GRAFTING
THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANS
CHAPTER 11
Happy to have you
back again to share more Daily Bread. In the last chapter of Paul’s letter,
he was expressing his hope for the people of Israel to see the light of
Jesus. He explained how they were very passionate for God, but that those
who fail to recognize Jesus as the Son of God, would lose the promise.
There are many
religions that teach that Jesus is not the Son of God, that don’t believe in
the Holy Trinity, or that say that Jesus was just a prophet, yet they claim
they believe in God. Friends, Jesus is part of God, so if you don’t believe
in Jesus, you’re denying part of God. How do you think your Father feels
about that? Add to that, the part about how He sent Jesus to suffer so that
we could be forgiven for our sins and live forever with Him for the simple
price of having Faith in Him, and that should make it easy to understand how
denying Jesus would be a righteous reason for God to deny anyone who didn’t
believe in His precious Son.
This is a rather
lengthy chapter, so I’ll try and make it as clear as possible within the
text itself, and not so much adlibbing so that you can complete it in a
reasonable amount of time. Now let’s continue with what Paul was saying.
I ask you then, Has God cast away His people (Israelites)?
God forbid.
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the
tribe of Benjamin.
God has not cast away His people which He knew before.
Don’t you know what Elijah said in the scripture?
How he makes intercession to God against Israel saying,
Lord, they’ve killed your prophets, and thrown down your
altars;
and I alone am left, and they seek my life.
I Kings 19:10
But what was God’s answer to him?
I have reserved (will leave) to myself seven thousand men,
who have not worshipped Baal.
I Kings 19:18
(Ba’al is a false god.)
Even now there is a remnant (small amount remaining)*
according to the election of Grace (who God has chosen).
And if by
Grace, then is it no
longer of works, otherwise Grace is no longer Grace.
But if it be of works, then it is no longer Grace,
otherwise work is no longer work.
*Remember we talked about this earlier in Paul’s letter, that God didn’t
leave Israel such a countless amount of people, because of what might
happen? We used the Tower of Babel as an example. So, you just found out
now, that the remnant was once as little as seven thousand people.
So, what does that mean?
Israel hasn’t obtained the kingdom of God, which it
searches for,
but God’s chosen (seven thousand) had obtained it, and the
rest were blinded.
(Just as it is written, God has given them the spirit of
slumber,
eyes that they should not see,
and ears that they should not hear) until this day.
Isaiah 29:10
And David said,
Let their table become a snare before them:
And that which should have been for their welfare, let it
become a trap.
Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not;
And make their loins continually to shake.
Psalms 69:22-23
I ask then, Is salvation hopeless for them because of
their stumbling?
God forbid.
But rather because of their fall,
salvation is available to the Gentiles,
in order to provoke them to jealousy.
Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world,
and the failure of them the riches of the Gentiles;
how much more their fullness ?
What does this mean? Well, if the Jewish people see that the Gentiles are
inheriting what was once promised to them, it will make them jealous, and
hopefully cause them to accept Jesus as their Savior in order to regain the
promise.
For I speak to you Gentiles, since
I am the Apostle of the Gentiles,
if by any means I may provoke to jealousy them which are
my flesh,
and might save some of them, I am a credit to my ministry.
For if the rejection of them, causes the reconciling of
the world,
what shall the acceptance of them be, but life for the
dead?
Let’s take a
little intermission from Paul’s letter for a moment, to have a little Daily
Bread Crumb. Do you know what grafting is? To graft is to connect something
that wasn’t originally connected. Let’s talk about a tree for example,
because Paul is going to be using a tree in his analogy in a moment, of how
the Gentiles have become connected to the Lord. If a branch is broken from a
tree, you can make a clean cut at the break, then another branch can be cut
off a different tree, at the same angle, and fitted onto the broken spot,
then attached together. Sap will then flow through to the new branch, and it
will become part of the tree. In Paul’s example, the Gentiles are wild olive
trees, and the Israelites are good olive trees.
For if the first fruits are holy,
(God’s first fruits are the Israelites, or the olive
trees)
the entire tree is also holy:
and if the root be holy,
so are the branches.
And if some of the branches are broken off,
and you, being a wild olive tree,
be grafted in among them,
and with them partake of the root and strength of the
olive tree;
don’t boast (brag) against the branches.
Because if you boast, remember, you don’t sustain the
root,
but the root sustains you.
You will say then,
The branches were cut off (rejected),
that I might be grafted (fitted) in.
Well, because of unbelief they were broken off,
and you stand by Faith.
Don’t be proud, but be humble.
Because if God didn’t spare the natural branches
(the Jewish people),
be careful, He may also not spare you.
Notice the goodness and the severity of God:
on those who fell, severity,
but toward you, goodness,
if you continue in His goodness,
otherwise you also shall be cut off.
And if they don’t remain unbelieving,
they shall be grafted in, because God is able to graft
them in again.
For if you were cut out of an olive tree which is wild by
nature,
and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive
tree,
how much more easily shall these, which are the natural
branches,
be grafted into their own olive tree?
I want you to understand this mystery,
so you won’t be wise in your own proud ideas.
Blindness (hardness, stubbornness) in part has happened to
Israel,
until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in
(until the time of the Gentiles is completed)
.
In this way, all Israel shall be saved: as it is written,
There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer,
and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Psalms 14:7
Isaiah 59:20-21
For this is my covenant to them,
when I shall take away their sins.
Isaiah 27:9
As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes:
but concerning the election (the chosen people of God),
they are beloved for the father's sakes.
Deuteronomy
7:8
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
For as you in times past have not believed God,
(during the Time of the Jewish people)
yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief (in
Jesus):
In the same way, have these also now not believed,
that through the mercy shown to you,
they also may obtain mercy.
For God has concluded (confined) them all in unbelief,
that He might have mercy upon all.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past
finding out!
For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?
(Who has given Him advice?)
Or who has first given something to Him, that it shall be
repaid to him again?
Job 41:11
For of Him, and through Him, and to Him,
are all things:
to whom be glory for ever.
Amen.
Unsearchable is a
perfect word that Paul used to describe God’s judgments. He’s fair and just,
to everyone. Even though He says, I choose who I want, and I don’t choose
who I don’t want, you’ll always find that He’s righteous and true. How many
times has He been gracious to you? Be sure and thank Him.
You know, a lot of
times there are scripture passages given that verify what’s being discussed
in Daily Bread. It might be a great idea, if you only have a certain amount
of time each day to devote to Daily Bread, you could keep some sticky notes
by your computer and jot down the scripture passages, then later on, look
them up. It’s a good refresher for what you read earlier in the day and it
will enhance your understanding too. These studies are so helpful and
enriching and the more you learn, the more interesting the Bible becomes.
Try it!
When we come back,
we’ll have more of Paul’s letter to the Romans, so hurry back, and we’ll
share more Daily Bread.
