Turn with me, if you would, to Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11, the last two Sundays we have been looking at what Paul is saying here in Romans 10 and Romans 11 and we have had to set up what he's saying so we can be extremely clear on the message of the chapter. And we're going to do that again today. I do not want to look at this without really understanding what he's saying and where he's coming from. The Lord willing, we are going to end this Bible study by reading through what he says in Romans 11. But may the Lord help us to truly enter into the truth of it. Chapter 10, Paul explained God's favor to the Gentiles. He said God plainly declared throughout the Old Testament that He would show mercy to the Gentiles, and He did. He did and aren't we so glad. Oh, you talk about take this moment for granted that we're sitting here worshiping the true and living God and not an idol. Not some, you know, the sun God or whoever. I'm the true and living God. God did this for us. He sent this to the Gentiles. Now in chapter 11, he's gonna tell us that God has also plainly declared that His mercy and His favor has not forever been cut off from the Jews. Paul prefaced all of this by saying, in both cases, Jew and Gentile, only God's elect will be saved. When we talk about the gospel going to the Gentiles, It's God's elect Gentiles that are going to be saved. And when he talks about the gospel, going back to the Jews, it's God's elect Jews that are going to be saved. Verse five says, even so then at this present time, also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. The election of grace. That's who this is to the election of grace. Verse seven says what then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded. Just like when salvation came to the Gentiles, it didn't come to every single Gentile. He came to the elect Gentiles and it's always been that way. Always from the beginning salvation to Israel. He said, Israel, those are my people, Israel salvation to Israel. It didn't come to every single Israelite. He came to the elect Israelites. If you look at Romans nine, verse six. He said, Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect, for they are not all Israel which are of Israel. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. What does he mean by that exactly? He explained it in Romans 2. Turn with me over there to Romans 2. Verse 28 it says, For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly. Neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. The Lord gave Abraham this token. He said, this is a token to let you know that you're my chosen people. It was circumcision. And what he's saying is just because a person is circumcised, that doesn't mean he's a child of God. Verse 29, but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit. And not in the letter whose praise is not of men, but of God. So whoever God chose to have mercy on and whoever he chose to perform a work of grace on Jew or Gentile chapter 10 told us there's no difference. No difference at all. Whoever God included in his election, that's Israel, that's spiritual Israel. And if you go back to our text in Romans 11, Paul declared to us here that whoever God has chosen to save, Whoever ends up being included in the election and saved, that person was saved by God's free grace. Whoever was put in the election and saved. All of them were saved by God's free grace and not by self-righteous works, not by our own works. If you look right here at Romans 11, verse five says, even so then at this present time, also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no more of works. Otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace, otherwise work. He is no more work. It's one or the other. It's either works or grace. And he said, it's not works, it's grace. Saved by grace. The free gift of God Almighty. It is not a reward to man for his good works. He was freely chosen. Christ freely came. He freely shed His blood on the cross of Calvary. He freely paid the sin debt of all of His people. Free, free, free. Start to finish. It was His work and not ours. His payment and not ours. And here's how He's gonna end the whole chapter. He says, therefore, it's His glory and not ours. That's how the whole thing ends. His glory, not ours. Now, on a few different occasions, the apostle wrote some things to God's church. Different apostles wrote some things to God's church that in their words, in the inspired words of God that he gave to them, they said that they did not want us to be ignorant of these things. And you know that it said, I don't want you to be ignorant of this, brethren. We don't understand them all. We do not understand them all. The ones that we do understand just a little bit of what they're saying. We don't understand the fullness of what they're saying. We don't, but we do believe what they're saying. God's people believe his word, whether they understand the fullness of it or not. They believe his word. And we want to remember these things when he says, I don't want you to be ignorant of this. We want to remember these things because there may come a time when the Lord makes them more clear to us. He may open up some things to us, just like he did with the apostles and the disciples. So many things happened. He said things to them. And then later on down the road, a light bulb went off and they said, that's what he was talking about. That's what he meant when he said. It was opened up to him. It was revealed to him. After the service last Sunday, I was talking with a brother about the Bible study and we were talking about how Paul was saying in Romans 10, the Jews should have known. Israel should have known. He said over and over and over again, my gospel and my blessing is going to the Gentiles. It's plainly written. They should have known this, it's in black and white. And as we were talking about that, my brother pointed out the fact that how many times is it written that our Lord said, told them point blank, I'm gonna go to Jerusalem, they're gonna lay hands on me, they are going to crucify me, I am going to die, and I'm gonna rise again on the third day. And they didn't see it, they didn't, oh, don't say that, Lord, no, no, no, don't say that, you know, well, they couldn't understand it. It was many, many, many times he told them, he told them, he told them. And they didn't see it and they didn't understand it to the point that when it happened, they all wanted to quit the ministry and go back to the fishing business. So how many times has he said, This is what I mean. But until God's people receive eyes to see it, it's a mystery to them. They're blind to it. And anyway, in John 10, this is what some Jews asked the Lord. They said, tell us plainly whether you're the Christ or not. Just tell us plainly whether you're the Christ. And he said, I told you plainly, you just don't believe me." And he said, the reason you don't believe me is because you're not my sheep. I haven't given you faith to believe me. So when our Lord says, I don't want you to be ignorant of this, He's not speaking in code. He's telling us plainly. Everything that He has said to His people, His children, He's telling them plainly. This is what I mean. In His good time, He'll reveal it. Now don't turn, but in 2 Peter 3 verse 8, it says, Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years. and a thousand years as one day. I don't have any idea what that means. I honestly don't. I've thought a lot about that. I don't have any idea. I believe in my soul. I believe with all my heart that it means a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day. I believe with all my heart that that's what it means. but I just don't understand it yet. I told you last week that I'm not interested in prophecy. The farther it appears we're going into prophecy and going into predictions, I'm ready to go the other way. That's not my interest, that's not my calling, but my calling is to tell us what He's written in the Word. And if He writes that, I'll tell it to us. If He says, don't be ignorant of this, I'll tell it to us. I don't understand what that means. But I'll tell it to us. And what we need to do is hold on to it and remember it. Again, don't turn. Here's another one. In 1 Thessalonians 4, this is what Paul said. I'm going to just read this to you. He said, I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. We're not gonna go before they come. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I don't understand the fullness of that. I don't, but I believe with all my heart, all my soul, that is exactly what's going to happen. It's exactly what's going to happen. Our Lord has plainly told us what is going to happen on that day. Very plainly. We do not want to be ignorant of it. On that day, We're gonna know everything that happens as it happens. See if you can enter into this. On that day, can you imagine the fear that's gonna come to this world? Can you imagine when all of a sudden the cloud does open up and the kingdom of God does come out of it? Just what is going on? Our Lord has told us everything that's gonna happen on that day. We will see it. We'll be prepared. Yes, this is exactly what he said would happen. We're not going to be wondering, honestly, why is my brother who I know coming out of his grave right now? We'll have the peace. That's exactly what he said would happen. Every bit of it was true. So for that reason, we don't want to be ignorant of these things. Now if you want to sometime, you can get a concordance and look up in the concordance the word ignorant. And you can see all the times that He said, I don't want you to be ignorant of these things. Whatever it says, you can believe it. One of them is right here in Romans 11. If you look right here at Romans 11 verse 25, He says, For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits. Don't be ignorant of this or you'll become so puffed up and so wise in your own mind, it won't be good for you. I would not brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in. Blindness in part, he's speaking of the nation of Israel, he's speaking of the Jews, those that he chose to represent his spiritual people. Verse 1, he said, I say then, hath God cast away his people? He's speaking of the Jews. You say his elect? Absolutely, his elect. But hath God cast away his people? God forbid. Paul said, I am also an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. Know ye not what the Scripture saith of Elijah, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they've killed thy prophets and digged down thine altars, and I'm left alone, and they seek my life." Elijah said, I'm the last one, there's nobody else. But what saith the answer of God unto him? What did God respond to him? God said, I have reserved to myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so, then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no more works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more worth. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded. God's salvation is to his elect. To the Jew first, also to the Greek. Verse eight says, according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber Eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear unto this day. And David saith, let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense unto them." Their table, everything that God has set before them to give them the advantage. Paul asked the question, he said, what advantage does the Jew have? He says, every advantage. God gave them the law, God gave them the tabernacle, the priest, the sacrifice, the blood, the everything to point them to Christ. And everything that God has given to them, all those things. The Jews observed, still, the Jews observed the Passover. They observed the Passover. They just can't see Christ in it. Not at all. Does anything picture the substitution and the satisfaction of the blood of Christ more than God's Passover? A substitute to die in your place. A substitute to shed His blood so you don't have to. So God will be satisfied and say, when I see the blood, I'll pass over you. Does anything point us to Christ more than that? That's what we observe in the Lord's table. They're elements that point us to the Passover. But to the Jews, it's just a feast. That's all it is, just a religious ceremony. They don't see Christ in it at all. So their table has become a stumbling block to them. Verse nine, David said, let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see and bow down their back always bearing the burden of the law. Verse 11, he said, I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But rather through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousy. It was the Jews' rejection of the message of Christ that sent it to the Gentiles. We read about that last Sunday morning. Paul said, that's it. I'm not preaching to the Jews anymore. I'm going to the Gentiles. They rejected it. They wouldn't have anything to do with it. Through their stumbling, blessing came upon the Gentiles. Now watch verse 12. It says, Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them, The riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness. If their diminishing brought spiritual riches to the world, if the gospel went out, go out into all the world and preach the gospel. If the world saw the unsearchable riches of Christ through their diminishing, Paul said, how much more would the world now see the unsearchable riches of Christ through their fullness? Through them being reinstated in the witness and the gospel and the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ, to see Him have mercy on them. Verse 13 says, for I speak to you Gentiles and as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office. Paul never magnified himself. He said, I'm a wretched man. He said, I'm the chief of sinners, but he said, I magnify my office. The words that I'm speaking, they're the words of God himself. And He said, I'm saying this to you, verse 14, if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead? He said, do you want to see a revival? You want to see a revival? When God sends an awakening back through that nation, it's gonna be life from the dead. He said, you will see life from the dead. Verse 16, for if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy. And if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild olive tree were grafted in among them, And with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree. He said, if branches from the root, which is Christ, if they were broken off and if you were grafted in and you're receiving your fullness from the root. Verse 18, he said, boast not against the branches that were broken off. Don't be lifted up with pride over this. But if thou boast, thou barest not the root, the root's bearing you. Verse 19, thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. Well, because of unbelief, they were broken off. And thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. Don't think, well, I'm doing better works than they are, and that's why I'm being grafted in. God's more happy with me, I'm being grafted in. Verse 21, If God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God on them which fell severity, but toward thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness. Otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." He said, if God gives them faith again. Faith is not of ourselves, it's the gift of God. If a person remains not in unbelief, that means God kindly gave faith to them. Nothing they did. In verse 23, he said, If they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these which be the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." He's quoting our Lord right there. We're going to turn, but we don't have time. Our Lord said right there in Luke 21-24, these were His exact words. He said, "...Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Verse 26, it says, "...and so all Israel shall be saved." Spiritual Israel. Elect Israel, Jew and Gentile. All Israel shall be saved, as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes, but as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father's sakes." God said to them, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you. And God says, I'm not going to. I'm not going to. Verse 29, he says, for the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. He does not give and he does not promise only to change his mind and take it back. Jacob didn't deserve his favor in the first place. Abraham was an idolater in the first place when God came to him. And that's where he finds all of us. And God made a promise and he will not change his mind. Verse 29, the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. So verse 30 says, as you in time past have not believed God, yet now have obtained mercy through their unbelief, even so have these also now not believed that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy." He said, in the same way that you Gentiles were in unbelief. But God sent Jewish apostles to you to preach to you. to bring mercy to you. He said, in that same way, the Jews are now in unbelief. And he said, God's going to send Gentile preachers to them. They're going to preach the gospel to them. When? I don't know. How? I don't know. But he said through that message, mercy is gonna come back to him. He's gonna have mercy. He's gonna have grace in time of need. Verse 32, for God hath concluded them all in unbelief. That word concluded means shut them all up together. God hath shut them all up together, Jew and Gentile in unbelief. that he might have mercy upon all." What he's saying is all men and women are saved the same way, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. People say, I've heard this so many times, they say, well, the Old Testament Israel was saved through the law and the New Testament Israel is saved through faith. That is not so. That's not so. All of God's people, it doesn't matter, Jew, Gentile, old, young, male, female, rich, poor, Old Testament, New Testament, all of God's people are saved one way, by grace, through faith, in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 32, God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all. Pause right there and finish the verses in the message here in a moment. You're dismissed.