I appreciate this comment! The whole chapter is worth the read, if only to give some pause to replacement theologians:
I say then, Did God cast off his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture says of Elijah? how he pleads with God against Israel:
Rom 11:3
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have dug down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
11:4
But what says the answer of God unto him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
Rom 11:5
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6
But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
Rom 11:7
What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened:
Rom 11:8
according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day.
Rom 11:9
And David saith,
Let their table be made a snare, and a trap,
And a stumbling
block, and a recompense unto them:
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see,
And bow thou down their back always.
Rom 11:11¶
I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
Rom 11:12
Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Rom 11:13
But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
Rom 11:14
if by any means I may provoke to jealousy them that are my flesh, and may save some of them.
Rom 11:15
For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Rom 11:16
And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Rom 11:17
But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree;
Rom 11:18
glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19
Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
Rom 11:20
Granted, However; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by thy faith. Be not haughty, but fear:
Rom 11:21
for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare you*.
Rom 11:22
Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward you God’s goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shalt be cut off.
Rom 11:23
And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
Rom 11:24
For if thou were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Rom 11:25¶
For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
Rom 11:26
and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written,
There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer;
He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27
And this is my covenant unto them,
When I shall take away their sins
Rom 11:28
As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
Rom 11:29
For the gifts and the calling of God are not turned from.
Rom 11:30
For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
Rom 11:31
even so have these also now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they also may now obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32
For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all
Romans 11:33
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
Rom 11:34
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35
or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36
For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.
I appreciate this comment! The whole chapter is worth the read, if only to give some pause to replacement theologians:
God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture says of Elijah? how he pleads with God against Israel: Rom 11:3
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have dug down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 11:4
But what says the answer of God unto him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Rom 11:5
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6
But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. Rom 11:7
What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened: Rom 11:8
according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day. Rom 11:9
And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always.
Rom 11:11¶ I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. Rom 11:12
Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Rom 11:13
But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry; Rom 11:14
if by any means I may provoke to jealousy them that are my flesh, and may save some of them. Rom 11:15
For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Rom 11:16
And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches. Rom 11:17
But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree; Rom 11:18
glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee. Rom 11:19
Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
Rom 11:20 Granted, However; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by thy faith. Be not haughty, but fear: Rom 11:21
for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare you*.
Rom 11:22
Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward you God’s goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shalt be cut off. Rom 11:23
And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. Rom 11:24
For if thou were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Rom 11:25¶ For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
Rom 11:26
and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: Rom 11:27
And this is my covenant unto them, When I shall take away their sins Rom 11:28
As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
Rom 11:29
For the gifts and the calling of God are not turned from.
Rom 11:30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, Rom 11:31
even so have these also now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they also may now obtain mercy. Rom 11:32
For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all Romans 11:33
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
Rom 11:34
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35
or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36
For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.