What Is Romans 9-11 About? Part Three

Paul Asks A Seventh Question

The beginning of Romans 11 opens with Paul asking a seventh question concerning the people of Israel.

Question #7: I ask then: Did God reject his people (the people of Israel)?

Paul answers his own question by stating, “By no means!”

He then provides evidence proving that God did not reject the people of Israel.

Evidence God Did Not Reject Israel

Paul begins by stating that he, as an Israelite, was not rejected by God; therefore, God did not reject Israel.

Had God rejected Israel, then Paul would not have believed in Jesus.

Paul continues to explain that God did not reject Israel by writing about those God foreknew.

In the context, those God foreknew were the remnant of Israelites chosen by grace (their belief in Jesus had nothing to do with them) in Paul’s time to believe in Jesus as the Christ.

Paul states this remnant was chosen by grace at the present time (Romans 11:5) Paul was writing his letter to the Romans (AD 55).

Paul himself was an example of one from Israel chosen by grace at that time.

Paul’s belief in Jesus occurred as he was traveling to Damascus to arrest, imprison, and kill believers (Acts 9:1-30; 22:1-21; 26:1-19).

7000 Prophets Were Reserved In Elijah’s Time

To explain that God chose some from Israel to be saved by grace at the time Paul was writing, he uses the 7000 Israelite prophets reserved by God who did not disown God by bowing a knee to the demonic god, Baal (1 Kings 19:10-18).

During the time of Elijah, the people of Israel killed the prophets of Israel and tore down the altars used to worship God (1 Kings 18-19).

Elijah thought he was the only prophet remaining.

However, God reserved 7000 prophets who could not be killed by the people of Israel and who would not bow a knee to Baal.

It was the same in Paul’s day.

God chose a remnant in Israel to believe in Jesus as the Christ.

They would not bow a knee to the leaders of Israel, and later to the Caesars of Rome, in rejection of Jesus.

Additionally, they could not be killed by unbelieving Israel.

We see numerous times in Acts when unbelieving Jews tried to kill Paul.

In Acts 14, they attempted to stone him in Iconium.

In Lystra, they stoned him and drug him outside of the city thinking he was dead.

But Paul got up and went back into the city.

Because Paul was one of the elect, he could not be killed by unbelieving Israel.

The Chosen Remnant Of Israel Is The Elect

The chosen remnant from Israel during the time of Paul was the elect of God.

The chosen remnant obtained the righteousness needed for eternal life because they believed in Jesus.

However, the rest of Israel did not obtain righteousness because their hearts were hard toward Jesus (Romans 11:7).

The Hard Hearts Of Those In Israel

In Romans 11:7, Paul weaves together Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 to show that God further hardened the hearts of the others of Israel who were not of the elect of Israel.

“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

It is vital to understand that the phrase eyes that can’t see and ears that can’t hear was directly connected to judgment on the people of Israel during the time of the old covenant.

Having a mind that could not understand, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear was common for the nation of Israel during the old covenant of law (see Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2).

God giving them a mind that could not understand, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear was judicial judgment upon Israel because they rejected God and his covenant.

In Romans 9-11, Paul’s major focus was unbelieving Israel and the believing remnant of Israel, which is why he quotes heavily from the old covenant.

During Paul’s generation, the final law-based judgments would be poured upon unbelieving Israel just as Jesus said (Matthew 23:1-38; 26:64; Luke 19:41-44; 21:5-24; 23:26-30).

The final law based judgment occurred from AD 66-70 in the Jewish-Roman War.

As noted above, Paul quotes from the old covenant in Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 concerning eyes that can’t see and ears that can’t hear.

Both of these verses speak directly to the people of Israel during the time of the old covenant concerning judgment upon them.

Paul is drawing from these verses and applying them directly to the Israelites of his time who were facing the final judgment of old covenant Israel.

The Book of Deuteronomy is the giving of the old covenant law to the people of Israel who wandered outside the Promised Land for forty years.

The forty year judgment was because the people hardened their own hearts toward God by refusing to trust him and rebelling to him by not entering the Promised Land (Psalm 95:7-11; Hebrews 3:7-19).

Therefore, in Deuteronomy 29:4, God hardened their hearts even more.

The Hardening Of Israel’s Heart In Isaiah

We also see the hardening of Israel’s heart in Isaiah 29:10 when Isaiah was telling the people of Israel that judgment was coming upon them because of their violations to the law (see Isaiah 1-5).

The theme of Isaiah 1-5 is that judgment was coming on rebellious Judah and Jerusalem.

In these chapters:

- Isaiah has visons from God concerning the future of Judah and Jerusalem.

- Isaiah has messages from God concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah is sent on a mission by God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

However, the people refused to listen to God…their hearts were hard and their eyes were closed (Isaiah 6:9-10).

Therefore, judgment was coming on the people, cities, and land of Israel in accordance to the covenant of law (Isaiah 6:11-13; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28-32).

A point of interest is that Jesus quoted Isaiah 6:9 when speaking to the people of Israel (Matthew 13:11-15; Luke 8:10; John 12:37-43).

In John 12:37-43, some in Israel were hardened even further because they refused to believe Jesus was the Christ, though he performed miracles in their presence.

Yet others in Israel did believe.

Paul also quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 in Acts 28:25-28 when seeking to persuade the Jewish leaders to believe that Jesus is the Christ.

They [the Jewish leaders in Rome] arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet [Isaiah 6:9-10]: ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’ “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

Let’s Return To Romans 11:7

In Romans 11:7, Paul weaves together Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 to show that God further hardened the hearts of the others of Israel who were not of the elect of Israel.

“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

In Isaiah 29, Israel is facing judgment because of their violations to the law.

God would come in judgment upon them through the armies of the nations.

In accordance with the judgments of the old covenant law (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28-32), God would use armies to besiege the city of Jerusalem.

They would encamp around Jerusalem on all sides (Isaiah 29:3).

This is exactly what Jesus said would happen to Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-44 and 21:20.

Concerning the siege, Jesus told the the women of Jerusalem they would be blessed if they never had children (Luke 23:28-29).

When Paul quotes Isaiah 29:10 in Romans 11:7, concerning ears that don’t hear and eyes that don’t see, he has in mind the wider context of Isaiah 29 which is God’s judgment on Jerusalem that would begin with a siege.

This judgment on Israel began in AD 66 when the Roman armies marched through the land and cities of Israel.

When the armies arrived at Jerusalem, they surrounded Jerusalem and laid siege to the city, just as Jesus foretold (see also Revelation 9:5-6).

Paul Quotes Psalm 69:22-23

We are examining Romans 11:7-9 where Paul contrasts the elect of Israel with the others of Israel who were not elect.

Both groups were hard-hearted to Jesus.

Yet God mercifully selected a remnant of Israel who would believe and proclaim the name of Jesus to the nations.

Currently, we are examining the others of Israel who were not elect.

We have examined Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 concerning judgment on Israel.

Let’s now examine Psalm 69:22-23 concerning judgment on Israel.

In Romans 11:9-10, Paul quotes Psalm 69:22-23, which reads,

“May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block [stone] and a retribution for them.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

A Table, Snare, and Trap

Like the other verses Paul quotes, Psalm 69:22-23 is filled with judgment language.

The words table, snare, and trap are used by the old covenant prophets to Israel describing their violations of the law and judgment to come (Isaiah 65:11; Ezekiel 12:13; 17:20; 23:4; Exodus 23:33; 34:12; 106:36; Isaiah 8:14-15; 18:13; Hosea 5:1; Amos 3:1-5; Malachi 1:12).

A Stumbling Block and Retribution

Isaiah 8:14-15 describes how Jesus would be a stumbling stone for the people of Israel (see Part One for more insight into the stumbling stone).

Jesus would be a trap and snare to them, resulting in judgment (retribution).

He will be a holy place; for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured.
Isaiah 8:14-15

Darkened Eyes, Bent Over Backs

Darkened eyes and bent over backs are metaphors for judgment upon Israel for their violations to the law.

Psalm 69 Is Quoted In Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans

Psalm 69 contains prophecies about Jesus which are quoted in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans.

John 2:17/Psalm 69:9
Then his disciples remembered that it is written: 'Zeal for your house will consume me'.

Romans 15:3/Psalm 69:20-21
For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: 'The insults of those who insult you fell on me'.

Acts 1:20/Psalm 69:25
For in the Scriptures it says, 'May his place be empty; may no one live in his house'.

John 15:25/Psalm 69:24
But this happened so that the words written in their Law might be fulfilled: 'They hated me without reason'.

Matthew 27:34, Mark 15:36, Luke 23:26, John 19:28-30/Psalm 69:21
They put poison in my food, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.

Jesus Quotes Psalm 69:4

In John 15:25, Jesus quotes Psalm 69:4 about his enemies who hated him.

If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they [unbelieving Israel] would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
(John 15:24-25; Psalm 69:4; see also Psalm 35:19)

In the context, the enemies of Jesus are unbelieving Israel.

They hated him without reason.

Jesus told his disciples that unbelieving Israel would also hate them without reason.

Jesus speaks about unbelieving Israel in John 16:2-4.

They [those in Israel who hate Jesus and his disciples] will put you out of the synagogue; in fact,
the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.
They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this,
so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them.

Psalm 69 Is About Israel’s Rejection Of Jesus and Judgment Upon Them

Psalm 69 is a Messianic Prophecy concerning Jesus and the people of Israel who rejected him in the first century.

Their hatred and rejection of Jesus resulted in judgment upon them from AD 66-70 (Jewish-Roman War).

Remember, we are examining Romans 11:7-9 where Paul contrasts the elect of Israel in the first century with the others of Israel who were not elect.

Both groups were hard-hearted toward Jesus.

Yet God mercifully selected a remnant of Israel who would believe and proclaim the name of Jesus to the nations.

The others of Israel, the non-elect, would be subject to judgment as indicated by Paul in his quotation of Psalm 69:22-23.

After quoting Psalm 69:22-23, Paul asks another question concerning the others of Israel who were of the non-elect.

I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not!
Romans 11:11

We will examine Paul’s answer to this question in Part Four (available soon).

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