1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,
3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?
4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
Romans 11:1-4
1. Paul’s teaching about the Unbelief of Israel
a) This was clear
b) This was also factually true
c) Paul supported his arguments by making correct Biblical references
2. This raised a great concern among the Jews
a) Does this mean that God no longer cares for Israel?
b) Has God cast away His people?
PAUL’S CLEAR ANSWER
1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,
Romans 11:1-2
1. The short answer
a) An emphatic No
b) God has not given up on His people
c) “Certainly not!”
2. Paul’s personal affirmation
a) He is an Israelite
b) He is of the seed of Abraham
c) He is from Benjamin
d) Paul is not ashamed of being a Jew at all!
3. A strong declaration
a) God has not cast away His people
b) God had foreknown Israel
i) Long before Israel’s existence
ii) Long before Israel became a nation
THE BIBLICAL ARGUMENT
1. Paul cited a very dark period of Israel’s history
a) The reign of King Ahab
b) There were hundreds of false prophets
c) The king promoted the worship of Baal
2. The ministry of Elijah the prophet
a) He stood against Ahab and Jezebel
b) Elijah felt that he was all alone in Israel
3. God’s answer to Elijah
a) He was not the only believer
b) God had 7000 faithful ones who had not bowed to Baal
WHEN TIMES ARE BLEAK
1. Doubts may come
2. Despondency may set in
3. But we need to exercise greater faith in the Lord
a) God’s plans may not be totally understood
b) But God has not given up on Israel
A SPECIAL TEXT TO ENCOURAGE THE HEART
10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.