RICHES FOR THE WORLD

Passage: Romans 11:7-12

Key verse: 12

NIV

7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain.(A) The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,(B) 8 as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes that could not see
    and ears that could not hear,(C)
to this very day.”[a](D)

9 And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,(E)
    and their backs be bent forever.”[b](F)

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!(G) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles(H) to make Israel envious.(I) 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,(J) how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 11:8 Deut. 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
  2. Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

7 What then? (A)Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest (B)were hardened, 8 as it is written,

(C)“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    (D)eyes that would not see
    and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”

9 And David says,

(E)“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and bend their backs forever.”

Gentiles Grafted In

11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass (F)salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion[a] mean!

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 11:12 Greek their fullness
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Those who were hardened (7-10)

God's redemptive purpose will not be thwarted by man's unfaithfulness. God chose Israel and lavished his love on her. Israel rejected his gift of love when they rejected the Christ. Rejection of love results in the hardening of the heart. Deuteronomy 29:1-12 tells how God loved Israel and how she rejected that love (8). In Psalm 69, David pronounced a curse on those who rejected him, God's chosen king. Jesus is God's chosen one. To reject Jesus is to reject God and bring hardness and curse upon one's self (9-10).

2. Riches and greater riches (11-12)

God called a new people of God from among the Gentiles. Is there any hope, then, for Israel? In God there is always hope, for God is not a fatalist. God hoped to make Israel jealous enough to repent and return. If the world was blessed by Israel's failure, how much more will it be blessed when they come to Christ.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your costly grace. Help me to live as a debtor to you.

One Word: God wants all men to be saved