And what did they obtain? These questions are not just simple matters, if they were then there would not be such a level of disagreement as exists amongs the Church and in Israel, so this is some of what I believe. I am open to change but not on the basis of human emotion, political antagonism or dismissal of what the Bible says in favour of contrived argument. I say this whilst agreeing that at various times and in various ways, I am as guilty as anyone of all of the above, but I actually do want to know, since future prophetic revelation is fastened to the truths which are the Word of God.
So here’s the scripture Romans 11 verses 7 – 10
What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor,eyes that could not seeand ears that could not hear,to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
Again, what then? What shall we make of all this, is quite objectively the crux of what Paul is saying in this chapter and the explanation leading up to it. This one declaration gathers up what has been said and sets the scene for the subsequent revelation, “What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect did, but the others were hardened”. Immediately I want to say that this cannot be an argument about the land, per se, but of course the discussion about Israel, (The nation), must now be born in mind in the question of, “Who obtained what?”. For the moment, this is about Israel, those who are Abrahams descendants, and of course, in order to be Israel are also the descendants of Jacob, (after the promise which caused him to become Israel). Paul makes it very plain again here that not all Israel are Israel but brings again to our attention this group called, “The elect”. These obtained that which Israel had sought so earnestly, and pointedly in the extreme, “Israel did not“. What then did Israel seek to obtain, which they did not?
Again, in order to see where Paul is coming from, we need to return again to the beginning of some of these paragraphs in chapter 9 verses 30 – 33
“What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumbleand a rock that makes them fall,and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.””.
Here, clearly depicted is the demarcation line again. “Israel as a nation, has not obtained righteousness, by the law”. Just to emphasize the point, Paul in Romans 9 verse 29, just before this and immediately after, “Only a remnant will be saved” : ”It is just as Isaiah said previously:“Unless the Lord Almightyhad left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.”” . A swift destruction was imminent because of unrighreousness and sin. But God’s intervention of Grace and righteousness through Jesus Christ, fulfilled, by His own hand the promise of salvation. Here also is a change from an, “Old Covenant”, to a “New Covenant”. Israel, (or Gentiles), are now no longer required to struggle for righteousness via the law. It was never then, and is not now obtainable by this means. Romans 3 verses 21 – 26 explains. “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
The strength and construct of some of this will need to be examined again in the context of Israel falling, not beyond recovery, but so that Gentiles could be saved. It will also help us later to understand that the Church is not the property of Jew or Gentile, but of Jesus alone and for those who are saved from every kindred and tribe. This is entered, “obtained“, by a righteousness, “imputed“, to those who by faith have received this grace bringing our lives out of the struggle of law and into the “Now“, of salvation.