Has God Forsaken Israel?
by Jim Weikal
"How God can redeem Gentiles who did not seek salvation and redeem Jews who refused salvation is truly a wonder and worthy of praise."
There is a prevalent (but not new) teaching in the body of Christ today that God is done with the nation of Israel. Since most Jews have rejected the Gospel of Christ, God has turned His back to them and turned His face to the Church. This teaching can only be accepted after Scriptural approval, so I am not going to discuss the opinions of different men, past or present, on this subject but will limit myself primarily to one man, the apostle Paul, and what he teaches about Israel in Romans 11. It is here he deals directly with the Church, the remnant of Israel, and the hardened of Israel.
Before we begin, two observations framed as questions are in order:
(1) Why does God select Saul of Tarsus to be an apostle to the Gentiles?
He seems to be "the most unlikely to succeed" in evangelizing the Gentiles for salvation in Christ because: he was zealous for the Old Testament law; he persecuted the early Church; he rejected the Gospel message; he rejected Christ; he was a Pharisee; and he approved the death of Stephen.
Stephen, on the other hand, whom Paul helped martyr, seems like a perfect choice to evangelize the Gentiles. Look at his credentials: A) A man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; B) A man full of God's grace and power who did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people; C) His face was like the face of an angel (See Acts chapters 6-9). How many in the body of Christ today would travel hundreds of miles to come under the teaching of a man with Stephen's God-given call?
If God were done with the rebellious Jews because they rejected Christ, Stephen seems the likely candidate to visibly demonstrate His displeasure. But instead He chose Paul who was ––
"still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem" (Acts 9:1,2).
Was God showing through His choice of Paul that He was not done with the lost of Israel?
It is exciting to think that God selected this ––
"Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless" (Philippians 3:5,6).
If God was willing to save and use someone like Paul, then there is a definite expectation for unrepentant Jews through the ages — as well as unrepentant Gentiles through the ages — to be saved and used by God.
(2) Why does Paul go from despair to exaltation in two chapters?
In Romans 9:1-4, Paul writes ––
"I speak the truth in Christ — I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit — I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises" (Romans 9:1-4).
Notice how tormented Paul is at the thought of his people and their rejection of Christ.
Now compare his attitude above to the following selection ––
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?' 'Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?' For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory for ever! Amen" (Romans 11:33-36).
What could cause Paul to go from complete grief over his unsaved brothers in chapter 9 to an emphatic and vivid expression of praise about God's wisdom, knowledge, and judgments two chapters later? A conceivable answer—Paul realized that God had a plan for the unsaved Jews as well as the unsaved Gentiles.
As we begin our study of Romans 11, we need to understand that Paul readily admits that the Jews as a nation have not accepted the Gospel of Christ and they are a difficult group of people ––
"But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?' Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.' Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, 'I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.' And Isaiah boldly says, 'I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.' But concerning Israel he says, 'All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people'" (Romans 10:16-21).
But the question is, "Have they disobeyed enough to be cast permanently out of God's covenant and promises?" Paul answers this question himself in Romans 11:1, "Did God reject His people? By no means!"
To support his position, Paul relates the story of Elijah and the 7,000 Israelites who had not given in to Baal worship (Romans 11:2-4). The point made is that God always reserves a remnant of believers among his chosen people. The effect of the remnant is very important, for this group impacts the whole nation in a very significant way.
Consider Romans 9:29 where Paul writes ––
"It is just as Isaiah said previously: 'Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah.'"
If you will recall, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah would have been spared if just ten righteous people could be found (Genesis 18). None were found, however, so the cities were destroyed.
In a similar manner, Israel would have been destroyed if no righteous Israelites could be found. But due to God's grace (Romans 11:5), there are righteous ones in Israel — the remnant — so the nation is spared complete destruction because of them.
Those Israelites who rejected Christ "were hardened" ( Romans 11:7), but not permanently. Romans 11:11 says ––
"Again I ask: Did they (the hardened ones) stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!"
God knew they would reject the Gospel, and He used Israel's rejection of the Gospel to bring salvation to the Gentiles. Romans 11:11 says ––
"Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!"
Not only is God using Israel's rejection to the benefit of the Gentiles, but this rejection by Israel has a completion date known only to God. Romans 11:23,24 states ––
"And if they [the hardened ones] do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you [Gentiles] were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!"
Paul refers to God's dealing with the hardened of Israel and their being grafted back into the olive tree as a mystery ––
"I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in" (Romans 11:25).
Only God knows when the total number of Gentiles will be in, but the Church — so as not to be conceited toward Israel — should understand that God has not given up on the hardened of Israel ––
"As far as the Gospel is concerned, they [unbelieving Jews] are enemies on your [Gentiles] account; but as far as election is concerned, they [unbelieving Jews] are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and His call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:28,29).
Since the unbelieving Jews are so rigid toward the Gospel, "salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious" (Romans 11:11). Even Gentile salvation is to benefit the Jews. Even though Paul worked with the Gentiles, he still loved his people ––
(1) "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved" (Romans 10:1).
(2) "I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race" (Romans 9:1-3).
(3) "I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them" (Romans 11:13,14).
So we see that Paul's eyes are on the salvation of his people even during his ministry to the Gentiles.
Paul warns Gentiles who take a superior attitude toward the unbelieving Jews ––
(1) "If some of the branches have been broken off, and you [Gentiles], though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others [believing Jews] and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you" (Romans 11:17,18).
(2) "You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.' Granted, but they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either" (Romans 11:19-21).
(3) "Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off" (Romans 11:22).
Paul specifically warns the Gentiles not to be contemptuous of the unbelieving Jews because the hardening is temporary: "Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in" (Romans 11:25).
Towards the end of Romans 11, Paul says the hardened of Israel "are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and His call are irrevocable" (verses 28,29).
Three questions need to be answered from the preceding verses:
(1) Who are the patriarchs?
"Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs" (Acts 7:8). (This is not an inclusive list since others are referred to as patriarchs, e.g., David.)
(2) What are God's gifts and call?
"Theirs [Israel] is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen" (Romans 9:4,5).
(3) Why are the gifts and call irrevocable (unalterable)? Following are just some of the verses showing God's faithfulness to Israel ––
(A) "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill" (Numbers 23:19)?
(B) "For the sake of His great name the LORD will not reject His people, because the LORD was pleased to make you His own" (1 Samuel 12:22).
(C) "I said I would scatter them and blot out their memory from mankind, but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest the adversary misunderstand and say, 'Our hand has triumphed; the LORD has not done all this'" (Deuteronomy 32:26,27).
(D) "The LORD will judge His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free" (Deuteronomy 32:36).
(E) "Rejoice, O nations, with His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants; He will take vengeance on His enemies and make atonement for His land and people" (Deuteronomy 32:43).
(F) "'I will bring back My exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,' says the LORD your God" (Amos 9:14,15).
(G) "But I will defend My house against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun My people, for now I am keeping watch" (Zechariah 9:8).
(H) "This is what the LORD says, He Who appoints the sun to shine by day, Who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD Almighty is His name: 'Only if these decrees vanish from My sight,' declares the LORD, 'will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before Me'" (Jeremiah 31:35,36).
Paul, as a Pharisee, was knowledgeable of these and other Old Testament verses regarding God's faithfulness to His chosen people, "the apple of His eye."
Consider Deuteronomy 32:10 ––
"In a desert land He found him [Jacob], in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him [Jacob] and cared for him; He guarded him as the apple of His eye...."
And Zechariah 2:8 ––
"For this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'After He has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye.'"
Paul also knows the unbelieving Jews are recipients of God's mercy just like the unbelieving Gentiles have received mercy. We read in Romans 11:30-32 ––
"Just as you [Gentiles] who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their [unbelieving Jews] disobedience, so they [unbelieving Jews] too have now become disobedient in order that they [unbelieving Jews] too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you [Gentiles]. For God has bound all men [Jews and Gentiles] over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all [Jews and Gentiles]."
At this point Paul breaks out into praise and worship of God. This passage has no rhetorical purpose since it does not continue with his argument about the Jews. Remove this section and the flow of the text would be uninterrupted. He is finished defending the position that the Jews, both saved and unsaved, are in God's care and recipients of God's mercy just like the Gentiles. Paul is simply overcome and appreciative of God. How God can redeem Gentiles who did not seek salvation and redeem Jews who refused salvation is truly a wonder and worthy of praise.
These worship verses bear repeating so we all can appreciate our God and His mercy to believers and unbelievers alike ––
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?' 'Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?' For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen" (Romans 11:33-36).
As Gentile believers in the Jewish Messiah who have been grafted into the Jewish olive tree, we should heed Paul's words ––
"I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you" (Romans 11:13-18).
If Israel is no longer a part of God's plan because of her hardened attitude toward the Gospel of Christ, Paul is unaware of it. He even writes ––
"And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins'" (Romans 11:26,27).
Whether the nations (or Israel) like it or not, God says ––
"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession" (Deuteronomy 7:6).
This attitude of God does not give Israel or its inhabitants immunity from criticism. Nor does it change how Jewish people must depend on Christ for salvation. It simply says that God has plans for His people, and we should not doubt God's will or His willingness to fulfill these plans.
If the body of Christ can trust Jesus to save someone like Paul and to never abandon His nation Israel, then we can surely depend on Him to save Gentiles and never to abandon His Church: "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18).
As the Church suffers around the world because it preaches Christ as the only way to salvation and the Bible to be THE TRUTH, God's faithfulness to the people of Israel will be an inspiration to many.
