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11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! ~ Romans 11:11-12
Today, we return to our study of Romans 9-11 where the Apostle Paul is underscoring the sovereignty of God. Amazingly, God's sovereignty is accentuated in these verses through what seems to be an affront to His sovereignty; the free will of man. Man's free will is this: God gives fallen humans the opportunity to make choices that genuinely affect our destiny. Of course, this does not mean that we can do whatever pleases us. Our choices are limited to what is in keeping with our fallen nature. We cannot choose to make ourselves righteous because our sin nature prevents us from canceling our guilt. This is why we desperately need the Lord Jesus.
In this chapter we are learning that God disciplines unbelieving Israel. It is not that He has rejected them; it is that He is disciplining them. Though Israel believes not in the Christ, through their unbelief the Gospel has been extended to Gentiles. And, though Israel is going through a time of discipline from God right now, they have not be utterly destroyed by Him. Israel's perpetuation is a great argument for the promises and existence of God. Israel has merely been set aside because of their choice to reject Christ for now.
In v.11 of today's passage we read, "I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles."
This verse has as its subject the unbelieving nation of Israel. It is never God's design that any human miss Him. He is not the cause of any human going to hell. In fact, God is clear that He wishes that no one perish in their sin, and, it is His great desire that all come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In context, the Apostle Paul gives argument to prove that Israel will come to faith in Christ in the future. His argument is that the salvation of the Gentiles was and will be useful to reach Israel with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Throughout the book of Acts, we see that everywhere the Apostle Paul began his ministry with the Jews first. It was only when the Jews rejected the message that the Apostle turned to the Gentiles with the good news of salvation through Christ. As a result, the Gentiles were blessed and we believed because the Jews had refused the Gospel. At the moment of salvation the Gentiles became different people which made the Jews jealous. The Jews stumbled and the result is that the Gentiles were given salvation which in turn provoked Israel to jealousy. The point of the jealousy was that they too might be saved. The purpose of God, then, was to save the Jews ultimately through their stumbling, not to destroy them.
The word "jealousy" is used here in the positive sense. The Greek word used includes the idea of admiration. The hope is that Israel would be drawn to God through the redemption of the once far off Gentiles. God humbled Israel so that the Gentiles would be redeemed, and, as a result, the Gentiles became the testimony to the Jews. God works in our lives in such a way that our trust in Him grows causing the unsaved world to desire what we have with Him. By blinding Jewish eyes and hardening their hearts, and deafening their ears, God opened the way of salvation to everyone.
In v.12 of today's passage we read, "Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!"
"Their fall" here is the Jews rejection of Christ which resulted in "riches for the world." This means Israel's rejection of Christ resulted in the Gospel being delivered to the rest of the world. And, if Israel's rejection of Christ resulted in the salvation of many in the Gentile world, how much more will their eventual faith in the Lord Jesus accomplish? The book of the Revelation at the end of the Bible reveals the results of their faith in the Lord Jesus, and, it will be incredible.
We are told in Zechariah 12, "when they look on Him whom they pierced," they will believe. At His Second Coming, the Lord Jesus will descend to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and, at that very moment the convicted Jews will recognize the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. This is the "how much more" in Romans 11:12. The result will be the redeemed nation of Israel will reign with their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, during the Millennium. During that time which will be a period of 1000 years, Satan will be bound and the justice of God will rule the earth. It will be a time of unparalleled blessing and peace on earth.
Israel did not stumble that they should permanently be destroyed, they stumbled so that the salvation of the Gentiles would provoke them jealousy and a then their salvation. All of this will usher in Christ's Messianic millennial kingdom. And then, there will be no mistaking who the Lord Jesus is because we will experience His reign which will be consistent with His words which are: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
