The Unsearchable Depths of Romans 11: Kindness, Severity, and Redemption

I. Transgression and Fulfillment (Romans 11:11-12)

• Transgression as Riches
  • “If the Jews transgression be riches for the world, and their failure be riches for the Gentiles. How much more will their fulfillment or fullness be?”
• Apostle to the Gentiles
  • “But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then, as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry.”
• Jealousy as Reconciliation
  • “If somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen, and save some of them, for if their rejection the Jews rejection, be the reconciliation of the world.”

II. The Olive Tree Metaphor (Romans 11:17-22)

• Grafting of the Gentiles
  • “Or if some of the branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive, or graft in among them, and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree.”
• Humility and Fear
  • “Do not be arrogant toward the branches, but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say, then the branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right. They were broken off for their unbelief. But you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear.”

III. Kindness and Severity of God (Romans 11:22-24)

• God’s Dual Nature
  • “Behold, then the kindness or goodness and severity of God to those who fail severity. But to you God’s kindness. If you continue in his kindness, otherwise you also will be cut off.”
• Potential for Restoration
  • “They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again.”

IV. Mystery of Partial Hardening (Romans 11:25-26)

• Partial Hardening Explained
  • “Why is in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in?”
• Prophetic Fulfillment
  • “Thus all Israel will be saved just as it is written. Isaiah 59: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, and he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.'”

V. Failure of the Jews (Romans 11:12-14)

• Reasons for Failure
  • “Their table was made a snare and that God set a fab table for them, and they choked on it.”
  • “They sought to establish their own righteousness, you see, and didn’t submit to the righteousness of God. Or to put it another way, they didn’t obey the law.”
• Consequences of Transgression
  • “They went into idolatry and killed the prophets, resisted the Holy Spirit, and finally spite them, killed the Messiah.”
  • “Consequently, God broke off a covenant with them. God sent the Roman army down there and destroyed the old system, and he sent demons among them.”

VI. Ramifications of Jewish Failure (Romans 11:11-16)

• Salvation to the Gentiles
  • “Because of that, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Salvation was of the Jews, right? They had the book, they had the answer.”
• Riches of Salvation vs. Riches for the Gentiles
  • “The riches of salvation, right? The grace of God, the mercy of God, the forgiveness of God, the truth of God, the Christ riches, the riches of salvation.”
  • “Verse 12, riches for the Gentiles. And who, incidentally, is the world?”

VII. Effects on the Jews and Gentiles (Romans 11:18-22)

• Impact on the Jews: Jealousy
  • “It should move them to jealousy. ‘If somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen.'”
  • “Jealousy is apparently not necessarily an unworthy incentive to repentance and faith.”
• Impact on the Gentiles: Humility and Fear
  • “It should humble us. ‘Do not be conceited, but fear.'”
  • “God’s kindness and severity should make us fear, lest we lose our privileges.”

VIII. Historical Examples of God’s Severity

• Old Testament Instances
  • “Moses rejection from the promised land for merely over anger.”
  • “Korah’s company being swallowed for insubordination.”
  • “Esau’s rejection, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the famine so bad they ate their own babies.”
  • “Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt, Ananias and Sapphira’s deaths for lying.”
• New Testament and Beyond
  • “Samson being blinded, the removal of the candlestick in churches, final judgment of the world being consumed by fire.”
  • “Calvary as a symbol of God’s severity.”

IX. Future of the Jews (Romans 11:25-26)

• Partial Hardening
  • “A partial hardening has happened to Israel. It was only temporary.”
• Fullness of the Gentiles
  • “We are waiting for the fullness of the Gentiles to come in.”
  • “Parallel in Luke 21:24 – Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
• Current Observations
  • “Jerusalem trodden underfoot with the Gentiles, Roman Catholic cathedrals, Muslim minarets.”
• Interpretation of Fullness
  • “Until the full number of the elect are saved, the full number of the election, the Gentiles are saved.”
  • “The fullness of the Jews: ‘All Israel will be saved, a deliverer from Zion.'”

X. The Mystery and Future Restoration (Romans 11:25-28)

• Mystery Unveiled
  • “I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be.”
• Future Revival
  • “A move of the Spirit of God among ethnic Jews, wherever they are, to be brought into the Kingdom.”
• Fullness Defined
  • “Fullness of the Gentiles and fullness of the Jews.”
  • “Predicting a great general awakening among the ethnic Jews when the bulk of the Gentiles are converted.”

XI. The Olive Tree Illustration (Romans 11:16-22)

• Holiness of the Branches
  • “The first piece of this will be holy. The lump is also in the root. Holy branches are to first of all the word holy, set apart for God’s special purposes.”
• Roots and Blessings
  • “The blessings that attended the original family, the household of God.”
  • “The root bears the blessing of God going way back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
• Security and Warning
  • “Security for the Jews, and warning to the Gentiles.”

XII. Application and Conclusion

• View of Prophecy
  • “Our view of prophecy, particularly regarding Israel, can affect our mindset and lifestyle.”
• Impact on Believers
  • “Should affect our view of Israel, God, and ourselves.”
  • “Rejoice and marvel in God’s goodness and grace that Gentiles are brought into the rich root of the olive tree.”
• Burden for the Lost
  • “We ought to have a burden for our lost relatives. Paul had a burden for these people, even though they’ve been rejected.”
  • “We should have an attitude of wanting to save the Jews.”
• Encouragement to Persevere
  • “Exhort to abandon, not forfeit the blessing.”