Having expressed his heartfelt love for his people Israel in chapter 9, and then giving the open call of "salvation for all" in chapter 10 Paul cleans up some misconceptions surrounding this in chapter 11. there was a heresy in the early church (this heresy continues in some circles today) that claimed God had rejected Israel and had substituted the Christian Church as God's people. Paul writes chapter 11 to refute this substitutionary heresy, and to remind the new church of God's grace.
Paul reminds his readers that the feeling that Israel has rejected God is a recurring theme in scriptures. He reminds his readers of Elijah's lament that, "I alone am left..." God reassured Elijah then and Paul reassured his readers that God always preserves a remnant by grace. Isn't this great good news even for us today? I think it even has applications when we examine our selves. There are times when I cry out about my fallen state and God reassures me that there is a remnant within me! I am not forsaken.
In verses 11-24 Paul speaks to the Gentile readers about the grace that saves us and the humility we should exhibit towards the Jewish people. We are after all engrafted branches from a wild olive shoot, and God who is just and loving is able to re-graft the natural branches into the tree. The goodness and strength comes, not from the branches - natural or wild - but from the root!
Finally in a beautiful summation Paul brings us all together back under God's grace. I picture here the wings of a mother cuddling all her young when I think of God here. Read again those beautiful words of Romans 11:32, 33 & 36, "For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ... For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
3 comments:
What a beautiful post.
For some reason, this chapter was a little bit harder for me. It was on the longer side, and it certainly covered a lot.
I remember the story of Elijah clearly - I played Elijah the first week I ever went to Aldersgate - 1997 "Let's Do a Musical." Everyone else was against me, until my God lit the fire, but Bahl could not. That God, he's always coming through. Looking back, Elijah really proved to be strong, when all the people around him in Israel . I know in certain situations it sure feels that way for us.
I really like the branches and the roots. With Jesus as your root, the tree will always stand...but if you fall away from faith, you can always be grafted back in! What a merciful God we have.
It is amazing to think of God as a nurturing mother. Like in "Footprints" when he carries us through the hard times...God loves us unconditionally, and his grace is what keeps us going each and every day. Amen!
God Bless,
In Him,
Marshall
I LOVE the olive tree analogy. I close my eyes and I picture my branch grafted in.
I see some tape where I fell off and had to be regrafted.
Then I see some staples where I broke off again and was again regrafted into the tree.
Maybe some bubblegum holding me in place the next time I broke...
The point and the beauty of it all is that I have been grafted back in every time and I continue to receive nourishment from the Great Gardener!
after all "...the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
Praise the Lord!
Hoo Rah!!
"For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." That verse was meaningful to me, coming up in the lectionary one of the first times I preached.
I like how Paul says that God's hardening of hearts in places in the scriptures is meant to create an ultimate opening for salvation for all. I'm not sure I totally agree...I still struggle with that language in the OT stories, but I appreciate his way of looking at it! I can work with it.
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