Who does God hold responsible?)
► It is certainly important, no question.
► God is sovereign, and brings to each person what is needed for them.
► Prayer is essential to moving the hand of God.
2. The Israelites had been presented the laws and rules many times (example Ex 24:7) so they couldn’t claim they didn’t know or hadn’t heard or other excuses, in fact here’s an example of what they said before they heard what God asked of them in Ex 19:8. However, history shows shortly later they sinned against God and God Himself provides this commentary on them – Is 1:2-9.
a. As we look for root causes, what might Jer 5:24a (Jer 5:20-31) and Deut 5:29 in a word indicate?
► The root problem is a problem with the heart.
► They have all the answers and cannot be reasoned with.
► Oh that they were humble and contrite in spirit.
b. Read Deut 29:4 and Rom 11:25. God is sovereign and in control of all including what’s happening in the Israel nation’s people’s hearts. God provides more explanations in Romans 9-11, however, one might observe that the Israelites had the much of the Old Testament and were taught in their synagogues yet they couldn’t grasp the issue of man’s heart is (Jer 17:9,10) the root issue/problem. The history was showing them they couldn’t change man’s heart by themselves, they needed help, it was beyond man’s capabilities (Rom 8:7d). Nicodemus seemed oblivious to this as Jesus said you must be born again. Man’s heart needs what two things from God as mentioned in these verses and lacking in the Israelites. (i. ref Eph 1:4-6; ii. ref John 16:8-9, Heb 3:19, II Cor 3:6c, John 3:8).
► Chosen by God for adoption
► Faith to believe God’s plan
► Motivation to receive God’s gracious gift
c. God typically uses audio (but not always) between men to awaken men’s hearts via the Holy Spirit bringing attention to guilt and sin. And it is often on an individual basis where we as individuals are involved, see Rom 10:9-10. Where do we fit in and are we looking for God’s lead for us to be involved?
► Start in prayer… neighbors, classmates, workmates, etc.
► Study the Word so that you know how to effectively communicate God’s message.
► Start a home Bible study using the Gospel of John notes under the menu trading Study.
3. God has lots in store for His chosen people, here’s some of what He has said. But, again, not all Israelites will be saved (ex. Heb 3:19, where perhaps some 600,000 men died 2 “deaths”) but a remnant as Rom 9:27 indicates. At the end of Paul’s discussion on the Jews he concludes with “For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (We’ll look at some more things in class
► God’s justice and holiness are requirements.
► Jesus’ death on the cross pays the payment for sin.
► All Christians have to walk by faith not by sight.
► The exact mechanism varies from situation to situation, person to person (e.g. the theif on the cross had a different path from that of Paul); however, in every case all three (3) of the initial points above are met.