Memorize: Fullness of the Gentiles
Key Verses: 5, 11, 14, 20, 25, 32
Down through history there has always been a group of people, a remnant, who still walked with God. Since walking with God has always been a walk of faith, Paul brings his audience back around to the central role of God’s grace. Without the grace of God, we would all be sunk. Grace gives us what we could never deserve.
God’s desire is always repentance and restoration. Even when someone has turned their back on the Lord, it does not mean God is through with them and throws them beyond reach. On the contrary, the Lord is always reaching. Even in someone’s rebellion, the Lord uses the negative consequences as a call to repent and restoration.
Paul uses this illustration from gardening. Olive trees are often grafted, that is, a cultivate root receives a wild top. The energy of the cultivated gets funneled into the wile, producing much greater growth and vitality than they wild could produce on its own. You can also have multiple types of olives grown on one tree. Paul uses this illustration to carry this point: the Jews were cut off and the Gentiles were grafted in. It is easy for God to bring the Jews back and put them in. It would be a natural fit. The reason the Jews were cut off was their unbelief. If the Gentiles stop believing, they too will be cut off. The determining factor of whether you stay connected to the olive tree is belief.
For Paul, Israel has a special place in God’s heart. They were supposed to be God’s vessel to bring His message to all the world. They failed in their mission through unbelief. Despite their unbelief, God still has a mission for them. He uses hardening as a wakeup call to them. He wants them to repent, to turn around and return to Him. They are clearly in rebellion so that they can turn and receive grace.
The Arnold Journey 