Text: Romans 11:11-12 (ESV)

11 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. 12 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!

RICHES FOR THE WORLD

Did God cause the Israelite to stumble over Christ, the stumbling stone (Romans 9:32 –33) in order to make them fall down? In other words, Paul asks if God caused Israel to be tripped up in order that they might permanently fall and never to rise again. Was this what God wanted to happen for Israel? Paul answers his own question once more with a resounding "By no means!"

Paul argues that God has two purposes for Israel to stumble over Christ by refusing to believe in Him, to wit;

First, Israel's trespass, or sin has made it possible for salvation to come to the Gentiles. When Israel rejected Christ, God used that rejection to make His offer of salvation by grace through faith in Christ available to all people.

Secondly, this provokes Israel to jealousy. Paul expressed this idea in Romans 10:19 . God plans to use this favor with God enjoyed by Gentiles in order to provoke many Israelites to eventually seek Him. And, in the same manner, they should believe Christ.

Paul opens up the “How much more questions?” Paul noted that Israel's sin brought the riches of sharing in God's glory to the world. Israel's failure to believe has brought those riches to all the Gentiles. Then how much more will Israel's full inclusion in Christ mean for all of us? Stated in another way, since Israel's sin can result in that kind of glory, it’s unimaginable how much glory will result when Israel accepts Christ!

God has hardened most Israelites to faith in Christ for a time. However, He will eventually bring many Israelites to faith in Christ. And the consequence for us today is life from death for all of us. Hence we can say with Paul in Eph 3:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

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