Author: Flyinvikker

Has God rejected Israel.

1 I ask therefore: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.

Yesterday we began to look at the olive tree. Something is being cut off and replaced. Now I want us to go back and look at the beginning of this chapter, Romans 11. Those who know me, know that I am not really happy to quote a verse or even a chapter without its full context. In fact Paul’s letter to the Romans is pivotal to much of our understanding about covenant, encapsulating a broad view of both old and new Testament scriptures related to the subject.

“I ask therefore, did God reject His people.”

Two words to look at closely, “Therefore”, and, “reject” . We must ask, what is therefore, there for? It is there because it refers us in looking for an answer to the question, “Did God reject His people back to the huge store of information which Paul has opened up to us in the previous chapter. It could easily read, “In view of all that I have written, did God reject His people. We will of course look in a moment at just a little of what Paul says, but the other word to look at is a sort of compund Greek word, (απωσατο), aposato. We understand apo, as in apostle, sent. Sato, is measure. So we get something like, “distanced”. “Sent a distance away”.

Paul now continues, “No, let that never be mentioned”. He is strongly asserting all of those preceding scriptures where God is saying that, “nothing can separate us from the love of God”, qualified by, “that is in Christ Jesus”, thus combining the fact of God’s closeness with the reality of God with us in Christ Jesus, Messiah. Jesus is here not to condmen the world, but, in the words spoken to Nicodemus, that leader in Israel in John 3 verses 16-17, “but that through Him, (Jesus), the world, (first the Jew and then the Gentile), might be saved.” Paul is an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Yet as he speaks of salvation, he now places its possibility, nowhere else than in the grace of God through Jesus. God, faithful to His promise and seeing where Israel was fruitless and failing, comes, just at the right time to their rescue in the form of Messiah, Saviour.

God did not reject those he foreknew. This word, “foreknew”, is used earlier and I, “therefore”, regard it as a technical word which Paul is rehearsing to draw us into his previous teaching. Romans 8 verse 29 where the word, “foreknew”, passes on a specific meaning,, “The elect”. “Those predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”. Here again we see the separation, of one group from another on the basis of the call of God, a prequel to what Paul speaks in the illustration of the olive tree.

I want to conclude this short section today with Paul’s devastaing statement in Romans 9 verses 1 – 6 as the next, “Therefore”, which we must visit before we can move on in Romans 11

Romans 9 :

1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.  5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. God’s Sovereign Choice 6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

This passage of scripture distinctly says that not all Israel are Israel..

more to follow

 

 

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches . 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

Now here is the illustration which Paul the apostle uses. He is speaking to me and other Gentiles. The hope is that his own people would be aroused to envy and therefore some of them be saved. We have an immediate view of the fact that, “Not all Israel will be saved”. We will look again at that since it says in verse 26, “In this way, all Israel will be saved.”

But for now we have an olive tree. It is widely accepted that Gentiles, looking on, are the wild branches and that Israel are the cultured branches. Verse 15 speaks of the, “rejection”, of, “His own people”. Something else to deal with but nevertheless the language which the apostle uses. So, the tree has cultured branches, “Israel”. So what could we call the tree. If we name it we are stuck with a descriptor which may not work for long.

Is the tree Israel? Then we are about to change it to include Gentiles and it can only named, “Church”. Additionally, we can only from Paul’s narrative, name the branches not the whole tree since the root is viewed separately. What we do know is that God removes branches and replaces them with wild branches. The criterium for inclusion is the faith, by which the nourishing sap, (v17), the product of the root, is made available to the wild branches. It seems that the root hasn’t changed. For Israel it was by faith in God, looking to the coming of Messiah. For the Christian, Messiah has come and still looks to find faith. He, Jesus is our root. You want to suggest that this is replacement or perhaps I’ve got my labels wrong, but some branches are broken off and replaced by wild ones. I am now supported by the same sap from the same root which supported Israel. I was once told that Israel was my root. Paul says here that I am a partaker with both Jews and Gentiles of the same root. The fact that the root is the same for all is full of connotation.

The branches which are removed can, by faith be reinstated but now of course they are in with the new mix.

The branches are interchangeable but the root remains the same, it is not a new tree, its the same tree with grafted branches. The root, (the bones), the eternal promise remains the same. It is inconceivable that this root, if it is the continuum, the eternal factor, is other than the eternal promise of God, by whose blood, the eternal covenant is formed.

Paul begins in Romans 9 by assuring us that he is speaking the truth, so let’s hear it. It pains him greatly to say this because these are, “those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!, and yet, Paul has great anguish of heart, wishing that he , could be cut off from Christ, (who is the blessing of God towards them), but he cannot be separated from the love which, in reaching out to Israel, reached Paul on the road to Damascus. He would rather be cursed on their behalf. He is saying that even though they, like him, are descendants of Abraham, they live under the curse of the law which is sin and death, (cf Romans 8 verses 1 – 4, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”)

Wherever we look at this, Israel needed their Messiah. He came in the person of Jesus. He is God’s love, rescue plan and His own fulfillment of covenant towards the nation and the people whom He loved. These wonderful verses speak of a move of God towards Israel, not, “aposato“. Quoting these verses is an affirmation of the care of the God of Israel to fulfill His covenant promises, the bones which cannot be broken, even when the recipients of the promises, the law, the covenants and the patriarchs have dropped their end and are in danger of becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Just to round that off, Paul says in Romans 9 verse 6 that in this, “It is not as though the Word of God has failed” (Luke 1 verse 37, “No word from God will ever fail”.) But we now have, what is a very awkward phrase in Romans 9 verse 6, “Not all who are descended from Israel, are Israel”. This division of Israel is also a division for many in the church. Face value is useful here. because explanation in what Paul says is plentiful. Don’t jump to the immediate conclusion that by believing that it is possible for, “not all Israel to be saved”, some how makes God a liar. Yes, this is something of a pejorative spoken against those who believe the possibily and yet Paul specifically deal with these issues right here.

1 “I speak the truth in Christ, I am not lying”

2 “I have great anguish for my people”

3 “Yes they received it all”

4 “The Messiah, Jesus, is from and belongs to them”

5 “God’s Word has not failed here, but the truth of which I speak is that not all descended from Israel are Israel”.

All of this collective of understanding is part of the, “Therefore”, in Romans 11 verse 1, “I ask therefore, has God rejected, aposato, Israel, by no means”. But are we prepared to accept God’s way. We will have to return to this later when we look at, “only a remnant will be saved” and, “Thus all Israel will be saved”.

 

 

Before we get back to Romans 11 verses 1 – 2, There’s Just a bit more on the therefore. If we look at the beginning of Romans 10 verses 1 – 4, we see a little more of what it is that brings Paul to the conclusions which he reaches. Israel is confused.

“Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.“

Paul, again reiterates his heart’s desire for the Israelites, . . . assumes that they are not all saved. His testimony is that they are zealous for God but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Paul has an expertise in this. In Romans 11 we have already read where He says, “ I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.”, but in Philippians 3 we read at verse 5, “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.“. Paul’s knowledge of God is extraordinary and his zeal second to none, to the extent that he was responsible for the death of many in the early Church. For Christians we would probably agree that his knowledge, although vast, was somewhat flawed. This became, “highlighted”, pun fully intended, on the road to Damascus, when Jesus, whom he had been persecuted appeared to him and he had to ask the question, “Who are you, Lord”. Paul didn’t know or recognize the one whose followers he was putting to death. Confused and unqualified because he neither knew nor recognized Jesus.

Israel, according to Paul’s knowledge of both, Judaism and Jesus, now understands that the completion (gk telos), the culmination of the law is Christ. Without Christ our knowledge is imperfect, (cf 1 Corinthians 13 verse 10, which we will need to look at further). Since Israel did not know the righteousness of God they did not submit to God, but rather sought to establish a righteousness of their own. Now we are in danger of going immediately all the way back to Romans chapter 3, where Paul makes clear that righteousness is by faith in Christ Jesus and is obtained nowhere else. So the culmination, the completion of the law is for everyone who believes.

Now, dare I say that here also we see confusion in the offerings of some, deny the Messiah, by assuming that, “All Israel”, simply means the nation, those who trace their ancestry. Paul says, “Not so”. This can then quickly lead to ways which demonstrate no faith, but rather assert a strand of political legalism which culminates in a wrong outcome. A righteousness by zeal which would steal, kill and destroy, whilst quoting a biblical text, predicating a culmination of legal political outcome. This is the same confusion. Jesus is, “Good News”, to Israel.

Now let’s go back to Romans 11

verse 2, We have already discussed that, “Foreknew”, is technical related to, “the elect”, but now, in the same verse, Paul, immediately opens up his next element of his teaching which is about a remnant. In Romans 9 verse 27, Paul, quoting Isaiah says, “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved“. So Romans 11 verse 2, gives us further explanation as to what God is doing. You will of course recall, or read now in 1 Kings 19. This is where Elijah is complaining that the prophets had all been killed, but God tells him that he has kept a remnant of 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Ba’al.

verse 5, “So too at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace, and if by grace it cannot be based on works. If it were then grace would no longer be grace”

There is here a line of demarcation. Grace and works, salvation and loss. This is not dependent on, “The nation”, but grace and faith. Whislst Grace separates out a group of people, it does not in itself destroy the nation, but rather sees only some saved. Here again is something awkward for those who say without reference to graceand faith that, “All Israel will be saved”. We must view all of what the Bible says. Confused Israel tried by there own zeal to obtain something which they did not. This demarcation definitely splits Israel into two groups and, in the illustration of the olive tree, breaks off and casts aside, those who are not of faith, in order that others, who had not sought or even known in the way that the zealots knew, about God, may then be grafted in.

The number of those reserved by God, in the days of Elijah, was 7,000. What I am about to say is intended as a note, but the evidence is somewhat scant, its source being in those revelatory scriptures where interpretation is diverse. So for the time being I will share just this one thought on the matter. Revelation chapter 7 is, I believe a real vision of what was happening at the formation of the Church. Of Israel there are specific numbers because thay are a chosen remnant. Like Elijah’s 7,000, we now have 144,000 who are from Israel only and are sealed before anything else happens. These are, (tous doulous tou Theou emon), “The servants of our God”. only from the twelve tribes. verse 9 , “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God,who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb.” When Paul speaks in Romans 11 verse 5, I see the specific numbers and the opening up to include every tongue and tribe and nation, now mingling, previous servants having been sealed and now no distinction between Jew and Gentile.

I want to finish this post with Romans 11 verse 7 This is very stark and pulls no punches. verse 7, “What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened”. (porosis), is the word which the Greeks used. It emblazens its own graphic imagery. Un-nourished brittle and breaks easily. ??

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.

Now this is awkward isn’t it? In the last post it hopefully encouraged us to look at God’s intervention brought salvation and averted disater by Jesus bringing grace, where striving, according to law had failed. However, if the faithful, “obtained“, righteousness, then what happened and is happening to the others.

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.””

Firstly, they were hardened (eporothesan). As we read this and follow through into the old Testament where Paul’s inspiration is sourced, we can olny begin to assume that the olive tree with porosised branches was already in place and that Israel was already separated from it’s source of nourishment according to prophetic revelation given in Isaiah and Deuteronomy and then in Psalm 69. Of course there is another obvious point to make here, that, “If Israel is the subject of these things, and the subject of porosis and breaking off, then Israel as the root of the Church has to be examined. Furthermore, in ordser that the purposes of God now continuing must have a covenant in which to do so”. Now please don’t look at this as purely semantics but the Church is not replacing Israel but is the separated out ones, both Jews and Gentiles. The covenant which depended on law never produced the required righteousness, but the New Covenant of Grace and Faith does, therefore the old is obsolete because the New is in force. According to what Paul is saying, there are those which are broken off and replaced by others from a Gentile tree. There only way back is via the same means, “There is no difference”, by faith they can be re-grafted.

If we look at some of these Old Testament scripture which Paul is quoting as now being fulfilled, we read, Isaiah 29 verse 10, “The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers).” paretheses here are contained in the text of NIV translation of the Bible. Deuteronomy 29 verse 4 : “But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear”.

I want to make the point here that there is a death, a falling a termination which is unacceptable to some, but is necessary, if the Covenant of grace is to come. Let me put it this way, resurrection life works best on dead people. You cannot bring on resurrection covenant without death taking place.

So God takes away the sight and understanding which Israel have. It’s good to know that because I am often told that their point of view is relevant to my Christianity. Those who are thus afflicted by their God, I would suggest, are not our best counsellors on this subject, but those who remain in the olive tree are helpful to those who seek righteousness and it’s outcome.

In Psalm 69 verses 22-23 “There table has become a snare, a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution“, not the place to dine. “Their eyes are darkened so that they cannot see” Blind leaders of the blind. “And their backs are bent for ever”. These are the ones who are required to walk, “uprightly“, before the Lord. I do not minimise the historic suffering of the Jewish people, nor do I fail to recognise the brutal and horrific anti-semetism which is so prevalent today. Nevertheless the way which is open, visible and clear before us is that, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, (and first to Israel), but that through Him the world might be saved.

So the porosised are broken off so that they might receive, “Life from the dead”. This where Paul goes next in this letter to the Church in Rome.

Usually we refer to, “The Fall” as the time when Adam and Eve sinned and disobeyed God and sin came into the whole world. I often wonder why we cannot then see the consequences either of the sin of Israel or the Gentiles or why God should plan for an alternative which includes a, “New Creation” and a means of obtaining righteousness which is not dependent on those previous dispositions which, if His Divine Purpose is eternal life, fail to obtain it. This is what it says in Romans 11 verses 11 – 15 : “Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”

Firstly, “Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery”. No emphatically No, but what immediately becomes visible is that death is not beyond recovery, the pathway to which is righteousness by faith and available to the broken of ones. Had, God not made this intervetion of grace and with this offer, they would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah and resurrection would not have been available, “For all have sinned”. This means that resurrection power is available via an infallable process for all who believe, because it is dependent on God alone. To those who tell me that if the first Covenant with Israel, “failed”, then God has broken His promise, I want you to know that the failure was not Gods, and Paul is explaining that He has kept His promise fully in Jesus.. I once saw somebody, taken aback when I showed him, Acts 13 verse 32 which says, “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus”. This man is a published author on the subject but had never seen this verse before, nor was he prepared to accept it. but God’s promises are fulfilled by the raising of Jesus from the dead. This Jewish Messiah brings with Him, not sand upon the seashore, but stars in heaven. I know I’m taking a liberty with the analogy bit it fits well the moment. Jesus triumphantly fulfills the requirement of righteousness which as the acceptable means of obtaining any covenantal relationship with God.

Jesus, in Luke chapter 6, gives some understanding of what is going on. In a parable in verse 39 He calls the religeous leaders blind leaders of the blind. Later in chapter 14 verse 5, He asks a question of these leaders again, “If one of you has a child or an ox which falls into a ditch (or a well) on the sabbath, do you not immediately pull it out. We know why Jesus said this, but the detail gives us a bit more information. First we have blind leaders of the blind, both fall into a ditch. Now we have sufficient understanding to respond to an emergency. It is evident, however, that the blindness and stupor, which this group of Israelites are suffering, comes from a spirit which does not allow their eyes to be opened to the spiritual problem. They need a deliverer, just to see that they need deliverance. They cannot make the first move. This of course becomes a question about, “How can God blame us” and “Does not the potter have the right over his pot”, but for now, this is the predicament to which Jesus addresses Himself and continues to heal a man on the sabbath. (Perhaps this is a reasonable time for those who see Jesus as anti-semitic, to just ponder for a moment). Another detail here is that this well or ditch is not a place beyond recovery, but an opportunity for rescue. The rule of law, not only forbade the rescue but also, being written code on parchment, did not have any life or involvement in the problem, not even instruction of its own on how to get an ox out of a ditch. I don’t have any difficulty here in stretchy an analogy to include that six foot deep ditch where we eventually lay, unable even to hear or be heard in death and in absolute need of someone who acts to bring me out of there by speaking to that within me which can respond. Not a list of rules, but a life which hears the call of God to arise and is then raised to eternity. Thanks be to God who has who has the victory over sin and death and the grave, through His Son Jesus, who is raised to life. Death is a ditch, or grave from which we need immediate rescue, for now is the day of salvation. You can’t leave it. For those who believe that on the last day, “all Israel, (the nation), will be saved”, there is strong reason to believe that this is wrong thinking. At least be wise enough to offer a hand.

So they did not fall beyond recovery, but rather to the very place where they could be reached by grace apart from their own effort and apart from the law. It was also the place where the Gentiles were. The root of righteousness has its immediate effect on the branches, both Jew and grafted Gentile. Faith now is the issue. Those who are broken off can be replaced by faith and if by something other than law which belongs to Israel, the Gentiles can be included and are included. In the obtaining of righteousness, the forgiveness of sins, there is no difference, except that is, that Israel, who are the naturals of God’s love, will be more readily, re-grafted but the process is the same as that for previous remnant branches, by faith.

Of course their falling opened up the opportunity for Gentiles to receive the riches of God from which they had been previously separated, “now brought near, by the blood of Christ”. But there is another awkward phrase, which when you understand that this death is God’s way too take life into His own hands, (put that way for simplicity), the awkwardness now leaves the explanation that Israel’s broken branches, (not just included because of the patriarchs, important though that is, still not the full inclusion of righteous), even though they are porosised, can have life from the dead, where continuation in the law did not acheive this. All that Paul is saying now begins to come together into a whole and cohesive, purposeful plan. Usually, this chapter is dissected into some wildly, ill fitting explanations, which bear little relationship to the very full unfolding of the plan of God. This plan is not to victimise Israel, but to bring good news and hope. That God has kept all of His promises and come to rescue His people. Paul is saying this to the Gentiles so that they might, by showing what God has done to these unsaved distant Gentiles, might by their witness, cause Israel’s broken branches to know that the riches still belong to them, “obtainable”, now to those failures called sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles.

For those who want to tell me that what I am saying is anti semitic may I say that, All of this is on the basis of faith not because of nationality, although there is an advantage in being a Jew. This also is the intervention of a loving God, who sends His own Son to die for that sin, which ought to cause us to consider that this is way beyond normal concern for those who because of sin are deemed to be strangers