1 So, has God cast away his people? Of course not! I'm an Israelite, a descendent of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away His people who He knew throughout history. Don't you know what the scripture says about Elijah? How he complained about Israel to God saying,
3 "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and torn down thine altars, and I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me!"
4 But what was God's answer to him? "I have kept to Myself 7,000 men, who have not bowed the knee to the idol Baal."
5 In the same way, there is a remnant right now because that's what God wants.
6 And that's true because of what God wants, then salvation is no longer because of their works. Grace isn't grace if it is earned by works.
7 What has happened then? God picked only a tiny part of Israel to find what they are all looking for. The rest have been too stubborn to see.
8 (Just like it is written, "God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that don't see, and ears that don't hear.") to this day.
Deuteronomy 29:4 "Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear."
Isaiah 6:9 "And He replied, "Go and tell this people: 'Be ever hearing , but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.'"
Isaiah 29:10 "For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep; He has shut your eyes, O prophets, and covered your heads, O seers."
Jeremiah 5:21 "Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear."
Ezekiel 12:2 "Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house."
9 And David says, "Let their table (blessings) become a snare, and a trap, something to trip on, and a punishment to them."
Psalm 69:22 "May their table become a snare. May it be a punishment and a trap."
8 (Just like it is written, "God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that don't see, and ears that don't hear.") to this day.
Deuteronomy 29:4 "Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear."
Isaiah 6:9 "And He replied, "Go and tell this people: 'Be ever hearing , but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.'"
Isaiah 29:10 "For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep; He has shut your eyes, O prophets, and covered your heads, O seers."
Jeremiah 5:21 "Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear."
Ezekiel 12:2 "Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house."
9 And David says, "Let their table (blessings) become a snare, and a trap, something to trip on, and a punishment to them."
(Without the printing press, scriptures were memorized in meaning more than exact quotes. They just didn't have the resources to go look up the exact words at the spur of the moment like we do.)
10 "Let their eyes be blinded so they can't see, and their backs bowed with burdens forever."
Psalm 69:23 "May their eyes be blinded so they cannot see, and their bowed with burdens forever."
The In-grafting of the Gentiles
11 The question could be asked, "Has Israel stumbled to their permanent ruin?" Of course not! But because of their sin, salvation was made available to the Gentiles, in hopes of provoking them to jealousy.12 Now if their fall brought riches to the world, and the lessening of them enriches the Gentiles, how many more riches would come if they were saved?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, since I am the apostle of the Gentiles, (and I am proud of my job).
14 I hope my work makes the Jews want to copy the Gentiles by being saved.
15 Because if the loss of salvation for the Jews became the salvation of the gentiles, what would the Salvation of the Jews be but the resurrection of the dead?
16 Just like the small portion of a grain offering being burned as a sacrifice makes the whole offering holy, and if the root of the tree is holy, then so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches of a tree are broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among the natural branches, and with them become part of the root and fatness of the olive tree.
If you cut off the branch of a tree, you can take a branch from another tree in the same family and tie it to the open wound and the new branch will become part of the tree, producing fruit. This is called "grafting" and is actually how nearly all modern fruit is grown. Growers will take root stalks that are known to be hardy and disease resistant, break off all of its branches, and graft in branches from trees that are known to produce better fruit, thus giving the farmer the best of both breeds.
In fact, this method is used to give us novelty trees, such as the "Fruit Cocktail Tree" in my backyard; it has five different fruits on one tree; two kinds of plums, apricots, peaches, and nectarines. I have also seen trees with grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and limes all on one tree, or a tree with five different kinds of apples growing from the same trunk.
Roses are also grown this way; tough roots with pretty flower branches grafted on.
Olive Trees, however, are very different. If you graft a new branch into a trunk, the new branch takes on the character of the trunk. So, if you have an Arbequina trunk and graft in an Arbosana branch, the Arbosana brance will produce Arbequina olives.
When we are grafted into Jesus Christ, we take on His character, no matter what our genetics, history, or nationality.
18 Don't brag against the original branches. Remember, you are just a branch, not the root.
19 You might say, "The original branches were broken off, so that I could be grafted in."
20 Sort of true. But it was because of their unbelief they were broken off, and thou stand by faith. Don't be arrogant, but be afraid.
21 Because if God didn't spare the natural branches, be careful or He won't spare you either.
22 Look at both the goodness and severity of God; on those who fell from His service, severity, but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness. Otherwise thou also will be cut off.
23 And they also, if they don't keep disbelieving, will be grafted back in, for God is able to do that.
24 For if thou were cut out of the wild olive tree and were grafted into the good olive tree, contrary to nature, how much easier will these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
the Jews actually had an easier time converting to Christianity than the Gentiles, because they were raised with the knowledge of God as Creator, and already knew what attitudes would please Him.
All Israel Will Be Saved
25 I want you to understand this mystery, brothers, or else you will become stuck up. This is the same blindness that happened to Israel which allowed the Gentiles to come in.26 And so all Israel will be saved, just like it is written, "There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 "For this is My promise to them, when I shall take away their sins."
Isaiah 59:20 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” declares the LORD.
Joel 2:32 And everyone who calls on the name of the I AM will be saved, for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the I AM promised, among the remnant called by the I AM.
28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people He loves because He chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (NLT)
Many (but not all) Jews rejected Jesus, which opened the door to salvation for the Gentiles, but God has a special love for the Patriarchs and their descendents.
29 Because God doesn't turn from the gifts He has given.
30 Just like in the past you didn't believe in God, but have now received mercy because of their unbelief,
31 They will receive mercy in their unbelief because of you.
32 All humans have disobeyed God, so He treats them as prisoners of sin, so He can show mercy to everyone.
Doxology
33 O how wonderfully rich in wisdom and knowledge God is! We just can't understand all He does, His judgements and His ways!34 For who can understand how God thinks? Who could possibly be wise enough to advise Him?
35 Or who has loaned something to God demanding repayment?
36 For everything comes from Him. Everything happens through His command. Everything is for His glory. Yes, let's praise Him forever! Let it be so!