Romans from a Torah Covenant Perspective – Chapter 11 Part 1

Matthew 15:24 I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Chapter 11. details Israel’s current rebellious status and brings to light a related “gentile problem” that was rearing its ugly head in the congregation after the Edict of Claudius has ended, and Jews were returning to Rome to find the synagogue landscape transformed into a gentile/say believing 10 Israel one; no longer a unregenerate Jewish one. Some gentiles/Ephraimites were tempted to believe that because most of the Jews had rejected the Gospel, יהוה had rejected them and replaced them with a new people, and a faith not patterned after the Torah. Paul condemns this thought and in turn brings forth the revelation that was hidden from the Prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 4). Romans 11:1 I say then, did יהוה cast away His people? By no means. For I also am a Yisraelite, of the seed of Avraham, of the tribe of Benyamin. Romans 11:2 vuvh has not cast away His people whom He foreknew and chose beforehand. Don’t you know what the Scriptures says of Eliyahu? How he even pleads with vuvh against Yisrael, saying, Romans 11:3 vuvh, they have killed Your neviim, and overthrown Your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my chayim. The majority of theologians draw the faulty conclusion that יהוה has abandoned Israel for a new gentile church, abandoned the OT for the NT and abandoned law for grace. 1 Samuel 12:22 For יהוה will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because יהוה has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Psalms 94.14 For יהוה will not abandon His people, nor nor will He forsake His inheritance (Israel YHWH’s inheritance – Psalms 78.71, Isaiah 19.25, Jeremiah 10.16). Amos 3.2 You (Israel) only have I chosen among all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Punishment by pruning the tree almost bare; devoid of branches – branches are often time symbolic of people in scripture. Romans 11:4 But what says the word of vuvh to him? I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Ba’al. Romans 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to His election by grace/unmerited favor. Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more by works: otherwise grace is not grace. But if it is by works, then is it no more grace: unless work is not work. V. 6 the adverb ‘ouketi’ ‘no more’ and the TNIV! (Today’s NIV) TNIV V. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works, if it were, grace would no longer be grace. (i.e “there was once a time when YHWH’s grace could be earned by human action!”) Redemption could never be acquired by human action in the Tanakh. This verse isn’t setting up a dichotomy of works and grace, law and grace as is falsely taught. Once there was works but NOW there’s grace. ‘Ouketi’ exposes this false construct immediately. ‘Ouketi’ ‘no more’ doesn’t mean ‘no more’ as in it once used to be and now it’s ‘no more’ as in temporarily. ’Ouketi’ is a marker of inference in a logical process, like ‘NOT’. Paul’s communicating that even the remnant in the time of Elijah were the remnant based upon grace ‘NOT’ works. Works never made a person inclusive of the redeemed, ever! Logical force/Not Vs. temporal force/no more/used to be! Now the words ‘proginosko’ ‘forknowledge’ and ‘eklogē’ ‘election’ can push some of you into wanting to debate Calvinism and Arminisn, the choosing of some individuals for salvation and some for damnation……. ….. the context is the corporate election of Israel – the people as a whole. Foreknowledge is talking about the nation NOT the foreordination of individuals to salvation – a 16th Century construct. Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Master how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Yahusha saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 7000 is representative of forgiving one’s offender (here יהוה is the o