Believing Gentiles Exhorted to Humility

Transcript

GRM 530
5/18/1997
Believing Gentiles Exhorted to Humility
Romans 11:1724
Gil Rugh

We are going to Romans chapter 11. Romans and the 11th chapter. We've been talking about this chapter and its teaching on God's plan for the nation Israel. In Romans chapter 11 Paul has been showing how intertwined God's plan of salvation is for the Jews and the Gentiles. The transgression of Israel is rejecting their Messiah has not result in the permanent rejection of Israel by God, but it has been used of God. Israel's unbelief and rejection of Christ has been used by God to bring salvation to the Gentiles. And as the cycle will come around, the salvation of the Gentiles will be used of God to stir the Jews to jealous so that they will long for the salvation that was originally offered to them and they see it now being experienced by the Gentiles and ultimately Israel as a nation will be saved. And the salvation of the nation Israel will result in even greater blessings to the Gentiles who have believed. So God's work with Israel and God's work with the Gentiles is intertwined but Israel is never confused with the Gentiles or with the Church. Our attitude as Gentiles toward the Jews ought to be first gratitude, gratitude that God has used the unbelief of Israel to bring salvation to us. And secondly, we ought to have an attitude of anticipation, looking forward to the time when Israel will experience the fullness of salvation. And so the Gentiles will enter into the even greater blessings that God has prepared in light of that coming event.

Verse 16 of Romans 11. God said if the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy the branches are also." And the first piece of dough, the root, refers to the promises of God to the patriarchs, to the founders of Israel, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Abrahamic Covenant and it's confirmation to Abraham's descendants in Isaac and Jacob. That will be mentioned again down in verse 28, "From the standpoint of the gospel they [the Jews] are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice [God's election] they are beloved for the sake of the fathers." Because God's love was promised to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob and to their descendants. So God's relationship with Israel, God's dealings with Israel, are based on His covenant relationship with that nation. Originally established with Abraham. Initial presentation of it is in Genesis chapter 12. And reiterated again in chapter 15 and chapter 17. that is foundational to God's dealing with the nation Israel.


In verses 17 to 24 where we will focus our attention Paul develops the analogy of the branches and shows the importance of humility on our part as Gentiles. There is an antiSemitism that pervades the world. An unhappily it has characterized much of the Church. And some of the leading reformers in Church history were very strong antiJewish and there's an arrogance about that that God says ought not to be. Rather there ought to be humility to realize that we as Gentiles ought to be privileged to enter into promised blessings, blessings promised to Abraham and given through the Abrahamic Covenant. Now be careful at this point some get confused and lose the path. I did not say that the church or the Gentiles replace Israel in fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant. But the Gentiles come in to certain of the blessing promised in the Abrahamic Covenant.

Maybe we need to go back to the Abrahamic Covenant. Go back to Genesis. Genesis chapter 12. And here in God's call of Abram He gives him certain promises which will form the covenant promises of God to Abraham. He promises him verse 2, "I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, make your name great; so you will be a blessing; and I will bless those who curse you. The one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

In chapter 13 verse 14 and following God promises the land of Palestine to Abraham. Part of the covenant is going to formally enter into with Abraham. We will look at in a moment. Verse 14 God told Abram look at the land as far as you can see, north, south, east, west. Verse 15, "I will give this to you and to your descendants forever. And I'll make your descendants like the dust of the earth." So in the Abrahamic Covenant there's a promise of land to Israel, the land of Palestine. The Palestinian covenant that's given later in Deuteronomy chapter 30 expands this aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant. The later covenants really are expansions of the Abrahamic Covenant. So the Palestinian Covenant which will be given in Deuteronomy 30 will expand on this aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant, the promise of the land to Israel. There's a promise of seed to Abraham. He promised that he'll make him a great nation in Genesis chapter 12, verse 2. In chapter 13, verse 16, we just read, "I'll make your descendants as the dust of the earth," and they are the ones who inherit the land. A great nation is going to come out of Abraham. We are talking about a physical nation, physical descendants. This aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant will be elaborated in the Davidic Covenant, covenant God made with David, which promises him a kingdom, a throne, the Davidic dynasty with the son of David sitting on the throne. All part of Israel having a seed, being a seed, a nation. Abram's descendants. This promise given when Abram had no children, no physical descendants.

And then the blessing. This gets in to where we are in Romans 11 including the Gentiles. In Genesis chapter 12 the end of verse 2, "You shall be a blessing," and at the end of verse 3, "And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." And the new covenant will expand on that aspect of the Abrahamic covenant. Romans chapter 11 we talk about the blessings promises. We are entering in to this aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant but in no way does that nullify the rest of the covenant. Oh the arrogance of us Gentiles who assume because we have entered into these covenant blessings, which is just one of the provisions, blessings for the nation of Israel, the land not only for the nation Israel and the seed, but blessings that go beyond the nation Israel to encompass the Gentile world. We say we've entered into those blessings, therefore the rest of them are canceled for the nation Israel. Understand this provision was made at the very beginning for the blessing of the Gentiles in the same covenant that made these irrevocable promises to the nation Israel.

Turn over to Genesis 15. Here the covenant is entered into. This is where we have the wellknown statement of faith of Abraham. God takes him outside. Verse 4. The end of verse 4. Abraham doesn't have any children. So he assumes it will be his leading servant, Eliezer of Damascus who will inherit all he has. And God says no. My promise is centered in your seed, one who comes from your own body, the end of verse 4. So He took him outside showed him the stars and says, "Now that's what your descendants are going to be like." You can't count the stars. You won't be able to count your descendants. He's talking about physical descendants here. We can't spiritualize this. Any more than Eliezer could be a fulfillment of the promise. No matter how spiritual he might be he wasn't a physical descendant. I mean, the whole point is you have to be a physical descendant for the full realization of the covenant that God is giving to Abraham. So we as Gentiles have entered in to one provision but we cannot fulfill the covenant in its fullness because we are not physical descendants. We can enter into one aspect of the covenant. But through Abraham and his descendants all the nations will be blessed. But we cannot fulfill the covenant because we are not physical descendants. That's made clear at the very beginning when Abram thought that it would be Eliezer. god says he doesn't qualify. He's not a physical descendant of yours. Now we don't know enough about Eliezer but he could be a spiritual descendant. He could have believed in the God of Abram. But that doesn't qualify him. The issue is one who comes forth from your own body into verse 4. A physical descendant. That's the line of the promises.

Now verse 6, "Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." Genesis 15:6. Key verse in the Scripture. Used in Romans chapter 4 to put an end to the foolishness as far as those who believe the Scripture that circumcision was necessary for salvation. Because Abram hadn't been circumcised yet. Abram's not going to be circumcised until chapter 17. God declares him righteous in chapter 15. Is circumcision necessary for salvation? The argument in Romans 4 is No. Because Abram was declared righteous by God before he was circumcised. We have used that with baptism and other things.

The rest of chapter 15 we've been through before but what has God Abram do is take the animals of sacrifice split them in two and lay them with a path in the middle. The Hebrew for making a covenant is literally to cut a covenant. Because you cut these animals, lay them aside, split them, divide these to the covenant, walk through. Anybody who would violate the covenant, either party, then was susceptible to the curse and the same destruction that these animals had experienced. You're familiar with the account. When it comes time to pass through God puts Abram to sleep and God passes through, verse 17. "There appeared a smoking oven a flaming torch which passed through the pieces." Verse 12, "A deep sleep fell upon Abram; he doesn't pass through."

We've been through this but it's key to what we are talking about in Romans 11. You can't cancel this covenant. Even because of the unfaithfulness of Abram or his descendants. Because God took it upon Himself solely to be responsible for the fulfillment of this covenant. He passed through the animals in the form of the smoking oven, the flaming torch.

"On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, 'To your descendants I have given this land.'" It is an unconditional covenant. It's not conditioned upon what Abram or his descendants will do. Now there is discipline and judgment for failure to be obedient but the ultimate fulfillment of the covenant is unconditional. It depends only on God's faithfulness. I know I'm belaboring a point but I'm bothered by the strength of the position that is constantly attacking the idea that there's a future for Israel. The reformed or covenantal position that says the Church has become spiritual Israel. There's no future for Israel. I have a real problem with the integrity of God if that is the case. I don't care what Israel's done. God obligated Himself to the covenant here. If it's not fulfilled exactly as He says . . . So He tells Abram its your descendants and he's already made clear what that was in verse 4. That starts with one who comes from your own body. Should we be confused on this? You know I read the material on this and I look and I've been reading more of it since we've been in Romans 11 and I scratch my head and I say am I missing something in Scripture? It seems rather black and white and clear and done to me. Why am I reading so many commentaries and writings? And I've received some material of late from people who used to be at Indian Hills trying to enlighten me that the church is spiritual Israel. I don't think so. I don't think so. I hope not. Because if this covenant doesn't stand, I don't know what makes you think the new covenant is going to be reliable and pretty soon everything collapses.

All right come back to Romans 11. Three categories of the Abrahamic Covenant as you come back to Romans 11. There are individual promises to Abraham such as he will be the father of a great nation. He will experience God's blessing. He will have a great name. Isn't that true. Here we are honoring Abraham, speaking of Abraham. And he will be a blessing. So those are individual promises to Abraham included in the covenant. There are national promises to Israel. There will be a great nation. They will be an innumerable people. They will possess the land permanently. And later that will be expanded in the Davidic covenant which they will have a king ruling permanently on the throne in the Davidic line.

Number three . . . So we have individual promises to Abraham. Secondly, we have national promises to Israel and thirdly, we have universal promises to all nations. All nations of the earth will be blessed in Abraham. So in Romans chapter 11 we are talking about Gentiles entering into those blessings. But don't lose the path . . . Israel is always Israel through this section. The Gentiles are the Gentiles. There is no blurring of that distinction.

Let's move on in Romans chapter 11 and see what is said. "But if some of the branches were broken off," Picks up from the analogy, "If the root is holy," verse 16, "the branches are too." Root going back to the covenant we've been talking aboutthe patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom the covenant were given, were set apart by God. So are the branches also. "But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches." Now the main point here is not to get all taken up in horticulture. The main point is to follow what is being said, not to complicate it.

Some of the branches were broken off. Keep in mind here you'll see there are two kinds of branchesJews and Gentiles. And those branches don't become blurred through this section. Some of the branches were broken off. This is a reference to unbelieving Jews, unbelieving Israel. Some of them were broken off. That's an understatement. The vast majority of the nation has been broken off, has been moved from the place of privilege and blessing and is not receiving the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. We've seen this already in our study beginning in chapter 11. Not every Jew has been broken off. Some of the branches were broken off. Paul is a Jew. He's not been broken off. So he is in that line of a Jew receiving the promise. And we saw . . . And it goes back into chapter 9 that there is a remnant. Picked it up in chapter 11 then in verse 5. At the present time there is a remnant. Remember, we noted that believing Israel . . . There are believing Jews today. They are part of the Church but they also form a continuing line from Abraham and are the recipients of the promises that God gave to Abraham and a reminder he has preserved a faithful line from Abraham. Some of the Jews have been broken off. They are no longer in the place of privilege and salvation blessings. They've been removed. They were broken off.

"You," and that's emphatic. You, Gentile believers. In contrast to unbelieving Jews. "Being a wild olive . . ." That was unproductive and it was worthless. The wild olive branch had no real value. It didn't produce anything worthwhile. The wild olive was grafted in among them, in among the unbelieving Jews. As we've said they become the dominant element in this vine or tree.

"And we become partakers," the end of verse 17, "with them of the rich root of the olive tree. Gentile believers share together with Jewish believers in the salvation blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant. Even believing Jews aren't sharing together in the other promises such as being a great nation such as possessing the land and so on. But they are sharing in the salvation blessings of this covenant that God has established.

"The rich root of the Olive tree." That rich root would refer to the same thing it did in verse 16. The patriarchs, particularly Abraham . . . But Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are joined together. Covenant is confirmed with Isaac and Jacob. The patriarchs and they are representative of the Covenant that God has established with the patriarchs and so with Israel and the descendants of these patriarch.

So the Gentiles have become partakers together with these believing Jews of the rich root of the olive trees. The richness of the blessings that God promised to Abraham and to his descendants in the salvation context.

Turn back to chapter 4 of Romans. Verse 12, "And the father of circumcision," talking about Abraham, "to those who not only are of the circumcision [that would be Jews] but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised." So this righteousness that God's provided includes Jews and Gentiles. Abraham even before he was circumcised was so identified in a covenant relationship as a Jew if you will. The Gentiles are experiencing that.

Down in verse 16, "For this reason it is by faith, in order that might be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all." "As it is written, 'the father of many nations I have made you.'" You see, these covenant blessings of salvation so that we see in Abraham our spiritual father from the beginning. He quotes from that provision of the Abrahamic covenant that we've already looked at. "A father of many nations I have made you." But that in no way nullifies the other aspects of this covenant. It shows that covenant made provision from the beginning for nonJews. Argument impacts Jews and Gentiles alike. Jews thought they'd be saved just because they were Jews were mistaken. And Gentiles who thought they were superior to Jews because God had rejected the Jews and was dealing with the Gentiles were also mistaken. They should see the hand of God accomplishing purposes expressed in the original covenant being carried out.

Come back to Romans 11. You note some of the branches were broken off. Wild olive branches, Gentiles, grafted in. "And you became partaker with them." So the distinction is still there. Gentiles and Jews are there. It doesn't say now Gentiles and Jews became the same thing. But we are drawing from the same blessing source, the Abrahamic blessing.

Verse 18, "Do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root who supports you." I as a Gentile ought to be arrogant against the Jews as though I was superior. Just whose line am I benefiting from? The line of Abraham. What is Abraham? He's the first Jew. He's the father of the Jewish nation. So be humbled, Gentile. You've experienced God's salvation but you experience that salvation by being brought into the salvation promises given to Abraham, the father of Israel. Now that doesn't make you Israel. That makes you a Gentile experiencing the breadth of salvation promises that God gave to Abraham that extended beyond his physical descendants.

Verse 19 and 20, "You will say then branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." Doesn't that make me superior? I mean, God broke off unbelieving Israel so that He could graft me in. "Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear." You don't stand because of superiority. You stand because by the grace of God you believe and they don't. No personal superiority. No greatness of person. You stand by faith. They were broken off for unbelief. You stand by faith. And true faith leaves no room for pride.

Let me read you from one person who wrote on this. "To trust in God and to be brought of one's spiritual achievement are mutually exclusive." Another writer writes and he is not one who believes in a distinction between Israel and the Church but he's clear on this point that "it is noteworthy that the attitude compatible and promoted of faith is not only lowliness of mind but one of fear. Christian piety is constantly aware of the paroles to faith, of the danger of coming short and is characterized by the fear and trembling which the high demands of God's calling constrain." You know, what is the attitude of us as believers. As I see Israel with all of their blessings, with all of their privileges, coming up short and unbelieving, that causes me to tremble. I realize what a weak vessel I am. God forbid that I should prove to be unfaithful, that I am found believing today as a testimony to God's grace, not to the strength of my character, the greatness of my person. So much of what is being pumped today the idea of far wonder, how great we are, how wonderful we are. Turn to the person sitting next to you and say "I am a special person." I've been watching too much of this stuff.

Verse 21, "Do not be conceited but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you." Gentiles ought to be fearful because when the nation Israel did not walk in faith they were set aside. So if you do not continue in faith then He won't spare you either. In other words, just like the Jews couldn't hold their position by virtue of being Jews, the Gentiles can't hold their position by virtue of being Gentiles. I mean room for any pride? I'm glad I'm a Gentile, not a Jew. Any room for that kind of pride? I have the position I have because of faith. That is a testimony to God's grace.

"Behold then," verse 22, "the kindness and severity of God." Now people don't like this balance, but it's the balance of Scripture. Both the kindness and the severity of God. "To those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off." To those who fell, severity. The Jews didn't believe. God dealt with them severely. He removed them, cut them out. That branch was cut off. That's the severity. But to you, (Gentiles who have believed) you've experienced God's kindness. You've been grafted in to this root and are experiencing the blessings that God promised through Abraham and the salvation that ultimately came through the descendant of Abraham, Jesus Christ the Savior.

"If you continue in His kindness." Again, the Gentiles hold their position by virtue of faith. When they do not believe, they will be removed. And that time will come cause we move toward a time of Jewish salvation again. It doesn't mean no Gentiles will be saved following this time, but it will be a time of Jewish salvation. Just like today is the day of Gentile salvation but it doesn't mean no Jews are saved. But it means the focus is on the Gentiles being saved. Now there'll come a time when the focus will be on the Jews being saved.

John Murry, amillennialist, wrote on this, "The conditional clause in this verse is a reminder that there is no security in the bond of the Gospel apart from perseverance. There is no such thing as continuance in the favor of God in spite of apostasy. God's saving embrace and endurance are correlative." True saints persevere. We've lost our concept here. Mentioned that John Wesley earlier . . . The Armenian of the theology that pervades the Church is the foundation that you can live any way you want after you're saved. And you are saved in spite of your life because if you made that decision you are. Well, perseverance is inseparably joined to the true salvation . . .

And for the Gentiles as Gentiles in contrast to the Jews as Jews. Important that they continue in the kindness of God. Verse 23, "And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again." That's put as a possible condition here. As he goes on in chapter 11 we find that that is going to be a real accomplishment and it not to surprise us at all. In fact it is more natural than grafting in the wild olive branch which is he is going to say.

Look at verse 24, "For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?" You know the amazing thing is not that God would take the Jews and put them back into the place of salvation favor. I mean that's where they belong in the first place. I mean, that's no striking and amazing as that which God has already done and that is cut out natural branches because of unbelief and grafted in wild olive branches. Totally foreign for them to be part of this plan. Why should we be amazed that God's going to put Israel back in. Well, you ought to just shake your head and plug your eyes when people want to say the Church is Israel. God's done with the nation. What I want to say to people like that is how can you be so stupid.

Now you note we've come down through here. We come to verse 24. We have the wild olive tree grafted in contrary to nature. You have the natural olive branches being grafted back in. You note what has happened here the branches have never lost their identity. The idea that the Church has become spiritual Israel so there is no identity left in the physical realm is foreign to Scripture, foreign to this passage. Now I realize in the Church there's neither Jew nor Gentile because in the Church God is not dealing with us according to nationality and in the Church we are experiencing the salvation blessings that encompass all the nations in the Abrahamic covenant. But here when we're talking about the nation Israel and non-Israelites, Gentiles, you note all the way through the wild olive branch remains a wild olive branch. The natural branch remains the natural branch. It's not just now we've plugged it in and all that's lost so that's the end of it. No. The distinctions are maintained all the way through.

All right let me go back and reiterate the main points that we've covered here. Number one, salvation blessings center in God's covenant with Abraham. We ought to be clear on that. Salvation's blessings center in God's covenant with Abraham. Jew and Gentile alike share in the rich root of the olive tree, verse 17, which is tied verse 16 back to what came first, which will be mentioned in verse 28, the promises to the fathers, the Abrahamic covenant.

Number two, Gentile believers must not be arrogant toward to the Jews. Gentile believers must not be arrogant toward the Jews. We benefit from the promises given to Abraham. Verse 18, "It's not you who support the root, the root supports you." So we ought to be on track in our thinking here. I have no room for arrogance. How privileged I am to have been brought into salvation promises given to the father of the Jewish nation. Salvation promises that come to me through a Savior who is the king of the Jews who is the Son of David who is the One who will sit on the throne of David. We Gentiles need to know our place.

Number three, the Jews were removed from the place of favor because of unbelief. Verse 20, first part of the verse, "quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief." So the nation Israel has been removed from the place of favor because of unbelief. Note that does not cancel the covenant. It means that this point in time they are not experiencing the fullness of the blessings of that covenant. That's been true on other occasions as well. god sent them down into Egypt to build them into a nation at the end of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus. They weren't even in the land of Palestine and so on. But that didn't mean they weren't His people. That didn't mean the Abrahamic covenant was nullified. It was part of God's ultimate plan. So the Jews were removed from the place of favor for unbelief.

Number four, the Gentiles are in the place of favor only because of faith. The last part of verse 20, "You stand by your faith." So you see how God is working the Abrahamic covenant. We have a time now when the focus is on blessings being brought to all the nations. Israel as a nation has been pushed into the background, been cut out from the tree right now.

Number five, fear, not conceit, should characterize Gentile believers at the end of verse 22. Verse 21 says it. The last part of verse 22, if you continue in His kindness, otherwise you'll be cut off, removed.

We're moving toward, I think, the culmination of God's plan. And as we move toward the sevenyear Tribulation, the 70th week of Daniel, the apostate church is characterized by unbelief. The time of the fullness of the Gentiles will be over and God will resume His program with Israel. Now what is promised here is what will have happened. The Gentiles will be cut out, some, not everyone, and the Jews, the natural branches, will be grafted back in. And the fullness of the Abrahamic covenant will come to realization with the Second Coming of Christ and the establishing of the Millennium.

Point six, God is both kind and severe. God is both kind and severe. If you preach on the severity of God today you're out of step. You're out of step with the church that claims to be evangelical, I'm afraid. The world certainly wants to talk about the love of God, but not the wrath of God, the severity of God. His kindness is demonstrated toward those who believe. His severity is demonstrated toward those who don't believe.

And number seven, from verse 24, God is able to save Israel. God is able to save Israel. And grafting the natural branches back in to their rightful place is not nearly so amazing as grafting a wild olive branch in there in the first place. So we ought not to be surprised that there is a future for Israel.

Now it makes you say, thank you, Lord, for a marvelous plan. You wouldn't have known how this was going to be worked out when God gave the promise. And even as you trace it down through the Old Testament and you see promises given to Gentiles regarding the time when Gentiles will experience God's salvation and so on. I ought to realize the amazing plan of God that the unbelief of Israel has the occasion, if you will, the opening of the door, for the salvation of Gentiles. Again, do we realize the seriousness of the times in which we live. As we move toward the coming of Christ, the sevenyear Tribulation and the coming earthly kingdom, realize the uniqueness of the time in which we live. These are days of salvation for all humanity, but particularly for Gentiles. Are we really ceasing the opportunity? I mean, do I look at the people I come in contact with and say, you know this is the day of salvation. I must talk to them. This day will pass both for them individually and in God's plan in working in the world. You know, sometimes we go about it like if not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow, next week. If not me, my children. If not my children, my grandchildren. It's though there was no urgency about all of this. But we see ourselves in the proper framework of God's plan and the outworking of His salvation in the world. We occupy a unique place and that gives us unique privileges and unique responsibilities. I trust that we will be urgent in the carrying out of those responsibilities for the glory of God so we might enjoy the fullness of the blessings that He is pouring out in salvation for Gentiles today.

But I have to say in all of this I rejoice. Someday Israel will be back in the place of favor and the fullness of the full blessings will come with the culmination of Israel's salvation. We'll look at this in our next study. And we as Gentiles along with Jews will enter into the fullness of all that God has provided and prepared for those that love Him. Let's pray together.

Thank You, Lord, that You are a sovereign God. It's easy for us to lose perspective, to reduce you to our level, to become confused because we think you are limited. And Lord, as we reflect as we have on these portions of Your Word and see your sovereign hand in carrying out covenant promises given almost 4000 years ago to Abraham and to realize that we are entering into by faith salvation and that was promises to us in that covenant You made. Lord, it ought to thrill our hearts. We ought to be in awe of the greatness of our God and Your sovereignty in working all things in the accomplishing of Your purposes. Thank You for our salvation. Thank you for these days where we have the privilege of carrying the Gospel to a lost and dying world. May we be bold in that ministry. And thank You, Lord, for the future for Israel, that You honor Your Word. You are a God is ever and always faithful and we are secure in our relationship with You because of Your promises to us. And we look forward to the time of Israel's restoration. We look forward to that time when because of Israel's salvation we as Gentiles shall experience the fullness of salvation blessings yet to be realized. In it all Lord, we are humbled before You and acknowledge You as the great and sovereign God and our Savior. In Christ's name, amen.


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