THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC
Introduction: Couple of weeks ago, we showed a clip from the Avengers movie regarding time travel as they were trying to manipulate time to achieve their goal (prevent Thanos from getting the Infinity Stones). This clip was for all of us who are more familiar with time travel as found in “Back to the Future.” The whole point is that wouldn’t it be great if we could see into the future! Wouldn’t life be easier if we had foreknowledge of things yet to come. What if we had that almanac and call every game. We could even avoid dangers, accidents, mishaps, bad relationships, etc. There is someone who does know the future – God. It is known as the doctrine of foreknowledge. In today’s message, we’re going to see what foreknowledge meant in the context of God’s purpose for Israel. We’re still in our series on Romans 9-11, where we are learning what is God’s plan for the Jewish people, for ethnic Israel. But there’s application for us as well, because there’s a pattern in how God works in our lives. If we see life only from our earthly perspective, we will get discouraged and feel hopeless. The message is also for us to tell time from his perspective, and when we do, we will find that God is working everything together for good in his time.
Romans 11 (page #1746) 1 “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew…”
Context: Over the past few weeks, we have learned that God elected Israel to be the carrier of his promise, the coming of his Son into this world. Just because God chose them does not mean that they had a free ride into heaven. Everyone had to come through Jesus. Those who lived before his coming had to wait in faith for him to come. Those who live since his coming have to look in faith to him. The plan of salvation is the same for the Jewish people and the Gentiles – Romans 10 (page #1745) 9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Application: Have you called on the name of the Lord? Are you saved? Do you know someone who needs to call on the name of the Lord? No one is so far gone that God won’t answer. Last weekend, we learned that preachers have to go (Upper case/Capital P and Lower case/Small p). When we go and speak, people listen. Out of those who hear, some call and some don’t. But, everyone who calls, “shall be saved.”
Now comes the question – Why are some among Israel not calling? Romans 10 (page #1745) 18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” 20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” 21 But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.” This is true not just for Israel but for all people. God is calling everyday all day. It is the human heart that is disobedient and contrary. God is using jealousy to bring them back.
Now, comes the bigger question – Is God finished with Israel? Romans 11 (1746) 1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew…” Paul is appealing to the Christ time. Illustration of a watch – when saved, we get another watch which allows us to see the Christ time. Imagine how far forwards and backwards you can go. Illustration of a set of glasses.
Same word is found again in Peter – 1 Peter 1 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:
Verb Proginoskein = “to know beforehand” or “foreknow.” Noun Prognosis = “foreknowledge”
Romans 11. 2 “…Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. We know of the national election of Israel, but there’s also individual election within Israel to create a remnant. Without the remnant, Israel would be destroyed.
Romans 11 7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, To this very day.” 9And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.” 11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! The Greek word is “pleroma” is fullness or completeness. 13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
Now Paul gives 2 illustrations – lump of dough and olive tree. Romans 11 (page #1747) 16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree… Twenty times the imagery of olive tree is brought up. Along with the fig tree and vine, it is used to represent Israel. Some claim that Olive represents religious blessings, fig national blessings, and vine spiritual blessings. It could be, but I think Olive represents longevity. There are olive trees in Israel that are claimed to have been there for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Romans 11 25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
Romans 11 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?”
Romans 11 (page #1746) 35 “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
How true this is in our own lives! We too are like that olive tree that loses a branch, but God is not finished with us. There’s a fullness that is coming!
Are you part of the olive tree? Are you saved? How do you see your life?