Romans 11:30-32

Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.

Paul shows us how God’s methods (means) in salvation relate to His goal (end) in salvation. This is not the only place Paul explains it. In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul shows how God is making Jew and Gentile one in Christ. The Gentiles were disobedient while God was establishing Israel as His nation; through Israel’s disobedience, the Gentiles were shown mercy and brought near. And now that the Israelites have been disobedient, they too, through jealousy of the Gentiles, may be brought near and shown mercy. What God does amongst the Jews (hardening), He does for the sake of the Gentiles. What He does amongst the Gentiles (mercy), He does for the sake of the Jews. Notice these four steps of God’s plan of salvation in history:

(1) The Gentiles were disobedient to God. There was a long history of letting the nations go their own way while God focused His redemptive work on Israel to bring the Messiah into the world (See Acts 14:16; Genesis 15:13-16.) Nevertheless, individual Gentiles still were counted among the elect (Melchizedek, the Ninevites of Jonah’s time, perhaps Cyrus, etc.) (2) Then there was the decisive disobedience of Israel as she rejected her Messiah and stumbled over the stumbling stone. Still, individuals within the nation were elect, Paul being one such example, and Simeon another. Both of these disobediences (national / not individual) were purposed by God, as v32 says, so He could have mercy on them all (national / not individual). (3) This disobedience led to mercy for the Gentiles as the Gospel spread among the nations. This is not mere sequence as foreseen by God; this is divine plan, ordained as such before the foundations of the world were laid. Israel has been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to the Gentiles, Israel also may now receive mercy. (4) Israel received mercy because they became envious of the mercy shown to the Gentiles and turned to Christ. God aimed to show mercy to all who were disobedient; therefore He predestined both to disobedience that He may have mercy on them all. And He will unite them as one body, as the bride of Christ to share in all the promises and riches – to dwell in His presence for all eternity.

All the while, over the course of this multi-millennia-plan, God’s mercy is operating and being revealed during and even through hardening and the strictest of judgments. We often ask why. Why do certain things happen the way they do? Paul gives us the answer: “Because God was pleased to bring it to pass, and because it serves the greater interest of His mercy and the greatest interest of His glory.” God is always being glorified; God’s mercy is always at work. That’s the message of Romans 9-11. Don’t ever think God is not being merciful. And this amazingly intricate plan is shown to us by God and through Paul, in order that we can stand in awe at the work of God in the salvation of His people, whom He has called from every tribe and tongue and nation before creation. Why did it all happen this way? To reveal God’s sovereign glory – that He is not subject to the events of human history, but that He ordains the events of human history. Nothing is coincidence. Be humbled by that truth and receive the mercy of God with gladness and rejoicing. And this is what Paul’s doxology, which we will examine tomorrow, is all about.