Romans 11:11-16 (NIV)

Romans 11:11-16 (NIV)
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry
14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.
15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Where is Israel in God's plan? This is the question Paul is asking and answering. For your information there are two dominant theological paradigms in the American church. One is called "Covenant Theology" which says that the church is Israel. In other words, the one and only plan/church and Israel are really interchangeable terms. The other paradigm is called "Dispensationalism" which says the church and Israel are two separate entities. The Dispensationalists like to ask, "Did you sacrifice your lamb today?" and if you say 'no' then you are a Dispensationalist. Trust me there are extreme elements in each of these theological systems. I land in the Dispensationalist camp with what I call a modified version of their system. I believe when you read Romans 9-11 you cannot help but to see two ways that God was relating to His people and hence to the world. God has literally put Israel on the 'injured reserve'. The Gentiles were not even on the bench but now they are the starters! God is using this plan of reaching the Gentiles to arouse Israel to faith in Yahweh.

God has not forgotten His people, the Jews. In the book of Revelation, we see that God has a remnant of 144,000 Jews protected and ready to receive the Messiah. God wanted to use Israel to fill this earth with His glory and they went after other gods. God has now brought in the Gentiles by using the church in order to reveal His glory to the earth. Some theologians call this "the age of the church" while others call it "the age of grace." It is probably both in that God is revealing His grace through the church in Jesus Christ. We live in extraordinary times and for that we all should be grateful. We may be the generation to see Jesus come back and take His people home. These extraordinary times call for ordinary people to rise up above their circumstances and live out the purposes and plans of God in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8). Before I go, be sure to check out Paul's reasoning on the rejection of Israel as a blessing to the Gentiles. He comes back and lets us know that when Israel is reinstated what a blessing that will be for all of life. God is not finished with His people! AMEN!