Alan J. Huth takes listeners through the intricate tapestry of Romans 11, offering wisdom and reflections grounded in years of personal Bible study. This episode explores the metaphor of the olive tree, delving into themes of grace, inclusion, and the dynamics of humility versus arrogance in our spiritual journey. Whether you’re new to theology or a seasoned believer, this podcast invites you to reflect on the mysteries of faith and the inclusivity of God’s salvation plan.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Allen J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
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Today we are in Romans chapter 11. We’ll listen to Faith Comes by Hearing’s reading of the 36 verses of Romans chapter 11.
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Romans 11 I ask then, has God rejected his people? By no means, for I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
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Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. But what is God’s reply to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
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So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written.
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God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day. And David says, let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see and bend their backs forever.
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So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means. Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean? Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others, and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God. Severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree?” Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers. A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved, as it is written.
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The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will banish ungodliness from Jacob. And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.
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As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God, but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you, they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments!
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And how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?
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For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.
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Amen.
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To put chapter 11 in context, I think it helps to go back to the last few verses of chapter 10. So let’s do that. I’m going to start with verse 19 of chapter 10. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for their voice has gone out to all the earth and their words to the ends of the world. But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation. With a foolish nation I will make you angry. Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, I have been found by those who did not seek me. I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me. But of Israel he says, all day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. So Paul is finishing chapter 10 by saying, Has Israel heard? Have they rejected the gospel? And then he begins chapter 11 by saying, I ask then, has God rejected his people by no means? And he says in verse 2, God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Then and now, God always keeps a remnant of the nation of Israel. That’s his promise. So let’s look at verse 11. So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means. Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. It is beneficial to the Gentiles that the Jews mishandled the message of salvation because it allowed that message to be shared with them. True, some Jews rejected God, His law, His prophets, and even Jesus the Messiah, and those branches have been broken off. But the good news is, because they did, Gentiles are now given the opportunity to hear the message of salvation and be grafted in. But then Paul warns, don’t get too cocky. If God broke off some of the natural branches, the Jews, if you don’t stand firm in your faith, he will break you off as well. Let’s look at verse 21. What is the practical application we can get out of this chapter? First of all, be thankful if you have ever heard the gospel, the plan of salvation. Secondly, don’t reject it. Embrace it. Then, thirdly, stand firm in your faith in Jesus Christ. The chapter concludes with another great message, starting in verse 33. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgment and how unscrupulous His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has given Him a gift that He might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Though I may not understand all of Romans or even this chapter, I certainly can understand that God’s ways are higher than my ways. His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Praise God. That ought to be that way, right? Because he is God and we are his creation. So Lord, I just thank you that somehow, someway, you provided a way of salvation. From the beginning of time, you knew what you were going to do. You delivered the message through the Jewish people. Then you opened it up to the whole world. And I am thankful that at one point in my life, at age 15, the gospel was revealed to me and I did not reject it. I accepted it. And my prayer today is that anybody listening to this AdBible podcast that has not heard the message of salvation will get a Bible and read about your love and your forgiveness and your grace and your mercy and accept, not reject, your offer of salvation. And for all of those listening who have, may we stand firm in you. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. Across our listening audience, more and more of you are supporting AdBible by visiting our website at EzraProject.net and purchasing resources like Club 365 subscriptions, Bible reading journals, and one or more of our day-by-day through the Bible devotional books. We thank you so much and encourage more of you to do the same. You will find helpful and inspirational tools to enhance your personal time in God’s Word. Today I want to review the three tools we see most listeners getting. First, Club 365. This is a monthly subscription opening our vault of all Add Bible audio recordings and all printed pages of the entire Day by Day through the Bible devotional series. By joining Club 365 for only $7 a month, you have access to both audio and written information on all 66 books of the Bible. Club 365 is a goldmine, and it is completely flexible to your personal Bible reading plan. So if you’re reading Matthew or Isaiah or Psalms or Revelation, you have access to audio or written comments, applications, and prayers on any of them at your fingertips. Get Club 365 at EzraProject.net today, like so many others have. Secondly, another hot seller are our Bible reading journals. We offer two. 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