Romans Series 2
4 - God Is Working His Purpose Out
In our study of Romans we have reached chapter 11 and the seventh verse. It says that what Israel sought so earnestly, namely a righteous standing before God, she did not obtain, but the elect did. The other Jews were hardened by refusing the way of faith. This is, in fact, a psychological law. When men refuse the truth, their hearts become hardened to the truth. ‘Hardened’ is linked to the noun ‘ porosis’ which is a medical word for a ‘callus.’ When a callus grows on any part of the body that part loses feeling. It becomes insensitive and hard.
In fact the spiritual dullness of the Jews had continued from Isaiah’s day to Paul’s day. They were seeking buried treasure in the wrong field – by works, not by faith. Rejection of God’s overtures leads to blindness. The Authorised Version of the Bible translates verse 8 as “God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see ... unto this day.”
Actually Israel’s refusal to respond wholeheartedly to God has enriched the world. Even now the Jews are serving a spiritual purpose in their very unbelief. They were instrumental in causing a vast transition of blessing to come to the Gentiles, due to their own refusal of blessing.
The Message paraphrase Bible puts it this way: “Ironically when they (the Jews) walked out, they left the door open and the outsiders walked in. But the next thing you know, the Jews were starting to wonder if perhaps they had walked out on a good thing. Now, if their leaving triggered this worldwide coming of non-Jewish outsiders to God’s kingdom, just imagine the effect of their coming back! What a homecoming!”
Verse 11 tells us that through believing Gentiles, the nation of Israel will be provoked to jealousy. Can you imagine non-Jewish Christians living such a brand new life and presenting such a radiant witness that the on-looking Jews will wonder, ‘What’s that Gentile doing with my God, my promises, my scriptures, my Messiah? I want all this for myself.’
Remember that part of the ancient promise was ‘all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ (Genesis chapter 12 verse 3)
The Greek word (parazçloô) - ‘provoke to jealousy’ - is very descriptive. It suggests the figure of a fire which is brought in contact with a pot of liquid and causes the pot to seethe and boil over. Believers will come into contact with Jews and create such fervent desire to know Christ.
Only a God as wise as our God could take the fall of Israel and turn it into salvation for the world. Israel would not allow Him to rule, so He overruled.
But know this. One day, in their multitudes, the Jews shall return to their rejected Messiah. One day the love of God will act like a solvent upon the nation with the callus on her heart. One day the veil will be taken away. There’s coming a day when the ubiquitous, cosmopolitan Jews will come back to the Son of David. What a positive power in world evangelisation that will be.
Romans chapter 11 verse 12 makes it abundantly clear that God is always ahead of the game. He is working His purposes out, as year succeeds year. He knows exactly what He is doing. He will use the blessings of the Gentiles as a magnet to attract the attention of wandering Israel. Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles, but how he longs to arouse his own people, the Jews, to envy and save some of them. Never forget that all the first Christians were converted Jews. Paul’s ulterior motive in going after Gentiles is to provoke the Jews to envy. He is the patient winner of scattered sheep.
Verse 15 reads, “If their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Moffatt translates the verse this way: “If their exclusion means that the world is reconciled to God, what will their admission mean? Why, it will be life from the dead!” God has, by no means, finished with His ancient people, the Jews. They have a great future in His eternal plan.
The Message Paraphrase Bible of chapter 11 verse 16 makes a rather difficult passage much clearer. It reads, ‘Behind and underneath all this there is a holy, God-planted, God-tended root. If the primary root of the tree is holy, there’s bound to be some holy fruit. Some of the tree’s branches were pruned and you wild olive shoots were grafted in. Yet the fact that you are now fed by that rich and holy root gives you no cause to crow over the pruned branches. Remember, you aren’t feeding the root; the root is feeding you.”
Paul’s message to the Gentiles is clear. Don’t presume that because the Jews have rejected Christ, God has utterly rejected them. Be humble. Tell the Jews in Rome God still has a marvellous plan for them.
In verse 19 we have a sharp reminder to the Gentiles not to let their inclusion go to their heads. “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in’. Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.”
Eugene Peterson puts it this way: “They were pruned because they were deadwood, no longer connected by belief and commitment to the root. The only reason you’re on the tree is because your graft ‘took’ when you believed and because you’re connected to that belief – nurturing root.” It’s only by faith that we stand – by faith alone.