Temple Baptist Church - 7-28-2024
Romans 10:1-10; 11:25
Introduction:
A. Last week, we saw in Romans, chapter 9, God’s Divine Election of the Nation of Israel. In the absolute sovereignty of God, He chose Israel. Israel did not choose God!
B. In chapters 10-11, the context has not changed. Paul is still writing about the nation of Israel, God’s Glory and the Apple of God’s eye! Today, God continues to love Israel.
Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Mystery – to silence or to shut the mouth. A Biblical Mystery can only be understood through the medium of the Scriptures and the discernment of the child of God through the Holy Spirit.
C. This morning, we will see the condition of the Nation of Israel today.
1. “Spiritual blindness” in part! Not totally blind. There are those who believe that Jews in our days cannot be saved. Chapter 10 deals with that and I will in a minute or two.
2. Israel’s blindness is found in all of chapter 10 and the first 25 verses of chapter 11.
Israel Slipped (Romans 10:2-3; 11:1-7), then Israel Stumbled (Romans 11:9, 11), then Israel Slept (Romans 11:9-17), and now Israel Sleeps On (Romans 11:25). One day, Israel will See their Messiah (Romans 11:23-24, 26-27).
3. I want to re-emphasize that context in the Scriptures does not always begin or end with the chapter and verse notations found in the Bible. These were added by the translators to help us find what we are looking for without having to read the entire Bible to do so.
D. In Romans, chapter 11, A question is asked and answered at the same time. This is because God does not want to ask us a question and leave it up to us to come to our own conclusion, which may be right or may be wrong. God answers the question so that we will know the right answer.
1. Verse 1, The Question: “Hath God cast away his people?”
2. Verses 1b-2a, The Answer: “God forbid ... God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.”
3. God’s Election and Love for Israel has not changed but the Nation of Israel and its Condition has changed.
E. Israel, as a nation, has “spiritual blindness” because of their rejection! I want to look at some of the areas of rejection that has caused the Nation of Israel to be blinded and set aside until the “fulness of the Gentiles (The Ages of the Church) be come in.” Notice the words “be come in” which is a continuation.
F. Israel’s blindness was “in part,” and this is noted in chapter 10:9-17 as individual Jews can be saved just as we are. By faith in the gospel! Their blindness was national, not individual.
G. The Natural Branch (the Nation of Isarel is the branch that belongs to the root) has been broken off and the “wild olive tree” (the Church through the Gentile nations) grafted in. The Dispensation of the Gentile Church or Bride until the time that the Church will be raptured out.
Romans 11:17-24 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou (Romans-Gentiles), being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (18) Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. (19) Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. (20) Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. (22) Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (23) And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. (24) For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
H. What Israel rejected that caused their blindness.
1. Israel’s Rejection Of the Word of God. Zechariah 7:11-12 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. (12) Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
Israel rejected the Promised Seed of the Woman, their Messiah, the Lamb of God, the only solution to the problem of sin.
2. Israel’s Rejection Of the Prophets of God. Matthew 23:37-39 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (38) Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (39) For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Matthew 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
God’s men who prophesied God’s Word. Men of God continue to be despised if they preach the Word of God without compromise.
3. Israel’s Rejection Of the Spirit of God. Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Acts 2:12-13 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? (13) Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Though 3,000 men were saved on the Day of Pentecost, millions were not!
4. Israel’s Rejection Of the Son of God—Christ Jesus—Israel’s Messiah. John 1:10-11 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Matthew 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
Israel prayed a curse down upon itself and its posterity which remains to this day.
5. Israel’s Rejection Of the Gospel of God. Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Acts 7:54-60 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. (55) But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, (56) And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (57) Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, (58) And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. (59) And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (60) And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen preached a risen Christ to them! Gospel—good news—death according to the Scriptures, burial, and resurrection according to the Scriptures.
6. Israel was blinded because of their Self-Righteousness. Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Salvation is to everyone that believeth, not everyone that worketh! Repentance from dead works and faith toward God is the only way of salvation.
7. Israel was blinded because of National Pride. Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
To the Jew, Gentiles were sub-human and often called Gentile dogs. Jews do not listen to the witness of Gentile dogs. They thought that they had to be right with God because they were of His people, Israel. Many people of our day believe that they are going to heaven based upon their parent’s faith.
Conclusion:
1. Israel’s eyes saw but they did not see. Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
They saw Christ but did not see who He was. They tempted Him, they taunted Him, they tested Him, and crucified Him.
2. Israel’s ears heard but they did not hear. Jeremiah 17:23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
3. Blindness in part: though nationally blinded, individual Jews can and are being saved.
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