The Vital Mission of the Local Church

Transcript

GRM 532
5/25/1997
God Will Restore Israel to Salvation
Romans 11:2536
Gil Rugh

We are in Romans chapter 11 talking about Israel and Israel's future. The last week or two one of the news magazines had an article on the red heifer that was in Israel. Some of you see that? Red heifer? OK. Hey. I see that hand. Whole page with a big picture of the red heifer. There was a red heifer born in Israel. This has caused a stir there because you know with all the discussion of the temple site, rebuilding the temple, reinstituting the priesthood, there's been discussion for years of Israel searching to develop a red heifer. You need a red heifer to sacrifice for the cleansing of the priest for their entering into their duties and low and behold a red heifer was born in Israel and it has caused a major focus. Like I say, you got a whole page in, I don't remember what news magazine it was, about what they were to do with this. You know, I was going to bring the article and I forgot. Marilyn made me clean up all my junk at home. We're going away so you have to clean up the house. Why? We live here and we don't clean it up. What if we die while we're gone? Well, I say good let the kids come in and clean up this mess. With all that, I don't know where my red heifer article is.

There are some in Israel who say they ought to destroy that red heifer because their concern now that certain factions in Israel see this as a sign from God that He has provided a red heifer for the cleansing of the priest and the beginning of the priestly ministry and so on. Interesting to see these kinds of things and I thought here a red heifer. The article concludes well maybe its auburn, trying to say in a joking way maybe we can avoid the issue here by not calling it a red heifer. The fact that it has been born. They have this picture and that group in Israel are seeing this as a major event and another group sees it as it can become a terribly inflammatory issue in the nation. Here we are looking at Romans chapter 11 that ultimately God will bring about the salvation of Israel in His time.

In Romans chapter 11 Paul has unfolded God's work on behalf of Israel but now among the Gentiles. He started out chapter 11 by declaring emphatically God has not rejected His people. Verse 2, "God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew." Tying Israel being the people of God with the foreknowledge of God, the sovereign choice that God made of Israel. And He has kept a faithful remnant even down as Paul wrote the letter and that would go on till today. Any believing Jews are part of the Church but they are also in the line of the physical remnant of Abraham and demonstrate that God has maintained a faithful remnant even down to our time.


So, God has demonstrated kindness and severity. Kindness in bringing His salvation to the Gentiles. Severity in punishing the Jews for their unbelief. Don't misunderstand what God is doing. God's severity toward the Jews does not mean He is done with Israel. It means He is punishing their sin and dealing in mercy and grace with the Gentiles, but God is able to bring Israel into the place of favor in His plan so they will receive His salvation.

Now what he is going to do, picking up with verse 25, is demonstrate God is not only able to do this with Israel, but He will in fact do that. Israel will be restored to the focal point of God's plan. Israel will as a nation experience the power of God's salvation. And in so doing as we've seen the restoration of Israel will be added blessings even for the Gentiles for that will usher in the earthly kingdom over which Christ will personally rule and reign. That's the event toward which everything is moving, the climax of God's program with the Church and the resurrection, the reinstitution of His program with Israel, picking up to conclude the 70 weeks of Daniel with the 70th week, the final sevenyear period to conclude His program with the nation.

So, you come to verse 25 of Romans chapter 11, "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed in this mystery, so you will not be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in: and so all Israel will be saved." Those are two verses you ought to have marked, underlined, highlighted in your Bibles. The argument, particularly verses 11 to 24, are focused in, and that's the connection of the "for" that begins verse 24. What he has said in verses 11 to 24 lead us to this point. "I do not want you to be uninformed." It's a way of emphasizing the importance of what he has to say. You need to understand this. You need an understanding of what God has said on this matter. A mystery. I don't want you to be uninformed of this mystery. A mystery, remember, is something that was hidden that has now been revealed. Something you cannot understand apart from divine revelation. Something that you would not find in the Old Testament but now God has made known. It is not something new in His plan. It is something new revealed to us in His eternal plan.

Turn over to chapter 16 of Romans, verse 25, as Paul concludes this letter. Romans 16:25, "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested." That's a mystery. Something that had been kept secret through the past ages but now is manifested. It's "manifested” and “by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to the obedience of faith." The salvation of God provided through Christ and offered to the Gentiles we now see by God's unfolding revelation that this salvation of the Gentiles was part of His plan in the ultimate salvation of Israel. Because He used the rebellion of Israel to bring them under judgment and open the door of salvation to the Gentiles. So that the open door of salvation to the Gentiles would ultimately provoke the Jews to jealousy and give them an openness to their God and His salvation so that God would turn again and deal with Israel in mercy and grace and His salvation.


I don't want you to be uninformed about this mystery because ignorance leads to pride. You know sometimes people say, Oh, too much knowledge causes pride. Not if it's knowledge taken in in a proper way. But lack of knowledge often does lead to pride. If you don't understand this mystery there's a danger you'll be proud as a Gentile. But when you see God's working with the Gentile in light of His overall plan with the nation Israel than we as Gentiles are put in our proper place. And we appreciate God's grace in dealing with us. And we appreciate the greatness of Israel in the plan of God and that plan will ultimately be realized.

What has happened in this mystery. A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles would come in. A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles had come in. That's the mystery we're talking about. Hardening. It's from a Greek word that means a callous. Denotes hardening, dullness, insensitivity and clearly he's talking about Israel's spiritual condition. He's talked about this earlier in the chapter, verses 7 and 8 of chapter 11. God gave them a spirit of stupor in verse 8. "Eyes to see not and ears to hear not down to this very day." So there has been a hardening, a dullness spiritually. Second Corinthians 3 verses 14 to 16 Paul says it's like the Jews have a veil over their eyes when they read the Word of God. To us as believers today we look at it and say why don't they see it. They read Isaiah 53. You'd think that they'd fall on their knees. But they don't see it, they are dull spiritually.

But you note it is a partial hardening. A partial hardening. That means not every Jew has been hardened. Paul is a testimony to that fact and that serves as a testimony that God is not done with the nation. It is a partial hardening. That sounds like an understatement because the vast majority of the Jews are in a hardened state but even so it's only a partial hardening and it is a temporary, partial hardening. Temporary because a partial hardening has happened until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. So there is a limit even on this partial hardening. It is a partial hardening until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. The fullness of the Gentiles is the time of Gentiles salvation. The time of the large-scale salvation of Gentiles, the time when God is dealing with Gentiles. The time in which we are living. I mean how many of you were Jewish in your nationality in your birth lines. So, we're a Gentile audience. This is the day of the fullness of the Gentiles. And I dare say we go to certain large cities to a church in New York or a center like that and we might find a few more believing Jews sprinkled in. But this is definitely the time of the fullness of the Gentiles. God is dealing with the Gentiles.

"Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in" indicates that the time of Gentile blessing, Gentile salvation, will reach its culmination point. That will be the Rapture of the Church. Then the focal point will swing back to Israel. And the focus will be on the salvation of Jews. Now that doesn't mean no Gentiles will be saved. But it means the focus will be Israel and the salvation of that nation.


Let me note, the fullness of the Gentiles is different than the times of the Gentiles. In Luke chapter 21 verse 24 we're told that Jerusalem will trodden underfoot until the times of the Gentiles comes to an end. The times of the Gentiles began with the conquering of Israel and Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC and that will continue to the end of the Tribulation period when Christ returns to establish His kingdom. It's characterized by Jerusalem being dominated by Gentile power. Now it has an independence today but that's a relative independence and a limited independence. And it's a independence that becomes dependent on a greater western power to sustain it. So, we're living in the times of the Gentiles but the times of the Gentiles and the fullness of the Gentiles are different periods. The fullness of the Gentiles occurs within the times of the Gentiles. But they are not talking about the same thing. The fullness of the Gentiles begins with the Church age in Acts chapter 2 and goes to the Rapture. It's the time of Gentile salvation.

Verse 26, "And so all Israel will be saved." That's what happens after the fullness of the Gentiles. All Israel will be saved. That doesn't mean that every single Jew will be saved because when Christ comes back we are told there will be judgment of living Jews at the end of the seven-year Tribulation. And some Jews will be judged for their unbelief and prevented from going into the earthly kingdom. But there will be a large-scale salvation. Just like the salvation of the Gentiles today the fullness of the Gentiles does not mean every Gentile is saved. But it means that there is large scale salvation among Gentiles taking place. So there'll be large scale salvation of the nation Israel.

So, all Israel will be saved. Turn back to verse 12, "Now if their transgression” [Israel's transgression] “is riches for the world, their failure is riches for the Gentiles. How much more will their fulfillment be." That word "fulfillment" is the same word as we have the fullness of the Gentiles at the end of verse 25. So, we could talk about the fullness of the Israel and the fullness of the Gentiles. The fullness of the Gentiles will be followed by the fullness of Israel when God is pouring out salvation blessings on the nation Israel and then they will be grafted back into the place of favor in the olive tree and so you have Israel saved.

Now let me say, Israel here in 11:26 can only refer to national Israel cause the contrast is with Gentiles. At the end of verse 25, "this mystery, a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; that all Israel will be saved." This is nonsense if we are not talking about physical Israel and physical Gentiles. So, the distinction is clear here. And it's interesting there has been a change in some of this as far as I can tell in my reading. It's not large scale but one man has written an outstanding commentary on Romans wrote an apology for his former writings on Israel and failure to appreciate and acknowledge the place of Israel in God's future program. He felt that that was a terrible misunderstanding and mishandling of Scripture. You don't find much of that but I thought it was interesting that he would acknowledge that in a clear and open way in his writings.


He supports that all Israel will be saved by quoting from the Old Testament. First from Isaiah chapter 59 verse 20 and 21. "The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is my covenant with them when I shall take away their sins." The Deliverer comes from Zion and He removes ungodliness from Jacob. In talking about the Messiah, talking about the deliverance that He will bring. And in that context there will be physical deliverance as well as spiritual salvation. But the physical deliverance will be premised upon the spiritual salvation because the Old Testament prophets have already declared that Christ would not come until they are ready to receive Him. Jesus declared it will be when they say “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” So, Zechariah as well as other prophets had prepared that way. The Deliverer will come from Zion and He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. That's in the context of the salvation of Israel. And He will bring spiritual as well as physical deliverance for the nation. Paul supports that with a followup quote and that could be coming from the book of Isaiah or it could be referring to Jeremiah 31 and the new covenant. Isaiah 27:9, Jeremiah 31:31 and following. "This is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." The establishing of the new covenant with Israel and the new covenant was Jeremiah 31 is with the nation Israel. The fact that we might enter into certain blessings of that covenant would not make us Israel anymore than its the fact that we enter into certain blessings of the Abrahamic covenant makes us Israel. But there are blessings in the covenant of God with Abraham that include non-Jews. In Abraham “all the nations of the earth will be blessed.” And salvation blessings are expanded in the new covenant and we do experience blessings as Gentiles but the new covenant is made with the nation Israel. I won't take time to go back and read it, but you see the fullness of what is promised there. It is with the nation Israel.

You note what happens. He'll take away their sins in that context. So, there could be no doubt that God has promised the salvation of the nation Israel. That's His plan and program for them. And in light of the overall picture of Scripture the sevenyear Tribulation serves two purposes. We have the Rapture of the Church as the next event in biblical prophecy. That's followed by the signing of the covenant with the Antichrist and the nation Israel, guaranteeing the sovereignty of Israel and their security. The sevenyear Tribulation will serve two purposes. Number one, it will be a time of God pouring out His wrath on an unbelieving world. Number two, it will be a time of Him bringing the nation Israel to their knees in turning from their sin and believing in Jesus as their Christ, their Messiah. So that by the time we come to the end of that sevenyear period we will have large scale, mass conversions among the Jews as the nation turns in expectation for the return of the Messiah. So the way will be prepared for the return of Christ to a nation that is ready to receive Him as their Messiah. That's the period of time that we have in view here, described in Matthew 24, Revelation 19 and other passages like that.

Let's move on to the following verses here where he explains God's plan and why it has to be carried out. And we've alluded to these verses jumping over to them in our previous section. What Paul has done here is show that the mystery unfolded that you should understand now that you should be informed about is that there has been a partial hardening of Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in and then there will be the conversion of nation. Now why is the mass of the evangelical church ignorant of this truth? Is it not clearly set out as a mystery. It's not there in the Old Testament. But there's a partial hardening of Israel. That will go on until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in and then you will have the conversion of the nation Israel. All Israel will be saved. So while it may not mean every single Jew, it will be large scale conversion of the nation Israel. You say, well, boy, I'd never got that from the study of Scripture. No, it hadn't been revealed before. That's why it was mystery. Something hidden in long ages past. People that tell you now they go back and find that in the Old Testament. You ought to say no you don't because it was never there. The Scripture tells us that. That plan is simple and clear.


So he says in verse 28, "From the standpoint of the Gospel they are enemies for Your sake." From the standpoint of the Gospel they are enemies. We are going to look at the Jews from two standpoints: from the standpoint of the Gospel, from the standpoint of God's election. Today from the standpoint of the Gospel, the Jews are the enemies of God. They have opposed God. They have opposed the Gospel of God. They are in rebellion against Him so they are in under His condemnation. They are experiencing the hardening of His judgment for their rebellion. As far as the Gospel's concerned, the Jews are hostile toward it and they are the subjects of God's hostility. They are under His judging hand.

So from the standpoint of the Gospel they are enemies for your sake, you Gentiles sake. He's developed that already. Because the hardening of Israel and their being the enemies of the Gospel has been used of God to bring salvation to the Gentiles. So we are the beneficiaries of that. God has mercifully extended the salvation the Jews rejected to Gentiles. For some reason many believers don't get beyond that point. From the standpoint of the Gospel, they are the enemies, so God's done with them. No. From the standpoint of the Gospel they are enemies for sure, but from the standpoint of God's choice. And you note the word "God" there is in italics. It gives you the idea. It's literally from the standpoint of election, the sovereign choice of God. They are beloved for the sake of the fathers. So there's two perspective. They are still the object of God's love. They are the enemies of God and they are loved of God. The enemies of God in the context of the Gospel today, but for the sake of the fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they are beloved of God. Why? He made them the object of His love. He promised the fathers that their descendants would belong to Him forever, that they would be the object of His love. He assured them through the prophets that you are the only nation that I have known, that I have taken for Myself, made the object of My love.

From the standpoint of God's election they are beloved for the sake of the Father. Crucial issue. Now we're talking about national election here, not individual election. Remember, there's a twofold election relating to Israel. There is the election or choice of the nation to belong to God. Then there is the election or choice of individuals within the nation to experience God's salvation and so make up the nation that ultimately will serve Him. So here he's talking about national election. God has promised to place His love upon the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Not meaning every Jew will experience that but ultimately the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will. They are the beloved. God's electing work is what is at sake here, not Israel's faithfulness, God's election.

So verse 29, "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable." If this was the only verse in all the New Testament that we had regarding God's plan for Israel, it would be enough. It means that every promise to Israel in the Old Testament has to be fulfilled. I'm back to what I've said before. I am dumbfounded that an idea has taken hold in the Church that God is done with Israel. Upon what basis would you make such a statement. When God says they are beloved because of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His gifts and calling made to and through those fathers are irrevocable. The gifts they refer to are the privileges that God has given to the nation Israel.


Back in chapter 9 of Romans for example. Verses 4 and 5. Paul says in verse 3, "I wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh” [fleshly Israel, physical Israel], “who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, the promises, whose are the fathers, from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God bless forever." The privileges of Israel to be unique and have these gifts bestowed upon them. His “gifts and calling are irrevocable,” and that word "irrevocable." It's placed at the beginning of the sentence to give it added emphasis, the greatest possible strength. It's not just the word. It's where it's placed to give it emphasis. Irrevocable are the gifts and calling of God. And yet there are people today who say well, God is done with the physical nation Israel. All those promises will be fulfilled spiritually in the Church. How do you interpret Scripture? “The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.”

Back in Romans chapter 3 verse 3. He's talking here in the context again. Romans 3:1, "What is the advantage of the Jew?" Verse 2, "Great in every respect." Verse 3, "What then if some” [some Jews] “did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God will it?" “Me gonoito!” May it never be! Such a thought is impossible! God forbid! However we translate it to get the idea, the point of the Greek expression is that's not possible.

Do you understand that? Israel's unfaithfulness cannot nullify the faithfulness of God. No matter what conclusions you come to that's not one of the options. “The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” They tie to His faithfulness, not your faithfulness, not my faithfulness. If that's not true in the election of Israel why would it be true in the election of you? Maybe God just changed His mind. He did that with Israel some people say. He elected Israel, chose that nation for Himself. They were unfaithful. He gave them the boot. Done. And then He elected me and I was unfaithful and had been. Oh, yeah, but that's different. I wonder if it’s in our hearts cause there's a little bit of antiJewishness there. I'd like to see the Jews get stomped on. What's the motivation here? Scripture's clear. Their unbelief cannot nullify the faithfulness of God. “The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.”

So while we're talking about national Israel, national election, in chapter 11, the implications are there for the electing work of God period. We've talking about God's sovereignty in the choices He makes, in the promises He makes. Can He go back on those? God's work in election whether for a nation or individuals is firm, unchanging and irrevocable because of His faithfulness, not ours. It's rooted in the character of God. So our security is in His unchanging character. That's where Israel's security is. Is there a future for Israel? Of course there is. Otherwise the promises of God are meaningless and you have no security. You've built your life on sand if God is not faithful, if His promises are revocable.


Come back to Romans chapter 11 verse 30. You have I hope verse 28 and 29 marked in your Bible. And I have highlighted in mine verse 29, "the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable." That's a verse that's a great encouragement, source of comfort for the nation Israel, but by implication a comfort to all of us. "For just as you once were disobedient to God but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient that because of the mercy shown to you they now may be shown mercy." As a result of it God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. I mean, what a plan. Remarkable the plan.

And you note in verses 30 to 32 the words "disobedient" and "mercy." Each are used four times. "You were disobedient to God. No have been show mercy because of their disobedience. These have been disobedient because the mercy shown to you they may be shown mercy." Disobedience, mercy, disobedience, mercy, disobedience, mercy. The point is nobody's deserving and Jew and Gentile alike are the recipients of mercy. Mercy. Where do I get off as a Gentile thinking God's done with Israel. They don't deserve it. They've been disobedient. I mean get serious. We have to come back and grapple with disobedience and mercy here. Intricately ties together so that it concludes verse 32, "God has shut up all in disobedience so He may show mercy to all." You're right, Israel has been disobedient. Keep in mind the Gentiles were disobedient too. God's mercy for a disobedient Israel will be just as great as His mercy for disobedient Gentiles.

Paul is almost, I don't want to say, overwhelmed but overwhelmed is almost the way it goes. You're overwhelmed with God. Look at verse 33, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" You know people say why do you study prophecy. And we ought not to be all caught up on future things. But you know as you work through the details, and this is a study Romans 9, 10 and 11 that takes intense study in looking at the details. But what is the end result of coming to understand God's work and future things? Being overwhelmed with the awe of the greatness of our God, His wisdom and knowledge. I mean, people who don't take prophecy seriously, don't come down and grapple with God's revelation in this area, cannot have the fullness of the appreciation of God that overwhelms Paul here. "Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God."

This doxology really concludes not just the immediate verses we're been doing but all of chapters 9, 10 and 11. We ought to invest time in the study of these chapters. Then you come to a doxology of praise and adoration. It's overwhelming. It really is a fitting climax to the first 11 chapters of the book of Romans where he's unfolded through the first eight chapters the greatness of that salvation of God and then shown in 9, 10 and 11 how that works out in Jews as well as Gentiles.

So we have a doxology here that not only climaxes chapters 9,10 and 11 but chapters 111. The wonder of God's salvation is overwhelming. What a God we have. We started out with wretched, horribly decadent, depraved human beings in chapter 1. Disobedient people is an understatement. And now we've concluded with chapter 11 seeing the mercy of God being displayed to disobedient Jews and Gentiles alike without sacrificing the justice of God. That is awesome. That is overwhelming. The depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.


"How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways." Now he's not talking about what hasn't been revealed here. He's not talking about how unknowable God is. He's talking about the wonder of God as He has revealed Himself. And the revelation of God overwhelms us with His wisdom, with His knowledge, with His judgments. And I know that isn't all there is to an infinite God. That's why the study of this revelation is so important. It ties to what we talked about this morninggrappling with the details of Scripture and wrestling with them. This is what the first 11 chapters of Romans does to you. It overwhelms you with God. The majesty of His Person, the breadth of His wisdom. I could have never figured it out nor could you. I could have never come up with such a plan. Disobedience and mercy.

And he supports that statement in verse 33 with a statement from Isaiah chapter 40 verse 30. "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor." You note the emphasize again is on the inability of man to fathom the mind of God. That's why it is such foolishness in the teaching that we have to go beyond the Scripture or outside the Scripture. What we have here demonstrates the overwhelming wisdom and knowledge of God. I mean, I'm dumbfounded. I have more here than I could every absorb my life with. I mean, it's overwhelming to me. The knowledge of the Lord is more wonderful than we can say.

"Or who has given to Him that it might be paid to back to Him again?" You know, the point of this statement from Job chapter 41 verse 11 is God is no man's debtor. Sometimes even as believers, don't we say, God, this isn't fair. God, this isn't right. What we are really saying is God, You owe me more than this. God, You're indebted to me. What kind of theology is that? You find it paraded today more broadly than we might want to admit.

"Who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again?" God owes us nothing. Anything He gives to us is an act of mercy. You keep in mind we are disobedient, helldeserving sinners and God owes me something? We talk about the doctrine of election and people say this isn't fair. You know what is behind that statement. God owes everyone the same opportunity for salvation. And for Him to choose some and not others wouldn't be fair. You see, in our twisted thinking we want to usurp the place of God, that God is indebted to me. What kind of thinking is that? And I have to acknowledge it crosses my mind at times and I say, Gil, where does such thoughts come from? I want to tell God, God, that's not fair. God, that's not right. God, You shouldn't do that. Now wait a minute, who are you? Decadent, depraved, helldeserving and God owes you something? That's the point. “No one has known the mind of the Lord.” No one's counseled the mind of the Lord and God owes no one anything. That's the wonder of His salvation as revealed.


Verse 36, "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things." This supports what He just said in verses 33, 34 and 35. Everything is from Him and through Him and to Him. What can He owe to anyone? From Him, through Him, to Him are all things. Now did how God get in your debt? Bad theology. Bad theology creates bad practice, people trying to live their lives as though God was indebted to them. No. That's why true theology is humbling. It causes me to see myself as I am and my God as He is and so "to Him be the glory forever." To Him be the glory forever. That's where proper sound doctrine leads you, a recognition that God is everything and so He deserves all the glory forever, amen. Not most of the glory because you realize I should get some credit. For what? From Him, through Him, to Him are all things, now what are we going to give you credit for? That's why it's mercy, isn't it? Grace. That we are going to share in His glory. That's mercy. That's grace. Forget this deserving thing. I don't want what I deserve. I'm not asking God to be fair. I want mercy, grace and that's what He's bestowed. So His program is complete.

Let me review with you what we've done. Let me summarize and I'm going to summarize verses 28 to 36 so I'll have a list of points here.

Number one, God's work of salvation for Gentiles as well as Jews is a mystery. It can only be known by divine revelation. That's verse 25. It's a mystery. God's program and plan of salvation for Gentiles as well as Jews is a mystery. It's a matter of divine revelation.

Number two, Israel's hardening is partial, not complete, verse 25. Israel's hardening today is partial, not complete.

Number three, Israel's hardening is temporary, not final. Israel's hardening is temporary, not final, verse 25.

Number four, the time of Gentile favor and blessing will end. The time of Gentile favor and blessing will end. That's verse 25. That's why Paul's so committed. Today is the day of salvation for you.

Number five, all Israel will be saved, verse 26. All Israel will be saved.

Number 6, Israel's salvation will happen in connection with the Second Coming of Christ, verse 26. So it will be as we move to the end of that 70th week of Daniel that they'll turn in faith, believing in Christ and prepare the way for His return.

Number 7, Israel's ungodliness and sin will be removed, verses 26 and 27. So don't be haughty. Don't think that their sin is too great to be forgiven. Their ungodliness overwhelms the mercy and grace of God. Israel's ungodliness and sin will be removed.

This will be point number 8. It's point number one, the second list for me, beginning with verse 28. Israel is the object of God's hatred, verse 28. I mean, let's not mellow the point. Israel is the subject of God's hatred. They are the enemies of the Gospel. They are the enemies of God from the standpoint of the Gospel.

Number two, Israel is the object of God's love, verse 28. You know we try to resolve these seeming paradoxes. We say Israel is the object of God's hatred and Israel is the object of God's love. Both are true, according to verse 28, as we've seen.

Number three, the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, verse 29.

Number four, mercy functions in the context of disobedience in verses 30 to 32. Mercy functions in the context of disobedience. By the very terminology mercy is something undeserved or unmerited. It functions in the context of disobedience, verses 30 to 32.

Number five, Jew and Gentile alike are characterized as disobedient in verse 32. God has shut all up under disobedience so that He might show mercy to all. Jew and Gentile alike are characterized as disobedient.

Number six, Jew and Gentile alike are the beneficiaries of God's mercy, verse 32. He may show mercy to all. Now that mercy is more fully manifested to Gentiles. but a coming time, it will be more fully manifested to the Jews.

Number seven, God's ways are beyond understanding. You can't figure God out. that's why we have to come to this revelation to understand Him. That's why the only knowledge of Him comes through what He has revealed in an ultimate understandable way. And the knowledge given through creation is not understandable to us apart from the revelation of His Word, as he started out in Romans chapter one.

Number eight, God owes no one anything, verse 35. God owes no one anything.


You know it helps me a lot just to keep that in mind. God owes me nothing. So everything I have from Him is mercy. So if He takes all I have tomorrow, I can say, thank you, God, for Your mercy. It keeps my life in perspective, doesn't it? He owes me nothing. Everything I have is as a result of mercy.

And lastly, God alone deserves the glory forever. God alone deserves the glory forever. That's the goal of it all. Our study of His revelation of what He has made known regarding Himself beginning with the first verse of Genesis and ending with the last verse in Revelation is so that we come to appreciate even more fully that He deserves all the glory. And we have been the recipients of an overwhelming mercy. And the more we know of Him, the more we understand of His revelation, the more we are overwhelmed with the wonder of that truth that He is a God worthy of all the glory and we are the people who have been given an overwhelming mercy. What a God we serve. Let's pray together.

Thank you, Lord, for who You are. Thank You for the richness of the revelation You've given of yourself. Lord, what an honor it is for us as those redeemed by Your mercy and grace to be privileged to read and study and understand what You have revealed concerning Yourself. Thank you for the gracious ministry of the Holy Spirit who has enlightened our hearts, who has given us understanding. Lord, may this truth never become commonplace. May we never take it for granted. May we never think that we know it. Lord, we're in awe that every time we study it, there's a richness and a depth our knowledge increases but it never exhausts the knowledge of the infinite God. Lord, may we hunger for more of You. May we desire to know more of You, that we might know You in a fuller and more complete way that we might be more in awe of the wonder of who You are and give You the glory. And we might appreciate more fully the mercy that we have received in Christ. In His name we pray, amen.