Time to read Romans 11 again...
especially verse 18
I think it is time to speak about the verses after verse 18.
First I will begin at verse 18, in chapter 3 of Romans. ( there is no fear of God before their eyes)
Romans 3 is told in Isaiah 59, how the Lord can save ( Israel) but their iniquities separated between you and your God, and your sins hid His face from you, that He will not hear.
Isaiah 59 continues, the way of peace they ( Israel) knows not, no judgement in their goings, they made crooked paths, and whosoever goes on them shall not know peace. ( Preaching peace by Jesus Christ who is Lord of all/ Acts 10:36.)
This is WHY judgment was far off from Israel, justice not coming near, as they waited and are waiting for light, but have obscurity, waiting for brightness but are walking in darkness. Groping for the wall like the blind ( like the blind leaders of the blind. Matthew 15:14.) they grope as if they had no eyes, ( no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:18.) they stumble at noon day, as in the night, desolate places as dead men. ( But if a man walk in the night, he
stumbleth, because there is no light in him. John 11:10. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they
stumbled at that stumblingstone. Romans 9:32.)
Isaiah 63 continues, O Lord, why have you made
us to err
from thy ways, and hardened our heart
from thy
fear?
Isiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Isaiah 59:8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
Isaiah 63:17 O Lord, why hast thou made
us to err
from thy ways, and hardened our heart
from thy
fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.
Romans 3:18 There is
no fear of God
before their eyes.
With that preparation included, now we can see why it is fitting to begin at verse 19. Those branches were broken off because of unbelief, and we stand by faith, by not being highminded, but to fear. ( Israel fell by not fearing God)
Israel also, if they do not continue to be in unbelief, not fearing the Lord, seeing the testimony of who would preach peace, then God can graft them in again.
The deliverer came out of Sion, but for the sake of all, Israel had to take the fall, the Messiah had to be cut off for all, and that is the nation that has the glory together, who can believe in Israel being cut off, and the seed promised cut off, and ourselves cut off too, to be grafted in with God.
Romans 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Romans 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
