Romans 11: 1-12

(Romans 11: 1-12)

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.  God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.  And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.  Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

『I say then, Hath God cast away his people? The reason Paul begins with this question is that the disobedience of the Israelites and the wrath of God are mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The constant disobedience of the Israelites and the resulting wrath and judgment of God are also the greatest context that runs through the entire Bible. This question Paul asked was that the Israelites disobeyed God and God was angry, "I say then, Hath God cast away his people??" The answer to this question is “It is impossible.” In other words, God never abandoned Israel.

 

As a basis for the fact that God did not forsake His people, Paul tells the story of Elijah's day. The reason that God did not forsake his people is clearly evident throughout the Old Testament, even if it was not the story of the prophet Elijah. However, as to the reason why Paul brought up the story of the prophet Elijah, ``God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 』 Elijah is appealing to God against Israel. Idolists in power were killing all the prophets of God, tearing down the holy altars, and now even aiming for Elijah's life. Elijah is appealing to God for this dire situation in Israel. This was Paul's desperate heart that Elijah pleaded with God.

 

"I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 9:1)
In chapter 9, Paul begins the story of his own people, Israel. Paul's heart as he began to talk about his own people was as if revealing the deep pain that had been hidden for a long time. Paul was an apostle of the Gentiles whom everyone admitted. As an apostle of the Gentiles, Paul sowed the seeds of the Gospel everywhere he went and gathered the precious fruits of the Gospel in the midst of numerous sufferings and tribulations. But as the fruit of such great achievements and triumphs became more fruitful, the pain and pain became greater and greater deep within Paul. In fact, most of the afflictions and tribulations he suffered came from his own people, the Jews. Turning himself as an apostle of the Gentiles was an unavoidable choice due to the constant persecution and harassment of the Jews. Nevertheless, Paul groaned with deep sorrow beyond his thoughts of his own people. In this deep sorrow and sigh, Paul refers to the remnant of Israel.

 

『But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 』When looking at the history of Israel, the days of Israel's greatest prosperity were the days of David and Solomon. After Solomon's era, unified Israel was divided into North and South, and the divided Israel continued to decline, and eventually even the national defense was erased from history. Nevertheless, even in such a tragic history, God protected Israel, and it was through the “Remnant”. Even in the days of Elijah, God left those who did not kneel to Baal, and even in the situation where the country was destroyed by being trampled under the feet of the Gentiles, God continued the work of salvation through the remnant.

 

However, even the rest of them became stupid and did not understand God's will and continued to act against God. They were the Israelites who lived the same time as Paul. The fundamental reason for Paul's sighing is that the more God's grace among the Gentiles overflowed, the greater and deeper his sadness and groaning for his fellow Israelis.

 

In deep groaning and grief, Paul's conclusion to appeal to God for the Israelites, his own people, read, ``I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. .Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? Paul hopes for the day when Israel realizes and returns to God one day, so that one day both Jews and Gentiles worship God together.