ROMANS 11
This chapter is of great importance in relation to the knowledge of God and of His ways. Paul himself, and many others, were witnesses that God had not cast away His people Israel. It was true that Israel had proved to be “a people disobeying and opposing”, but nevertheless God had secured from among them “a remnant according to election of grace”. It had been so even in the dark days of Elijah. That greatly honoured servant of Jehovah felt that he had been left alone. A man of personal fidelity is sometimes apt to, get occupied with his own faithfulness, and not to take sufficient account of what God may be doing in HIS faithfulness and mercy. The sovereignty of God is often regarded as if it were a narrowing up and restriction of blessing, but Paul is showing how it has secured blessing where otherwise there would be none. It had reached out to seven thousand when Elijah thought there was only one. It had secured a remnant even from such a perverse and disobedient people as Israel. And it was now active far beyond the bounds of Israel, “to the extremities of the habitable world”.
Israel, going on in self-righteousness in spite of every divine testimony to their sinfulness, and having despised and rejected Him who was God’s salvation for them, and in whom all God’s promises were substantiated, were now judicially unable to see or to hear; their table was a snare, a gin, and a fall-trap. Psalm 69: 22, 23, is God’s judgment upon them because of their utter lack of appreciation of Christ. For nineteen centuries Israel has been feeding on vain hopes, on expectations which have either utterly failed, or have become connected with material gain in a way that has carried them more and more into complete infidelity.
Consequent upon Israel’s rejection of Christ and of the testimony of the Holy Spirit, the ways of God had opened out towards the nations. “By their fall [p. 183] there is salvation to the nations to provoke them to jealousy”. God would have Israel to know that His salvation was going out through and in Christ to the nations that they might be moved to jealousy. He would have them to feel jealous when they saw that the blessing of God, which might have been theirs, was being enjoyed by the nations. Thus the present time of blessing for the Gentiles is a wonderful appeal on God’s part to unbelieving Israel. It is as though God were continually saying to them, They are enjoying My favour; why should not you enjoy it, who really had the first claim to it according to My ancient promises?
The normal course of things, according to the prophetic word, would have been for the nations to be blessed through Israel as God’s people enjoying His favour. But, instead of that, in the present ways of God their fall has been the world’s wealth, and their loss the wealth of the nations. But this in no wise sets aside God’s plan to bless the Gentile nations in a future day in connection with the full blessing of Israel. Hence the apostle asks, “How much rather their fulness?” It is today the time of Israel’s fall and loss, for they have missed the wealth of God’s blessing in Christ, but that wealth has come by the glad tidings to the world and the nations. Israel will yet have “their fulness” according to many glorious prophetic scriptures, and the nations will be wealthy then in the richness of millennial blessing, subordinate to Israel as the head under Messiah’s beneficent reign. But before that day of Israel’s wealth and glory, so fully described in Old Testament prophecies, there has come in a peculiar interval marked by the fall, loss, and casting away of Israel [p. 184] nationally, and the salvation and wealth of God in grace going out to the nations.
Paul glorifies his ministry as “apostle of nations”, but he tells us that his object in doing so was “if by any means I shall provoke to jealousy them which are my flesh and shall save some from among them”. He clings with affectionate desire to Israel; there is an intense yearning in his soul that some from among them should be saved. He never forgets the distinguished place which Israel will have when received by God according to His promises to the fathers. He reasons, “For if their casting away be the world’s reconciliation, what their reception but life from among the dead?” In the light of all that will be theirs in a coming day, he longs to save some from among them now. And he speaks to us, who are of the nations, that we may know that there is something abnormal about this present interval.
It is a peculiar dealing of God that the main streams of His blessing should be flowing amongst the nations, and that Israel, to whom so much pertained according to divine gift and calling, should be publicly marked by fall, loss, and casting away. He says, “If their casting away be the world’s reconciliation”. What a statement is this of the present position of things! Israel cast away for the moment, and the world in reconciliation! Not one bit of what attaches to Israel according to divine gift and promise can be seen in them nationally. They are, at the present time, cast away from it all. And the world is in reconciliation. That is, the whole world is under the eye of God from the standpoint of Christ and His death. He has “died for all”, He “gave himself a ransom for all”, and “he is the propitiation [p. 185] for our sins; but not for ours alone, but also for the whole world”. If men are not personally reconciled to God, it is not because reconciliation is not available, but because they will not have it. It is not here what account men take of Christ and His death, but what account God takes of it. All the wealth and blessedness of that Person and what He has accomplished in propitiation is before God at this moment for the world, and for every creature in it. The world is in God’s view now in relation to Christ and His death, and the scope of the gospel is towards all men, that, as enlightened by the glad tidings, they may come by faith into the good of what is there provisionally for them. It is a time of “wealth” for the world, and for the nations, a time of reconciliation for the world, for Christ has become available in all the precious and divine value of His death. If men despise or slight what is available their blood will indeed be on their own heads.
Paul does not forget, nor will he suffer us — who are of the nations — to forget, that the casting away of Israel is not to be permanent. How could it be, in face of innumerable prophecies in the Old Testament of Israel’s future exaltation? So he says, “For if their casting away be the world’s reconciliation, what their reception but life from among the dead?” He has in mind, no doubt, such scriptures as Ezekiel 37; Isaiah 60; chapter 25: 8; chapter 26: 19; chapter 27: 6, 7; Jeremiah 33: 7 - 9. Israel will yet be received as definitely and publicly as they are now cast away; and in the meantime every converted Jew is, like Paul, a proof that God in His election of grace is mindful of Israel, securing a remnant of them right through until that day when “all Israel shall be saved”. Of course the remnant of Israel is at the present time merged in the assembly, and participates in assembly blessing and privilege.
Then verse 16 is a wholesome reminder of what marked the beginning of God’s ways, when He made sovereign choice of Abraham and called him out to have divine promises. “Now if the firstfruit be holy, the lump also; and if the root be holy, the branches also”. The promises given to Abraham were holy promises, for they had reference to Christ, and to all that God would bring to pass by Him and in Him. They were altogether apart from the failure and imperfection of man. And they were held by Abraham, not in a natural way, but in faith which had learned that all that was of the flesh and nature was in the weakness of death. Abraham was in a distinct way the firstfruit of divine promise. Not that he was the first individual who had faith, but he was called out from a world where God was unknown, to be the depository of divine promises and to be the father of the faith family. The features of that family were plainly delineated in him of whom it is expressly said that he “believed God”. He became characterised by the promises which he believed, and they were holy promises as being of God and giving the knowledge of God. The promises and the faith that cherished them were holy. Such was “the firstfruit” and such must “the lump” be also; if such “the root”, such also must be “the branches”.
Hence, as some of the natural branches were proved not to have faith, they had been broken out; and the Gentile had been graffed in so as to become “a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree”. We of the nations have come in to [p. 187] enjoy the good of all those promises of God, fulfilled in Christ, in regard to which the greater part of the natural branches have been unbelieving. We owe all to divine promise, which pertained to Israel as the seed of Abraham, but from which they have been “broken out through unbelief”. The consideration of this carries with it a serious warning to us who are of the nations. “Be not high-minded, but fear; if God indeed has not spared the natural branches; lest it might be he spare not thee either”. The Gentile is called to “Behold then the goodness and severity of God: upon them who have fallen, severity; upon thee goodness of God, if thou shalt abide in goodness, since otherwise thou also wilt be cut away”. The branches of Israel which had fallen might justly have been charged with many evil works, but it was their unbelief which had caused them to be broken out. The Gentile only stands in the goodness of God “through faith”. No traditional or successional or sacramental title is of any avail; those of Israel had a better title on such grounds than any Gentiles ever could have, and yet not having faith many were broken out. It is only “through faith” that any stand, either of Israel or the nations. So that it is neither a question of following the religion of our ancestors, nor of what men call good works, but of abiding through faith in THE GOODNESS OF GOD. Gentile branches that have now been graffed into the olive tree of promise are warned that if they do not abide through faith in God’s goodness they will also be cut away. This will inevitably take place.
Israel’s dangers are ours too. The Gentile is just as likely as the Jew to draw near with his lips while his heart is far from God. And Christendom as a [p. 188] whole has manifested complete lack of appreciation of Christ, so that in the governmental ways of God their table has become a snare. The very things they feed on morally are poisonous, and their eyes are darkened that they cannot see. Where the ministry of Christ is not appreciated men soon turn to what is positively noxious and harmful. We can see it only too plainly around us. And men think it is progress! Their eyes are so blinded that they do not perceive that it is the solemn retributive dealing of God — the judicial consequence of turning away from His presentation of Christ.
But it is still true, as of old, that if there are many who lack appreciation of Christ, and whose eyes are blinded, the ways of God open out to let others in. He is not going to be frustrated; He will have His precious things and His beloved Son appreciated. That which is great and pretentious in Christendom is marked by distance from God, and spiritual blindness. But His ways have opened out to let in a poor and afflicted people. We can only wonder and worship if God has brought us to repentance and faith. One does not expect now to find those who are great and prominent enjoying the blessing of God. There is wonderful wealth available, but the question is, Are we small enough to get it for ourselves? Our special word of warning is, “Be not high-minded, but fear”.
The danger is of being like Laodicea, “rich and increased with goods”, but without the true riches. Opportunity is given to every one to be with God on the footing of Christ. Marvellous favour! But Paul is raising serious questions and exercises, and warning the Gentile that he is as liable to miss all as Israel [p. 189] was. To deceive ourselves by a vain confidence, and fleshly boasting, is but the prelude to utter ruin. The subject here is of the ways of God publicly, and of the position in which one may be found in relation to these ways. To have faith, and to abide through faith in the goodness of God, is the only true security. To be an object of mercy, and to be content to be such, is safe ground, for it recognises our true place and glorifies God. On this ground blessing is available for every one, but only broken and contrite hearts get it. God’s faithfulness and mercy are known and relied on by the humble and contrite. Such feed on God’s faithfulness, as owing all to Him, and on that ground they are safe, and ready to present their bodies a living sacrifice to God. That is our intelligent service: God’s compassions claim us for Him.
The nations have followed in the track of unbelieving Israel. They have relied on what is traditional and ceremonial, they have turned to works and law-keeping, they have trusted in the flesh, they have not continued through faith in the goodness of God. And yet how attractive and blessed is that goodness to sinful men! How it brings divine righteousness and salvation near to men, and makes God known as a Saviour-God, One who justifies the ungodly! How appealing are the words of Romans 2: 4! “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance?” The goodness of God is known through faith, and it leads to repentance. Failing to abide in it, the Gentile profession will be cut away in judgment, and this will give occasion to God to graff Israel in again.
[p. 190] We of the nations who have believed are not left in ignorance of the mystery of God’s ways. It is wholesome for us to know it, that we may not be wise in our own conceits. “Blindness in part is happened to Israel” at the present time, but this is in view of the accomplishment of God’s present purpose in bringing in “the fulness of the nations”. Then “all Israel shall be saved. According as it is written, The deliverer shall come out of Zion; he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is the covenant from me to them, when I shall have taken away their sins”. The restoration of Israel from unbelief will be secured by Christ coming as the Deliverer out of Zion; they will then be graffed into their own olive tree again; God will take away their sins, and establish His covenant with them. It is beautifully put here: “And this is the covenant, from me to them“: showing so plainly that all will be brought to pass from God’s side.
“As regards the glad tidings, they are enemies on your account”; they have resented the outgoings of grace to the Gentiles. This has consummated their guilt, according to the intensely solemn words of the apostle in another place: “Who have both slain the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and have driven us out by persecution, and do not please God, and are against all men, forbidding us to speak to the nations that they may be saved, that they may fill up their sins always: but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost”, 1 Thessalonians 2: 15, 16. But notwithstanding all this it remains true that “as regards election” they are “beloved on account of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are not subject to repentance”. God has not given up Israel, nor will [p. 191] He ever do so. His ways have widened out, consequent upon the rejection of Christ by Israel, to make those of the nations “objects of mercy”. We once had not believed in God, but through the unbelief of Israel we “have been objects of mercy”. Now Israel is in the sad case of not believing in the mercy shown to the Gentiles. They are not on the line of faith at all, any more than we were when God’s mercy reached us. So that when they do come into blessing it will be purely as “objects of mercy”, and in the sovereignty of God’s election.
So that the conclusion of the whole matter is that on the line of nature there is nothing in man — whether Israel or the nations — but unbelief. It becomes then purely an action of mercy if any are blessed in the knowledge of God through faith. “For God hath shut up together all in unbelief, in order that he might shew mercy to all”. That is, whether it be the remnant of Israel who have found participation in present blessing, or whether it be those who make up what is spoken of as “the fulness of the nations”, or whether it be all Israel saved in the coming day when the Deliverer comes out of Zion, it is in every case pure sovereign mercy and election on God’s part. Each justified and saved one has to realise this. We have all to learn to say from the depths of our souls:-
“Nothing but mercy will do for me;
Nothing but mercy full and free”.
The consideration of all this constrains our hearts to break forth in harmony with Paul as he exclaims, “O depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor? or [p. 192] who has first given to him, and it shall be rendered to him? For of him, and through him, and for him are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen”. The profound sense in the soul of the sovereignty of God’s ways in mercy produces a spirit of worship and adoration, and it also becomes the powerful motive for complete dedication to God as we see in the next chapter.
The value of these three chapters (9, 10, 11) is very great; not only in their dispensational bearing, but as forming our souls in the appreciation of divine compassions, so that these compassions may be the ground on which we are appealed to in chapter 12: 1. The question has to be raised in every soul, Why am I blessed? What caused me to have exercises Godward? How came I to repent and believe, when millions do neither? The answer is that God has shown mercy. No one is in his right place with God, or truly humble and self-distrustful, until he knows this. Without it he cannot be a worshipper, or a man who holds his body as dedicated to God. Any measure of faithfulness there is with us is, as to its origin, purely of God’s mercy. Hence Paul speaks of himself as “having received mercy of the Lord to be faithful”; he never lost the sense of mercy. We of the nations who have faith have come in as having no claim or title to blessing whatever; it has been purely the compassion of God. God blessed a remnant of Israel in spite of the state of the nation as a whole; then He made the unbelief of Israel the occasion for mercy to go out to the nations; presently He will take occasion by the unbelief of the nations to resume His dealings in mercy with Israel. As Paul surveys it all he breaks out in this lofty ascription of glory to God.