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11
Israel's Rejection Not Total
1 I say then, has God cast away His people? By no means! For I too am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life”? 4 But what is God's reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too then, at this present time, there is also a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“God has given them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that they should not see,
and ears that they should not hear,
down to this very day.”
9 And David says:
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever!”
Israel's Rejection Not Permanent
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? By no means! But by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. 12 But if their transgression is riches for the world, and their defeat is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness be!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am indeed an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I may provoke to jealousy my fellow Jews, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their casting away means reconciliation for the world, what will their acceptance be, if not life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, so also the lump; and if the root is holy, so also the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and became a partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant towards the branches. But if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you that supports the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. By unbelief they were broken off, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps He may not spare you either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God: upon those that fell, severity; but upon you, kindness, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also shall be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not remain in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more shall these, the natural ones, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, lest you be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer shall come out of Zion,
and He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
when I take away their sins.”
28 As regards to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake; but as regards to election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now you were shown mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these now were disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also might be shown mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that He might show mercy to all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and untraceable are His ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?”
35 “Or who has first given to Him,
and it shall be repaid to him?”
36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things; to Him be the glory forever! Amen.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito