Romans 11:1-36

"For God has imprisoned all people in their own disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone." Romans 11:32

In God's kingdom, there are no classification of people - no hierarchy or social status that divides them. Instead, there is a divine given equality where every person carries the same weight and importance in God's eyes. Verse 32 of chapter 11 is one of the all encompassing verses in the letter of Romans. The essence of what Paul has been writing about is encapsulated in this one verse. In order for God to have mercy, in his divine plan, imprisoned all humanity in its sin so that He could rescue them.


This picture is the monument erected in front of the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem as a tribute to all those who helped and assisted Jews during the Holocaust. A very moving experience for me in touring the museum [of which no pictures are allowed to be taken inside] was the hall of rememberance where the names of every Jew killed in the holocaust are recorded. A quote inscripted on the entrance from the journal of Benjamin Fondane who was murdered at Auschwitz in 1944 read as follows:

"Remember only that I was innocent and just like you, mortal on that day, I, too, had a face marked by rage, by pity and joy, quite simply, a human face!"

The terrible atrocity of the holocaust was that people believed that others were less human. This prejudice goes against the eternal value God has placed on every human being. In chapter 11, Paul brings to a close his argument concerning whether his own people - the Jews - will make it in the end. Paul encourages the Roman believers to remember that he - a Jew - is a follower of Christ, and like Elijah who lamented that there were no faithful prophets in the land, Paul reminds them as well that though hoards of Jews are not converting to Christianity it does not mean God has given up on them. In fact, in God's plan, the Jews were the instrument through which God reached out to the Gentiles [Paul says - case in point myself who am called to be an apostle to the Gentiles - 11:13]. In the end the Gentiles will return the favour to Israel and they too will convert to Christianity.

The picture on the right is a photo I shot on a kibbutz just outside Jerusalem. It's a teaching kibbutz with replicas of relics and sites from the biblical period. This statue of a rabbi rending his garment depicts the terrible regret of a Jew who spent all his life keeping Torah and finally finds out that Jesus is the Messiah and he has wasted all his life neglecting to follow him.

Paul says that the Jews will become jealous of what the Gentiles have, so much so, that they will turn to God and follow Jesus. Such is the hope that we are called to have for our Jewish brothers and sisters. They have left us a wonderful heritage that lead to our conversion and in the end we will also help them find their way to God.

"Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the Jews refused his mercy, God was merciful to you instead. And now, in the same way, the Jews are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you. But someday they, too, will share in God's mercy." Rom. 11:30-31.

Questions:

1. Do some research to refresh your memory concerning the history of anti-semitism. Why was such cruelty poured out on to our Jewish brothers and sisters?

2. Work out for yourself what your attitude should be toward our Jewish neighbours?

3. What are some things we can do to build relationships with our Jewish friends?