ROMANS 11:30-36

Sunday Morning:  December 3, 2006

Text:  Romans 11:30-36  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:  31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.  32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.  33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?  35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?  36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

NOW HAVE OBTAINED MERCY

Romans 11:30  For as ye (saved Gentiles) in times past have not believed [obeyed] God, yet have now obtained (from the passive voice, shown) mercy [aorist passive, have been shown mercy] (justified) through their (Israel’s) unbelief [disobedience]:

MERCY IN JUDGMENT

James 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

MERCIFUL ARE SHOWN MERCY

Matthew 5:7  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain (from the grammar, passive voice, shown) mercy [future passive indicative].

NOT CHARGEABLE IN JUDGMENT

Luke 18:13-14  And the publican, …  smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful [propitious] to me a sinner.  14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified (unchargeable) …

JUSTIFIED WILL NOT BE CHARGED

Romans 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth [present active].

GENTILES WERE CHARGEABLE

Acts 10:28  And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

GENTILES WOULD POLLUTE

Ezekiel 44:7  In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, …

GENTILES WERE SHOWN MERCY

Romans 11:31  Even so have these (Israel) also now not believed [obeyed], that through your mercy (because of the mercy shown to Gentiles) they (Israel) also may obtain (passive, shown) mercy [aorist passive subjunctive, may be shown mercy].

THE PEOPLE ARE TO OBEY

Deuteronomy 27:9-10  And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.  10  Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.

NOW THE PEOPLE OF GOD

1 Peter 2:10  Which in time past were not a people (a charge against Gentiles), but are now the people of God: which had not obtained (passive voice, shown) mercy [aorist passive subjunctive, may be shown mercy] (chargeable), but now have obtained mercy [aorist passive participle, have been shown mercy] (unchargeable).

MERCY ON ALL THE CALLED

Romans 11:32  For God hath concluded [aorist active, hath shut up] them [the] all (Israel) in unbelief [disobedience], that he might have mercy upon [aorist active subjunctive (may justify)] [the] all (all the called).

CALLED, JUSTIFIED, GLORIFIED

Romans 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

THE JUSTIFIED WILL NOT BE CHARGED

Romans 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth [present active participle, the one justifying].

UNSEARCHABLE ARE HIS JUDGMENTS

Romans 11:33  O the depth [extent; (figuratively) mystery] of the riches [wealth as in value] both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out [untraceable]!

A GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE

Matthew 12:42  The queen of the south … came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

WISDOM OF GOD IS HIDDEN

1 Corinthians 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

IT TAKES A GOD GIVEN KEY

Luke 11:52  Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

KNOWLEDGE LEADS TO OBEDIENCE

2 Corinthians 10:4-5  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

JUDGMENTS OF THE LORD

Psalms 19:9-11  The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  10  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  11  Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

WHO HAS HAD A BETTER IDEA

Romans 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?

FROM ISAIAH 40

Isaiah 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counselor hath taught him?

WHO KNOWS THE MIND OF CHRIST

1 Corinthians 2:16  For who hath known the mind (thoughts) of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have [ecw, present active, esteemeth] the mind (judgments) of Christ.

GOD IS NOT IN DEBT TO ANY

Romans 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

GOD WILL JUSTIFY WHOM HE WANTS

Romans 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will [may] have mercy [present active subjunctive], and I will have compassion on whom I will [may] have compassion [present active subjunctive].

HONOR HIS JUDGMENTS!

Romans 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever [ages]. Amen.

HE IS IN CHARGE

Matthew 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power [power to act, authority, control, jurisdiction] is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

WE DON’T HAVE A BETTER IDEA

Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul [annul] my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?