“All day long I have held out my hands

to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Romans 10:21

Everytime I read Romans and I come to this verse my focus has been on the fact that these people, Israel, are disobedient and contrary people. But this time, in my studies I see a God who had all day long held His hands out to them. What love… what compassion… This is the last thing in chapter 10 that Paul tells us about where the Israelits were in standing with God at the time this book was written.

In Chapter 11, Paul speaks to their future and asks 2 main questions. The first question, “has God rejected His people?” Pauls answer: BY NO MEANS! Paul is a living testament of this and the scripture is clear here in Romans 11:2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” ⁴ But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

There are some that teach that God is done with the Jews and they are no more. I can’t get around these very clear verses. Paul here uses the example from Elijah where the people of Israel bowed the knee to Baal. God said the same in the Jeremiah study we just finished for Lent. They too were bowing the knee to Baal as we found out as we read

Jeremiah 23:3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

Also see Jeremiah 31:7, 50:17-20 – God has kept a remnant. Paul says in Romans11:7  What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened…

Then the second question, “did they stumble in order that they might fall?” Pauls answer: BY NO MEANS! Here is another clear verse that God is not done with them – Romans 11: 11a-12 Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry ¹⁴ in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

Romans 11:13-15

When Christ rose from the dead the first to hear the gospel were Jews. What will happen when at last they turn to Christ? What a day of rejoicing that will be!

Thanks for Listening,

Starla