Hi and welcome back. Before we get started with our Bible study I’d like to ask you to take a moment and pray for those people in the Ukraine. Pray for wisdom for our leaders that a peaceful resolution can be accomplished. Even as I’m saying this the bombings have started. But it is never too late for God to intervene. Pray like never before. There is power in prayer.
In our previous study we looked at how God used the gentiles to provoke the Israelites to jealousy.
Israel refused to accept the Messiah and their hearts were hardened. The gentiles who were pagans, were more receptive to the gospel message. There was an obvious change in their lives that made some of Israel jealous. So now we pick up chapter 11 verse 12.
Romans 11:12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
Because of Israel’s failure to accept the gospel message, that message went out to the rest of the world.
Israel’s loss was the gentiles’ gain. But on the day that Israel comes to Christ what a glorious day it will be. Because if Israel’s sin brought glory to the gentiles, then truly God’s glory will be magnified when his own people, His chosen people come to Christ.
Romans 11:13-14 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.
Paul’s title as an apostle to the gentiles was bestowed upon him by the Christ.
Paul has magnified or glorified his ministry to provoke the Jews to jealousy. As we had discussed in our previous podcast, he did so in order that they might be jealous and want what he has. Sometimes jealousy is a good thing.
Romans 11:15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
This verse is similar to verse 12 in that their rejection of the Gospel allowed for the reconciliation of the rest of the world. But at the time of their acceptance of Christ it will be life from the dead to them.
Romans 11:16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
In this verse Paul is using two metaphors.
If we look at numbers chapter 15 verses 19- 21 the dough was offered as a heave offering. The offering was consecrated to God. So it goes without saying that if one part of the dough is set apart, so is the whole lump. The reference to firstfruits refers to Abraham. Abraham was holy or set apart by God. Hence all of his descendants were set apart and were partakers of the privileges bestowed upon Abraham.
In the second metaphor the roots refer to Abraham; while his descendants are the branches.
Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,
The branches that are broken off represent the 12 tribes of Israel and those that are within those tribes who did not accept the Messiah.
While the wild olive shoot refers to the gentiles. Now that they are grafted in they get to share in that chosen status that God had reserved just for Israel.
It is important to realize that the trunk of the tree represents the line of privilege over the centuries.
It does not represent Israel.
Romans 11:18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.
Paul is telling the gentiles that they need not boast or have a holier than thou attitude towards the Jews.
Because it was not them that initiated the line of privilege, but rather it was the line of privilege that put them in the position that they get to partake of.
How blessed are we that we are part of that line of privilege.
What a blessing that we too can have that special relationship with our Lord and Savior.
Romans 11:19 Then you will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.
The gentile arrogance continues with the misconception that those branches were moved out of the way for them.
But the reality is those branches were broken off because they wouldn’t accept the Messiah.
Romans 11:20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe.
Yes the gentiles should stand fast in their faith, lest they fall.
Paul is telling them again to leave their pride behind and with awestruck wonder thank God for what has been freely given to them.
And so it should be with us. If we boast in our Christianity and laud it over those who are not accepting of Christ, we have fallen short in our faith. We have made a mockery of what it truly means to be a Christian.
Romans 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
Those natural branches, the chosen of Israel, were purged from that place of entitlement and privilege because they did not acknowledge the Messiah, the Christ. So, it will be with the gentiles also.
Romans 11:22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.
Paul is emphasizing that God’s kindness is towards those who remain steadfast in their faith.
But his severity or harshness is in direct proportion to their lack of faith. In this verse it states that if you fall away from your faith in Christ you will be cut off. Cut off in this sense does not mean cut off for eternity. It refers to their relationship and communion with God at the present time.
Romans 11:23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
So even those Jews who had been cut off can be restored if they come to Christ.
Romans 11:24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
The gentiles came from a wild olive tree and were not part of that natural tree and were grafted in.
Whereas the Jews were part of the cultivated olive tree. That being said it would be easier for the Jewish people to be grafted back in because they already had a special relationship with God.
Do you feel cut off and cast aside?
Has your faith been deadened by your own personal trials? Do you miss the relationship with Christ that you once enjoyed? I urge you to come back to your first love. The love of Christ. He is waiting for you and wants to restore that relationship. Don’t wait another day, come home and enjoy the peace that only He can bring.
As always I’d like to thank you for listening and may you have a week full of opportunities to share this good news with those that need to hear it.