Has God abandoned Israel?

Romans 11:1-10

Scripture: Romans 11:1-10 (ESV)

“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? ‘Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.’ But what is God’s reply to him? ‘I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, ‘God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.’ And David says, ‘Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.'”

Devotion:

Yesterday we looked at how God uses the faith of the Gentiles to stir up Israel to return to him. Paul anticipates a follow up question: So then, has God abandoned His people, Israel? He answers emphatically: “By no means!” To underscore his point, he references his own heritage and the story of Elijah, who felt utterly alone in his faithfulness to God. Yet, God revealed to Elijah that He had preserved a faithful remnant.

The concept of a remnant occurs right throughout the Old Testament. It is the idea that God always keeps for himself a small group of faithful, spiritually alive people. It is like a little green shoot of a plant growing in a dessert. The remnant is a sign that life keeps going even in the harshest conditions because of God’s sustaining grace.

Now this is particularly important for us to remember today because we live a in a time when the church of God is increasingly turning away from the truth of Scripture. We live in a time where the faithful have become compromised. We live in a time where the compromised have become unfaithful. We live in a time where many places that bear the name “church” don’t resemble a church at all.

Sparkle Creed anyone?

This passage reminds us that even when the majority turn away, God ensures that a faithful minority remains.

Let that encourage you when people tell you, you are on the wrong side of history!

Prayer:

Lord God, thank You for the reminder that Your faithfulness does not depend on our actions but on Your unchanging grace. Help us to be part of the remnant that seeks You with whole hearts, not relying on our righteousness but on Your mercy. In moments of discouragement, remind us that You always preserve a faithful people for Yourself. Amen.

Spiritual Challenge:

Today, consider what it means to be part of the remnant chosen by grace. Reflect on the areas of your life where you’ve seen God’s grace at work, even when you least deserved it. Challenge yourself to extend grace to someone who might be struggling or feeling alone in their faith journey. Be a beacon of hope and grace to them, just as God continually extends His grace to us.