Well, we want to say shalom. God bless you, everyone. Welcome to the Bible classes of the Holy Scriptures and Israel, as we are studying the Word of God together, one book at a time, one chapter at a time, and one verse at a time. And, beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters, we are studying the book of Romans together, and hopefully you have your Bibles available with you. Please turn with me to Romans chapter eleven. We are going to read the first few verses of Romans chapter eleven, and before we will begin with the reading, let's just ask the Lord to bless the meeting today.

So, our God and our Father, we just want to thank you for your love and care for us. Bless your word as we study together in the book of Romans. We pray in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach, our Lord, Jesus the Messiah. Amen. Amen. And so please turn with me to Romans chapter eleven, and I would, read for today, the first, ten verses of Romans chapter eleven, and please follow me as I'm reading this portion from the Word of God. The Apostle Paul, who wrote to the Roman believers, continues to write to them concerning the sovereignty of God in relationship to his people Israel. And Paul said in verse one, I say then, has God cast away his people? God forbid, for I also am an Israeli of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people which he foreknew.

Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Eliyahu, Elijah, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it not more of works? Otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace, otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election has obtained it, and the rest were blinded. According as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, ears that they should not hear, unto this day.

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare. And a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see and bow down their back alway. And I'm going to stop here, beloved brothers and sisters, with the first ten verses of Romans chapter eleven. Again, we have always made sure to convey to one another in our study of the book of Romans that the book of Romans is dividing itself into these five sections, which begin with the letter S.

Sin, salvation, sanctification, sovereignty, and service. That's how the book of Romans is divided according to the way in which the apostle Shaul Paul wrote this book of Romans. We find ourselves once again in Romans chapter 9, 10, and 11. This section in the book of Romans present before us the sovereignty of God. And specifically, the sovereignty of God in relationship to his earthly people of Israel. In our previous Bible studies and Bible classes, we made point to help us understand that the Romans 9, 10, and 11 point us to the condition of Israel. Romans 9 presented before us the, the past blessings of the nation of Israel. Romans chapter 10 presented before us the present state of the nation of Israel. And now as we are studying Romans chapter 11, the Apostle Paul present before us the future prospect for the people of Israel. And this eleventh chapter, beloved brothers and sisters, it's such an important chapter because this chapter help us to Understand, especially today, when we live in the latter days of the church age, in the latter days, it helps us to understand that God's word is true.

And that God will never lie, He always speak the truth, and that God's promises to whomever He made a promise will surely come to pass. So if you remember, we covered Romans 9, Israel's past privileges, Romans 10, Israel's present problem, and now in Romans chapter 11, Israel's future prospect. This is fascinating, beloved brothers and sisters. And so here we are, the Apostle Paul continues to remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, that Paul wrote this letter to the Gentile believers in the local assembly in Rome, and he's seeking to help them to understand, because question rise.

Well, if Israel was such a privileged nation, to whom God gave everything, as we have already read in Romans chapter 9, and to Israel pertaining the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, the promises, the fathers, and even out of the nation of Israel, the Messiah came, who is overall God, blessed forever. And if God have given to Israel all these blessings, how come the nation of Israel as a nation do not believe that Yeshua, that Jesus, is the Messiah in this present age?

Well Paul is seeking to explain this to the Roman believers that God is sovereign, and beloved brothers and sisters, that the reason that Israel did not accept the Messiah has a purpose, and it was part in the plan of God. And so he, Paul wanted to assure the Romans to understand that God is faithful, he is going to fulfill his promises to whomever he have given a promise. In other words, God is going to be faithful to fulfill the promises that he gave to the fathers, to the nation of Israel, and because he is faithful to fulfill all his promises to the Jewish people, to the people of Israel, he's also faithful to provide and to fulfill his promises. to the Gentiles believers of the church age, to the assembly, because God is a a a true and living God who fulfilled his promises to the letter. Now, just wanted to make sure that we understand that, if we are to understand Romans chapter 11, we must understand that God himself in his person, in his essence, and in his promises, he is true.

There is a verse that is, if you go back to Romans 3 and verse 3 and 4, the apostle Paul already said to the Roman believers in verses 3 and 4 of Romans chapter 3, and what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect, he's saying, as he's speaking to the Roman, and he says, no, he says, God forbid, ye let God be true, and every man a liar. In other words, God is true to his word, and he's intending to fulfill his word to his people. And you know, this is very important for us too today.

How can we be sure when the Lord Jesus the Messiah said in John 14, let not your heart be troubled? Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many mansions, and if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. Well, how can we be sure that God will fulfill the promises to the church, to the assembly, if we are not sure that God is going to fulfill his promises to the nation of Israel? So we must be, especially today, when there is so much false teaching concerning God's plan for Israel. Some professing Christians say that God finished with Israel.

Some professing believers in Jesus the Messiah say that because Israel failed to accept the Messiah at his first coming, therefore God have done away with his Jewish people. Some say that all the blessings of God to the nation of Israel have been transferred to the church, and therefore now all the cursing remained on Israel, and all the blessing had been transferred to the church. Paul is clarifying this in this eleventh chapter, that God is true. Let God be true, and every man a liar, and if God will not fulfill his promises to Israel, none of us can be sure that God will fulfill his promises to us and to the assembly of the living God. Turn with me for a moment to Psalm 31. Psalm 31. Just to read a verse there. In verse, Psalm 31, and then it says in verse 5, just the last portion of verse 5.

For notice that, O Lord God of truth, God is called the God of truth, the Jehovah, the God of truth. Into thine hand, verse five says, I commit my spirit, thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. God is a true God. We can have confidence in the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah. In fact, if you go for a moment to John chapter 17, the Lord Jesus the Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach, He Himself says in John 17 and verse 17, He said, sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. Thy word is true. In other words, we can trust God because God's word is true. Let God be true and let every man be a liar because God is intending to fulfill all His promises to His people, whether it is His earthly People Israel, or whether it is His heavenly people, the ecclesia, the called out one, the assembly of the living God.

In fact, I just also want to read a verse in the book of Joshua, in Joshua chapter 23, when our forefathers, the Jewish people, the people of Israel, have entered to possess the land of Canaan, which was promised to Israel by the Lord through Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the twelve sons of Israel. Notice what Joshua said in Joshua chapter 23, and notice what it says there in verse 14. It says, And behold this day, I'm going the way of all the earth, Joshua said.

And then he said, And ye know in all your hearts and in all your soul, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you, all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, all that God had promised His people was fulfilled. Nothing failed from the promises of God. All the promises of God are yea and amen in the Mashiach Yeshua. There's another verse that is found in 1 Kings chapter 8, and there we read King Shlomo HaMelech, King Solomon said in 1 Kings chapter 8 and verse 56, he said, notice that, blessed be the Lord that has given rest unto His people Israel according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moshe, of Moses, his servant.

God is faithful to fulfill his word to his people, even though his people failed him in so many ways. And beloved brothers and sisters, we will learn here as we are reading Romans chapter 11, that although Israel failed, And although Israel today in the present day as a nation is in a state of unbelief as a nation, yet all the promises of God will be fulfilled for the nation of Israel and ultimately as Romans 11 and verse 26 says, and all Israel shall be saved, taking us to the future regeneration of the nation of Israel. So let me just mention as we are entering into chapter 11 of the book of Romans. You see what the Apostle Paul does here. After Romans chapter 9, he pointed to Israel's past privileges. And then in Romans chapter 10, he pointed to Israel's present problem of unbelief.

Now he's going to point to Israel's future prospect of regeneration and salvation and restoration to the Lord according to his promises. So what Paul does here, he present before the Roman believers, beloved brothers and sisters, he present before the Roman believers five witnesses in order to prove to the Romans that God will restore his earthly people, Israel, back to himself. And you will notice that as we are going to go through this eleventh chapter. Number one, he will present, Paul himself will be the first witness in verse one. Then in verses two to ten, he will present, Shaul Paul will present the prophet Eliyahu, Elijah, in Israel history.

Then thirdly, from verses eleven to fifteen, the third witness, he will present the Gentile Christians, the Gentile believers in Yeshua the Messiah, the Romans and other believers from among the nations. Fourthly, in verses sixteen to twenty-four, the Apostle Paul will present the Hebrew fathers, the patriarchs, in the history of Israel to prove that Israel will be ultimately be restored unto God and will be a redeemed nation in the future. And the final, the final witness To the truth of Israel's future restoration, salvation, and regeneration is none else but God, who is a sovereign God, God Himself.

Fivefold witnesses are presented before us as we are going to look into this eleventh chapter of the book of Romans. Now, another thing that I wanted to mention, that the Apostle Paul, not only that he brings five witnesses in order to prove to the Roman believers that God will restore his earthly people Israel to himself, secondly, the Apostle Paul explained in this eleventh chapter To the Roman believers, the way through which God will restore his earthly people, Israel, back to himself. And he provides for us twofold divisions of this eleventh chapter.

Division, part one is verses one to ten, Israel's rejection of the Messiah is not total, and verses eleven to thirty-two, Israel's rejection of the Messiah is not final. He will present this outline first. And in, or the second division that is very interesting, in the second division, the Apostle Paul, in verses one to fifteen, Paul assures the Romans of Israel's future salvation. He divided here into these four section, and Paul, verses sixteen to twenty-four, Paul warns the Romans not to boast against the nation of Israel, who are still as a nation in unbelief. Thirdly, in verses twenty-five to thirty-two, Paul informed the Romans of God's doing in Israel's salvation. And finally, in verses thirty three to thirty six, Paul announces before the Romans the sovereignty of God. So he provides in this eleventh chapter two divisions to this chapter. As I mentioned, the first division is simply the fact that Israel's rejection of the Messiah is not final, and Israel's rejection of the Messiah is not total and not final.

This is the division that we have of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Romans. So let's go over, beloved brothers and sisters, the first few verses of Romans chapter eleven. Let me read, first of all, the first witness that Shaul Paul is bringing, presenting before the Roman believers is himself, the apostle Paul, Shaul, the apostle himself. And so in verse one, in verse two a, we read, listen to that, I say, Paul is saying to the Roman believers, has God cast away his people?

God forbid, for I am also an Israeli of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Binyamin. Verse two, the first part, God has not cast away his people which he foreknew. What does Paul begin here, so beautiful, and he's asking this question. It's so nice to see how the apostle, many times throughout the epistle, the letter that he writes, he's asking questions, and he provides also an answers to this question. He imagined, he assume, and he believed, and he received information from the Roman believers, well, did God really finish with the Jewish people? Has God done away with the nation of Israel as a nation? Many are still today asking this question.

Many are still today doubting God's promises to his people, Israel, the nation. And so Paul is coming with an answer, and he says, notice that. He asked a question, and he gives them an answer. In the very same portion here, beloved brothers and sisters, I said, has God cast away his people? Now, notice that. I just want you to notice that he doesn't call them those that used to be his people. Notice that? He doesn't say, has God cast away those who used to be his people and they are not his people now.

Paul wanted the Roman believers and you and I to understand that as far as God is concerned, the nation of Israel are his people at all time. Not only the past, the ancient nation of Israel in past history, not only the present, the present nation of Israel who is blinded, partially blinded today, and he's assuring them that in the future, they are always his people. You always read the fact that God, that God called his people Israel, my people. Now, of course, in the prophet Hosea, we read that he will call them that were not his people, his people, and he will call his people not my people, lo ammi. But there it doesn't mean that they were not his people, but he was placing them because of their unbelief and disobedience, he placing them as if they were not his people, although he's dealing with them.

And we have to explain that when we say that they are his people, we don't mean that everyone of Israel is a child of God, is saved. What we mean that the nation of Israel here in this world always reckon to be by God as his people, his people. And therefore, even though the vast majority are in a state of unbelief, Paul is very clearly saying, hath God cast away his people, and then he gives an answer. God forbid, may it never be. God forbid, Romans, believers of the church of the city of Rome, God forbid. May it never be. I want you to understand that they are his people, although he, they are temporarily, he has judicially judged them, and partially, of course, and yet he is considering them as his people. So he said, God forbid. And then Paul presents himself as a believer in the Lord Jesus, in Yeshua the Messiah, and he says, notice what he says in verse 1b, he says, For I also am an Israeli of the seed of Avraham.

And of the tribe of Binyamin. And then verse two in the first part, it says, God hath not cast away again his people which he foreknew. So Paul presents himself as a witness. Here's a witness to the fact that God has not cast away his people. Out of the all Israel, the nation, there is always the remnant that is within the nation of Israel, who are all actually the Israel of God of this present day, the believers of this present day. Paul is saying, no, he said, God forbid, for I am an Israeli of the seed of Abraham and of the tribe of Benjamin, God has not cast away his people. Now I Wondered oftentimes people say to the Jewish believers who come to know the Messiah, well, you are no longer an Israeli, you are no longer a Jew, you are no longer a Hebrew, because you became a Christian, you became a follower of Christ.

But you see, Paul never looked at that in this way. He always linked himself with the nation of Israel, although he was part of the ecclesia, of the assembly. And that's why he says of himself, notice that, he's linking himself here in verse 1b with the three names that oftentimes the Jewish people are called by. They are called by the name Hebrews, they are called by the name Israelis, and they are called by the name Jewish. So here we have, I'm also an Israeli, he said. He doesn't say I was an Israeli. He said I am an Israeli. I am of the seed of Abraham, linking him with Avraham, the Hebrew, and I'm also of the tribe of Binyamin. And The tribe of Binyamin was the only tribe that was linked with Judah, when Judah and Israel were divided into these two kingdoms. The tribe of Benjamin was under the headship of the tribe of Judah, and they were called Jews, Yehudim in Hebrew.

So what we learn here from the apostle Shaul Paul that he called himself an Israeli, he's called himself a Hebrew, and he's called himself a Jewish man. Now, of course, it's not a matter of superiority, he just wanted to clarify to the Roman believers that when a Jewish person come to know Yeshua Jesus the Messiah, he's positionally, spiritually become part of the assembly of the church, but he doesn't stop to be who he is with his forefathers' descendants. Let me show you for a moment, if you turn with me please to Acts chapter 21, listen to this interesting verse. When the Apostle Paul was speaking to the Jewish people, in Jerusalem, in Acts chapter 21, he says, listen to this in verse, I'll read Acts chapter 21 and verse 39. Paul says, Acts 20, 21, verse 39, But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a, a citizen of no mean city.

And I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. Notice when Paul is speaking at that castle, when he was speaking, he was asking permission to speak to the Jewish people. And he's saying to the emperor, he said, I, he said, I am a man which am a Jew. Very interesting expression. And I tell you why it is so important, because in Jewish ministry, when we're seeking to reach our people for the Lord in the gospel, we have to be clear with them that when we became Meshichim, Christian, Messiah followers, we haven't stopped to be who we are in relationship to the nation of Israel. I am a man which am, not which was, a Jew, Paul says in Acts chapter 21 and verse 39. Turn to chapter 22, and notice what he says there in Acts Chapter 22 and verse 3, speaking to the people, and he says, I am verily a man which am a Jew born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia.

He's speaking to the people, men and brethren and fathers. He's speaking to the nation He says I am a Jewish man just like you. I'm a man which am a Jew, and he's emphasizing that and in order to help the Romans understand that as he speak to his brethren, his earthly brethren, he communicate with them in a way that will be suitable for them. And he's explaining to these Jewish brethren that he's a Jewish man just like them, and he believe that Yeshua is indeed the promised Messiah of Israel. Here's another verse that is very interesting. If you turn with me now to Philippians. Chapter three, and there in verse five, the Apostle Paul writing to the Philippian believers concerning his history. And notice what he says in chapter three, in verse five, he says, I am circumcised of the eighth day.

I am of the stock of Israel. I am of the tribe of Benjamin, and notice what he says here, I am a Hebrew of the Hebrews. He doesn't say I was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, but I am a Hebrew of the Hebrew. In other words, he's saying I haven't ceased from being who I am with my respect to my descendants, my forefathers, and I do believe that Yeshua Jesus is the Messiah. And he was thankful to God to be part of these, of his forefathers to whom God have given the covenants and the promises and the fathers and, and the word of God and ultimately the Messiah was a descendant of the nation of Israel. So what we do learn here from Romans 11 verses 1 and 2b, 2a, that the first witness that the Apostle Paul present before the Roman believers is himself. God has not cast away his people, and God forbid he's saying, I am also an Israeli, I am a Hebrew, descendant of Abraham, and I am of the tribe of Benjamin.

In order to show to the Roman believers that God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. So Paul present himself as a witness. Now, if you turn with me for one more verse in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 8, you know, Paul always looked at himself as the one, as a person, as a Jewish man that was born again early.

He's waiting for the regeneration of the nation of Israel, but he felt always that he was born out of due time. The nation will be born again in the future, but he himself always felt that he was born out of due time. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the Apostle Paul says in verse, he says in verse 8, Last of all, he's speaking about the, the resurrection of the Messiah, Yeshua Jesus, says, Last of all, he was seen of me, Paul said, the Messiah, the Mashiach, Jesus was seen of me, and then he said, me also as one that is born out of due time. In other words, I was born earlier than the rest of the nation. Israel will be a born again nation in the future, but I, Shaul, Paul, was born out of due time.

I was born out of due time, and I think I should read one more verse in 1 Timothy chapter 1, and to Timothy, Paul said in 1 Timothy chapter 1, And there, as we read, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 16, let me just read that, 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 16, Paul said there, listen to this very interesting verse. He says, however, verse 16, for this cause I obtain mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life.

He's writing to Timothy, he says, Timothy, the Lord God made me a pattern An example, a pattern for others that later on will come to faith in the Lord Jesus, that hereafter should believe on him into everlasting life. I became a pattern, an example, and of course in the, if we understand it from 1 Corinthians 15 8 and the other passages, Romans 11 verse 1, Paul presenting himself as a witness for the future salvation of Israel as an example, he became a pattern of what will happen to the nation of Israel in the future. He became one that was born out of due time because his people Israel will be born again in a future day.

And he is a proof that God did not forsake Israel and that God has not cast down or cast away his people which he foreknew, which he have chosen as a nation that belonged to him. Now brothers and sisters, one might say that we belabor it too much, but we cannot belabor it too much and especially today.

See, if we were today living on in the first 15, 20, 30 years of the church age, you and I might not need to belabor it as much as we need to do it today, some 2,000 years later at the last days of the church age. And why? Because it didn't take too long. And the prophets in Christendom, they set aside the promises of God for the nation of Israel.

And sadly, in, in Christendom, many took the place of Israel and said that they are now the Israel of God, that they are now the one that received the blessing that God had given to the nation of Israel, that God have left on Israel the cursing and the blessing had been transferred to the church, not realizing that God will never lie. God is true. Let God be true and any man a liar, because God must fulfill the promises that he made to his earthly people, the people of Israel. So the first witness is none else.

But the apostle Paul, Shaul, himself, God has not forsaken his people whom which he foreknew. Now as we move along, you notice he presents a second witness in these next verses, and you notice now in the next verses, in verses 2b to verse 10, he's taking the Romans back to Israel's history, and he's presenting before them the, the prophet Elijah, Eliyahu HaNavi, Elijah the prophet. Let me read you these verses from verse 2b to verse, to verse 10. Look what we read.

He says in verse 2b, don't you know what the scripture says? He's going back to the Bible, go to back to the Hebrew scriptures. What the Hebrew scripture says of Elijah and how he make intercession to God against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have digged down thine altars, and I am left alone and they seek my life.

But what says the answer of God unto him, unto Elijah? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so, then at this present time, also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Then is it no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace, otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election has obtained it.

And the rest were blinded, according as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, ears that they should not hear, unto this day. He continued in verse nine and ten, he said, David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, it is very interesting because the second witness that the Apostle Shaul Paul is presenting before the Romans believers is the prophet Elijah, in Hebrew his name is Eliyahu HaNavi, and he's presenting to them from taking them back to Israel's history and what the, what the event that took place in the life of Eliyahu HaNavi, Elijah the prophet.

When Elijah the prophet was preaching to the northern kingdom of Israel, sadly, the king Ahab was the one that ruled over the nation. He was one of the wickedest kings in the history of Israel. He's the one that was leading the ten northern tribes of Israel. He was the king there. And he married that woman, Jezebel or Isabella, which led the nation and led him astray, away from the God of Israel. And in those days, Elijah was presenting the word of the Lord to the northern kingdom of Israel. And so notice what he does here. In verse 2b to verse 10, Paul speaks of the a calling of a remnant of Israel, even in days of old, long before the church was born.

Long before, long before there was what is known to us today, the ecclesia. Even in Israel's history, there was always a godly Israel in contrast to the rest of the nation of Israel. There was always a remnant of Israel within Israel, the nation. And so notice what he does here. In verse 2 and verse 3 and 4, he's taking us back to the history of Israel, and he set up Elijah as an example. This is the second, the second example, the second witness that he presents before the Roman believers. And notice what he says, and I'm reading verse 2b.

Don't you know, he said, what the scripture says of Elijah, how he make us intercession to God against Israel? Now I want you to notice what Elijah did. Elijah was making intercession against Israel, not for Israel. But against Israel, and I would encourage you never to pray against God's people, whether it is against Israel or whether it is against the assembly, the church, always to pray for God's people, always to pray for the nation of Israel, for the church, for the assembly, not against the people of God. And so Elijah, in a day of his weakness, in a time where he himself was fleeing from Isabella, he was actually interceding or praying against the nation of Israel. And notice what it says, saying, verse three, it says, Lord, listen what he was saying against his own people. He said, they have killed the prophet, thy prophet. They dig down thine altars. And he said then, and he continued, he said, then I am left alone, and they seek my life.

Now, if you turn with me back for a moment to 1 Kings chapter 19, just go there for a moment. In 1 Kings 19, that was a time when Elijah was fleeing from Isabella. And when Elijah was fleeing from Isabella, he was not in a suitable spiritual condition, because earlier he was far more bold to say, there will be no, dew no rain come upon you, and the judgment of God came against the northern kingdom of Israel. But now, beloved brothers and sisters, in 1st King 19, verse 10, we read, in verse 9, the Lord asked him, because he fled. He fled, and the Lord asked him in verse 9, Elijah, what are you doing here, Elijah? In verse 9, what dost thou here, Eliyahu?

And he said, verse 10, I have been very jealous. You see, Elijah, in a sense, was speaking of himself. I was, you know, sometimes, you know, brothers and sisters, how sometimes we think that we have been the only faithful people around. Everybody was unfaithful, it only me that I have been the most faithful person. Many of us at time, because of pride, because of lack of spiritual understanding, we think that we are the only spiritual people here, and everybody else had failed God. And so Elijah is saying to the Lord, he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, and the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant. They throw down thine altars, and they slain thy prophets with their sword, and I, listen to this, and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away. See, Elijah was really, in a sense, he was kind of priding himself.

He's saying, notice, I even, only I have been left, and they seek my life. So, you know, sometimes we, even, you know, even though we mean well, and we want to please the Lord, and a time we assume that we are the only faithful one that are around here. So God gave him an answer. Because he's accusing Israel, he was pointing against Israel, and he's saying, I am the only one that is left, now they seek my life, so notice it says in verse 11 of 1st Kings 19, and he says, go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord, and behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and a strong wind rent the mountains and break in pieces the rock before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind, and after the wind, the earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire, a still small voice.

In other words, the Lord was not in all these powerful things as the earthquake, as the wind, as the fire, which sometimes we are looking for a power from God that will come by wind and earthquakes and fire. But God is speaking in a still, small voice. And verse thirteen says, And it was so when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle. And he went out and he stood in the entering of the cave. And behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? The second time, Elijah, what in the world are you doing here?

And so we read in verse fourteen, and he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, Elijah is speaking of himself, the Lord God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, and they throw down thine altars, and they slain thy prophets with a sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away. This is the second time that Elijah is speaking of himself and interceding as and speaking against his people of Israel. Look what they have done. Look how they have done. Look what they forsake you. They have thrown down the altars, but I was jealous for you, not they.

Now, don't you think sometime, beloved brothers and sisters, that we assume that we are so faithful to the Lord and everybody else have gone astray? And the Lord teaching us an amazing lesson. The Lord said unto him in verse 15, Go return. On the way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when thou seest anoint Hazael, and so on, to be a king over Assyria, and Yehu, the son of Nimshi, their anoint to be a king over Israel, and Elisha, the son of Shaphat, of Abel Mecholah, shall thou anoint to be a prophet in thy room. So God is going now to replace Elijah with another man by the name of Elisha. And notice what he says, and I just want to read verse seventeen and eighteen. And it shall come to pass that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay, and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

Yet, verse eighteen, I have left me seven thousand. In Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him, Elijah did not know that there were many that God knew that did not bow their knees to Baal. Eliyahu had blamed Israel. They've all done this, they've all done that, and yet God showed to Eliyahu that God preserved the people, a remnant for himself, even during a time of decline in the history of Israel.

Beloved brothers and sisters, it is very much the same in church history, in the history of the assembly. There were always godly men and women that God preserved within the Christendom, within the professing church, the professing Christian. There are always godly men and women that God preserved for himself in many nations, in many countries, those that belong to him, and they seek to live for him in this world in which we live in. And so The second witness, beloved brothers and sisters, that the Apostle Shaul Paul presenting before the Roman believers when he writes Romans chapter 11, is not only himself in Romans 11 verses 1 and 2a, but he's looking back in Israel's history and he presented the person of Eliyahu, Elijah.

And although Elijah was pointing to the failure of Israel, God had to remind Elijah that there is always a remnant. There are always, within all Israel, there's always the Israel of God in every dispensation or every age in Israel history, including the church history, they are within the nation of Israel, there's always these godly, those that belong to the Lord. And we can say in a very similar way, although the church failed tremendously, far deeper than Israel failed under grace, because the church living in this dispensation of grace, yet within the, the church, there are always these remnant, the godly individuals that are seeking to follow after the Lord and to please Him in, during the church age in which we live in today.

And so notice that. So while he looked back to history in verses two, three, and four, What says the answer of God unto him in verse four of Romans eleven? I have reserved to myself, quoting first Kings chapter nineteen verse eighteen, seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. And so he continue in verse five, beloved brothers and sisters, he makes an application. To this present day, to the church age, in verse five, he says in verse five, even so, just like in the days of Eliyahu, in the days of Elijah, in the history of Israel, also during this church age, there is the Israel of God within the church. In other words, there are Jewish, Israelis, Hebrew believers that are part of the ecclesia today, who are reckoned by God as the Israel of God in the present day age of the church. And he says in verse five, even so, Romans 11, five, there, then at this present time, speaking of the church age, also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Even today, and let me just remind you, That when the Apostle Paul was writing this letter to the Romans, some 1900 years ago, 2000 years ago, at about 60 or 59, 60 AD, after the Lord Jesus the Messiah died, the first few years of the early church, all the believers were Jewish, Israelis and Hebrews. All the apostles that shared the gospel with the nation of the world were Hebrews, were Jewish people that shared the gospel with the nations of the world.

And so the church in Jerusalem, the assembly, the Ecclesia in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and so on, they were Hebrews, and they are the one that the Lord used them to present the gospel to the nations of the world. They were the, the remnant from all Israel. They were the believers that shared the gospel with the nations of the world, even so verse five.

At this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Now, go with me for a moment to Galatians chapter six. In Galatians chapter six, they are known by the word the Israel of God. The Israel of God, according to Galatians six and verse sixteen, are the Hebrew, Israeli, Jewish believers who are part of the church. We read in verse sixteen of Galatians six, And as many as walk according to this rule, peace.

Be unto them and mercy and notice and upon the Israel of God. The Israel of God of Romans, of Galatians 6 16 are the remnant of Romans 11 and verse 5 are the Jewish believers who are part of the ecclesia in this present day. These are the Hebrew Christians, the Messianic Jews, the Jewish believers, whichever way you want to call them, they are the remnant of this present day called the Israel of God, while the rest of the nation of Israel is still in a state of spiritual blindness awaiting the future restoration in coming days. So now Paul in verse 6 of Romans chapter 11 is explaining the truth concerning the grace of God.

And I just want to read these. It says, if by grace, notice in verse five, he says, even so, then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election, notice the word election of grace, they were chosen by God, and it was a grace that was extended to them. They didn't earn it, they didn't pay for that, just like you and I, beloved brothers and sisters, Jews and Gentiles, by grace are ye saved, through faith. And so in verse six and verse seven, he explaining that grace and grace alone brings someone to become a redeemed person. If by grace, then it is no more of works.

You don't need to try to keep the law in order to be saved. While the law anyway was never given in order to achieve salvation, it was given as a mirror in order to show that we are sinners, that God is holy, and we need to, we need a sacrifice, we need a Mashiach. And so, if by grace it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it is by works, then it is no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. So, everyone that have entered in, both Jewish and non-Jewish people, we have entered in entirely on the basis of the grace of God, because we all fail to accomplish and to submit to the holy law of God.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So God have extended this grace, chesed, and the grace is no works. You don't earn it. You believe in the Lord and you receive the grace of God. You receive the grace of God. And just to close with verse seven, because obviously time is passes, passing by, he says, what then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election has obtained it, and the rest, notice, the rest were blinded. The rest were blinded. And here, beloved brothers and sisters, just bear with me.

Israel that sought to be redeemed and receive righteousness, they not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. They sought to establish their own righteousness by seeking to achieve forgiveness on the basis of Keeping the law of God in order to achieve righteousness, they did not understand that righteousness is entirely being received by grace from the Lord, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he had saved us. And so the nation of Israel did not achieve that as a nation. They have not obtained it, but notice the election.

Those that were chosen by God to come to know the Savior, the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, they have achieved it, they have obtained it. And you notice it says, the rest were blinded. The rest were blinded. This blindness is judicial blindness. We will get to it later on in verse 25. What does that mean, judicial blindness? This is the judgment of God to blind partially his earthly people of Israel and to blind them partially and to blind them temporarily until the future day in which all Israel shall be saved. And so notice that the rest were hardened, the rest were blinded, judicially they were blinded.

And beloved brothers and sisters, we have to understand that that there is the natural blindness that we all have. There is a willful blindness that we may have when we reject the word of God, but there is also the judicial blindness that God judged those that refused to come to him his way. And that's why the rest were blinded temporarily and also only partially because many Jewish people over the generation came to know the Lord Jesus the Messiah as their Messiah, Lord, and Savior. Well, I will stop with this for this meeting today, and we pray that the Lord will bless and help us to understand his word. And so our God and our Father, thank you for your word in Romans chapter 11. Bless us and encourage our hearts as we study together the book of Romans. We ask it in the name of Yeshua our Messiah. Amen, amen. Well, my dear friend, until the next time, we want to wish you the Lord's blessing and say to you, Shalom, shalom.

Bye-bye.