Daily Thoughts from Romans: Aliyah (11:11-24)

Daily Thoughts from Romans: Aliyah

So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.  (Romans 11:11-24 ESV)

God is using Gentile salvation to stir the Jews to jealousy.  This is their God the Gentiles have come into relationship with.  So their failure to believe has meant riches to the world.  What would it be like if they all got saved?

Israel is like branches on an olive tree whose root is Abraham and God’s promise to him.  They were broken off but God grafted in the wild olive branches of the Gentiles and they now enjoy the fruit of the root.  But if it was possible for the natural olive branches to be removed because of their unbelief, then Gentiles could lose their position the same way.  Paul is not talking about individual believers losing their salvation but whole people groups losing their place in the people of God.

Paul is holding out the possibility, however, that Israel could come all the way back.  He has already referred to the remnant passages of the Old Testament, passages that indicated the remnant was a guarantee that the whole nation would be restored.  He has flatly said here that Israel has not stumbled so as to forever fall.  He has earlier said that God has not rejected Israel.  He has warned against a hopelessness like Elijah displayed that he might be the only one left in Israel who believed.

In 1948, not long after the defeat of the Germany/Italy/Japan axis was defeated by the Allies, Israel was granted statehood and Jews from every nation made aliyah or pilgrimage/immigration to Israel.  This was an amazing sign to Christians that God was not done with Israel.  Once again they were staged in the holy land as a potential fulfillment of Old Testament (and as we shall see, New Testament) prophecy of Israel’s future in Christ.  Of course, they are not in Christ yet, and so what was predicted has not been fulfilled yet.  But for the first time from a politico/historical perspective we can see that possibility.