In The Word
Read: Romans 11:1-10
The Remnant of Israel
11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written:
“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear,
to this very day.”
9 And David says:
“May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
During the time of Paul’s writing to the believers in Rome. There was a dispute that God had replaced the unbelieving nation of Israel with the accepting Gentiles. Paul is adamant in the rejection of this theology, “May it never be!” (Romans 11:1). He proved this by his own testimony: that he himself was an Israelite and a believer in Jesus Christ. For God to reject the nation of Israel, He would have to break His covenant. That simply is not possible. Hebrews 11:6 assures us that it is impossible for God to lie. This would be counter-character. We know that God does not change His mind.
What we do know through Scripture is that in spite of our faithlessness, God is faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). Had the majority of Israel rejected Jesus as the Messiah? Yes. But there was a minority, a remnant, that still believed.
Did everyone see and hear the good news? No, but there will be a day when the darkness will be removed and they will accept Jesus as their Messiah and Kinsmen-Redeemer. God has a lasting covenant that will one day be fulfilled. This truth applies even to us, because God is faithful when we are unfaithful (2 Timothy 3:13). Because He will not break His covenant with Israel means He will not break His covenant with us. God’s covenants are not dependent on who believes it, but on Who made it. Place your trust in God today, He will never break His promises.