Romans 11:11-16
Scripture (ESV): Romans 11:11-16
“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. 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!
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.”
Devotion
We have been talking about how God’s offer of salvation to the Gentile nations was designed to wake Israel up and to return them to the true worship of God. Paul anticipates the next logical question in our current passage: Is Israel’s downfall planned simply that they might fall? Are they people who are designed for dishonour? Paul’s response is again a resounding “By no means”. Rather. the missteps of God’s chosen people have, in a roundabout way, paved a path for the Gentiles to enter into the fold of salvation. It’s a classic case of what seems like failure being used for a greater good. This is the direct outworking of Romans 8:28:
“28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
All things, even Israel rejecting God, shows us his ability to work through our mistakes and evil to bring about his good purposes.
On a personal level, this passage prompts us to rethink how we view our own personal setbacks and disappointments. It also forces us to think about what is happening to the church at large. Are these disappointments and failures really beyond God’s capacity to turn into good? Sometimes it might feel that way. But in this passage Paul reminds us of the spiritual reality that we often miss:
God’s plans are far bigger than we can imagine. The temporary “fall” of Israel serves as a perfect example of that. Israel fell and so the Gentiles were brought in.
Of course the greatest example of this is Jesus himself. When Jesus died, I doubt any who witnessed his death thought “Great, this is just God’s way of bringing about good”. And yet it was exactly that. It is precisely in his death that our sins are punished. It is in his death that we are given life. It is in his death that God’s wrath against our sin is satisfied. It is is by his death that we are set free.
In light of this, we’re invited to see our own failures and the apparent setbacks in God’s plans from a different perspective. Instead of concluding that it’s all gone wrong, we might consider how these moments could be part of a bigger picture we’re not yet fully seeing. Rightly processed, God will use your failures to shape you into the image of his Son.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, in the mystery of Your wisdom, You turn even our missteps into paths leading us closer to You. Help us to trust in Your overarching plan, especially when things don’t go as we expect. Teach us to see our lives and the world around us through the lens of Your redemptive story, finding hope in the fact that You work all things together for good. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge for the Day
Today, reflect on a personal setback or disappointment you’ve experienced. Spend some time in prayer, offering it to God and asking Him to reveal how He might use it for a greater purpose. Then, take a small step toward viewing a challenging situation or relationship in your life through this lens of redemptive possibility.