Journey through the Book of Romans

Paul declares that all Israel is not Rejected by God Part 2

Romans 11:6-7 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; NKJV

Paul has declared that the loving-kindness and faithfulness of God the Father is the rock solid assurance that Israel has that their Nation will never suffer total annihilation at the hands of any enemy. It is God’s grace given to Abraham freely without merit by him and the everlasting covenant God entered into with him that guarantees that Israel will always have a small portion of its people remain faithful. The people of Israel who remain faithful have nothing to boast about because their faithfulness is all accredited to God’s graciousness to them and His grace that keeps them faithful. Paul now shows how God’s Election applies also to Israel just as it does to every Gentile. The remnant of Israel Paul presented in the previous study by going back and documenting what God the Father did during the days of Elijah the Prophet are the elect of God, chosen by Him before the foundation of the world just as all of the elect Gentiles. Again as we have declared in previous studies, the elect are not some random number of Israelites picked by name out of a Divine Holy Hat in Heaven, but just like all the Gentile elect, they are the ones obedient to come to God the Father in the only manner He has made for all humanity to come and that is through our Lord Jesus Christ.

There was always a faithful minority in the house of Israel looking forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ just as Abraham did like Simeon, Zacharias, and his wife Elizabeth who were the parents of John the Baptist, and young Mary who would become our Lord’s Mother in the flesh. The fact that Paul is giving is that the majority of Israel have been trying to work their way into the favor of God and they did not look forward to the coming of the suffering Messiah for man’s sin so they missed the Lord Jesus and rejected the chief cornerstone of God. As Paul said earlier in this same epistle or letter of the person who tries to earn their salvation or acceptance with God these words testify what they will reap, Romans 4:4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. NKJV Paul declares that God the Father allowed these Jews (like Saul the Pharisee before his conversion) to be blinded. The Greek word is poroo which means a kind of stone; to petrify or change into a stone; to indurate or cause to become hard and even harder; to render stupid or callous. This is what happened to the majority of the Jewish Nation and especially the Scribes, Sadducees, and the Pharisees they became so hardened in their religion of Judaism that they could not see that Jesus Christ was YAHWEH in the flesh come down from Heaven to reconcile them to Himself.

However, the remnant or the elect believing and trusting the promise of the Messiah and discerning Him as our Lord Jesus Christ they were given grace without any works at all, as Paul said in this manner earlier in this epistle or letter, Romans 4:5-6 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works. NKJV The testimony of many of the elect of God from the Jewish Nation as they were able to see Jesus Christ of Nazareth as God’s Messiah can be heard in these words spoken here, John 7:31 But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?” NKJV

Romans 11:8-10 Just as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, Eyes to see not and ears to hear not, Down to this very day.” And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, And a stumbling block and a retribution to them. Let their eyes be darkened to see not, And bend their backs forever.” NKJV

Paul now gives the prosecuting testimony against the majority of the Jewish Nation first from the lips of perhaps the most dedicated of God’s Old Testament Prophets Isaiah in verse 8. Isaiah who was always only willing to say “Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel” and never one to interject his own reasoning into the equation says, “God gave the Christ rejecting Jews a spirit of slumber or stupor”. The Greek word translated by this phrase is katanuxis which can be defined as a prickling or a sensation that occurs when ones arm or leg goes to sleep as we say; confusion or lethargy; or finally their souls were rendered in such a dormant or hibernating state or condition that they were insensible to and not affected at all by the offer made them of salvation through the Messiah (Jesus Christ). Isaiah declares these people in his day to have been like sleep walkers not aware of their surroundings or where they were going and so insensitive to the truth.

Paul uses these words from Isaiah to picture the Jews in his day with the same response to our Lord Jesus Christ as the only way of justification with God the Father. Our Lord Jesus said this to these men who were under this “spirit of stupor”, John 5:39-47 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the One and Only God?  Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.  For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” NKJV Paul now uses the words of King David who all the Jews lifted up to the highest of heights in the Nations history. Paul gives King David’s testimony against the majority of the Nation who would not believe God’s only way of salvation. The words spoken by King David testifies to the darkened hearts and minds the Jewish majority incurred then and even it still perpetuates all the way down Jewish family lines into 2013. The blinded Jews cannot see that Jesus Christ is the only Jewish Messiah and there is not a different Messiah still to come in the future.

These words from King David also testify as the words recorded by Moses here, Exodus 34:6-8 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth; who keeps loving-kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. NKJV The Scripture also testifies to Pilate desiring to release our Lord Jesus Christ, but the Jews were indignant and persisted in wanting Him to be crucified and the end of that discourse was with these words, Matthew 27:24-25 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” NKJV And the words of the Jews present their at our Lord’s crucifixion are so true from that moment until this very moment because the Blood of Jesus Christ has been on every generation of the majority of the Jewish Nation as Christ is still a stumbling block to them and their eyes are still darkened to the reality of Him being their Only Messiah.

“Some are chosen and called, and the call is made effectual. But others are left to perish in their unbelief; nay, they are made worse by that which should have made them better. The gospel, which to those that believed was the savour of life unto life, to the unbelieving was the savour of death unto death. The same sun softens wax and hardens clay.” Matthew Henry

“The Jews who have believed the gospel of Christ have not done so because they are better Jews than the rest of the Nation, but simply and sweetly they have believed in the same manner that you and I have because they were made alive from being dead in their trespasses and sins period and given the gift of grace and faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…