April 7 Click on verses for Full Scripture

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Today's Pathway: Romans 11:12-15 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 fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 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 these verses Paul continues to show that God is not finished with Israel. He views it not only as an unalterable fact in verses 12 and 15, but also as a wonderful occurrence. In verse 12 he states that the falling away of Israel brought riches to the Gentile world. Of course, this refers to the riches of salvation and the blessings that go along with it. He then adds that if Israel's failure accomplished all that, how much more Israel's fullness would accomplish! In other words, if a faithless Israel could bring salvation to the Gentiles, how much more and greater blessings will her faithfulness bring! We know that the time when Israel turns to God will occur when Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation period and ushers in the Millennial Kingdom. Zechariah 12:10 speaks of this:

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." According to Zechariah 14:16, one of the blessings of that time will be that "every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles."

In verses 13-14 Paul states that he has faithfully carried out his responsibilities in evangelizing and teaching the Gentiles, but in doing so he has tried to make his fellow Jews jealous ("emulation") so that some of them might be saved. Remember that he started chapters 9 and 10 by speaking of his desire to see Israel come to Christ. So, even while he was preaching to Gentiles he was burdened for Israel. Notice that he "magnified his office". The word "office" is a translation of the Greek word for the position of a servant. Even though Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles he considered himself to be a servant of the Lord, and fulfilled his ministry to the best of his ability.

Finally, in verse 15, he reiterates how wonderful it will be when Israel returns to Jehovah. God's casting away of the Jews resulted in much of the Gentile world believing the Gospel and being reconciled to Christ. When God receives Israel back because of their repentance and faith it will be like a resurrection. Bruce Hurt had these thoughts:

"The receiving of Israel refers to that moment when, as the Messiah returns to the Mt. of Olives (Zechariah 14), all Israel shall be saved. This will be 'life from the dead' in that the nation will be saved by the grace of God out from a spiritually dead state. Regarding individual Jews, he was speaking of receiving spiritual life as a gracious gift to displace spiritual death, the wage of unbelief. Regarding Israel, he was speaking of its rebirth, and the rebirth of the whole world in the glorified millennial kingdom of God."