I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the Tribe of Benjamin.
Since Paul is Jewish, then he's proof that God didn't just reject and abandon His chosen people.
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
"Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life" (I Kings 19: 10, 14).It looked to Elijah that there was no one left but himself.
But what is the divine response to him?
"I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (I Kings 19: 18).God told him that he wasn't alone, there were thousands of people still faithful to the Lord.
In the same way, then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.
So now today, in the Church Age, God still has a few, a remnant of the Israelite Nation, who are scattered among all the Nations, who recognize their Messiah. And this is the only time in the Earth's history that a Nation scattered among other Nations has maintained it's identity, and not been lost as drops in the ocean. This means that God still has plans for Israel.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
Grace and works are opposites. If you work for it, you've earned it, you deserve it. But if it's grace, then it's a free gift, that you couldn't ever earn or deserve.
What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it,
We saw before that Israel was seeking righteousness, but missed it because they were trying to work for it.
But those who realized they couldn't work for it or deserve it, found it, because they were chosen to receive grace.
and the rest were hardened;
just as it is written,
"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not," down to this very day (Isaiah 29: 10).And David says,
"Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them. Let their eyes be darkened and see not, and bend their backs forever" (Psalm 69: 22-23).All the rest, who were still trying to earn it, were blinded to God's spiritual program, and the veil is still over most of them today, with only a few finding salvation in their Messiah.
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be!
But there is still hope for Israel; they are not written off by God.
But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
God had said that since they were trying to make God jealous with their idols, then He would make them jealous by people who weren't even a Nation, with no understanding of the advantages He had given Israel, in Deuteronomy 32: 21.
Now if their transgression is riches for the World and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
If God is calling people to Himself from the rest of the World among the Gentiles because the Jews rejected Him, how much more benefit and riches will come to everyone when Israel does recognize Him!
But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
Paul says that since he is the Apostle to the Gentiles, he will grow his ministry to include more and more Gentiles if it will cause the Jews to turn to God.
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the World, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
Wow! This verse says it all. If Israel's rejection of their Lord brings the benefit of reconciliation with God to the World, then when Israel does recognize Him, then how much more will God's favor be upon everybody everywhere! Like life from the dead!
O my Father, Your Plan for us all is so magnificent! As You are! Your Chosen People, Your born-again children, Your holy Angels, and whoever else You choose, will populate all the Universes You will create!
In the mean time, Father, help us now, while we seek Your face, and look for all the lost sheep who are still to be found.
Father, teach us how to be Your hands and feet to do Your work in promoting Your great Kingdom!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
