Has the N.T. Church Replaced Israel Permanently?
Romans 11: 1-36
Introduction
- There are Christians who believe that the nation of Israel is totally replaced by the N.T Church.
- They deny that God is still working out His specific promises and prophecies concerning the nation of Israel.
- They erroneously spiritualize and apply promises and prophesies concerning Israel to the N.T Church.
- In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul reveals that God has not replaced Israel with the N.T Church forever.
- Here Paul lays out various biblical reasons why God has not rejected Israel totally.
- Israel is not permanently cast aside by God. According to God’s plan, it still has a future.
Proofs that Israel is not Permanently Replaced:
Proof from Paul’s Personal Experience (v.1)
- Paul, an Israelite (“of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin”), is saved by faith in Christ.
- Paul, though a Christian, still emphasizes that he is an Israelite. The distinct identity of the Jew/Israelite is not completely eradicated, though he is a Christian.
Proof from the Biblical History (vv. 2-10)
- Paul reached back into 1 Kings 18 & 19 to show that God has always had a faithful remnant even in the times of greatest unbelief in Israel.
- In his day, Elijah thought that the nation had totally departed from God (see 1 Kings 19).
- But Elijah discovered that there was yet a remnant of true believers.
- Though He thought he was the only faithful Jew left, later he discovered that there were 7,000 more.
- Paul already established that even in ancient Israel, not all the people were obedient believers.
- Romans 9:27
- So Paul says in v.6, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
- Note that this remnant is saved by grace and not by works (Rom. 11:5–6).
- But many Israelites, then and now, consider their religious rites and rituals guarantee their spiritual well-being.
- The fact that the Jews shared in the covenant by being circumcised did not guarantee their salvation. Like Abraham, they had to believe God in order to receive His righteousness.
- If God’s grace has chosen and preserved a remanant, what happened to the rest?
- They were judicially hardened in their unbelief that they would perish (v.7).
Paul gives further proof by citing Isaiah 29:10; Deuteronomy 29:4 in verses 8; and Psalm 69:22–23 in verses 9-10.
Proof from the Provocation caused by the Gentiles’ salvation (vv. 11-15)
- Verse 11 says, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”
- Today, the saved Gentiles provoke Israel “to jealousy” (see Rom. 10:19) because of the spiritual riches they have in Christ. Israel today is spiritually bankrupt, while Christians have “all spiritual blessings” in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
Proof from Patriarachs (vv. 16-24)
- Though this section is a warning to Christians who came from Gentile background not to mock Israel, it also points to the fact that Israel will have full restoration in the future.
- He refers to the ancestry of Israel to show us that God has not fully rejected Israel.
- He uses two illustrations here.
The lump of dough (v. 16a). (cf. Numbers 15:17–21.)
- The first part of the dough was to be offered up to God as a symbol that the entire lump belonged to Him. The same idea was involved in the Feast of Firstfruits, when the priest offered a sheaf to the Lord as a token that the entire harvest was His (Lev. 23:9–14).
- The basic idea is that when God accepts the part He sanctifies the whole.
The olive tree (vv. 16b-24).
- The roots of the tree support the tree; again, this was a symbol of the patriarchs who founded the nation.
- God made His covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He cannot deny them or change them. Thus, it is God’s promise to Abraham that sustains Israel even today.
- We (wild olive branches) are grafted into that natural olive tree, when some God has cut off the unbelieving Jews (broken branches).
- We (N.T. Church) stand on Israel. “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).
- No matter how far Israel may stray from the truth of God, the roots are still good.
- God will keep His promises to these patriarchs. This means that the olive tree will flourish again!
God will Restore Israel (v.25-32)
- In His Time (v.25)
- According to His promise (v.26)
- According to His covenants (vv.27-28)
- Because of His faithfulness (v.29)
- Because of His grace (vv.30-32)
- Because of His wisdom (vv.33-36)
Conclusion
- We have a very patient and gracious God, who is willing and ready to forgive and restore us. Let us learn today that we should not hardened our hearts, but repent from our backslidings.
- He is faithful and just to forgive us
- Let us praise Him for the riches of His mercy and proclaim His saving name that both Jews and Gentiles alike find salvation in the Gospel of Christ.
