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Paul Mourns for Israel

I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My mind tells me that what I say is true. It is guided by the Holy Spirit. My heart is full of sorrow. My sadness never ends. I am so concerned about my people, who are members of my own race. I am ready to be cursed, if that would help them. I am even willing to be separated from Christ. They are the people of Israel. They have been adopted as God’s children. God’s glory belongs to them. So do the covenants. They received the law. They were taught to worship in the temple. They were given the promises. The founders of our nation belong to them. The Messiah comes from their family line. He is God over all. May he always be praised! Amen.

God’s Free Choice

I do not mean that God’s word has failed. Not everyone in the family line of Israel really belongs to Israel. Not everyone in Abraham’s family line is really his child. Not at all! Scripture says, “Your family line will continue through Isaac.” (Genesis 21:12) In other words, God’s children are not just in the family line of Abraham. Instead, they are the children God promised to him. They are the ones considered to be Abraham’s children. God promised, “I will return at the appointed time. Sarah will have a son.” (Genesis 18:10,14)

10 And that’s not all. Rebekah’s children were born at the same time by the same father. He was our father Isaac. 11 Here is what happened. Rebekah’s twins had not even been born. They hadn’t done anything good or bad yet. So they show that God’s purpose is based firmly on his free choice. 12 It was not because of anything they did but because of God’s choice. So Rebekah was told, “The older son will serve the younger one.” (Genesis 25:23) 13 It is written, “I chose Jacob instead of Esau.” (Malachi 1:2,3)

14 What should we say then? Is God unfair? Not at all! 15 He said to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.
    I will show love to those I love.” (Exodus 33:19)

16 So it doesn’t depend on what people want or what they do. It depends on God’s mercy. 17 In Scripture, God says to Pharaoh, “I had a special reason for making you king. I decided to use you to show my power. I wanted my name to become known everywhere on earth.” (Exodus 9:16) 18 So God does what he wants to do. He shows mercy to one person and makes another stubborn.

19 One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still blame us? Who can oppose what he wants to do?” 20 But you are a mere human being. So who are you to talk back to God? Scripture says, “Can what is made say to the one who made it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” (Isaiah 29:16; 45:9) 21 Isn’t the potter free to make different kinds of pots out of the same lump of clay? Some are for special purposes. Others are for ordinary use.

22 What if God chose to show his great anger? What if he chose to make his power known? But he put up with the people he was angry with. They were made to be destroyed. 23 What if he put up with them to show the riches of his glory to other people? Those other people are the ones he shows his mercy to. He made them to receive his glory. 24 We are those people. He has chosen us. We do not come only from the Jewish race. Many of us are not Jews. 25 God says in Hosea,

“I will call those who are not my people ‘my people.’
    I will call the one who is not my loved one ‘my loved one.’ ” (Hosea 2:23)

26 He also says,

“Once it was said to them,
    ‘You are not my people.’
    In that very place they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ ” (Hosea 1:10)

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel. He says,

“The number of people from Israel may be like the sand by the sea.
    But only a few of them will be saved.
28 The Lord will carry out his sentence.
    He will be quick to carry it out on earth, once and for all.” (Isaiah 10:22,23)

29 Earlier Isaiah had said,

“The Lord who rules over all
    left us children and grandchildren.
If he hadn’t, we would have become like Sodom.
    We would have been like Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9)

Israel Does Not Believe

30 What should we say then? Gentiles did not look for a way to be right with God. But they found it by having faith. 31 The people of Israel tried to obey the law to make themselves right with God. But they didn’t reach their goal of being right with God. 32 Why not? Because they tried to do it without faith. They tried to be right with God by what they did. They tripped over the stone that causes people to trip and fall. 33 It is written,

“Look! In Zion I am laying a stone that causes people to trip.
    It is a rock that makes them fall.
    The one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Isaiah 8:14; 28:16)

10 Brothers and sisters, with all my heart I long for the people of Israel to be saved. I pray to God for them. I can tell you for certain that they really want to serve God. But how they are trying to do it is not based on knowledge. They didn’t know that God’s power makes people right with himself. They tried to get right with God in their own way. They didn’t do it in God’s way. Christ has fulfilled everything the law was meant to do. So now everyone who believes can be right with God.

Moses writes about how the law could help a person do what God requires. He writes, “The person who does these things will live by them.” (Leviticus 18:5) But the way to do what God requires must begin by having faith in him. Scripture says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ ” (Deuteronomy 30:12) That means to go up into heaven and bring Christ down. “And do not say, ‘Who will go down into the grave?’ ” (Deuteronomy 30:13) That means to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? “The message is near you. It’s in your mouth and in your heart.” (Deuteronomy 30:14) This means the message about faith that we are preaching. Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved. 10 With your heart you believe and are made right with God. With your mouth you say what you believe. And so you are saved. 11 Scripture says, “The one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16) 12 There is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is Lord of all. He richly blesses everyone who calls on him. 13 Scripture says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:32)

14 How can they call on him unless they believe in him? How can they believe in him unless they hear about him? How can they hear about him unless someone preaches to them? 15 And how can anyone preach without being sent? It is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Isaiah 52:7)

16 But not all the people of Israel accepted the good news. Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” (Isaiah 53:1) 17 So faith comes from hearing the message. And the message that is heard is the message about Christ. 18 But I ask, “Didn’t the people of Israel hear?” Of course they did. It is written,

“Their voice has gone out into the whole earth.
    Their words have gone out from one end of the world to the other.” (Psalm 19:4)

19 Again I ask, “Didn’t Israel understand?” First, Moses says,

“I will use people who are not a nation to make you jealous.
    I will use a nation that has no understanding to make you angry.” (Deuteronomy 32:21)

20 Then Isaiah boldly speaks about what God says. God said,

“I was found by those who were not trying to find me.
    I made myself known to those who were not asking for me.” (Isaiah 65:1)

21 But Isaiah also speaks about what God says concerning Israel. God said,

“All day long I have held out my hands.
    I have held them out to a stubborn people who do not obey me.” (Isaiah 65:2)

The Israelites Who Are Faithful

11 So here is what I ask. Did God turn his back on his people? Not at all! I myself belong to Israel. I am one of Abraham’s children. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. God didn’t turn his back on his people. After all, he chose them. Don’t you know what Scripture says about Elijah? He complained to God about Israel. He said, “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have torn down your altars. I’m the only one left. And they are trying to kill me.” (1 Kings 19:10,14) How did God answer him? God said, “I have kept 7,000 people for myself. They have not bowed down to Baal.” (1 Kings 19:18) Some are also faithful today. They have been chosen by God’s grace. And if they are chosen by grace, then they can’t work for it. If that were true, grace wouldn’t be grace anymore.

What should we say then? The people of Israel did not receive what they wanted so badly. Those Israelites who were chosen did receive it. But the rest of the people were made stubborn. It is written,

“God made it hard for them to understand.
    He gave them eyes that could not see.
    He gave them ears that could not hear.
And they are still like that today.” (Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10)

David says,

“Let their feast be a trap and a snare.
    Let them trip and fall. Let them get what’s coming to them.
10 Let their eyes grow dark so they can’t see.
    Let their backs be bent forever.” (Psalm 69:22,23)

Two Kinds of Olive Branches

11 Again, here is what I ask. The Israelites didn’t trip and fall once and for all time, did they? Not at all! Because Israel sinned, the Gentiles can be saved. That will make Israel jealous of them. 12 Israel’s sin brought riches to the world. Their loss brings riches to the Gentiles. So then what greater riches will come when all Israel turns to God!

13 I am talking to you who are not Jews. I am the apostle to the Gentiles. So I take pride in the work I do for God and others. 14 I hope somehow to stir up my own people to want what you have. Perhaps I can save some of them. 15 When they were not accepted, it became possible for the whole world to be brought back to God. So what will happen when they are accepted? It will be like life from the dead. 16 The first handful of dough that is offered is holy. This makes all of the dough holy. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 Some of the natural branches have been broken off. You are a wild olive branch. But you have been joined to the tree with the other branches. Now you enjoy the life-giving sap of the olive tree root. 18 So don’t think you are better than the other branches. Remember, you don’t give life to the root. The root gives life to you. 19 You will say, “Some branches were broken off so that I could be joined to the tree.” 20 That’s true. But they were broken off because they didn’t believe. You stand only because you do believe. So don’t be proud, but tremble. 21 God didn’t spare the natural branches. He won’t spare you either.

22 Think about how kind God is! Also think about how firm he is! He was hard on those who stopped following him. But he is kind to you. So you must continue to live in his kindness. If you don’t, you also will be cut off. 23 If the people of Israel do not continue in their unbelief, they will again be joined to the tree. God is able to join them to the tree again. 24 After all, weren’t you cut from a wild olive tree? Weren’t you joined to an olive tree that was taken care of? And wasn’t that the opposite of how things should be done? How much more easily will the natural branches be joined to their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

25 Brothers and sisters, here is a mystery I want you to understand. It will keep you from being proud. Part of Israel has refused to obey God. That will continue until the full number of Gentiles has entered God’s kingdom. 26 In this way all Israel will be saved. It is written,

“The God who saves will come from Mount Zion.
    He will remove sin from Jacob’s family.
27 Here is my covenant with them.
    I will take away their sins.” (Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33,34)

28 As far as the good news is concerned, the people of Israel are enemies. This is for your good. But as far as God’s choice is concerned, the people of Israel are loved. This is because of God’s promises to the founders of our nation. 29 God does not take back his gifts. He does not change his mind about those he has chosen. 30 At one time you did not obey God. But now you have received mercy because Israel did not obey. 31 In the same way, Israel has not been obeying God. But now they receive mercy because of God’s mercy to you. 32 God has found everyone guilty of not obeying him. So now he can have mercy on everyone.

Praise to God

33 How very rich are God’s wisdom and knowledge!
    How he judges is more than we can understand!
    The way he deals with people is more than we can know!
34 “Who can ever know what the Lord is thinking?
    Or who can ever give him advice?” (Isaiah 40:13)
35 “Has anyone ever given anything to God,
    so that God has to pay them back?” (Job 41:11)
36 All things come from him.
All things are directed by him.
All things are for his praise.
    May God be given the glory forever! Amen.

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