May 25th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

There Is Only One Israel

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Opening Prayer

Amazing God, I can never go where You are not, nor sink beneath the level of Your love. Now, I come to listen to You.

Read Romans 11:11-24

[11] Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. [12] But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! [13] I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry [14] in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. [15] For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? [16] If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. [17] If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, [18] do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. [19] You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” [20] Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. [21] For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. [22] Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. [23] And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. [24] After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“… and he made known to us the mystery of his will … to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Eph. 1:9,10).

Think Further

In spite of Israel’s present hostility, this is not the end. God in his wisdom is using it to effect not only the Gentiles’ salvation (c.f. 10:19) but also Israel’s. This is why Paul glorifies his Gentile ministry. He wants his fellow Jews to be sufficiently provoked that some might turn and be saved. Again, Paul’s argument rests on not all Israelites being Israel.

Israel was always both smaller and larger than national Israel. It was smaller in that the elect did not include all who are Jews by birth. It was larger because it always embraced Gentiles who believed, and these now include Paul’s primarily Gentile churches. These converts, however, never replaced or were independent of that Israel who is the recipient of God’s promises. Instead, being grafted in, their destiny was indissolubly tied up with God’s elect in Israel: namely, those who follow Jesus. Consequently, if the failure of Israel meant salvation to the world, what will the complete in-gathering of God’s elect in Israel mean, if not the climax of everything, even the resurrection of the dead (15)?

Gentile believers, then, ought not to boast but should take careful note of both God’s severity and his kindness. He was kind in engrafting them, but he broke off faithless natural branches. And if Gentiles can be grafted into a root not their own, how much more can those Israelites who, being provoked, repent? The right response is thankful awe. The church is not a replacement for God’s Israel. Although we are all one in Christ, it is we Gentiles who are grafted into his firstfruits, elect Israel. Far from boasting, we ought, in humble thanks for his mercy do all we can to be a light, provocative in the best sense, to the unrepentant in Israel.

Apply

Ask God to help our Christian churches and communities truly become the kinds that will serve his purposes for all of his people.

Closing prayer

Lord, I’m humbled and blessed to be called Your child. Thank You for bringing me out of darkness into Your glorious light. May my light shine out to others.

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