| SUMMARY: | The question now arises, has God rejected His people? Paul answers this, certainly not! He explains that just as He did in Israel’s past history, so now God has chosen to preserve a remnant by grace to be faithful. |
| I. Introductory Question and Answer | VERSE 11:1 | |
| A. The Question: | I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? | (1a) |
| B. The Answer: | May it never be! | (1b) |
| C. The Personal Proof: | For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. | (1c) |
| II. A Remnant Is Reserved by Grace | VERSES 11:2-6 | |
| A. The Statement: | God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. | (2a) |
| B. The Past Example: | ||
| 1. Introductory Question: | Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? | (2b) |
| 2. Elijah’s Complaint: | “Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.” (I Kings 11:14 & 19) | (3) |
| 3. God’s Answer: | ||
| a. The Question: | But what is the divine response to him? | (4a) |
| b. The Scripture: | “I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” (I Kings 19:18) | (4b) |
| C. The Present Time: | ||
| 1. The Remnant: | In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant | (5a) |
| 2. Their Election: | ||
| a. The Positive: | according to God’s gracious choice. | (5b) |
| b. The Negative: | ||
| (1) The Statement: | ||
| (a) If: | But if it is by grace, | (6a) |
| (b) Then: | it is no longer on the basis of works, | (6b) |
| (2) The Reason: | otherwise grace is no longer grace. | (6c) |
| III. Conclusion | VERSES 11:7-10 | |
| A. The Statements: | ||
| 1. Israel’s Failure: | What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, | (7a) |
| 2. The Elect’s (of Israel) Success: | but those who were chosen obtained it, | (7b) |
| 3. Israel’s Hardening: | and the rest were hardened; | (7c) |
| B. The Scriptures: | just as it is written, | (8a) |
| 1. First: | “GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR (Isaiah 29:10) | (8b) |
| 2. Second: | EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.” (Deuteronomy 29:4) |
(8c) |
| 3. Third: | And David says, “LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.” (Psalm 69:22-23 – LXX) |
(9-10) |