MINI-DESPATCH. December 01, 2001
From W. B. Howard ...Editor of Despatch Magazine
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THE 'JEWS' IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS

Extract from Book of Romans Bible Study by Endtime Ministries W. B. Howard

In our study of the book of Romans THE JEWS play a major part. As we look at many passages in the book of Roman, the whole picture emerges. God’s plan for the Jewish nation of Israel comes forth, as also does God’s plan for individuals who make up the nation, which is the Lord’s Chosen People. God brings in the GENTILE and the JEW, as a religious system, is set-aside for a season.

Romans chapters 9-11 are THE SYNAGOGUE OF ISRAEL chapters. God’s wisdom, explanation and vindication. Back in the COURT HOUSE OF LAW chapters 1-5, we first see the Jews as   being declared guilty before the Judge (the Lord Jesus Christ) along with all men. The Jews are found “fallen short” of God’s glory, just as every man on earth is. The Hebrew, a religious man, is accounted to be guilty of high treason against the Creator, as we see in THE COURT RECORD of Romans 2:17-3:8.

As we start the chapters 9-11 of the Synagogue of Israel section in Romans we get an introduction, which discusses two problems:

1... Israel had rejected Christ Jesus as the Messiah!
2.... Because this had happened, how now can the coming kingdom of earth be       established with Israel as the head nation of the earth? This kingdom will have the Messiah, Israel has rejected, reigning for a thousand years. Paul brings God’s answer to this dilemma. Paul knows that unbelieving Jews will conclude that he is wrong, anyway, in identifying Christ as the Messiah at all! But, believing Jews might be discouraged into thinking that the Lord must fail in His plan for the nation of Israel, who has fallen so far into actual rejection of their Messiah, Jesus Christ.

 The history of that period when Paul was writing Romans is of great importance here. The Jewish rejection of Christ as Messiah, at first, did not seem serious to the early church. 3,000 Jews were saved at Pentecost, and then the numbers was 5,000 and among those were priests in Jerusalem (Acts 4:4; 6:7 ). It would have appeared to the early disciples that soon all Israel would be saved, and that the rejection of Christ would be overthrown. They would have thought the “day of the Lord” was at hand. He, Who was to come to establish the kingdom of Heaven on earth, and so Israel, would be head over all the earth as a nation controlled by the Reigning Messiah (Acts 2:16-21). Then the Jews stoned Stephen, that glorious Christian believer, beloved of God, to death, and James the apostle was also killed (See Acts 7:57-60; Acts 12:2 ). The Jews were going about breathing fire at the Christian believers; many Christian leaders had been jailed! Paul could see that Israel was continuing in its denial of Christ Jesus as Messiah!!

Paul did not write as though THE CHURCH had become Israel, as some erroneously teach. If that were so then there would have existed no problems to write about in regard to Israel and the Jewish people.
Here we can quote from Willmington, whose Bible Study Guide has gleaned so much of interest and enlightenment for our studies here:

“*What would now happen?
 *Would the tiny ‘workshop of Israel’ be torn down during the ‘age of grace’?
Paul clearly and concisely answers these questions in chapters 9-11.”

 The answers are very important for us today, as there is much activity amongst the Jews and “Hebrew Roots” groups to bring an unbiblical emphasis into the churches of Christendom. The urging to become a Judaic Christian is strong in many quarters, but the Bible shows that Judaism and Christianity can never be mixed. Nor can the Church of Jesus Christ believe in “replacement theology” which is also unbiblical, on the other side of the coin. The Church has NOT replaced Israel, and God’s beautiful balance and perfect agenda is shown in His Word.
Romans 9-11 work steadily through to answer all our questions, and give us full satisfaction on the Jewish quandary.

CHAPTER NINE OF ROMANS

Paul confesses his grief and depression in 9:1-3. His heart is heavy for Israel, and he continually sorrows for his people. The sinful condition, which Paul is distressed over shows in him, a heaviness, which is, very like that which Moses experienced. See Exodus 32:31,32. Christ Himself was deeply grieved over Israel’s sin:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”    (Matthew 23:37, 38).

Then Paul recites the NINEFOLD advantages that Israel has in 9:4,5.

How could these people reject the Messiah?

Indeed, with Paul we can only wonder and grieve too:
1. ...Israel was a chosen nation; they were supposed to have great power with God         (Deut. 7:6; Gen. 32:38).

2.... The whole of Israel as a nation had been adopted by the Lord, just because of His mercy  and His favour alone
       (Ex.4: 22; Deut.14:1; Jer.31:9).

3.... Israel had THE GLORY, the Shekinah cloud. This was the very Presence of the Almighty with them, the Luminous, the radiance of the Lord. Here we can look at the Old Testament to understand the great privilege this nation of Israel had enjoyed:
a] The cloud had led Israel across the wilderness of the desert
     (Ex.13:21; Num. 9:17-22);
b] The cloud of God’s Presence had protected Israel at the Red Sea   (Ex.14:19,20,24);

c] The cloud had filled the Tabernacle when Moses was dedicated
      (Ex.40: 34-48);
d] It filled the Temple when Solomon was dedicated
(1 Kings 8:10, 11; 11Chron. 5:13,14);
e] This cloud had been removed during Ezekiel’s time (Ezek.10).

4.... Israel had the covenants from Jehovah:
a] The Abrahamic Covenant – God promising that Israel would be a mighty      nation -(Gen. 12:2,3,7; 13:14-17; 15:5, 18; 17:8).
b] The Palestinian Covenant – God promising a LAND (Deut. 30:3);
c] The Davidic Covenant – promising an eternal kingdom
-(11 Samuel 7:12-16; 23:5; 11 Chron.13:5).
d] Then, also God had promised ISRAEL the NEW Covenant, which they in the majority rejected. The promise of NEW HEARTS (Jer. 31:31-34).
 
 
 

5.... Israel had been given the LAW by God (Ex.20; Deut. 5).

6.... Israel had been chosen by God to be His servants. It was Israel that ministered in the Tabernacle and the Temple.

7.... Israel had the glorious promises of the Lord, written by their own prophets in the Old Testament Scriptures. GOD had shown them how, where and why Christ would be born, and how He would reign in the Millennium period
          (Isaiah 9:6,7).
8.... Israel had the glorious FATHERS of the Faith; these were regenerate people. Such spiritual giants as Abraham, Moses, David, Jeremiah and so on.

9.... Above all this Chosen Nation was the line that led to the incarnation of God the Son in the flesh (Matt. 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-38).
 

THE O.T. PROPHETS FORETOLD THE BLINDING OF ISRAEL,
AND THE MERCY OF GOD TO THE GENTILES.

Paul, as a writer of the Scriptures that are the New Testament, has, as a former Jew himself, a great understanding of God’s purposes for Israel. The New Testament does NOT discard the Jews, nor do the authors teach “Anti-Semitism” as foolish people can teach in these strange days of the end times. Paul simply brings before his readers the truth about the Jews and their relationship to the Lord.

The FIVEFOLD EXAMPLE OF HISTORY is then brought forth for us to consider.
God has shown His mighty favour and power towards His Chosen people, but they are blind:

1.... See Ishmael and Isaac (9:6-7). God’s choice was Isaac over Ishmael, the elder son. Isaac descendants would be the citizens of God’s Chosen Nation, they alone.

2.... Another example is given, Esau and Jacob (9:10-13). God sovereignty is seen again, HE chooses whom He will!
Consider verse 13. Some have been confused about this verse, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Does God hate some men without reason? Even when they are boys? Obviously not. But the Bible shows us that God was referring to the NATIONS, which Esau and Jacob founded – Israel and Edom.
 Where is this Old Testament quote found? It is in Malachi 1:2-5:
“The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.” ( Malachi 1:1-5).

Obadiah tells us why God “hated” Edom. -1 Have a look and find out why Edom sinned!

3.... Another example of God’s favour, grace and sovereignty comes before Paul’s readers. Pharaoh. God determined to pardon sinful Israel, but He determined to punish sinful Pharaoh. How much Israel owes the Lord, and how grateful and obedient they should have been. Yet they are BLIND! See 9:15- 9:17. We see here DESERVED punishment, and UNDESERVED grace.

You might have objections, questions like “why? ”  Paul answers these for us.

God is not unrighteous in His dealings with Pharaoh. On at least seven occasions the Bible tells us God hardened the heart of Pharaoh! What can we understand about such a thing as this! See the book of Exodus, 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1,20, 27;11:10. It is a difficult question, which cannot be fully grasped.

Here we will look once more to Willmington’s Bible Guide:
“The manner in which a given object will react when confronted by an outside influence is wholly dependent upon the nature of that object. For example, imagine a winter scene. Yonder is a frozen river. On either side is a bank of yellow clay. Suddenly the sun comes from behind the clouds and shines brightly down upon the river and the banks. What happens next? The reaction is this the ice will melt but the clay will harden. Thus we see in nature the same outside, heavenly influence softening one object but hardening the other. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that on four occasions we are informed the Pharaoh hardened his own heart Ex. 7:22; 8:15,19; 9:35).”

It is interesting to realize that the word “hardeneth” in 9:18 is kabed, and is translated “heavy” in Exodus 17:12; 18:18; Psalm 38:4; Isaiah 1:4. If we translate it thus in the case of Pharaoh, we get a “heavy” heart, one that is burdened down with sin and misery. God made Pharaoh’s heart heavy!

Romans 9:22,33:
Then Paul goes into a discussion on the WILL OF GOD versus free will of man. A deep discussion, which can become a puzzler. The theological emphasis of
ARMINIANISM views man’s free-will as governing mankind, with the sovereignty of God’s will being down-played. The theological emphasis called by many
CALVINISM views mankind and his relationship with God being governed by GOD”S SOVEREIGN WILL, and man’s free-will is down-played. Where does the truth lie?  In a balance, surely, but we are dealing with heavenly things, and our finite minds cannot know what God knows – only what He sees fit to reveal. Paul points out that God is the potter, and He can choose what vessel He makes – “a vessel of mercy ” or  “a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction.” The latter is in the middle voice, Willmington informs us, which has the meaning, “to fit oneself.” In 9:21 we can see something comforting and reassuring. Paul does not say God actually made the clay what it was, God worked with it. (See Jeremiah 18:1-6; Isaiah 45:9; 64:6-8). God knows beforehand what a person will want and do. He knows who will harden their hearts, and who will melt before Him. He works with the choices we make; He does not create and instigate those choices in a haphazard way. We should remember that HELL is deserved by sinful men, but HEAVEN is undeserved by anyone, and all is of GRACE if we gain that destiny.

4... MORE examples of the fantastic sovereign will of God in His dealings with men, and Israel. Again we are seeing how gracious God has been to the Chosen Nation who has rejected the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Their BLINDNESS is judicial! This time it is HOSEA (9:24-26). Hosea predicted that God would call out a    “people which are not my people” (9:25 and note Hosea 1:10;2:23). How is God’s sovereign WILL shown here? In reference to the SAVED GENTILES – which includes (thank the Lord) YOU and ME!  See 1 Peter 2:9,10.

5...An example follows of God’s sovereign will; this time it is ISAIAH (9:27-29).

What did Isaiah predict?

He told of the coming time when the Israelites would see a Remnant only being saved, by God’s grace and foreknowledge:
“Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9).

WHAT CONCLUSIONS ARE REACHED BY PAUL?

These are shown in 9:30-33. Here is the crunch, and GOD is the One, Who has brought this about, because it is HIS will. Who can challenge Him about His grace and sovereignty?

There are TWO conclusions Paul comes to:

1... THE GENTILES, only through faith and grace, had attained righteousness! And they had done so without even seeking it! GOD had had mercy upon them.

2...  THE JEWS, through the law, had NOT attained unto righteousness - even those who had sought it diligently! They were looking for the mighty Lion of Judah to sweep them to political victory, GOD had presented to them a humble, suffering, bleeding Lamb. The Jews had wanted the throne of the world right now; GOD had offered them the victory of the Cross of shame. They are BLIND.
 

ROMANS NINE AND TEN GO TOGETHER LIKE A HORSE AND CARRIAGE!

Chapter Nine shows us WHY SOME JEWS get saved, and Chapter Ten patiently explains to us WHY MOST ARE LOST! Chapter ten is a thrilling explosion of praise for the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world. It shows HIM to be the real source of all righteousness, not the Jewish Law.

How important this chapter is if we are to keep ourselves firmly standing in GRACE alone, and not be tempted to fall into the traps of those who would Judaize the churches in the 21st century.

ROMANS CHAPTER TEN.

These words are vital to our grasp of Grace and Law:

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS?

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (10:4).
When Hong Kong was given back to the Chinese that was the end of the rule of England over that area, and the beginning of a new rule. The old laws went out, and the new laws came in. So it is when we go into the Age of Grace, through the shed Blood of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We are now not under the old Law of the Old Testament, we are under GRACE. Have a good look at these verses, compare them with each other, and drink in God’s opinion on the subject!  11 Cor. 3:6-11; Heb. 7:11-19; Gal. 3:24; Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14).
 

HOW IS THAT RIGHEOUSNESS MADE AVAILABLE?

Read 10:1-3.
 Righteousness is made available to us in Christ Jesus!  Verses one to three of chapter ten show that although Israel had a zeal for God but it was without true knowledge. They are ignorant of the way GOD gives righteousness, and have tried to establish their own good works. Many religious people do that, they will not accept that they are sinners, undone, never able to be righteous, and will not submit to GOD’S way of giving, by grace through faith, the holiness that is found only in Christ Jesus.

 Read 10:6,7.
Then in verses six and seven a magnificent discussion takes place. It is well for us to delve into this and get the full intent of the passage, for in it lies wonderful assurance for our souls:
a) We no longer have to be worried about who will go to heaven – verse six; Christ has already made the way for us.
He was incarnate God come in the flesh;
He is already in Heaven for us;
b) We no longer have to worry about the resurrection – verse seven; Christ has been resurrected and we shall also be raised from the dead.

Paul shows us that salvation is not difficult and remote; it is near and easy, see verses 5-10. He quotes from Deut. 30:11-14, and places an interpretation on the passage to bring out a reference to CHRIST JESUS!

Christ is always available to FAITH, and the GOSPEL is available for every man:
“For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?  Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.”
(Deut. 30:11-14).

Salvation is of personal trust in a living Saviour, and the mouth makes confession when we are saved. See verse nine. Some have made confession an imperative, if one does not confess he is not saved! But this is not true to Scripture in many, many verses. Paul was stressing what James 2:20 also teaches – that if we really believe deep in our hearts we will surely confess Him before men. We cannot help ourselves; we know we have passed from death to life. The fruit of our lips proves the root of the reality of our salvation experience.

What is the method of salvation then?
It is by faith in Christ Jesus.
How can we have righteousness?
  It is by faith in Christ.
 

WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF SALVATION?

The wonderful WHOSOEVER appears in verse 13. Paul has shown us beforehand that all men were lost, now he shows us that ALL can be saved, if they have faith. There are false teachers who insist that the scope of the atonement is limited, that GOD has limited the atonement. But verses like these prove the lie to be an error. Compare this verse with John 3:16 and Revelation 20:15. Verse 12 reveals that all men, Jew or Greek [Gentile], are lost, if they seek to please God by their works. If the Jews do not call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, then they alone are responsible for their horrible fate. Many of these things about Christ are revealed in the O.T. as well as in the N.T., so the Jews are truly without excuse.
See Joel 2:32:
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”

A BEAUTIFUL DISCOURSE.

Verses 14,15 show how vital it is that the Gospel is preached to ALL. It is intended for ALL, so ALL must hear it. It is, in a nutshell, a program for world evangelism.

There are FIVE STEPS given:

1.... If any sinner is to get saved, that one must call upon the name of the Lord;

2.... But, if he is to call on the Lord he must first believe in Him and salvation;

3.... If he is to believe, he must hear about Jesus Christ and the way of being saved;

4.... To do that there must be a preacher. Now, if someone is saved by a tract, or hearing a radio program, or watching a video, there is still a preacher (someone has given them the Gospel message or written it) in the background;

5.... The preacher must be sent – that is by God Himself. Paul then quotes from Isaiah 52:7. Note how much the New Testament quotes from the Old Testament.  They are not separated; they make up a complete book. But, the New Testament brings a higher message than the Old. (See Matthew 5:20 to the end of the chapter).
Christ burst forth the O.T. teachings in the Age of Grace, with  “I say unto you.”

It was as though NEW LIFE came gushing forth the old rock of Law – a river of Life that smashed the rock forever.
The Greek word in verse 15 for “beautiful” means,  “full bloom, developed, mature.”
What this means really is that when we witness for Christ we are changed into full-blooded, developed and mature Christians.
 

THE JEWS HAD REJECTED RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM CHRIST ALONE.

Israel has “zeal ” without “knowledge.” See 10:1-3.
The contrast in the two words is interesting.
“Zeal” can lead to hot fanaticism; “ knowledge ” without the fullness of the Spirit can lead to cold formalism. See Galatians 1:14; Acts 22:30.

Romans 10:16-21.
Paul wants the Jews to be enlightened by the Lord. He sees they are utterly lost if they do not accept Christ as Saviour. There is a horrible change in attitude   towards Israel in many Christian’s minds today. The International Christian      Embassy (a modern-day outreach to the Jews by Christians) will not allow members to preach the Gospel of Grace to the Jews; they say that the name Christ Jesus makes many Jews shudder! This organization is merely a reconciliation outreach, rather like the reconciliation attempts between aboriginals and the whites here in Australia.
Reinhold Niebuhr, a modernist theologian, said:
“Do not try to convert the Jews … Jews may find God more readily in their own faith than in Christianity.”

Billy Graham has publicly declared that Jews find God in a different way than Christians do!
But Paul sees the TRUTH, Israel’s need of the Saviour, and the imperative of preaching Christ as Saviour to ALL.

Verse 18 is an indictment indeed! Paul applies David’s words about creation to that of salvation:
“Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,” Psalm 19:4).

What is he saying here?

It is NOT that Israel has never heard, why the opportunity they have had is as      great and wide as the very star-studded heavens above us all!
  Paul appeals to the O.T. yet again.
He points out that both Moses (Deut. 32:21) and Isaiah (53:1; 65:1) had predicted that God would reject Israel because of their unbelief, and take the Gentiles. (Romans 10:16.19.10).
“They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”
(Deut. 32:21).
“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?”
(Isaiah 53:1).
 “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.” (Isaiah 65:1).

 Romans 10:20,21 show that Israel is both:

a) Disobedient to the Word of God;
b) And disgruntled, displeased and put out (gainsaying) by the Word of God. If we look at Isaiah 65:2 we will get the full picture:
“I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;”
God had  “spread out his hands all the day” or over FIFTEEN CENTURIES to the Jews, the entire age of the Law! But Israel had been a disobedient and gainsaying people!

Compare Matthew 23:37-39.
 

ROMANS CHAPTER ELEVEN.

In this chapter God shows His tremendous mercy towards Israel, for His rejection of the nation will not be TOTAL or FINAL. IN THE FUTURE God will take up Israel again, as a nation.
From 11:1-25 we gain the understanding that God will not reject Israel forever.
But what “Israel” are we talking about?
The faithful remnant is decidedly different from the blinded majority!
a) The Biblical Nation of Israel is divided into two separate groups:
 THE MINORITY GROUP and THE MAJORITY GROUP.
  b) God shows that He has always had His “faithful remnant” which stands firm; and He shows that the others, the Majority, are blinded. And nothing is new in this division of groups. It has always been in the history of the Chosen Nation.
 

THE MINORITY.

Romans 11:5 shows the remnant. Paul then goes on to show that God has had a remnant in Israel throughout the ages. It is seen in Paul’s own conversion. He was a “remnant” Jew himself! Romans 11:1.
Romans 11:2-4 shows the remnant in the time of Elijah. He felt he was the only believer left, and he actually prayed against Israel in his day! Elijah made
“intercession to God against Israel.”

Will God answer prayers “against” others?  No, even Elijah could not have that kind of prayer answered. The Lord had to rebuke Elijah, and told him that there were indeed a large number of Jews still who made up the remnant of Israel. We can remind ourselves today that there is a faithful remnant of the Church, and we too can realize that indeed a large number still reImages “out there.”
-See Romans 11:4 and 1 Kings 19:10,14,18.
 

THE MAJORITY.

Romans 11:7 shows this group.
They are the “blinded” group, a large proportion of the Jews.

PRESENT-DAY Israel is cursed with THREE-FOLD blindness:

1.... The blindness that all men who are unsaved share
– the blindness caused by Adam’s sin and fall Ephesians 4:18.

2.... A blindness which Satan deliberately brings to the unsaved
– 11Corinthians 4:4.

3.... The blindness, which is most awful of all
– that which is caused by GOD HIMSELF! Romans 11:8.
 

Does the Bible show us anywhere else that God would blind Israel spiritually?
     Sadly it does.

Two Old Testament prophets predicted that this blindness would happen – ISAIAH in Isa. 29:10 see Romans 11:8 and DAVID in Psalm 69:22,23 see Romans 11:9,10.
*David, remarkably, also predicts the reason for this blindness.
*David tells us it would happen because of the Jews’ treatment of the Lord Jesus Christ!!!
 

Note carefully the words in Psalm 69:21.
See the fulfillment in Matthew 27:34,38.
 

THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES –

Romans 11:11-25.

 This is a most important section which weeds out, if we will but pay attention, the multitude of misunderstandings about the Church and Israel which plague the churches today. The section above deals with the GENTILE FULNESS PERIOD of the Church Age. Firstly, we should carefully differentiate between the “times” of the Gentiles and the “fullness” of the Gentiles. To get those two Bible terms mixed will cause much confusion to the study of Scripture.

Let’s get them separated properly to start with:

The “Times” of the Gentiles:

 This has to do with the rule of Gentile nations over the world. It is political in nature. The period of the “times” extends from the Babylonian captivity of the Jews until the end of the Tribulation. God will put down the rule of the Gentile nations at the end of the Trib., and He will set up Israel as the head nation of the world in the Millennium Reign of Christ.
(See Deut. 28:28-68; 11 Chron. 36:1-21; Dan. 9:24-27).

The “Fullness” of the Gentiles:

This is spiritual in nature. It refers to the period of time that makes up the Church Age. The Body of Christ is being made up of Jew and Gentile alike, all those who are saved between Pentecost and the Rapture. The Gentiles have been raised up by God to lead in the Church Age, and Israel itself has taken a place of rejection spiritually. (See Acts 15:14; Eph. 4:11-13; 1 Cor. 12;12,13). Yet, individual Jews make up the Body of Christ, just as individual Gentiles do:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile], there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
(Galatians 3:28).
 “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek [Gentiles]: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
 (Romans 10:12,13).
 

A TREE OF GREAT WONDER.

The OLIVE TREE symbol in Romans 11:17:25 is of great value to us all. A proper understanding is imperative, because of the Judaizing that is occurring in many quarters today. We are NOT Israel, we are saved people who make up the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Church Age.

Let us grasp well the teachings of Scripture:

1.... In the Church Age, which will not close until the Rapture, the “Fullness of the Gentiles” is in place. Gentiles are being placed into God’s Tree of Salvation.

2.... These Gentiles are being grafted into the “Good Olive Tree.” This process, according to Paul, is contrary to nature. Normally, when a wild plant is grafted into the good, the good will be conquered by the wild. When the good is grafted to the wild, then just the opposite will happen. See 11:24.

3.... Gentiles are warned that they must not be high-minded against Israel because they have a new place in God’s economy! See 11:21.

What is it all about?

Read   Romans 11:13-25.

Paul begins with TWO METAPHORS in mind –
FONT "Times New Roman"• the piece of dough offered as a heave offering (Numbers 15:19-21) consecrating the whole, and the holy root consecrating the branches.
He passes over the first metaphor, and goes onto the holy root. We can look at Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 14:6 to get more of the picture.

The figure of the Olive Tree serves two purposes:

 1.... It warns the Gentiles that they must not have boastful pride. They can be removed, as Israel was. NOT individuals’ losing their salvation, but the CHURCH is warned here. The Church as a whole does indeed go down into apostasy, as Israel did, and one day her time will come to a close, and God will take up Israel again to be His witness upon the earth.

2.... The Jews are the natural branches that have been cut off, but they will be so   easily grafted in again. Much easier than the “wild” branches were. The Church does NOT replace Israel, as the false    Replacement Theology teachers believe.

3.... What, then, is the Olive Tree itself? Some pervert the meaning here, and insist that the Christians have been grafted into Israel, and that the Jews still have the pre-eminence because of this. No, for Israel is the branch which has been broken off! See 11:20.

*The Olive Tree is holy, with a holy root from which we draw nourishment.

*The real root of the Church is Christ Jesus, we are rooted in Him as the remnant of Israel always was, for He is the eternal Son of God:

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. “ (Colossians 2:6,7).

4.... Israel was only called the Good Olive Tree when it, as a nation, was holy before the Lord. They were the nation through which God would bring the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. They can never be called the Good Olive Tree when they are in apostasy and broken off as a branch. The Christian Church is rooted in Israel only as this spiritual nation stayed as the vehicle of the Lord’s to bring the Holy One’s Life to the world. Israel is not the Good Olive Tree in the Church Age, she is the broken off branch!
 

THE MYSTERY?

In Romans 11:25 we find these words:
 “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery.”

What mystery?

That “blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” Remember that the period of the Fullness of the Gentiles is the Church Age? This will not close until the Church is taken from the earth at the Rapture. Until then Israel reImagess a broken off branch.

No Jewish/Christian Rabbi can come and claim Romans 11 as his authority for taking over churches, which are Christian! We are to call no man “Rabbi.”
“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” (Matthew 23:9).
 

THE REJECTION IS NOT PERMANENT

(Romans 11:26-36).

The Jews will be restored by God as a nation and a spiritual entity! God has made a covenant with them to that extent, and He will without doubt ratify that covenant.
See Romans 11:27; Isaiah 59:21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:31-37;
    Hebrews 8:8; 10:16; Zechariah 13:10.

How will they be restored?

Not by some Messianic group raising itself up to take over the teaching of the churches, and making out that they are now the authority because of Romans 11.
Not by some Hebrew Roots heresy sweeping Christian believers into false doctrine based on Romans 11.

The Jews will be restored through the RETURN OF THE PROMISED CHRIST!

They will then know that Christ Jesus was their own Messiah – but this does not   happen in the Church Age before the   Rapture. All those Jews who receive Christ as Saviour in the Church Age make up the Body of Christ; they are simply Christians like everyone else is who is born-again by the Spirit of the Lord. But, a time will come when Christ shall return, and the Jews who are unsaved will realize their mistake and turn to Him as Saviour and Lord.
See Isaiah 59:20 as well as Romans 11:26:
“And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 59:20).
 

GLORIOUS HYMN OF PRAISE TO THE LORD

Verses 33-36 of Romans 11 give a benediction by Paul, the first of five in the book. (See also Romans 15:33; 16:20; 16:24; 16:25-27). Who are we to challenge the dealings God has with Israel?
Or what He does with the Christian Church itself, for that matter.

No need for more comment, the benediction stands in its own beauty and         holiness:
“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 hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
 

Endtime Ministries Online Free Bible Course
==================
BIBLE TRUTHS ...I
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INTRODUCTORY ~ Certificate
-------------------------
Unit 1.  "Living Now in the Days of Noah"
Unit 2.  "Rightly Dividing the Word of God"
Unit 3a. "Commandoes for Christ" part A)
Unit 3b. "The Simplicity of Christ" part B)
Unit 4.  "Wonders in the Work of Christ"

ADVANCED ~ Diploma
------------------
Unit 5.  "Understanding Political Agendas Prophetically"
Unit 6.  "Understanding the N.A.N.W. O. Biblically"
Unit 7.  "The Jews/Church's Position Scripturally"
Unit 8.  "Understanding True and False Salvation "

*Posted in Australia $25 each Unit [KJV]
[Questions, Charts & postal costs included)
P.O.B. 238, Landsborough. Q. 4550 Aust.
================

----------------
BIBLE TRUTHS ...II [will include Hebrews next year]
--------------
*Book of Romans [KJV] Posted in Australia $15 [questions included with each chapter; contact us if you wish to have these corrected re postal costs.
P.O.B. 238, Landsborough. Q. 4550 Aust.
==================
 

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