1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 "Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
What was Israel's response to the gospel as per Romans 10:16?
Did God cast away Israelites?
Did all Israel rejected the gospel as per Romans 10:16?
Who is Paul referring to as an example?
Application: Can you name one or two Israelites whom God did not cast away?
Who are all people God has not cast away (reject)?
Who did God foreknow? or What did God foreknow?
Who is Paul referring to as an another example?
What did Elijah plead to God?
What is God's response to Elijah?
Application: What does God do to those whom He foreknew?
Why is Paul pointing out these examples? or What is the important point Paul is proving through these examples?
What is the election of grace?
Application:
Are you living under grace? or Are you growing in the grace of God?
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day." 9 And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always."
Why did most Israel not obtain what they sought?
What did Israel seek?
What are the Biblical references Paul is referring to support his statement?
What is spirit of stupor?
What is "table become a snare and a trap"?
What these verses means?
How did elect obtain God's righteousness (salvation)?
Why did God blind Israelites?
Application:
What are the few things that brings blindness to our spiritual walk?
Why is Paul repeating again and again about the obtaining the God's righteousness through faith?
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! 13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
Have Israel stumbled that they should fall?
On what did Israel stumble?
Did God put this as stumbling block to them?
Did they stumble and fall?
Who get benefited because of their fall? or How their fall benefits others?
How did God make Israelites fall/failure work together for their benefit?
Did salvation come to Gentiles only because of their fall/failure?
To whom Paul is speaking/addressing?
To whom has God appointed Paul as an apostle?
How did Paul utilize this divine opportunity to reach out Israelites?
Who did benefit due to Israel's cast away?
What would have happened if Israel accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior and God accepted them as their children?
Can you list few examples from the Bible that God provoked someone to jealousy to accomplish His will?
Application:
How do you react when you feel jealous?
Do you draw closer to God or going away from God when God allow someone on your way to provoke you to jealousy?
Do you have experience in your personal life that jealousy made you to do the right thing or to do the will of God?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
What it means "if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches"?
What is firstfruit means here?
What is lump means here?
Did Israel (ie lump/branches) inherit the holiness from Abraham?
On what basis Abraham, Jacob and Israel are holy?
Who is the olive tree? And who is wild olive tree?
Why did some of the branches are broken off?
How did the Gentiles graft in the root and fatness of the olive tree Israel?
Is grafting a wild olive branch to the olive tree common/normal?
Can the believers in Christ boast against unbelieving Israel?
Why the believers in Christ should not boast against unbelieving Israel?
What happens when the Gentile believers didn't understand this?
How did the Gentiles partake in the root and fatness of the olive tree Israel?
What should the Gentile believers in Christ do?
What should not the Gentile believers in Christ do?
Why should the believers in Christ fear God and continue to stand in faith, stay in goodness of God?
Does this mean that the believers in Christ loose the salvation?
Will God accept Israelites if they believe in Him instead of continue in unbelief?
Application: How the believers in Christ fear God and continue to stand in faith, stay in goodness of God?
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" 35 "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
What do Paul not desire/want believers to be ignorant of?
What will believers do if they do not know this mystery?
Application:
What will anyone do if they do not know the truth about particular matter?
Is there any problem if we live in our own opinion without knowing the truth?\
What kind of problems we may face when we live in our own opinion?
What is the mystery that we should not be ignorant of?
Why did Israel become blind spiritually?
Is Israel's blindness is temporary?
What is "the fullness of the Gentiles"?
What is "all Israel will be saved" means?
Is this new plan of God?
Why are Israelites enemies to the gospel (the good news)?
Are Israelites beloved to God even though they didn't believe in Him?
Why are Israelites beloved to God even though they didn't believe in God?
What is "the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" means?
Will Israelites obtain mercy?
What attributes/characters of God do you see in these Romans 11:30-32 verses?
When the fullness of the Gentiles will come? and When all Israel will be saved?
How great our God is?