Shepherds Bible Romans chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

# This chapter is a continuance of the thought in the last verse of the

preceding chapter.

1. I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am
an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

# Paul reveals his own lineage in this verse. He says in many other
places that he is a Roman, because he was a Roman citizen, but this is
his genealogy, his specific seed line. He was an Israelite of the tribe of
Benjamin.

2. God hath not cast away His people which he foreknew. Wot ye not
what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God
against Israel, saying,

3. Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, and digged down Thine altars;
and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

# Now Elijah had said this in I Kings, the 19th chapter. Remember the
ten tribes had left Israel at this time, and having left the old temple,
they had all turned to idolatry. Now think of our people today. What
Christ are the ten tribes worshipping today? We see the same thing.
They don’t know whom they’re worshipping. They’re worshipping a
Kenite messiah. They’re believing the Kenite people are the true sons
of Israel, and we could say much the same thing Elijah said; but Elijah
forgot the divine promise to the seed. We’re speaking specifically of
Israel here. V. 4 gives God’s answer.
4. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to
Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the
image of Baal.

# This did not happen in Elijah’s time. Elijah never died, and he shall
return, but these seven thousand were specifically set aside and
reserved. This speaks directly about you. Others cannot understand
this, but you of the elect know.

5. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according

to the election of grace.

# Note again this remnant is chosen. It is according to the election of

grace.

6. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no

more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise
work is no more work.

# In other words, selected by grace and not of works. That is simple

enough. If it were by works, then of course it could not be by grace. By
works, he’s referring to the law of Israel. So then; we see we are
talking about salvation and election by believing on Jesus Christ.

7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but
the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

# Ten tribes are lost here and they did not come to the point that they
should have but the election hath obtained it. The remnant hath
attained the truth and not confused Jesus Christ with the false christ.
In no way can they be deceived or confused; they have the truth. But
the rest were blinded, which in the Greek means their hearts were
hardened to the truth.

8. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of

slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
hear:) unto this day.

# Actually there is no such word as slumber in the Greek language. The

word is stupor, or lethargy. They are awake and all that, but they
simply cannot see the truth. It is important that you note they didn’t
take this upon themselves. It says God gave them this stupor. He chose
some and others He gave the spirit of stupor. Sounds unjust? Let us
read on.

9. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a
stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

# They think they’re doing good to God, and David says, let this be a
snare to them. Now think of today. If people are going to church all in
good faith, but they are being taught a Kenite messiah and that God’s
chosen people are Kenites, then their very Christian religion becomes a
stumbling block to them. David predicted this many, many years ago,
and we see today many of Israel being deceived.

10. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down
their back alway.

# Let them carry a heavy load. Yes, beloved. they do carry a heavy load
when they are taught hell and damnation instead of His peace and His
love. In other words, within this deception, they are praying to the
wrong father.
11. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid:
but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to
provoke them to jealousy.

# If the children of Israel had not stumbled and had lived perfectly by
the law, then Christ would not have had to come, and the only promise
from God was to the Israelites. There was no promise to others, but
you see they did not live perfectly and Christ came, so then it was
possible for the others to have salvation. This came about through
Jesus Christ.

12. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their
fullness?

# In other words, if Israel’s stumbling and deception brings riches to

the world, if their loss brings riches to the Gentiles; what a great thing
Israel becomes by being a blessing to the whole world. And of course,
we remember the covenant with Abraham that he would be the father
of many notions. He would even he a blessing to the ethnos, and we
know this has come to pass through Jesus Christ.

13. For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the

Gentiles, I magnify mine office.

# Paul is telling the Gentiles that although he teaches his own people.
Israel, he is the teacher of the Gentiles also, so he has enlarged his
ministry.

14. If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my

flesh, and might save some of them.

# Paul was a Benjamite, or an Israelite, and he’s hoping to save some

of the Israelites also.

15. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world,
what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

# In other words, if their falling away into deception, and bear in mind
always that God sent the stupor upon them... if their deception brings
the Gentiles into the fold, then when the Israelites return to God, they
will come to life loving God strongly. During the millennium, they will
understand the error of their ways and shall be saved, or gain eternal
life, as the stupor will be lifted.

16. For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be
holy, so are the branches.

# It’s easy to understand that if a tree is healthy, the roots also must
be healthy, or if the roots are healthy, the branches will he healthy.
Therefore in the Biblical sense, if the firstfruit, or Christ, be holy, then
the Israelites or the people He comes from in the flesh must also be
holy, despite the fact that some may he in deception because of a
stupor that God Himself sent. And I might add, because God sent it is
the reason for the millennium, or the opportunity for righting their
error.

17. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild
olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the
root and the fatness of the olive tree;
# So Paul says here, if some of the branches are broken off the natural,
or good, olive tree, standing for the Israelites, and the Gentiles from a
wild olive tree were grafted, then the Gentiles who truly love Jesus, are
grafted to this natural tree.

18. Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not
the root; but the root thee.

# Don’t boast about this, because it is God, the Father, that is

responsible for this. It is through Jesus Christ that you become part of
this tree. It’s not you who support the tree, but Jesus Christ Himself.

19. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be
grafted in.

# Paul is telling the Gentiles, this is what you say then because this is
the truth of the matter.

20. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest
by faith. Be not high minded, but fear:

# In other words, the Israelites were broken off because of lack of

faith, and you better not he uppity, but revere and love God. Don’t let
your faith weaken, but remain humble and reverent.

21. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also
not spare thee.

# If YHVH spared not Israel, who is of the tree by covenant, then how
quickly He would not spare the Gentile, who is by faith.
22. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which

# Paul says God’s severity fell on those whose faith faltered, and His
goodness
is toward you, only if you keep the faith.

23. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall he grafted in
for God is able to graft them in again.

# lf they return to the faith, God will accept them.

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?

# In Greek, a good olive tree translates to a garden olive tree. Now if

the Gentile were cut off the wild olive tree and grafted into a cultured
and nourished olive tree, then these others of Israel, which belonged
before, will belong again; with the qualification in verse 23, of course -
“if they abide not still in unbelief”.

25. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this

mystery, lest ye should he wise in your own conceits; that blindness in
part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

# Or, just in case you feel pretty special, I want you to know God
planned it this way, that part of Israel would be blinded until the
Gentiles that had faith were taken 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:

# In other words, after the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, all Israel
will be saved. The Deliverer, or Jesus Christ, will turn ungodliness away
from Jacob. When will this happen?... during the millennium.

# Let’s digress for a moment. Consider the end day that shall begin the
age of the millennium. We are told in II Thess. 2:3 that Satan will
appear first before Christ’s second coming. Those who “have ears to
hear” understand this, and there’s no way loving God or Jesus Christ
that you will be deceived. In Isaiah 14:16, it says, “They that see thee
(Satan) shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying. Is
this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake
kingdoms?” Having this knowledge, there’s no way you’re going to
worship the devil instead of the true Jesus, the Christ and Saviour that
you love.

# But what about those who do not have ears to hear.. those upon
whom the stupor was sent? They are the very reason for the
millennium. As it is recorded in the 20th chapter of Revelation, that old
serpent, which was from the beginning in the Garden, which is the
Devil, which is Lucifer, is going to be removed totally and completely
He will have no influence on any soul, Israelite, Gentile, Ethnos or
Kenite. He will be in captivity in the pit during the millennium when
you, the elect, will teach with Jesus Christ; thus the people will no
longer be blinded or in ignorance. God does not judge any creature that
is in ignorance. Now understand, Lucifer shall be loosed a little while at
the close of the millennium to test those that accept Jesus Christ and
God’s full truth. They shall then have a place in His kingdom.

# God wants their love freely given to Him. They must make a choice,
and the opportunity to make a choice is the whole purpose of this
world. Let us return to Romans 11:27.

27. For this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their
sins.

# In other words, it’s God’s covenant with Abraham that all Israel shall
he saved.

28. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as
touching the election, they are beloved for the Fathers’ sakes.

# Or, Israel was blinded and erred so the Gentiles could come in to
eternal life, but as to the elect of Israel, they are beloved. Remember
what He said in Revelation, touch not mine elect.

29. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

# God never goes back on His word, and He has said, I will keep a
remnant reserved to Myself. (Romans 11:4) This remnant is the 7,000
who will not bow a knee to Baal.

30. For as ye have in times past have not believed in God, yet have now
obtained mercy through their unbelief:

# Gentiles, he’s telling them, you can be thankful that part of Israel
was blinded.

31. Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy
they also may obtain mercy.
#Through bringing you Gentiles in, they will also obtain mercy or
forgiveness.

32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have
mercy on all.

# All men, being the whole world.

33. O the depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!

# Unless you study the Bible and understand what God’s plan is, His
ways are mysterious.

34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been His
counsellor?

# Did anybody help Him with this plan? Do we have a right to question
it?

35. Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto
him again?

36. For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to whom be
glory for ever. Amen.

# Another way to put this is that through Him come all things, even
eternal life.

# This Chapter 11 is a very deep chapter. It explains the plan of God,

why He let Israel stumble, why He blinded them. It tells us why: so He
could come to the whole world... Israel and the Gentiles. He says He
will not go back on His word, but understand the mystery. Through this
stumbling, He will also give kingdoms to the ethnos, as it is recorded in
the 21st chapter of Revelation.

# Paul says, if you could just understand the knowledge and the
wisdom of God.. the wealth of His forgiveness.

# I think we’re just going to say a word as we close this chapter on

why is the world. Why are we in the world today? As it is recorded in
Revelation, a third of the souls, before the world was, were deceived by
Satan when he took such pride in himself. Then, of course, the other
souls that remained, what of them? They are Israel. The elect stood
loyally with God but some took the path of least resistance, doing
nothing, not wanting to get involved in controversy. These are blinded
Israel today. You’ll remember in Jeremiah 35 we found that God did not
care for lukewarm love or sloppy obedience.

# Now God does not care to have forced love, which is worthless, so
there were two choices open to Him in regard to the third that followed
Satan. He either could kill His children, which would be a vicious thing,
or He could block these things from their mind, let them he born of
woman here on earth, and let them voluntarily make their own choice
Are you going to love Lucifer, or are you going to love Me, is what God
is asking.

# The mystery that Paul is talking about here is that all people will
have an opportunity to love God through Christ, so we may return to
that place of peace and beauty that we were in before Satan disrupted
everything by his sin of rebellion, or be destroyed.
# It is said that we will suffer for Christ. We will have tribulations for
His name’s sake, but it is a mere nothing compared to the glory he has
set aside for us. We will be conformed to the image of Christ, we were
told in Romans 8:29. In other words, we are going to help Him directly
in His work. What a glorious time is ahead. His goodness will let the
elect (the seven thousand that stood against Lucifer without wavering)
be the firstfruits that would suffer for Him in the near future and bring
this age in, the seventh dispensation, or the millennium.