Remembering the 100th Anniversary of the Light Horse Charge of Beersheba...

I mentioned this story in the sermon this morning. Here is a more detailed telling of this key moment in history.

Romans 11:23-27

 

Romans 11:23-27

All Israel Shall Be Saved

 

Rom 11:23  And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 

Rom 11:24  For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 

Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 

Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 

       1.      Faith is Given to Us by Our Savior

a.       It is a lack of faith that prevents Israel from being grafted into the True Vine. – vs. 23a

                                                              i.      This is true because it is God that grants faith in the first place. Salvation for both Jew and Gentile alike, is by faith alone. – vs. 23b

1.      As Christ predicted, the Jewish Nation will not put their faith in Him until just before His return.

a.       Matthew 23:39 

        2.      Faith is Kept by Our Savior

a.       If God could save an unnatural branch like you, how hard would it be for Him to save one of the natural branches. – vs. 24

                                                              i.      Romans 10:19-21 

b.      The judicial blindness of Israel is only temporary. – vs. 25

                                                              i.      Gentiles should not be ignorant of the temporary blindness of Israel.

1.      Matthew 13:10-17 

                                                            ii.      Gentiles should not be lifted up in pride because of the temporary blindness of Israel

1.      Hebrews 3:13-15 

                                                          iii.      There will come a time when the harvest of Gentile souls will be complete, and God will restore the Jewish Nation.

         3.      Faith is Fulfilled in Our Savior

a.       Jesus is first of all a Jewish Messiah and intends to save His people. – vs. 26

                                                              i.      The majority of the Jewish Nation will be saved at a future date.

1.      Isaiah 45:17 

                                                            ii.      Their salvation will come from Christ out of heaven.

1.      Zechariah 12:8-10 

                                                          iii.      Christ will heal them from their sin.

1.      Isaiah 59:19-21 

b.      God always fulfils His Promises – vs. 27

                                                              i.      God has made a covenant with Israel and intends to keep it even when they have failed Him.

1.      Isaiah 54:6-10 

                                                            ii.      This is true of us as well: we can be confident of God’s everlasting mercy, even when we fail.

1.      Hebrews 10:15-19 

Romans 11:22

 

Romans 11:22

Continue in the Goodness of God

 

Rom 11:22  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. 

        1.      Behold therefore the Goodness and Severity of God

a.       "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you." – C.S. Lewis (Mr. Beaver speaking of Aslan) God is not a house cat; He is a lion that you cannot control. He is Lord of the universe to whom you must submit.

                                                              i.      Hebrews 12:1-6 

        2.      On Them Which Fell, Severity

a.       God sometimes disciplines His children to bring them back on to the path of life and keep us from destruction.

                                                              i.      1 Peter 2:20-22 

        3.      But Toward Thee, Goodness

a.       Be thankful to God that He has given you mercy when you do not deserve it

                                                              i.      Romans 3:23-26 

         4.      If Thou Continue in His Goodness: Otherwise Thou Also Shalt be Cut Off

a.       If You Do Not Rest in God’s Mercy and Forgiveness, He Will Discipline You. Because of God’s willingness to discipline us we can be confident that He will never lose us.

                                                              i.      Hebrews 6:4-6 

                                                            ii.      Matthew 10:22 

                                                          iii.      John 15:6 

                                                          iv.      1 Corinthians 15:1-2 

                                                            v.      1 John 2:19 

                                                          vi.      2 Timothy 2:19

Romans 11:17-21

 

Romans 11:17-21

Thou Standest by Faith!

 

Rom 11:17  And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakes of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 

Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 

Rom 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 

Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 

Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 

    1.      Some of the Branches of the Olive Tree Were Broken Off – vs. 17a*

a.       Because of the Jewish Nation’s Rejection of Messiah, they have been removed from the plan of God for this time.

                                                              i.      Isaiah 27:11 

                                                            ii.      Jeremiah 11:16-17 

                                                          iii.      Matthew 8:10-12 

                                                          iv.      Matthew 21:42-45 

        2.      You are from a Wild and Unnatural Olive Tree – vs. 17b*

a.       As Gentile, we were aliens to God’s plan, but in His gracious mercy He brought into the Commonwealth of Israel.

                                                              i.      Ephesians 2:11-13 

         3.      You Were Grafted into the Olive Tree by the Grace of God and Made a Fellow Partaker of Its                  Richness – vs. 17c*

a.       The Olive Tree is Christ and those that abide Him will not be destroyed. He is also the Vine in John 15.

                                                              i.      John 15:5-6 

         4.      Do Not Exalt Yourself Above the Branches that Were Broken Off – vs. 18*

a.       James 4:6 

         5.      You Have Nothing to Boast in – vs. 19*

a.       Psalm 52:7-9 

         6.      Do Not be High-minded – vs. 20*

a.       A Christian stands in his faith alone.

                                                              i.      Romans 5:1-2 

b.      When a Christian stand in faith alone, he gives a proper reverence to God.

                                                              i.      Proverbs 28:14 

            7.      Be Warned that If God Would Discipline His Own People, He Will Not Hesitate to Disciple                     You  – vs. 21*

a.       This is not speaking of losing your salvation but the Gospel witness of your life and community. The church at Ephesus lost their gospel witness because left their first love. Not because they did not put enough effort into their sanctification.

                                                              i.      Revelation 2:1-5 

Victor Davis Hanson 2020 | Winding the Coup Coup Clock

Because of his understanding of history VDH has remained the consistently the most reliably honest predictor of the future. "Those that do not understand history will be doomed to repeat it"

Kristi Noem, Liberty and the Pandemic | National Leadership Seminar

The right response to this tragedy...

Romans 11:11-16

 

Romans 11:11-16

If the Root Be Holy

 

Rom 11:11  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. 

Rom 11:12  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 fulness? 

Rom 11:13  For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 

Rom 11:14  If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 

Rom 11:15  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? 

Rom 11:16  For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 

         1.      God Will Never Be Done with Israel! – vs. 11*

a.       Has Israel fallen never to be restored? Absolutely not!

                                                              i.      There are two reasons for the fall of Israel:

1.      To bring salvation to Gentles

a.       Isaiah 42:1-4 

2.      That the salvation brought to the Gentiles may provoke Israel to jealously

a.       Acts 13:45-52 

         2.      A Future for Israel Gives Hope to All the Nations of the Earth – vs. 12*

a.       If the fall of Israel is beneficial to the Gentiles how much more their restoration

                                                              i.      Psalm 126:1-4

         3.      A Future for Israel is Gives Hope to Paul’s Ministry

a.       Paul reminding the Gentile believers of the coming restoration of Israel brings glory to the office of his apostleship – vs. 13*

                                                              i.      Acts 9:15 

b.      By reaching the Gentile nations for Christ, Paul hopes to provoke some Jews to a desire for restoration – vs. 14*

                                                              i.      2 Timothy 2:10 

          4.      A Future for Israel Give Hope to You and Me

a.       It gives us an assurance of a future resurrection of the dead – vs. 15*

                                                              i.      If the casting away of Israel brings about the salvation of the Gentiles what will the restoration of them be like?

1.      Romans 11:26-27 

b.      It gives us an assurance that God will be faithful to complete the work He began in us – vs. 16*

                                                              i.      Why would God set apart Israel only to later turn His back on them?

1.      Revelation 14:1-5 

2.      Philippians 1:6