Mercy All Around

1. God’s judgment on ethnic Israel served God’s purpose of mercy for the rest of the world.
2. God’s mercy on the Gentile world, is in some way, going to result in great mercy towards many in ethnic Israel.
3. That mercy towards many in ethnic Israel, will produce even greater blessing for the rest of the world.

Romans 11:11-15

Isaiah 28:21 “For the Lord will rise up…to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work!

Psalm 145:8-9 - The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. ⁹ The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

God’s purposes in Israel’s rejection of Jesus

Israel’s trespass and their failure means salvation and riches for the Gentile world (11-12).

Gen 22:18. “…and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

God’s purpose in Israel’s the mass salvation of Gentiles

To make Israel jealous that some might be saved (11, 14)

“Not all envy is tainted with selfishness…At base, envy is ‘the desire to have for oneself something possessed by another,’ and whether envy is good or evil depends on the nature of the something desired and on whether one has any right to it possession…

if the something desired is in itself good, a blessing from God, which he means all his people to enjoy, then to ‘covet’ it and to ‘envy’ those who have it is not at all unworthy. This kind of desire is right in itself, and to arouse it can be a realistic motive in ministry.” John Stott

Greater things were still to come (12, 15)

God’s merciful and gracious purposes are at work in all circumstances.

Consider whether you live out your salvation and relationship with Jesus in a way that might be used of God to stir the interest of those in your life towards Jesus.

Remember that greater things are still to come