Romans 11:25-36

 Romans 11:25-36

This is one of the most difficult and challenging passages that we will come across in Romans. Part of the issue Paul was addressing was the mistaken idea that God was finished and done with Israel. Other peoples that God had hardened, such as Pharaoh and Egypt or the people of Sodom, were destroyed. God had hardened Israel (verse 25), and the Romans thought that meant they were done. Paul says, “Not so fast.”. A detailed exposition, theology, history, and eschatology for this passage would require a volume unto itself. But there are some key principles we can talk about briefly. 

Number one let’s be humble. Paul says he doesn’t want the Romans ignorant about “this mystery.”. Some things can only be understood by revelation. We can’t ever figure them out on our own; we must have some things explained to us by someone else. That is the case here; it is only by revelation that the complex beauty of God‘s will can be understood.

Second, God does not give up on people quickly or easily. There is a point where, after a person repeatedly hardens their heart and turns away from God, God will give up on them. But that moment is later rather than sooner. Only a fool would see how far away from God they could go and still be safe. But we give up on people much quicker than God does; Israel is living proof.

Third, and related to the second point, we read that God desperately wants to see people rescued. The hardening of Israel and calling Gentiles and thereby creating jealousy in Israel is all an effort to rescue a people. The cross is the most extreme example of the desperate measures to which God will go to rescue a people. But this is not the only example of God‘s gracious love and efforts to rescue a person; He moves in thousands of ways daily. Many of us will hardly walk across the street to befriend someone to share with them the best news of all. God did more than we can possibly ask or even imagine to rescue us.

Finally, we see in the concluding words of this chapter that it is about God. We come up with our plans and schemes and programs, and we imagine that we are, in some way, a big wheel in or an important part of the plan. Paul stops almost in mid-explanation and bursts into praise simply because of how unfathomable God's ways are. In the last verse, he says everything is from God, is in God, and returns to God in praise. If we don’t understand every detail, that’s OK because it is not about us; it is always about God and what He does.

“Lord, help me to live in praise of You all the time. AMEN”