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Romans 11:1-10 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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We find ourselves this morning beginning a study of Romans 11, which is a continuation of reasoning that Paul began back in chapter 8.
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! And we're not going to get our study of 11 right if we don't understand where Paul has come from.
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It could, of course, be argued that chapter 11 is the continuation of reasoning that Paul began back in chapter 1.
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But for the sake of brevity, for this introduction to today's text, I'll just remind you as far back as chapter 8.
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So, if you will, turn back just a few pages with me to chapter 8 and verse 23.
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Now, prior to verse 23 of chapter 8, Paul has spoken of the glory that would be revealed to us,
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and then speaks of the creation's eager expectation of this glory, and then says in verse 23,
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and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit,
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grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
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So, these Roman Christians, Paul's original audience, and we, the redeemed today, are waiting.
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We feel deeply the tension of being redeemed souls living in corrupted bodies,
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and we long for the day when all things will be made right.
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We recognize there's a tension right now, and we're awaiting the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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Paul's aim in this last half of chapter 8 is to bring us comfort.
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And so, he goes on, beginning in verse 28.
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I just don't want you to miss this.
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This is so key to the understanding of the rest of 9 and 11, 10 and 11, right?
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What is Paul trying to argue for us, those who are in Christ?
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And it begins back in 8 and verse 28.
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And I'm going to read to the end of the chapter, because I can't not.
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It's too difficult. I can't do it.
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I have to read to the end of the chapter if I start in 28.
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So, listen to what Paul says.
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And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good.
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Living in this tension right now, all the things that we experience in this life work together for good.
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For those who are called according to his purpose.
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For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,
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in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
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And those whom he predestined, he also called.
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And those whom he called, he also justified.
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And those whom he justified, he also glorified.
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So, God is at work bringing about the holiness of his people to the praise of Christ.
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And I would encourage you to go back and listen to the preaching on those verses,
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if you don't know what I'm talking about.
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But Paul goes on, verse 31.
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What then shall we say to these things, right?
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These doctrines of grace.
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God's sovereign elective purpose in the world.
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What shall we say to these things?
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If God is for us, who can be against us?
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He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all,
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how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
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Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?
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It is God who justifies.
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Who is to condemn?
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Christ Jesus is the one who died.
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More than that, who was raised.
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Who is at the right hand of God.
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Who indeed is interceding for us.
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Who shall separate us from the love of Christ.
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Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword.
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As it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the day long.
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We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
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No.
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In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
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For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
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nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation would be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Paul desires to root us in the immovable purpose of God on our behalf.
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Beloved, this is why we care deeply about what are commonly called the doctrines of grace.
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It's why I will preach it until I die.
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You need this kind of foundation.
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This kind of stability.
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You need to know when the storms of trial come, and they will come.
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That God has saved you and that God will keep you to the end.
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If in fact you're in Christ, you need to know that God accomplished it.
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If your faith is to remain immovable, then it must be rooted in the immovable purpose of God for you.
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Paul wants you to see this.
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But Paul also knows the implications that flow from God's elective purpose,
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which is why Paul tells us of his grief at the beginning of chapter 9.
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He has questions in his own mind as well.
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And praise be to God that under inspiration, he answers those questions for us.
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But he says at the beginning of chapter 9,
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I'm speaking the truth in Christ.
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I am not lying.
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My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit
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that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
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Paul was not frozen chosen.
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Paul says,
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For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
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for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh.
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I wish that I myself were no longer saved, that others might be.
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Paul knows that not all Israelites will be saved.
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He has seen the broad rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ by Jewish people in his day.
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And he is working this out theologically.
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For his benefit, for the benefit of the Roman believers, and for ours.
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He goes on in chapter 9 and verse 6.
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But it is not as though the word of God has failed.
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For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.
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The promises made to Israel are still true.
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Because the true Israel is not Israel by blood lineage, but through faith.
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Paul's theme for this letter gets further developed here and into chapter 10.
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We are justified by grace alone, through faith alone,
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in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
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Now I think that that brief overview will sufficiently bring us to today's text.
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But just remember that Paul wants his Israeli brothers and sisters
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to become his heavenly brothers and sisters.
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This is part of his heartbeat through this text.
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In Romans 10 and verse 1 he says,
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Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
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A lot of people have taken the doctrines we call the doctrines of grace.
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And have in fact become cold and unkindly, ungraciously shared them with others.
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But notice that even as all of this explanation is going on,
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right underneath every bit of it is Paul's desire that people would come to faith in Christ.
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So our text for today.
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Chapter 11.
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Verses 1-10.
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Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us,
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written for his glory and our good.
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And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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I ask then, has God rejected his people?
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By no means.
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For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
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God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
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Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
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Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars,
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and I alone am left, and they seek my life.
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But what is God's reply to him?
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I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
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So too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace.
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But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works,
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otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
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What then?
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Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking.
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The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.
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As it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor,
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eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear,
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down to this very day.
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And David says, let their tables become a snare and a trap,
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a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
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Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see
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and bend their backs forever.
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Our text begins with another of Paul's anticipated objections
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to his teaching and an emphatic answer.
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We've seen this time and time again in this letter.
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The first half of verse 1, he says,
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I ask then, has God rejected his people?
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And he answers, by no means.
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Has God rejected the Israelites?
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Paul's emphatic answer is the strongest negative Greek phrase possible.
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Some translations, I believe the King James Version,
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renders it, God forbid.
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It means absolutely not.
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Paul uses this phrase 14 times in total in the New Testament,
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10 times in this letter,
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and this is the ninth occurrence.
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For your future consideration,
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you may enjoy following Paul's argument through this letter
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by noting those occurrences.
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Initially, I was going to take us through the entirety of the letter that way,
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but time wouldn't allow.
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But here they are.
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If you care to note them,
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you might appreciate doing this in the future.
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Chapter 3, verses 3 and 4.
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Chapter 3, verses 5 and 6.
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Chapter 3, verse 31.
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Chapter 6, verses 1 and 2.
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Chapter 6, verse 15.
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Chapter 7, verse 7.
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Chapter 7, verse 13.
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Chapter 9, verse 14.
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Chapter 11, verse 1.
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That's today.
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And chapter 11, verse 11.
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An objection met with this emphatic answer.
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By no means.
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So Paul answers clearly here,
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no, God has not rejected his people.
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And then he proceeds with evidence to back his assertion.
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Paul answers this anticipated objection in two ways.
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And so if you want a simple outline for today,
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number one, as a witness,
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and number two, with the word.
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Paul answers this anticipated objection as a witness
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and with the word.
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Now, before we make any forward progress in the text,
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I want to address a potential concern.
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And you may be thinking,
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what does any of this have to do with me?
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And that is an understandable thought.
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Why should the past, present, and future state of Israel
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make any difference to you?
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And I will tell you, right now,
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we are spending no time today on end times theology.
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So, if that's where your brain goes,
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it's not what we're doing today.
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How is this text applicable in any way to your life today?
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Why?
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Well, sometimes the passage of Scripture contains within it obvious imperatives.
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You should act this way or don't act that way.
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You should feel this way or don't feel this way.
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think this way, etc.
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Sometimes the passage of Scripture contains within it implied imperatives.
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It's teaching us something that's true,
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and there's implications that come out from that.
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Today's text helps us to know how to think,
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at least in part, about our God.
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How to think about God on this particular issue.
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Paul wants us to see that God is faithful to His Word in this text.
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Paul wants us to see God's mercy and grace in this text.
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And Paul also wants us to see God's judgment in this text.
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So, these are things for us to be looking out for as we look through it together.
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So, number one, Paul answers with this emphatic no
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to this possible objection to what he's been teaching as a witness.
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He says,
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For I myself am an Israelite,
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a descendant of Abraham,
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a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
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Paul says,
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No, God has not rejected His people
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because I am one of those people.
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And I have been saved by Christ.
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We begin to see here that Paul is speaking in totalities.
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Has God rejected His people in totality?
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No, Paul says,
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because I am one of them.
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Paul qualifies himself as an Israelite
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by saying a descendant of Abraham,
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meaning he wasn't a convert to Judaism.
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He's of the bloodline of Israel
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and as a member of the tribe of Benjamin,
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which was one of the two most favored tribes of Israel.
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He's saying,
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I have true pedigree as an Israelite,
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and God saved me.
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If anyone could be said to be Jewish,
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it would be Paul.
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Listen to his own witness to this reality.
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Philippians chapter 3,
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this is verses 4 through 6.
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Here he's making the argument
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that there is no reason
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to have confidence in the flesh.
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But he says,
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I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh.
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If there is reason, I have it.
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If anyone else thinks he has reason
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for confidence in the flesh,
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I have more.
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Paul, by his own account,
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was as Jewish as he could possibly be.
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Not only by blood,
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but also in his devotion and in his zeal.
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Considered perfect
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and a persecutor of that
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which opposed the Jewish tradition
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until Paul found sovereign, amazing grace.
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This is why he said of himself
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in 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 15,
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the saying is trustworthy
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and deserving of full acceptance
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that Christ Jesus came into the world
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to save sinners
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of whom I am the foremost.
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Paul knew that he was
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an undeserving recipient
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of God's mercy and grace.
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He deserved wrath,
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but God forgave his sins in Christ
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and granted him life everlasting
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in his Son.
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So, Paul says,
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God has not rejected his people
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in totality
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for I am a witness
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to the contrary.
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There were many other Jews
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that were saved in Paul's day.
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The church was largely,
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early,
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made up of Jewish converts.
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But he used himself as an example.
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Look, God hasn't dismissed us entirely.
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He has saved me.
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He also answers this objection
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emphatically with the Word.
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And we see this in the rest of the text,
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verses 2 through 10.
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I think that a brief aside
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is helpful to us here.
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Note that Paul consistently reasons
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from God's Word.
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He is an apostle.
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I believe he knows in some measure
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that he's writing under inspiration,
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but yet he reasons
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from God's Word.
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And we do well to do the same.
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The Spirit of Christ
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takes up the Word of Christ
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to illuminate our hearts
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to the realities of Christ.
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It's the tool that's given to us
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that's empowered by the Spirit.
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In a postmodern world
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that is ridden with opinions,
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we have something sure.
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The revelation of God.
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Brothers and sisters,
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we should labor to know it.
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To have our minds shaped by it.
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You need to recognize
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that you're being discipled
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all the time.
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Be sure that you're being led
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in the truth.
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You should have a worldview
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that is Bible-informed
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so that everything that comes to you
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comes through the Word.
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And we should seek to persuade others
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with it.
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Now, note that Paul
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narrows his language a bit
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concerning Israel
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at the beginning of verse 2
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and then in verse 5
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to speak of a remnant.
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So notice the first half
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of verse 2.
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He says,
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God has not rejected His people
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whom He foreknew.
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He qualifies it.
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Whom He foreknew.
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And then He gives us proof
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from an episode in the life
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of the prophet Elijah
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and He summarizes that proof
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with verse 5.
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So too, also, just like
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at the present time,
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there is a remnant
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chosen by grace.
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So a people foreknown
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and chosen by grace.
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Now the episode
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from Elijah's life
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summed up by Paul
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in two and a half verses
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is found in 1 Kings chapter 19.
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Paul asks the question,
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Do you not know
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what the scripture says
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of Elijah?
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And he presumes,
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I think,
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that his readers know.
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Actually, their mind
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is going there.
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They may not have
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clearly understood it
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as they bring this objection,
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but their mind
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should be taken there.
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And perhaps
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you don't know the context
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here summed up
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in two and a half verses.
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And so,
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turn with me to 1 Kings chapter 19
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for some broader context.
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I think it will help you
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to see Paul's point
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this morning.
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So 1 Kings chapter 19.
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Makes my heart happy
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to hear pages flipping
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and not it being dialed up
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on a phone.
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I like those hard copies.
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Okay, we're going to read
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verses 9 through 18,
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but before we do,
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you need to know
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that this part of Elijah's life
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follows the defeat
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of the prophets of Baal.
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A big, significant event
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in Elijah's life
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where Elijah proposed
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a test of altars
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and Elijah's was consumed
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from heaven.
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If you're not familiar
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with that,
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oh, please go
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and read chapter 18.
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God was vindicated
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in this episode
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and the prophets
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of Baal slaughtered
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and Elijah expects
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that Israel will now
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turn back
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to the living God.
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But instead,
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we see at the beginning
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of chapter 19,
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he finds his life
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threatened
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and so he flees
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to Horeb,
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the mount of God.
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And at the end
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of 40 days
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without food,
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he is tired,
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he is destitute.
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The victory
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that he thought
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was going to lead
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to the nation
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turning back
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to the living God
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did not turn out
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the way he expected
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that it would
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and it would seem
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that he goes off
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and is pitiful
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in a cave.
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So we'll begin reading
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in verse 9.
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There he came
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to a cave
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and lodged in it.
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And behold,
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the word of the Lord
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came to him
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and he said to him,
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What are you doing here,
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Elijah?
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God had not commanded him
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to go to this place.
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He just fled.
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God had directed
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his every step
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up to this point.
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But here Elijah
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is out on his own.
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What are you doing here,
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Elijah?
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And Elijah says,
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I have been very jealous
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for the Lord,
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the God of hosts,
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for the people of Israel
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have forsaken your covenant,
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thrown down your altars
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and killed your prophets
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with the sword.
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And I,
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even I,
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only am left
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and they seek my life
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to take it away.
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And he said,
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Go out and stand
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on the mount
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before the Lord.
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Now notice here
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that there's no record
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that he actually does
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what he was asked to do.
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But it says,
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Go out and stand
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on the mount
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before the Lord
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and behold,
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the Lord passed by
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and a great
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and strong wind
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tore the mountains
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and broke in pieces
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the rocks
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before the Lord.
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But the Lord
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was not in the wind.
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And after the wind
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an earthquake,
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but the Lord
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was not in the earthquake.
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And after the earthquake
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a fire,
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but the Lord
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was not in the fire.
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And after the fire
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the sound
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of a low whisper,
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or it could also be translated
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a thin silence,
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stood at the entrance
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of the cave.
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And behold,
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there came a voice
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to him
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and said,
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What are you doing here,
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Elijah?
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He said,
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he repeats the complaint,
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I have been very jealous
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for the Lord,
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the God of hosts,
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for the people of Israel
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have forsaken
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your covenant,
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thrown down your altars,
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and killed your prophets
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with the sword.
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And I,
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even I,
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only am left
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and they seek my life
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to take it away.
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And the Lord
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said to him,
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Go return on your way
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to the wilderness
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of Damascus,
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and when you arrive
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you shall anoint Hazael
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to be king over Syria,
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and Jehu,
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the son of Nimshi,
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you shall anoint
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to be king over Israel,
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and Elisha,
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the son of Shepat,
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of Abel Mahalah,
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you shall anoint
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to be prophet
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in your place.
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And the one
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who escapes
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from the sword
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of Hazael
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shall Jehu put to death,
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and the one
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who escapes
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from the sword
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of Jehu
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shall Elisha
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put to death.
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Yet,
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I will leave
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seven thousand
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in Israel,
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all the knees
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that have not
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bowed to Baal,
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and every mouth
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that has not
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kissed him.
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Now,
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we can speculate
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broadly about
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what is happening
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on this mountain,
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but I think
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that God
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intends to display
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to Elijah
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the power
24:54
of his judgment
24:55
alongside
24:57
his tender
24:59
mercy.
25:00
a lot
25:02
to unpack.
25:02
That's a whole
25:03
sermon
25:03
from 1 Kings
25:04
chapter 19
25:06
that could be
25:06
preached.
25:07
But let's go back
25:08
to Romans 11
25:09
and look again
25:10
at Paul's
25:12
summary.
25:14
There he says,
25:15
Do you not know
25:15
what the scripture
25:16
says of Elijah?
25:16
How he appeals
25:18
to God
25:19
against
25:20
Israel.
25:22
He has this
25:22
complaint.
25:24
And he's saying,
25:24
God,
25:25
they deserve
25:25
your retribution.
25:28
Lord,
25:28
they have killed
25:29
your prophets.
25:29
They have demolished
25:30
your altars.
25:31
I am alone
25:31
and left,
25:32
and they seek
25:33
my life.
25:36
And then
25:36
Paul asks,
25:38
but what is
25:39
God's reply
25:40
to him?
25:42
Now,
25:42
if you're looking
25:42
at the 1 Kings
25:43
19 text,
25:44
you see that
25:44
judgment will come.
25:45
It already has.
25:46
The prophets of Baal
25:47
have been slaughtered
25:48
at the end
25:48
of chapter 18.
25:49
You see that
25:50
there's going to be
25:50
further punishment
25:52
for the rebellion
25:53
of Israel.
25:55
But,
25:56
Paul hones in
25:57
on the end
25:58
of that episode.
26:00
I have kept
26:01
for myself
26:02
7,000 men
26:03
who have not
26:04
bowed the knee
26:05
to Baal.
26:07
Judgment
26:08
and mercy.
26:11
Our text
26:12
grants us
26:12
the benefit
26:13
of Paul's
26:14
commentary
26:14
in verse 5.
26:17
He says,
26:17
So too,
26:19
at the present
26:19
time,
26:20
there is
26:21
a remnant.
26:23
Just like
26:23
back then,
26:24
there's a remnant
26:25
today chosen
26:26
by grace.
26:29
Paul then
26:30
clarifies,
26:30
which I love,
26:32
that God's
26:33
choosing has
26:34
nothing to do
26:36
with works.
26:38
It is not
26:39
because the 7,000
26:40
didn't bow
26:40
the knee to Baal
26:41
that they are
26:41
chosen,
26:42
but that they
26:42
didn't bow
26:43
the knee to Baal
26:44
because they
26:46
were chosen.
26:49
This is the
26:50
doctrine of
26:50
unconditional
26:51
election.
26:52
It should
26:52
humble us
26:53
and it
26:54
should
26:55
amaze us.
26:57
An undeserving
26:58
people
26:58
saved
26:59
by grace.
27:02
Briefly plug
27:03
tonight's
27:04
doctrines of
27:05
grace class.
27:07
Clay's not
27:08
with us this
27:08
morning.
27:08
He's not
27:09
feeling well.
27:09
I'm not
27:10
exactly sure
27:10
what's going
27:10
to happen
27:11
with that
27:11
class.
27:12
Yours truly
27:12
may be
27:13
teaching it.
27:13
I don't
27:14
know.
27:15
But the
27:15
planet
27:15
amaze us.
27:17
A people
27:18
undeserving
27:19
of God's
27:20
grace
27:20
and mercy.
27:23
Paul goes
27:23
on in
27:24
verse 6,
27:24
but if it
27:25
is by
27:25
grace,
27:26
it is no
27:27
longer on
27:28
the basis
27:28
of works.
27:29
Otherwise,
27:30
grace would
27:30
no longer
27:31
be grace.
27:33
That is to
27:34
say that it
27:34
would be
27:34
earned.
27:35
And it's
27:35
not earned,
27:36
therefore,
27:36
it is
27:37
grace.
27:40
Now,
27:40
having spoken
27:41
of the
27:42
remnant,
27:43
Paul goes
27:43
on to
27:44
speak of
27:45
the
27:46
reprobate,
27:46
those
27:47
Israelites
27:48
who will
27:49
not be
27:50
saved.
27:52
Verse 7,
27:52
what then?
27:53
Israel failed
27:53
to obtain
27:54
what it
27:55
was seeking.
27:58
We saw
27:58
some weeks
27:58
ago at
27:59
the end
27:59
of chapter
27:59
9 and
28:00
into chapter
28:01
10 that
28:02
the problem
28:03
was they
28:03
didn't seek
28:04
it by
28:05
faith.
28:06
They sought
28:06
it through
28:07
their works
28:07
and not by
28:08
the faith
28:09
that was
28:09
required to
28:10
obtain it.
28:11
The elect
28:12
obtained it,
28:13
but the
28:14
rest were
28:15
hardened.
28:17
These Jews
28:18
that Paul
28:18
here speaks
28:19
of were
28:19
divinely
28:20
hardened,
28:22
but this
28:23
hardening
28:23
is not
28:25
unjust.
28:27
God
28:28
judicially
28:28
hardens
28:29
those who
28:30
harden
28:31
themselves.
28:32
We need
28:33
to be
28:33
really clear
28:34
about this.
28:35
As we
28:35
teach the
28:36
sovereign
28:36
election of
28:37
God,
28:38
we must
28:38
also teach
28:39
the
28:40
responsibility
28:40
of man.
28:42
The Bible
28:43
teaches
28:43
both,
28:44
and so
28:45
we do
28:45
well to
28:46
see them
28:47
as
28:47
non-contrary.
28:50
This is
28:51
difficult to
28:51
do because
28:52
we have
28:52
very
28:53
finite
28:54
minds.
28:56
A lady
28:57
once asked
28:58
Charles Spurgeon
28:59
how it is
29:00
that he
29:00
reconciles
29:01
the sovereignty
29:02
of God
29:02
and the
29:03
responsibility
29:03
of man,
29:04
and he
29:05
said,
29:05
ma'am,
29:05
I see no
29:06
need to
29:06
reconcile
29:07
friends.
29:08
He
29:09
settled
29:09
in his
29:10
mind.
29:10
The two
29:10
things
29:11
existed
29:11
in the
29:11
scriptures
29:11
and somehow
29:12
worked
29:13
together.
29:15
We need
29:15
to do
29:16
the same.
29:18
We can
29:19
readily see
29:20
this
29:20
interchange
29:22
in the
29:22
life of
29:23
the Pharaoh
29:24
of Moses'
29:24
day,
29:25
this judicial
29:26
hardening.
29:28
Paul uses
29:28
this Pharaoh
29:29
in chapter
29:29
9 as an
29:30
example of
29:31
God's
29:31
hardening.
29:32
Listen
29:33
carefully.
29:33
You see a
29:34
pattern throughout
29:35
the beginning
29:36
of the book
29:36
of Exodus,
29:37
but let me
29:37
just give
29:38
you two
29:38
examples.
29:39
First,
29:39
Exodus chapter
29:39
8 and
29:40
verse 15.
29:42
There Moses
29:42
records,
29:43
but when
29:43
Pharaoh saw
29:44
there was a
29:45
respite,
29:45
that is from
29:46
the plagues,
29:47
he hardened
29:48
his heart
29:49
and would not
29:50
listen to them
29:51
as the Lord
29:52
had said.
29:54
So,
29:55
Pharaoh's thinking
29:55
about letting
29:56
the people go,
29:56
but there's a
29:57
respite in the
29:57
plagues,
29:58
and he hardens
29:59
his heart
30:00
against God's
30:02
message to
30:03
him.
30:04
Then Exodus
30:04
9 and
30:05
verse 12
30:06
says,
30:07
but the
30:07
Lord hardened
30:08
the heart
30:08
of Pharaoh,
30:10
and he did
30:10
not listen
30:10
to them
30:11
as the
30:12
Lord had
30:13
spoken to
30:14
Moses.
30:16
Divine
30:17
judicial
30:18
hardening.
30:21
Paul is
30:21
writing in
30:22
Romans chapter
30:22
9 through
30:23
11 of the
30:24
grace and
30:25
mercy of
30:26
God, but
30:27
also of
30:29
his judgment.
30:31
So,
30:32
do not
30:32
harden
30:32
yourself,
30:33
as many
30:34
Israelites,
30:35
did,
30:36
did,
30:36
is Paul's
30:37
plea to
30:39
you.
30:40
As he
30:40
helps us
30:41
to understand
30:41
the spiritual
30:42
condition of
30:43
Israel,
30:44
this is what
30:44
he would
30:45
have us
30:45
to see.
30:48
He cites
30:48
Deuteronomy
30:49
chapter 29
30:50
and verse 4,
30:51
Isaiah
30:52
chapter 29
30:53
and verse 10,
30:55
and Psalm
30:55
69
30:56
verses 22
30:57
to 23
30:59
to make
30:59
his point
31:00
from the
31:01
word.
31:01
He says
31:02
in verse
31:02
8,
31:03
as it
31:04
is
31:04
written,
31:05
God
31:05
gave them
31:06
a spirit
31:06
of stupor,
31:08
eyes that
31:08
would not
31:09
see and
31:10
ears that
31:10
would not
31:11
hear,
31:11
down to
31:12
this very
31:13
day.
31:15
And David
31:15
says,
31:16
let their
31:16
table,
31:17
a place that
31:18
would have
31:18
been a place
31:18
of comfort
31:19
and rest,
31:20
let their
31:20
table become
31:21
a snare
31:22
and a trap,
31:23
a stumbling
31:24
block and a
31:25
retribution
31:25
for them.
31:27
Let their
31:27
eyes be
31:28
darkened so
31:29
they cannot
31:29
see and
31:30
bend their
31:31
backs forever.
31:34
Judgment
31:34
on a people
31:35
who had
31:35
hardened
31:36
themselves
31:37
against the
31:37
grace and
31:39
mercy of
31:40
God.
31:42
Psalm 69
31:43
is a psalm
31:43
in which
31:44
King David
31:44
cries out
31:46
for mercy
31:46
and grace.
31:48
He recognizes
31:49
that he
31:50
deserves judgment
31:51
and he
31:52
humbly
31:52
flees to
31:54
God.
31:54
So just
31:55
listen to a
31:55
few verses
31:56
in closing
31:57
that precede
31:58
the verses
31:59
cited in
32:00
Romans
32:00
chapter 11.
32:01
Again,
32:02
that's
32:02
Psalm 69
32:03
verse 22
32:04
and 23.
32:05
This is
32:06
Psalm 69
32:06
verse 16,
32:08
17,
32:09
and 18.
32:10
There David
32:10
says,
32:11
answer me,
32:12
O Lord,
32:13
for your
32:13
steadfast love
32:15
is good.
32:16
According to
32:17
your abundant
32:18
mercy,
32:18
turn to me.
32:20
Hide not
32:20
your face
32:21
from your
32:21
servant,
32:21
for I am
32:22
in distress.
32:23
Make haste
32:24
to answer
32:25
me.
32:26
Draw near
32:27
to my soul,
32:28
redeem me,
32:29
ransom me,
32:30
because of
32:31
my enemies.
32:33
So has
32:34
God rejected
32:35
his people?
32:36
No way.
32:38
And we're
32:38
going to see
32:39
further into
32:40
our study
32:40
of chapter
32:41
11.
32:41
That's to
32:42
include a
32:43
greater number
32:44
of people.
32:46
He's got a
32:46
sovereign work
32:47
to save
32:48
his church
32:49
in play.
32:50
God is
32:51
faithful to
32:52
his word.
32:54
God is
32:54
gracious and
32:55
merciful.
32:56
faithful.
32:57
And God's
32:57
judgment
32:58
justly awaits
32:59
those who
32:59
don't flee
33:00
to him
33:00
by grace
33:02
alone,
33:03
through faith
33:03
alone,
33:04
in the
33:04
personal work
33:05
of Jesus
33:06
Christ
33:06
alone.
33:08
Let's pray
33:09
together.
33:09
God is