Romans 11

Romans 11:33 (ESV)

[33] Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Starting in Romans 11:33, Paul breaks into song. Quoting from Isaiah and Job he sings of God’s greatness, glory, and wisdom, closing with the words of Romans 11:36, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Many a sermon could be preached just on these verses alone. The incredible depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God are beyond our ability to mine. The word translated “inscrutable” means, beyond our ability to understand, incomprehensible. No matter how much we dig, meditate, study, contemplate, and discuss, we will never mine the depths of God’s wisdom and glory.

But there is a larger context to these verses. They certainly impress on us the incomprehensible glory and wisdom of God, but that wisdom is celebrated by Paul specifically in regards to Israel. Who would have come up with a plan to destroy a nation in order to get them to do what they were always intended to do? Who would have come up with a plan to then restore that nation because of promises made to its founder? Yet that is exactly what God is doing.

Israel was to be a light to the nations, but failed to do so. Rather, Israel separated from the nations and kept the teachings of God to themselves. When their Messiah (Christ) came, they rejected him. In 70AD they were scattered to the four winds. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. That sounds like tragedy, but God had a plan. It was the destruction of Jerusalem that caused the gospel to go to the four corners of the earth. God set Israel aside for a time so that the gospel might go to the Gentiles, but he has not forgotten Israel nor the promises he made to her.

God’s inscrutable plan was to reduce Jerusalem to rubble in order for the gospel to go to the Gentiles. He will then use the Gentiles to bring Israel back to their Messiah. Ultimately Israel will be restored. It is an incredible, long-term plan. Often God uses what appears to be tragedy in order to accomplish a greater good. In the midst of the tragedy it feels like abandonment, yet God is there in the darkness. He never abandoned Israel and he will never abandon us. That is why he can say in Romans 8:28 that, “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Whatever happens in our lives, God is working his purpose. He has not abandoned Israel. He will not abandon those who believe him. There is a warning here. Just as Israel failed to believe, and thus experienced God’s discipline, so we too will face God’s discipline if we fail to trust him. We need to remember that our perspective is very narrow, but God sees the big picture. He knows what he is doing. He has a plan, and he is faithful to his word and his people. As our world changes, may we keep our eyes on him.