Well, we have almost made it to the crescendo here at the end of this section of Romans, Romans chapters nine through 11, dealing with God's faithfulness to his people, God saving his people. We started in Romans chapter nine with Paul's great anguish over the condition of his people. He assured us, however, that it is not as though the Word of God has failed. God's Word has not failed. God's Word does not fail. God's Word will not fail. He goes on to explain very clearly how God has not promised salvation to every ethnic descendant of Abraham. After that, we get to Romans chapter 10, and in Romans chapter 10, we see the picture of how one comes to saving faith, the mechanism, if you will, that God has put in place for those who come to faith through the hearing of God's word, responding to the gospel and repentance and faith. We then come to chapter 11, and in chapter 11, we see this wonderful picture of the olive tree and branches that are broken off and grafted on. And there is a picture of this great mystery unfolding. And here as we get toward the end of chapter 11, today in verses 25 to 32, the paragraph right before that great doxology, the great praise that ends this letter, we finally come to the place where we understand what initiates that great praise. Up to this point, we really haven't seen it. Up to this point, remember the question is, is God going to be faithful to the descendants of Abraham. Is God going to be faithful to ethnic Israel? And up to this point in chapter 9 and chapter 10 and in the first half or two-thirds of chapter 11, there has not been much to celebrate as it relates to answering that question. But here in this paragraph, we see what leads Paul to this moment of doxology here at the end of this section. Beginning at verse 25, we read, lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers. And again, we have seen time and time again that in the New Testament, specifically in Paul's writing, and specifically here in Romans, when he talks about mystery, he is not saying that there is something that remains hidden. The idea of mystery here is that which God has hidden, but is now revealing, has now revealed. He has unraveled it for us. We've seen the conclusion to this mystery, or we are being shown what the conclusion to this mystery is. Brothers, a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. We've already seen a couple of weeks ago that that partial hardening, it doesn't mean that they've been hardened partially, but that a portion of them have been hardened completely. You're either hardened or you're not hardened. Amen? It's kind of like being pregnant. You're either pregnant or you're not pregnant. There is no partial pregnancy. All the pregnant ladies in the house, All right. And so this partial hardening means that there is a portion of Israel that has been hardened. It's come upon Israel. Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved. As it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion. He will banish ungodliness from Jacob. And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins. As regards to the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gift and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God, but now have received mercy because of their disobedience. So they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you, they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience that he may have mercy on all. Amen. Some of the most contended verses in the book of Romans here in this section. And we will talk about some of that contention as we move our way through. And look at this picture of the God who will save his people. That's the message here. that the God we serve is the God who will save his people because as we said when we started in Romans chapter 9 this is of great consequence to you and to me because we are God's people And if somehow we believe that God is in the business of forsaking his people, then that leads you and me to a place where we have absolutely no security whatsoever. But we serve a God. Who is a God who is faithful? We serve the God who will save his people. incumbent upon us then to determine and to define what we mean by His people. And that's happened for us earlier and comes to a conclusion here. The first thing we see is this. We see the faithfulness of God in saving His people. Secondly, we see the sovereignty of God in saving His people. And thirdly, we'll see the providence of God in saving His people. Let's first look at the faithfulness of God. Verses 25 and 26, lest you be wise in your own sight. I want you to understand this mystery, brothers. A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved. That is a powerful statement. Paul says in this way, in what way? Look at what he says earlier. I want you to understand this mystery. What's the mystery? That a partial hardening has come upon Israel. There he introduces the subject Israel. So he's talking about the Israel among whom a partial hardening has come. Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Now we see that that partial hardening is also a temporary hardening. Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in that way, in that this hardening is partial, and that this hardening is temporary, and that this hardening has a purpose, and that purpose is to bring in the fullness of the Gentiles. In this way, all Israel will be saved. Now there's some questions that we have to ask. First, what does all mean? Amen? Because there are some out there, and they're usually those who don't like the doctrines of grace, and you hear them. There's one guy on the radio in particularly who's not a big fan of the doctrines of grace, not a big fan of the sovereignty of God and salvation, or the doctrines of what we would call Calvinism. And his phrase that he likes to point to is, all means all, and that's all all means. all means all and that's all all means so does that mean that when he says all Israel will be saved that every ethnic Jew throughout the history of the world will be saved if all means all and that's all all means then that's the way we have to take it that every ethnic Jew throughout the history of the world is going to be saved by virtue of being an ethnic Jew. Well, several problems. Number one, the thesis statement of the book of Romans would be violated by that reading. What is the thesis statement? The thesis statement is I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation for all those who believe, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. So the thesis statement of the book of Romans, the whole message of the book of Romans, the book of Romans is about the doctrine of justification. That's a violation of the thesis statement of the book of Romans. If we believe that ultimately God is going to save every ethnic Jew simply because he's an ethnic descendant of Abraham. Secondly, that's a violation of the plan of salvation laid out earlier in this very chapter. What do you get in chapter 10? Go back with me in chapter 10. But the righteousness, verse 6, based on faith says, does not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down, or who will descend into the abyss, that is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? The word is near you in your mouth and in your heart, that is the word of faith that we proclaim. Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the scripture says, everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. Right here in the context of what it means to be saved. For the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then can they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? So the idea that all here means that every ethnic Jew, every person who was descended physically from Abraham is going to be saved flies in the face of the thesis statement of the book of Romans and it flies in the face of this picture of justification that we have in chapter 10. This also flies in the face of the angst that Paul expresses over his kinsmen. Why is Paul worried about the Jews earlier in this section, if what he's going to say in chapter 11 is, every one of them is fine. For example, chapter nine, verses two and three. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. What's that about if every ethnic Jew is going to be saved by being an ethnic Jew? Verse 13 of chapter 9, as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. Newsflash, Esau, ethnic Jew. Direct descendant of Abraham. It's his great grandson. chapter 9 verse 27 and 28 and Isaiah cries out concerning Israel though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea only a remnant of them will be saved for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay That obliterates the idea that all here means every ethnic Jew. And then in chapter 10, verses one through three, brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them, who's them, ethnic Israel, is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. So I think it's very safe to say that all here does not mean every ethnic Jew will be saved. Secondly, does it mean that a remnant will be saved? Can it mean that a remnant will be saved? Well, here's the problem with that reading. If the idea is that a remnant will be saved, then what's the mystery that Paul is introducing in this section of chapter 11? Cause we've already had that. So too, I don't think that's 11 five. Well, yeah, in 11 verse five, I'm sorry. I was thinking about another verse. Look at chapter 11 in verse five. Or go back up to the beginning. I ask then, has God rejected his people? By no means, for I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? How he appeals to God against Israel. Lord they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left and they seek my life. But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace." What's the mystery then in our paragraph, beginning in verse 25, if the statement all Israel will be saved simply means that a remnant is going to be saved like he already said in verse 5. He's not talking about a remnant here. What is he talking about? I'm glad you asked. A significant number of ethnic Jews at the end of the age That's what he's talking about. A significant number of ethnic Jews at the end of the age. When God wraps up all of history, before God wraps up all of history, Paul says there's going to be an end gathering of a significant number of ethnic Jews. Not just the remnant, not just spiritual israel that leads us to the second question what does israel mean all israel by the way that word all is used like that throughout the new testament let me give you just one example when when we see jesus going to be baptized in the jordan all israel was said to be coming to be baptized by john in the jordan now You read that there, and it's obvious what is meant by that statement. Not that every inhabitant of Israel was coming to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John didn't live long enough to do that, amen? But what it means is, the same way we say, man, everybody showed up. Everybody was there. It was amazing. I went over to Reliant Center, and at the Reliant Center, we were at the rodeo, and I looked around, and all of Houston was at the rodeo. Do you mean that every inhabitant of Houston was stuffed inside Reliant Stadium? No, you do not, but no person who heard you say that would accuse you of meaning that, amen? So what's Israel mean? First, it could mean spiritual Israel. And this is the interpretation, for example, of Augustine and Calvin, among others. But there's a problem here. The idea here that basically when he says all Israel will be saved, what he means is true Israel, like we read about earlier, is going to be saved. For example, look at the testimony of Romans chapter 8. This position would argue that in Romans 8 alone, we see that the church now enjoys the spiritual promises made to Israel. For example, the gift of the Spirit in chapter 8, verse 9. Adoption as sons and daughters of God, chapter 8, verses 14 to 17. Future glory, chapter 8, verse 17 and verse 30. Election and the promise of never being severed from God's love, 8, 35 to 39. So it is clear that the church is part of true Israel, spiritual Israel, if you will. And then the testimony of the rest of Paul's writings. Tom Schreiner points out, for example, that elsewhere Paul emphasizes that believers are true Jews and the true circumcision. Romans chapter two, verses 28 and 29, and Philippians chapter three and verse three. The sons and daughters of Abraham, Romans chapter 4 verses 1 through 17 and Galatians chapter 3 verses 6 through 9 and verses 26 through 29 and the Israel of God Galatians chapter 6 and verse 16 refers to the church as the Israel of God thus it is not at all impossible that in Romans 11 26 Israel refers to the church composed of both Jews and Gentiles There's a small problem. If you go back to the beginning of chapter 9, to the beginning of chapter 10, and to the beginning of chapter 11, it is obvious that Paul is speaking about ethnic Israel, not spiritual Israel. Go with me back to the beginning of chapter 9. I'm speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying. My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. In the beginning of chapter 10, who's he talking to? Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them. Who's that? You go to the last paragraph of the last chapter, he's talking about ethnic Israel. Then you get to chapter 11, and at the beginning of chapter 11, I ask then, has God rejected his people? By no means, for I myself am an Israelite. Well, what do you mean by that, Paul? A descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. So the context of chapters 9 through 11 and the context of chapter 11 itself eliminates the idea that here he is speaking just about spiritual Israel. Though the church is spiritual Israel. So what does it mean? it means that there's going to be a great in-gathering of ethnic Israel at the end of the age. Next question, what does be saved mean? All Israel will be saved. We know what all means, we know what Israel means, but what does be saved mean? Several possibilities. One, it could mean to be accepted into the number of the elect based on ethnicity. We've already seen that that doesn't fly in light of what we've read in the book of Romans, though there are some who argue that way. That basically there are two ways of salvation. That there is one way of salvation for the Jew and one way of salvation for the Gentile, and that God is going to save the Jews apart from faith in Jesus Christ because of their ethnicity. or because of their keeping a separate covenant. Again, two ways of salvation. One way for Israel, one way for the church. And that God is going to save ethnic Israel by a methodology that is different than the methodology by which and through which he saved everybody else. Again, that flies in the face of what we see in the rest of the Bible. Or, accepted into the number of the elect based on faith in Jesus Christ. That's the answer. That's the answer. Look at the next statement. Look at this quote, verse 26. and this way all Israel will be saved as it is written the deliverer will come from Zion he will banish ungodliness from Jacob and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins not when they keep the law When I take away their sins, God is going to save them the same way He saved you and me by taking away our sins. Through what? Faith in Jesus Christ. There is no other way. That's the only way of salvation. That's Paul's whole point here in the book of Romans. To outline for us what justification is. To the Jew and also to the Greek. How many times have we seen that? To the Jew and also to the Greek. To the Jew and also to the Greek. To the Jew and also to the Greek. Oh, but here in chapter 11, there's something for the Jew and something else for the Greek. That dog won't hunt. So what do we see? that at the end of the age, there is going to be an ingathering of ethnic Jews who come to faith in Jesus Christ. That's what we see. This also points to the sovereignty of God in saving His people. To the sovereignty of God in saving His people. And again, we confuse sovereignty and providence. Sovereignty of God is the authority by which God exercises His will in the world. The sovereignty of God is the authority by which God exercises His will. The providence of God is the methodology or the means by which God exercises His sovereignty. So when we talk about the sovereignty of God, we're talking about the authority of God. God is sovereign. God has all authority. God does not share authority. God doesn't share authority with man. All authority is God's authority. So we see the sovereignty of God in saving his people. First of all, Israel did not impose this hardening on themselves. Amen? Israel did not impose this hardening upon themselves. Look at verses 26 and 27 again. And in this way, all Israel will be saved, as it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion, and I will banish ungodliness from Jacob, and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins. Notice this. Let's look at it again. In this way, all Israel will be saved. They will be saved. That's passive, not active. As it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob. Jacob's not going to be seeking after the deliverer. The deliverer is going to show up. They're not going to be seeking godliness. The deliverer is going to banish ungodliness. And this will be my covenant with them, not their covenant with me. When I take away their sins. sovereignty of Almighty God and salvation that is Paul's point throughout this entire letter and in fact if you go back to chapter 9 let's just look at chapter 9 for a moment look beginning at verse 6 again This idea of the sovereignty of God and saving his people is not new. First of all, in this book, but it's not new in this section. First, you know, let's go back even further. Why not? Go to chapter 3. Beginning in verse 9. What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin. As it is written, no one is righteous. No, not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together they have become worthless. No one does good. Not even one. Their throat is an open grave. They use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood, and their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." So what has to happen? Go forward to chapter 8. Beginning in verse 26. Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit. Because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. In order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined, He also called. Those whom He called, He also justified. And those whom He justified, He also glorified. The sovereignty of God and salvation. Now, back in chapter 9, specifically as it relates to Israel, beginning in verse 6. But it is not as though the word of God has failed, for not all who are descendants of Israel belong to Israel. And not all are children of Abraham, because they are his offspring. But through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said, about this time next year I will return and Sarah will have a son. And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing, either good or bad, in order that the purpose of election might continue, not because of works, but because of him who calls. She was told, the older will serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. God is sovereign in salvation. God is sovereign in salvation. By the way, the other way we see the sovereignty of God in salvation Number one, Paul goes back to two passages in Isaiah and a portion of a passage in Jeremiah in order to make his point about what God is going to do. What's significant about that? Hundreds of years before Paul wrote this, God said, here's what I'm going to do with Israel. Now, thousands of years after Paul wrote this, we're looking at it saying, this is what God is going to do with Israel. And when it comes to pass, it will not come to pass because God was lucky. It'll come to pass because God is sovereign. That's why he was able to declare it in Isaiah and Jeremiah, and that's why he's been able to declare it in Romans, because of his sovereignty. Like we've always said, God is not running for God. Finally, we see the providence of God in saving his people. The providence of God in saving his people. Let's go back over that definition again. Again, I love Wayne Grudem's definition of providence. It's very helpful. God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he, one, keeps them existing and maintaining their properties with which he created them. Aren't you glad, by the way, that you woke up this morning with the same properties you went to bed with last night? Amen? And you didn't have to do anything to set up your properties, to make sure that your properties... Aren't you glad your head was still on your shoulders, just like it was last night when you went to bed? Secondly, cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do. directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do. You act the way you do because of God's directing of your distinctive properties. Your distinctive properties make you a human being and not a dog. So you act like a human being and not like a dog. And God uses you as a human being and not as a dog. Aren't you glad about that? Amen? And thirdly, directs them to fulfill his purpose. That's the providence of God. And as we've said before, providence is not the reformed Christian word for luck. If you can't say amen, you ought to say out, okay? Providence is not the reformed Christian word for luck. Because even on your worst day, you're experiencing God's providence. It bears repeating again, the illustration of, you know, we're riding down the highway and all of a sudden, you know, I almost fell asleep while I was driving and I woke up just in time to swerve and not hit that other car. Boy, that was providential. Yes, it was. But had you fallen asleep and wrecked, that would have been providential. Providence doesn't mean that things turn out the way you like them to turn out. Providence means the way they turn out is a result of God making sure that your properties stay where they are, cooperating with your properties and using your properties to bring about and fulfill His purpose. So how do we see that in God saving His people? Look at this. Verses 28 to 32. As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. Now here's where we get a little confusing, okay? But it's only confusing if you're confused about all. When he says all Israel will be saved, who's all? A large number of ethnic Jews, at the end of the age. That's what all refers to. It does not refer to every ethnic Jew. But when we get down here, he goes, as regards to the gospel, they, who are they? Ethnic Jews in the meantime. Now, does that mean every ethnic Jew? No, it can't mean every ethnic Jew, because it would have had to have meant Paul as well. Do you follow? So there's, and remember, there's a remnant. He's already talked about the fact that there's a remnant, okay? As regards to the gospel, they, the majority of ethnic Jews, are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. There's the providence of God. That right now, at this moment in salvation history, Israel has turned away from their God for the most part and a very small minority of Jews have come to faith in Jesus Christ and That in God's providence is what God has used to bring you Gentiles Amen into the kingdom But, as regards election, they're still beloved for the sake of their forefathers. Which is why, at the end of the age, a large enough number of them are going to come to faith in Christ that it could be said, all Israel is saved. But it doesn't end there. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Hey, I love that word, by the way. That's just good. I need that word. Because there are days when I look in the mirror and say, the only thing I deserve today is for God to revoke every promise He's ever made to me. But praise God that it doesn't depend on me, but upon God. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God, but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you, they also may now receive mercy. Watch this, because we get all mixed up on this. Salvation history looks Jewish for most of the history of the world. in genesis chapter three and verse fifteen we get this promise that god is going to send a redeemer seed of the woman by genesis chapter twelve we have abraham who becomes the first jew and the rest of salvation history follows this jewish line all the way up to we get to the new testament when this jewish line produces a jewish messiah so salvation history is jewish and we gentiles for the most part are outside of redemptive history turn with me if you will to the right and look at the book of Ephesians Ephesians chapter 2 beginning in verse 11 Pray God gives us grace to see this truth. Therefore, remember that, again, we just got this picture of salvation in Ephesians 2, one through 10. Now look at verse 11. Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands, remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants and promises, having no hope and without God in the world. That's the majority of salvation history for the Gentiles. It's Jewish. It's Jewish. There's the Jewish patriarchs. Then there's this Jewish covenant. There are these Jewish priests. There's this Jewish conquest. Then there's this Jewish kingdom. And there's this Jewish king. And then there's these Jewish prophets. And it's Israel, Israel, Israel, with a smattering of Gentiles here and there. And then all of a sudden, during Paul's lifetime, by the way, everything changes. And from here on, what does salvation history look like? Gentile, Gentile, Gentile. Do you see that? So here in the providence of God, God uses this Jewish period in salvation history to bring about this time where we Gentiles get to come into salvation history. And it begins to look like us, but Paul says, do not get too confident in yourself for at least two reasons. Number one, you didn't call yourself into salvation history. Number two, If you get too cocky and arrogant toward the Jews, that means you actually believe that God has forsaken them for you. And if you believe that God has forsaken them for you, who's next? But in the providence of God, at the end of the age, Paul says, things are going to come full circle. and at the end of the age, we don't know when, we don't know for how long, but when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, when God has done what he intended to do in this era of salvation history, there'll be a great in-gathering of descendants of Abraham, and then there'll be the close of the age By the way, the result of that news is the praise and doxology in the next several verses. Now let me tell you what this doesn't mean. This doesn't mean that being an ethnic Jew gives you any special privileges. We've already seen that in the book of Romans. It doesn't. This doesn't mean that the modern geopolitical nation of Israel is any more favored than any other geopolitical nation. This doesn't mean that everything that the nation of Israel does is right or ought to be applauded by us. Doesn't mean that at all. In fact, here's the irony. He says all Israel will be saved. He's not talking about a geopolitical entity. Remember, when he says this, there is no Israel essentially. When he says this, they're all Romans. So he's not talking about a geopolitical entity. Here's the other thing that's interesting. The largest Jewish nation in the world is the United States of America. There's more Jews here than in Israel. Of course, there's more Irish people here than in Ireland, and more Swedes here than in Sweden, but that's beside the point, okay? The largest Jewish nation in the world is the United States of America. Everybody says, all Israel will be saved, so let's all put our eyes over there in the Middle East. No, this could be fulfilled by a great outpouring here in the United States of America. That geopolitical entity over there doesn't have to have anything to do with it. Because God has moved the majority of his people over here, where the gospel moves a lot more freely than it does over there. Coincidence? My God doesn't believe in those. Therefore, nor do I. So this does not mean that we all have to become Zionists. This does not mean that we all have to applaud everything Israel does and turn a blind eye to things that Israel does that we don't like. This does not mean that God will get after you if you say Israel, the geopolitical nation of today, is wrong when Israel, the geopolitical nation of today, is wrong. What this means is before the end of the age God's going to pour out His Spirit and it's going to be an in-gathering of people who were descendants of Abraham. And it's going to be to the praise of His glory, not to the praise of any geopolitical entity on planet Earth. And the result of that is, God be praised. Let's read it. Pastor Stephen's gonna preach on it next week, but we just need to read it. Because this is where Paul goes. After all of his angst and anxiety over what he's seeing, and note, he never saw this in his lifetime. And you may never see this in your lifetime. So Paul is not praising God for what he has seen. He's praising God in anticipation of what God has promised. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor, or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.