Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

Today in Israel, there are approximately seven million Jews. Most of them are not believers in Jesus Christ. Israel has one of the highest concentrations of atheism in the world. Meanwhile, many Gentiles have embraced Jesus. Billions of people across the earth, in all kinds of nations and languages, love and worship Jesus Christ, the Jewish Savior and Messiah. We read the Old Testament. We love Abraham, Hebrew, prophecy, the Temple, and significant elements of Jewish faith and history, but so many Jews are disinterested.

Sometimes God’s people are so excited about things that people who don’t know God do not care about. Now the question is, What is going to happen? Paul says God’s plan is to have the Gentiles get really excited so that the Jews eventually become very jealous. Is jealousy good or bad? It depends on for what or of whom you’re jealous. The Bible says God is a jealous God (see Exodus 20:50), so jealousy can’t be all bad. There can, however, be bad jealousy. Jealousy simply means someone or something is in my place, which bothers me. God gets jealous when someone takes His place.

Paul says the Gentiles will get so excited about Jesus, the Old Testament, and the God of Abraham that eventually, the Jewish people will get jealous, which will compel them to come to Christ. Imagine there is a great dad who loves his kids, blesses them, and provides for them. But his kids could not care less. The dad is so consistently loving, but the kids have become indifferent. They no longer see his actions and words as grace but as entitlement, and they are no longer grateful or appreciative. Still, the dad continues treating them exceptionally well because it is his character.

One day, the dad adopts some other children and brings them home. These children have never had a dad who provided for and protected them. They can’t believe he puts food in the pantry, toys in the cabinet, and bikes in the garage—all for them. The dad gives them a Bible, and they absolutely love it. These children treat every day as if it is Father’s Day, lavishing their love on their new dad.

Eventually, the biological kids start to object: “Hey, that’s our dad!” They get jealous. They say, “You can’t spend time with our dad. We want to spend time with him!”

God is our Father, and He loves all His children—both biological and adopted. He is not done with the Jewish people. There is a remnant in Israel today. Some Jewish people really do love Jesus. I believe there will be a revival in the future where the Jewish people return to the Jewish Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s Reflection

In what ways can you be praying for the nation of Israel?