Romans 11
We will begin this lesson in Romans 11:1
We see here, again, that Paul is proud of his Israelite heritage. Paul mentions this heritage several times in his writings. 2nd Corinthians 11:22
And we, also, read in Paul's writings Philippians 3:5
Paul is very proud that he was of the physical house of Israel as well as the spiritual house of Israel.
We, also, see that God never completely gives up on the physical house of Israel even if they have walked away from Him. Jeremiah 33:24
Jeremiah 33:25
Jeremiah 33:26
God is long-suffering and is always ready to forgive them and receive them back.
Romans 11:2
Romans 11:3
I Kings 19:10
I Kings 19:11
I Kings 19:12
I Kings 19:14
We can see from this that God is interested in just one prophet that belongs to Him. God will not forsake His own. Just as any parent will not forsake their children, God will not forsake His own.
Romans 11:4
I Kings 19:18
We see something very distinctive here. This is established by two, an Old and a New Testament book. God will save a remnant as we said in a previous lesson. I believe the 144,000 who are sealed with the Father's seal in Revelation are the remnant. Remember once again that they have the seal of the Father God and the large number around the throne in heaven at the same time have on the white garment of righteousness and belong to God the Son. They have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Romans 11:5
Romans 11:6
Ephesians 2:8
Ephesians 2:9
We see from this that we can not work our way to heaven. Salvation is a free gift. Truly even the Holy Spirit must woo you, or the desire to come to Jesus would never be there. Our part in all of this is to reach out and take what God has offered to us. Truly we have nothing to do with who we are as we read in this next Scripture.
I Corinthians 15:10
Romans 11:7
Romans 11:8
Matthew 13:14
Matthew 13:15
These Scriptures leave no doubt that God first must call us and the Holy Spirit has to reveal to us the meaning, or we, too, would be blinded. It is God that opens our ears of understanding to His Word. He is our source, we must depend on Him. The beginning of wisdom is to fear God. This fear is to reverence Him or to hold Him in awe. Unless God reveals Himself to us, we do not truly know Him. He loves everyone and wants us all to love Him, but if we choose not to follow Him, He will stop up our ears and eyes and we will not be able to understand. He does not want us to come to Him with our mind, He wants our heart.
Ezekiel 12:2
Mark 4:11
Mark 4:12
This is because of their evil heart that Jesus does not reveal Himself to them.
Romans 11:9
Romans 11:10
recompense (KJV) means to make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate.
I Timothy 6:17
I Timothy 6:18
We see from these 3 Scriptures that to whom much is given, much is required. This does not mean just wealth of money, but has to do with knowledge of the Bible, as well. To know God and His Word and then to sin is much worse than to sin in ignorance. In the 23rd Psalm, we see the opposite of this table.
Psalms 23:5
David's table was a blessing and theirs was a curse. They did not have their heart right with God.
Romans 11:11
Acts 13:42
We see that the Gentiles readily accepted the Lord Jesus Christ when the Jews rejected Jesus. God still loves the Jew [the physical house of Israel] and, as we have been reading, He will save a remnant of them.
Romans 11:12
This is just God's way of allowing the Gentile believers to be saved. We Gentile believers have been grafted in to the family of God. We are His adopted children.
Romans 8:15
Romans 11:13
Romans 11:14
Paul was actually commissioned of God to bring the salvation message to the Gentiles, but he could not quite ever give up on his brothers, the Jews.
Acts 9:15
You can see from this that his first call was to the Gentile. I will give you one Scripture of many that shows that Paul was aware of his call to the Gentiles.
II Timothy 1:11
Paul in verse 14 above is saying that, perhaps, while he is bringing this message to the Gentiles, some of his Hebrew brothers will hear and understand, as well.
Romans 11:15
There is no better example of this in all the Bible than in Ezekiel where the story of the dry bones is found. In this account we will see, that at the end God will bring back to life the natural Israelite, and they and the spiritual house of Israel {Christians} will all be part of the family of God. The 2 sticks that come together are the spiritual and the physical houses of Israel. Jesus Christ {their Messiah} saves us all.
Ezekiel 37:1
Ezekiel 37:2
Ezekiel 37:3
Ezekiel 37:4
Ezekiel 37:5
Ezekiel 37:6
Ezekiel 37:7
Ezekiel 37:8
Ezekiel 37:9
Ezekiel 37:10
Ezekiel 37:11
Ezekiel 37:12
Ezekiel 37:13
Ezekiel 37:14
In verse 11 above, the word whole is used meaning the physical and the spiritual house of Israel.
Questions
1. In verse one Paul asks, Has God cast away His people, has He?
2. What 3 things does Paul call himself in verse one?
3. He wrote that he was an Israelite in other books, name them.
4. God is ______________ and is always ready to forgive.
5. Who had Elias made intercession for?
6. In verse 3 what 2 things had they done that made Elias think that he alone was left?
7. In 1 Kings chapter 19 what mighty things were mentioned that God was not in?
8. What was God in?
9. Elias in Romans is the same person as ______ in 1 Kings.
10. God will not _______ His own.
11. In chapter 11 verse 4, how many had God reserved who had not bowed their knee to Baal?
12. What Old Testament Scripture is the second witness of this which makes it absolute?
13. This remnant is according to what in verse 5?
14. Quote Ephesians ch.2 v.8.
15. Why is it not of works that we are saved?
16. Paul says by what {I am, what I am}?
17. In verse 7, we see that who obtained while all others were blinded?
18. Describe the eyes and ears of those who did not receive it.
19. Who opens our understanding to God's Word?
20. What is the beginning of wisdom?
21. God does not want our mind, He wants what?
22. Why does Jesus not reveal Himself to some people?
23. In verse 9 David said for those who reject the truth to have their table be what?
24. In verse 10, what will happen to their eyes?
25. What does recompense mean?
26. In 1 Timothy ch.6 v.17, what are those who are rich in this world to do?
27. Quote Psalms ch.23 v.5.
28. In verse 11, we see that their fall came for what purpose?
29. In Acts ch.13 v.42 when the Jews had gone out of the synagogue who asked that the message be brought to them on the next Sabbath?
30. Who is the physical house of Israel?
31. In verse 12 we see that the diminishing of them be riches to whom?
32. In Romans ch.8 v.15 we have received what spirit?
33. When we have been added to the family of God, what should we cry?
34. Who was Paul commissioned to bring the salvation message to?
35. Who did Paul desire to save whatever it took?
36. In verse 15, what does the receiving of them bring?
37. In Ezekiel chapter 37, what does the story of the dry bones bring?
38. Who are the dry bones mentioned in Ezekiel ch.37 v.11?
39. What causes these dry bones to live in Ezekiel ch.37 v.14?
40. Why is the word whole used in verse 11 of Ezekiel 37?