Your Calling Is Irrevocable
Introduction
My father, like many Jews, never lived in Israel. The Jewish people are scattered all over the world. In 1948 the state of Israel was re-established. Around 9.5 million people live in Israel today, of whom approximately 7 million are Jews. There are many other Jews still scattered around the world today.
I like how Eugene Peterson translates the New Testament passage for today using the term ‘insiders’ for the Jewish people and ‘outsiders’ for the non-Jewish people.
Many individual Jews over the years have become Christians. In fact, all the very earliest Christians were Jewish ‘insiders’. But now the vast majority of Christians are non-Jewish ‘outsiders’. What does the future hold for the ‘insiders’?
The key to Paul’s understanding lies in Romans 11:29: ‘For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.’ This is a theme that runs throughout the Bible as we see in today’s passages.
Psalm 89:19-29
19 Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
‘I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have raised up a young man from among the people.
20 I have found David my servant;
with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
21 My hand will sustain him;
surely my arm will strengthen him.
24 My faithful love will be with him,
and through my name his horn will be exalted.
26 He will call out to me, “You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Saviour.”
28 I will maintain my love to him for ever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.
29 I will establish his line for ever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure.
Commentary
God’s covenant with his people will last for ever
We see in the covenant with David that God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
God called ‘a young man’ from among his people (v.19c). He gave him gifts. He ‘bestowed strength’ (v.19b). He ‘anointed’ him (v.20b). He promised that his love would be with him (v.24a) and that he would maintain that love to him for ever: ‘My covenant with him will never fail. I will establish his line for ever, his throne as long as the heavens endure’ (vv.28b–29).
This promise was originally given to David (2 Samuel 7:12–16) and repeated many times. Then later, in the book of Isaiah, what was promised to David is promised to Israel: ‘I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David’ (Isaiah 55:3b).
Paul shows clearly that all this has been fulfilled in Jesus. He writes, ‘We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus’ (Acts 13:32–33). He goes on to quote Isaiah 55:3, ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David’ (Acts 13:34).
God promises that he will maintain his love for you for ever and that, through Jesus, you inherit all the blessings promised to David. You are loved. You are anointed. He will give you strength. Your calling is irrevocable.
Prayer
Romans 11:11-32
11 Again I ask: did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved.
29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Commentary
God’s promises to Israel will prevail
As we have seen, in Romans 11 Paul is answering the question, ‘Has God rejected his people?’ His answer is, ‘No, no, no’: ‘God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable’ (v.29). ‘God’s gifts and God’s call are under full warranty – never cancelled, never rescinded’ (v.29, MSG).
Yet Paul still grapples with the apparent reality that most have not accepted Jesus. He speaks about them ‘stumbling’ (v.11) and experiencing a ‘hardening’ (v.25). They are now like olive branches that have been ‘broken off’ (v.17). How can this fit with the unbreakable promises that he has made to the people of God in the Old Testament?
This hardening was only partial. There has always been a remnant, chosen by grace (vv.11–16).
The hardening was fruitful, since it led to riches for the Gentiles: ‘When they walked out, they left the door open and the outsiders walked in’ (v.11, MSG).
The hardening was temporary. ‘“Are they out of this for good?” And the answer is a clear-cut No’ (v.11, MSG). ‘This hardness on the part of insider Israel toward God is temporary’ (v.25, MSG). ‘Now, if their leaving triggered this worldwide coming of non-Jewish outsiders to God’s kingdom, just imagine the effect of their coming back! What a homecoming!’ (v.12, MSG).
This last point is particularly important to Paul, who cares passionately about his people. He eagerly anticipates the full inclusion of the people of Israel (v.12). He goes on to say that ‘all Israel will be saved’ (v.26). He does not say ‘if’ this happens, but ‘when’ this happens. He uses an olive tree as a picture of the Jewish nation (vv.17,24). Christ came. The nation rejected him. The tree was chopped down but the roots were left. The gardener grafts in the Gentiles (v.17).
The time is coming when the Jewish branches will be grafted back (vv.23–24, MSG). Then the whole tree will be complete. The Gentiles grow up out of the stump – they do not support the root (the Jews) but the root supports them (v.18). There are three successive stages in the fulfilment of the divine plan of salvation:
The unbelief of the greater part of Israel: ‘some of the tree’s branches were pruned’ (v,17, MSG)
The inclusion of many outsiders through faith in Jesus: ‘you wild olive shoots were grafted in’ (v.17, MSG)
The salvation of ‘all Israel’ (v.26)
But, what does ‘all Israel will be saved’ mean? Some have argued that it means Israel can still be saved apart from Christ. However, this position is not credible. Paul has argued throughout the letter that Jesus is the way of salvation.
Others have argued that it meant the whole nation of Israel, including every single member, will put their faith in Jesus. However, ‘all Israel’ is a recurring expression in the Old Testament and other Jewish literature, where it need not mean ‘every Jew without a single exception’ but ‘Israel as a whole’ (for example, 1 Samuel 7:5; 28:1; 1 Kings 12:1; Daniel 9:11). This also fits with the context of what Paul is saying here in Romans.
Paul is considering God’s dealing with the nation as a whole. Thus, ‘their fullness’ (Romans 11:12) is to be understood in the same sense as the fullness of the Gentiles. The large-scale conversion of the Gentile world is to be followed by the large-scale conversion of Israel.
Paul concludes: ‘There was a time not so long ago when you were on the outs with God. But then the Jews slammed the door on him and things opened up for you. Now they are on the outs. But with the door held wide open for you, they have a way back in. In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in’ (vv.30–32, MSG).
Prayer
1 Chronicles 4:9-22
9 Jabez was more honourable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.
18 The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 19 … waged war against the Hagrites… 20 They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 22 … the battle was God’s.
Commentary
God’s generous character and his blessings are unchanging
God is in ultimate control of history. His call and his gifts are irrevocable. What was fulfilled in the New Testament began in the Old. The chronicler traces the history of Israel from its very beginning. God is sovereign – ‘the battle was God’s’ (5:22).
Does this mean that we are mere pawns? Are we simply pieces being moved around God’s chessboard with no choice or freewill? Not at all.
You are involved in God’s plans. Your actions make a difference – for good or evil.
1. Resist acts of dishonour
Our actions can cause us to lose out on God’s blessing: ‘Though Reuben was Israel’s firstborn, after he slept with his father’s concubine, a defiling act… He lost his “firstborn” place in the family tree’ (v.1, MSG). He lost a great inheritance because he could not control his desires.
We all need to take great care to resist temptation and not to allow the lust of the flesh or our emotions to cause us to miss out on a blessing from God.
2. Be a person of honour
Jabez, on the other hand, was a man of honour (4:9, MSG). Jabez’s prayer made a difference. ‘Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection – don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked’ (v.10, MSG).
This was not the most unselfish prayer in the Bible! But nevertheless, God answered it. Jesus taught us to pray, among other things, ‘Give us today our daily bread’ (Matthew 6:11). Our first concern should be for God’s glory, his kingdom and his will. But it is not wrong to ask for God’s blessing, presence, protection and healing in our own lives as well.
Likewise, God gave his people victory ‘because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him’ (1 Chronicles 5:20).
The battle is God’s (v.22). He is in ultimate control. Nevertheless, your prayers make a difference.
Prayer
Pippa adds
In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we read The Prayer of Jabez.
I probably spend far too much of my time praying for me and my family. Jabez’s prayer also sounds rather egocentric, but nevertheless God seems to have answered it.
Verse of the Day
Romans 11:29
God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
Thought for the Day
You are loved.
You are anointed.
He will give you strength.
Your calling is irrevocable.
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References
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.