Romans 11:1-2 – A Work to Finish – Bible study

Romans 11:1-2 A Work to Finish Last week I began a message with on two subjects: Israel and God. The thought of Israel came from these two verses. Paul asked the question, "Has God cast Israel away?" Paul answered his own question in those same verses. Romans 11:1 God forbid. Romans 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. But that was the short answer. I wanted to give a longer answer demonstrating what God has done, is doing, and will do with Israel. At the same time, we considered God. God is an infinite God. We are finite. The finite cannot comprehend the infinite. You cannot pour the infinite into the finite. If we gave our lives to trying to learn about God, we never could; even so, it is good for us to take advantage of learning what we can every opportunity we get. So far, we have seen three truths about Israel and three truths about God. I. First Truths: A. About Israel – Israel is supernatural in its origin. We have the history of Israel going back to its parents, Abraham and Sarah. There would be no Israel if God had not supernaturally selected, protected, and promoted Israel. B. About God – God usually does not work quickly, directly, or simply. In establishing Israel, God worked very slowly and took them in one of the most difficult and round about ways possible. (Take heart if God works that way in your life!) II. Second Truths: A. About Israel – Israel has been stubborn in their sin. (1) Even before they left Egypt, Israel began to murmur, complain, and doubt; but that would not be their biggest sin. Once out of Egypt, they began to disobey and rebel, but that would not be their biggest sin. Before long, they would want to appoint a leader and return to Egypt, but that would not be their biggest sin. No, their biggest sin was taking idols, little gods, and calling them their God. (2) And Israel did not quit sinning once they came into the Promised Land. As badly as America is sinning today, America cannot commit a new sin because Israel has already committed them all. They rebelled against God for 2,000 years and then they committed the greatest of all sins, they crucified Gods Son. B. About God – God is merciful. God is just and Gods justice is severe, but God there are two things we can learn about Gods mercy from studying Israel. (1) God never lead with judgment. He always lead with mercy. (2) Gods mercy always exceeded His justice. If it had not, there would be no Israel today. III. Third Truths: A. About Israel – Israel has experienced severity in their judgment. As a result of all of their sin and rebellion, God has poured judgment upon Israel like no other nation as ever felt. God not only overthrew Israel, dispossessing them of their place and their land, but He had continued to punish them even after they lost their land. The crusades and the Nazis are just two examples of Gods ongoing judgment. B. About God (1) God has decreed that the wages of sin is death and the interest on sin is pain and suffering. Like it not, that is one truth we had better learn. (2) For 2,000 years, Israel has experienced Gods justice which is about the same about of time God worked with Israel before His wrath was poured out. That makes me think that it is about time for something new to begin and something new will begin when Jesus takes His Church off this earth. IV. Fourth Truths A. About Israel – Israel has been sought by God. 1. One of the problems with preaching a long message over a period of time is that I cannot balance out some important truths. 2. Last week, all I had time to emphasize was the severity of Gods judgments against Israel. a. Make no mistake. God is severe in His judgments. b. However, God is also loving, kind, and merciful. c. God did not pour out judgment first. God poured out mercy and gracea lot of mercy and grace. d. God sought and loved on Israel for 2,000 years! 3. We can see Gods search for Israel throughout the Bible. a. God found Israel in need and naked. Ezekiel 16:8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. (1) This could apply to two different times in Israels history. (a) Israel was in need and naked when God found Abraham and Sarah. i. Here was a couple who were nearing the end of their lives, childless and with no hope. ii. But God found them, loved them, and cast His skirt over them. (b) It could also be when God found Israel in Egypt. i. God sent Israel down to Egypt with blessings. aa. Joseph was the 2nd most power ruler in the land. bb. Pharaoh gave them some of the best land in Egypt. cc. He gave them positions as his servants. dd. Israel had great favor in the sight of all Egypt. ii. But then the camera was turned off for 400 years and when we see them again, things are bad. aa. They were an oppressed and enslaved people. bb. They were being forced to make bricks for Egypt out of straw and mud. cc. They were being forced to drown their babies and feed them to their alligators. iii. But God found them, loved them, and cast His skirt over them. (2) Notice, God finds us all in need and naked. (a) People sometimes wonder why life is so difficult, why so many bad things happen. (b) God never intended us to live like this! (c) God created us to walk in harmony with Him, to be protected and provided for by Him. (d) Man chose to sin and sin has left us all in great need. (e) Then God comes along! i. He loves on us. ii. He casts His skirt over us. (3) But notice also, the covenant between God and Israel was by mutual consent. (a) God has gone severe on Israel, but it was Israel who broke the covenant. (b) God made an offer to Israel in the wilderness and Israel acceptedknowing both the terms of blessings and of judgments. (c) It was and is Israels reneging on their part that has brought them into such a dire place. b. God loved Israel. His desire was to make kings and priests out of the entire nation. Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. c. To that end, God has sought for Israel. 2 Chronicles 24:19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. 2 Chronicles 36:15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 2 Kings 17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. (1) God not only sought for them in the Old Testament. He sought for them in the New as well. (a) \#Luke 15:1-7\ (b) Parable of the lost sheep (2) God is STILL seeking Israelnot so much as a nation, but individually. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. B. About God – What can we learn about God from this? 1. We can learn that God wants sinners to be saved. 2. Truly it does not matter if they are red, yellow, black, and white for they are all precious in His sight. 3. By the way, you and I have been sought by God too. 4. Indeed, we are less than nothing, but God loves us and wants to cast His skirt over us. Like the Good Shepherd, He has wondered up and down the hills of sin and the streets of wickedness; but He is looking for you. 5. Wont you come to Him today? V. Fifth Truth A. About Israel – Israel will be saved by Gods grace. 1. Israels best days are ahead of them. 2. God is going to finish His work with the church and return to use the nation of Israel. a. In fact, He is going to make them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. b. I am not speaking individually now, but of the whole nation. 3. The days of Gods future blessings are prophesied in the Bible. Jeremiah 30:18 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacobs tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. 22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Jeremiah 31:1 At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. 2 Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness. 4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. 5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. 4. Let me summarize what God is going to do with Israel. a. Things are going to continue to deteriorate. I pray we will have some upticks and I hope that if we do, they will last a long time; but the overall direction mankind is going is down. b. Based on what I am seeing, I think the human race will fall into anarchy and chaos. Rev 6:4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. c. A leader will come out of that chaos which will solve one of the worlds longest and biggest problems, the Middle East crisis. d. He will forge a 7 year treaty with Israel and the world, but in the middle of that treaty, this leader will announce that he is god. e. Then Israel will reject him and join with the Christians who have also rejected him. f. But Israel will not only reject the false god. They as a nationwill accept Jesus as their Savior. g. Both the Jews and the Christians will be hunted and persecuted by him for 3 1/2 years. h. The only thing that will save them is the return of Jesus to this earth. i. At which time, Jesus will establish a world-wide kingdom based in Israel and a period of peace and prosperity will begin that this world has never seen. B. About God – What can we learn about God? 1. We can learn that God always does it what He says. 2. God entered into a covenant with Israel, and He will do what He promised He will doboth the judgment and the blessings! 3. How does that effect you and me? a. God has promised us mercy, love, and forgiveness if we surrender ourselves to His Son, Jesus. b. But God has promised severe judgment against us if we reject Him. Friend, do not put off accepting Jesus Christ any longer. Turn to Him today!