It’s always important to look at a verse in context. Paul begins Romans 11 with an important question and a quick answer. Romans 11:1-2 (NLT) says, “I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! … No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning.”
Remember, Paul is living in the days of the early church. He’s writing this letter to Christians who live in Rome, a majority who were Gentiles. (When you read the word Gentile, think non-Jewish. Some Gentiles believed in Jesus, some did not.) When I think about what this time in history must have been like, I imagine the Gentile Christians had feelings of superiority over the Jewish people. But Paul is making it clear to the church that God has not rejected his people. He explains the current situation.
So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.” (Romans 11:7-8)
Why would God allow this? Paul tells us that too, in verse 11: “Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.”
When God’s people, the Israelites, rejected Jesus as their Messiah, it opened the doors for Gentiles to receive Jesus as their Savior. God wanted to make His people jealous with the hope that they will turn to Jesus too. Full restoration of the Jewish people is coming (Romans 11:12, 15).
Paul also liked to visualize things. He goes on to write about trees and roots and branches. Abraham is the tree and some of the branches have broken off his tree (some of the people of Israel) and branches from a wild olive tree (Gentiles) have been grafted in. Now, Gentiles have a share in God’s promises to Abraham. We also get to share in the nourishment that comes from the root of God’s chosen tree. (Romans 11:17)
Just when the Roman church was feeling pretty good about themselves, Paul gives a strong warning. Romans 11:18 says, “But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.” Gentiles are grafted into this tree when they believe in Jesus. It’s an incredible gift and it’s one that He also gives to His chosen people. “And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree” (Romans 11:23).
God’s plan is for all people. He wants Jews and Gentiles alike to worship Him. He made a covenant with Israel, sent Jesus to save the world, welcomed in the Gentiles, and soon His attention will turn back to Israel. Once the fullness of Gentiles has come to know Jesus, God “will turn Israel away from ungodliness.” (Romans 11:26)
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