Romans Chapter 11
The Restoration of Israel
A. Israel and the Remnant of Grace
Romans 11:1a – “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not!”
Paul begins this chapter by asking a question that naturally arises from the previous discussion. If Israel’s rejection of the gospel was both consistent with God’s eternal plan (Romans 9:1-29) and also the result of their own stubborn unbelief (Romans 9:30-10:21), then has God permanently rejected them? Has Israel’s failure canceled God’s promises to them?
The answer comes swiftly and emphatically: “Certainly not!” The language here is the strongest denial possible. God has not cast away His people. Israel’s rejection is real, but it is not final. Though they are presently in a state of unbelief, God’s covenant faithfulness remains. His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob cannot be annulled by Israel’s disobedience. This means that the present rejection of the nation is not the end of their story. The God who chose them will not abandon them.
This truth also demonstrates something vital about the character of God: His faithfulness. Even when man is unfaithful, God remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). Israel’s present condition is serious, but their future hope is secure in the sovereign plan of God.
Romans 11:1b – “For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.”
As proof that God has not cast away His people, Paul points to himself. He says in effect, “If you want evidence that God has not utterly rejected Israel, look at me.” Paul, a Jew by birth, an Israelite descended from Abraham, and of the tribe of Benjamin, stands as living testimony that God is not finished with His people.
Paul’s conversion to Christ proves that even in a time of widespread unbelief, God is still calling and saving Jewish people. If God had permanently rejected Israel, there would be no believing Jews at all, and Paul himself would have been excluded. Instead, Paul was chosen by God’s grace, demonstrating that Israel’s rejection is only partial and temporary.
Notice also the personal example Paul provides. He does not appeal first to statistics or large numbers but to his own transformed life. Sometimes the clearest evidence of God’s faithfulness is our own testimony. Whenever we are tempted to doubt God’s work, we should look to what He has already done in us. Paul models this principle when he says, “For I also am an Israelite.” His very existence as a Jewish believer in Christ proves that God’s promises to Israel still stand.
Romans 11:2-5 – “God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, ‘LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life’? 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.’ Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Paul strengthens his earlier declaration (“Certainly not!”) by pointing to God’s unchanging covenant love for Israel. He states, “God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.” The word foreknew here does not mean mere foresight, as though God simply looked ahead in history to see what Israel would do. Rather, it refers to God’s sovereign choice, His loving foreordination of Israel as His covenant people (Deuteronomy 7:6–8). Israel’s rejection of the Messiah does not nullify God’s eternal plan or promises.
To illustrate this truth, Paul recalls the story of Elijah from 1 Kings 19. Elijah, overwhelmed by persecution and convinced he was utterly alone, pleaded with God against Israel, saying, “LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” In his despair, Elijah thought the nation was beyond hope, that apostasy had swallowed up the faithful, and that he alone remained loyal to the Lord. But God’s answer corrected Elijah’s perspective: “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
This reminder is crucial. Though Elijah felt abandoned, God had preserved a remnant. Elijah was not the only faithful servant left—God had His people, hidden from Elijah’s sight, who remained true to Him. This shows us that the health of God’s plan is never measured by majority numbers but by His sovereign preservation of a faithful remnant.
Paul applies this truth to his own day: “Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” In the first century, though the nation as a whole had rejected Christ, God preserved Jewish believers in Him—Paul himself being an example. This faithful remnant was not large in number, but its existence proved that God had not abandoned Israel. Just as in Elijah’s day, God continued to preserve those who would not bow to idolatry, now seen in those who confessed Jesus as the true Messiah.
This principle highlights two important truths. First, God does not require vast numbers to accomplish His will. He delights to work through a remnant, a small group preserved by His grace. Second, the existence of the remnant demonstrates that God’s promises to Israel are not void. He has not cast away His people, but He is working through a chosen remnant, sustained not by human effort but by His grace alone.
The lesson is clear: God’s faithfulness is never dependent upon man’s strength or majority support. Whether in Elijah’s day, Paul’s day, or our own, the remnant according to grace stands as a witness to the unbreakable covenant promises of God.
Romans 11:6-10 – “And 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. What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 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.’ And David says: ‘Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always.’”
Paul presses deeper into the principle of God’s sovereign election and the reality of a remnant preserved by grace. He begins with a sharp clarification: “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.” Grace, by definition, is unearned favor. It is the free and undeserved kindness of God given apart from human effort. If salvation were dependent upon works, then it would no longer be grace at all. Grace and works are not complementary; they are opposing principles. The two cannot be mixed without destroying the nature of both. To attempt to earn salvation is to deny grace; to receive salvation by grace alone is to abandon works as the basis of righteousness.
Paul then asks, “What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” Israel as a nation sought righteousness, but they sought it through the works of the law, not by faith in Christ. Thus, they fell short of what they pursued (Romans 9:31–32). However, a chosen remnant—the elect—did obtain righteousness through faith in Christ. The rest were blinded, or hardened, in their unbelief. This hardening was both judicial and voluntary: they rejected God’s truth, and God confirmed them in their rejection.
Paul supports this with Scripture, quoting Isaiah 29:10 and Deuteronomy 29:4: “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.” This describes a spiritual insensitivity, a dullness toward the things of God. Morris aptly calls this “an attitude of deadness towards spiritual things.” The people were so entrenched in unbelief that they could not perceive the truth, though it was before them. Their condition was not accidental but a result of God’s judgment upon persistent rebellion.
Paul then cites Psalm 69:22–23, applying David’s words of judgment to Israel’s present condition: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always.” Their table—a symbol of abundance and privilege—became their downfall. Israel’s blessings, including the law, the covenants, and their identity as God’s chosen people, became twisted into a false sense of security. As Barclay observes, “The idea is that men are sitting feasting comfortably at their banquet; and their very sense of safety has become their ruin.” In other words, their confidence in being the chosen nation blinded them to their desperate need for the Savior.
This passage underscores a sobering reality: privilege without faith leads to judgment. Israel’s blessings became a stumbling block because they trusted in the privileges instead of in God’s grace. Yet at the same time, God’s sovereign choice ensures that a remnant is preserved. Salvation is never earned by works but is always grounded in the unchanging grace of God.
The Restoration of Israel
B. God’s Plan in Saving Only a Remnant at the Present Time
Romans 11:11a – “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall?”
Paul raises the next natural question: if Israel has stumbled, does that mean they have fallen permanently, beyond recovery? He uses the language of stumbling versus falling. A stumble is a misstep that can be corrected, but a fall is final and destructive. Israel’s rejection of Christ was indeed a stumble—it led to judgment, blindness, and the temporary setting aside of the nation. Yet it was not a fall that meant their covenant relationship with God had been severed forever. Their stumble was real, but their restoration is certain. God’s plan for Israel cannot be thwarted, even by their present unbelief.
Romans 11:11b-14 – “Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.”
Paul immediately rejects the idea of a permanent fall: “Certainly not!” Instead, Israel’s stumbling has served a greater purpose in God’s redemptive plan. Their rejection of the gospel opened the door for the message of salvation to spread to the Gentiles. In the book of Acts, we see this pattern repeatedly: the gospel was preached first to the Jews, and when they rejected it, Paul and the other apostles turned to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46; Acts 18:5–6; Acts 28:25–28). Thus, Israel’s unbelief indirectly became a blessing for the nations.
Paul describes this as “riches for the world” and “riches for the Gentiles.” Israel’s failure to receive the Messiah created greater opportunity for the Gentiles to hear and respond to the gospel. However, Paul is careful to point out that this does not mean the Jewish rejection itself caused Gentile salvation—it simply removed barriers and widened the field for evangelism. God used their rejection to extend His grace more fully to the nations.
Paul then makes a powerful statement of hope: “How much more their fullness!” If Israel’s stumbling has brought such blessing to the world, then the day of their restoration—their fullness—will bring even greater blessings. When Israel as a nation turns back to God in the future, the world will see spiritual riches poured out like never before. This points prophetically to Israel’s national conversion at the return of Christ (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26–27).
Addressing the Gentiles directly, Paul says, “For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.” Paul magnifies his ministry to the Gentiles because it not only brings salvation to the nations but also serves a secondary purpose: to provoke Israel to jealousy. By seeing the blessings of the gospel enjoyed among the Gentiles—peace with God, adoption into His family, the indwelling Spirit, and the hope of eternal life—Paul hoped that his fellow Jews would be stirred to desire those blessings for themselves and thus be drawn to Christ.
This reveals Paul’s heart: he never saw his mission to the Gentiles as a rejection of Israel but as part of God’s strategy to ultimately reach Israel. He longed that some of his countrymen would be saved by being provoked to holy jealousy, realizing that what the Gentiles enjoyed should rightfully have been theirs.
Sadly, as Morris observes, history shows that instead of provoking Israel to godly jealousy, many Gentiles have treated the Jews with hatred, prejudice, and persecution. The church has often failed to live in such a way that would attract Israel to Christ. Rather than making them envious of the blessings of salvation, Christians throughout history have frequently become a stumbling block to them. This ought to grieve us deeply, for Paul’s vision was that the Gentile church would so display the grace of God that Israel would long for the Messiah they rejected.
The Restoration of Israel
B. God’s Plan in Saving Only a Remnant at the Present Time (continued)
Romans 11:15-21 – “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 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, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.”
Paul develops a striking contrast between Israel’s rejection and their future acceptance. He declares, “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” When Israel as a nation rejected Christ, the gospel was carried with greater force to the Gentiles, bringing reconciliation to the world. If such blessing flowed out of their rejection, then the day of their acceptance will be far greater—it will be like life from the dead. This points prophetically to Israel’s future restoration at the Second Coming of Christ, when the nation will turn to Him in repentance and faith (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26). That event will bring about a worldwide renewal, a spiritual resurrection that will overflow with blessing for all nations.
Paul illustrates this with two images: the firstfruit and the root. He says, “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.” The firstfruit likely refers to the first Jewish believers in Christ—the apostles, the early disciples, and the initial Jewish converts. Their acceptance of Christ demonstrated that God’s promises to Israel were not void but alive. If the beginning portion (the firstfruit) was holy, then the whole lump, representing the larger body of Israel, is also set apart for God’s purposes. Likewise, if the root is holy, the branches connected to it share in that holiness. Many commentators suggest that the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) are the root, as the promises made to them secure the sanctity of the entire tree. But the emphasis remains: Israel’s identity and calling are holy, not because of their works, but because of God’s covenantal promises.
Paul then shifts to the picture of an olive tree: “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...” Israel is the cultivated olive tree, rooted in God’s promises. Some of its branches—unbelieving Jews—were broken off. Into this tree, Gentiles, likened to wild olive branches, were grafted in by grace. This grafting is contrary to nature; normally wild branches would not invigorate a cultivated tree, yet God in His power has done exactly this. The Gentiles are now partakers of the rich root, enjoying the blessings of God’s covenant relationship.
However, Paul issues a sharp warning: “Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Gentile believers must not become arrogant toward Israel. Their salvation depends upon Israel’s root—the covenant promises of God through Abraham. Gentiles do not sustain Israel; Israel’s history, covenants, and Messiah are the very foundation of their salvation.
Paul anticipates the Gentile argument: “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” He concedes, “Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.” Israel’s branches were broken off because of unbelief, not because of some Gentile superiority. The Gentiles stand only by faith, not by their own works. Therefore, their posture must be one of reverent fear, not pride.
Finally, Paul drives home the warning: “For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.” If God judged unbelieving Israel, He will also judge any Gentile presumption. This is not about the loss of individual salvation, but about God’s dealings with groups—nations and peoples. Just as Israel was set aside for a time because of unbelief, so too Gentile arrogance could invite God’s chastening. This reminder calls Gentile believers to humility, gratitude, and a deep reverence for the grace that saved them.
Romans 11:22-24 – “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. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 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?”
Paul draws out the application of the olive tree illustration. He exhorts his Gentile readers: “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God.” Here we see two sides of the same divine character. God’s goodness is displayed toward Gentiles who were grafted in by faith. His severity is revealed toward Israel, who, because of unbelief, was cut off. These are not contradictory traits but complementary truths. The same God who graciously saves is the same God who righteously judges.
Paul warns, “But toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” This is not teaching salvation by works but rather emphasizing the necessity of abiding in the grace of God. Just as Jesus taught in John 15:1–8, the branches must remain connected to the vine to bear fruit. Paul stresses the principle of perseverance: true faith endures. As Murray observes, “There is no security in the bond of the gospel apart from perseverance. There is no such thing as continuance in the favour of God in spite of apostasy; God’s saving embrace and endurance are correlative.” In other words, genuine faith is marked by ongoing dependence upon God’s grace.
Paul then turns back to Israel with a hopeful word: “And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” Israel’s present condition of unbelief is not irreversible. God’s power to restore them is unquestionable. The same God who grafted in wild olive branches (Gentiles) can certainly graft back the natural branches (Israel) if they return in faith. This rebukes Gentile arrogance, for it reminds them that Israel’s story is not finished.
Paul presses the logic further: “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?” Gentile inclusion in God’s covenant blessings is described as “contrary to nature.” It was an extraordinary act of grace for God to take outsiders and graft them into His covenant promises. If God has done this for Gentiles, how much easier will it be for Him to restore Israel, His chosen nation, to their own tree? The natural branches belong there, and when they are restored, they will bear much fruit.
This section teaches both warning and hope. The warning is directed toward Gentiles: they must never boast or presume, for their standing in God’s tree is by grace alone. The hope is directed toward Israel: though cut off for unbelief, their restoration is possible and, as later verses reveal, certain in God’s prophetic plan. This is why Paul urges humility in Gentile believers and confidence in the promises of God.
C. God’s Plan for Israel Includes Their Eventual Restoration
Romans 11:25-27 – “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. 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; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’”
Paul now lifts the curtain on one of the most important mysteries in God’s redemptive plan. He warns his Gentile readers: “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion.” A mystery in Scripture is not something unknowable but something previously hidden that God has now revealed (cf. Ephesians 3:3–6). Here, the mystery concerns Israel’s present blindness and future restoration. Paul cautions Gentiles to avoid arrogance by thinking God has permanently rejected Israel or that His promises have transferred exclusively to the church.
Paul explains: “Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Israel’s spiritual blindness is in part—that is, temporary and partial. Even now, a remnant of Jewish believers exists. But nationally, Israel has rejected Christ. This condition will last until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, referring to the present church age in which God is gathering a people for Himself from every nation. Once this period is complete, God’s program will turn again to Israel.
Paul then makes the climactic declaration: “And so all Israel will be saved.” This statement has been debated throughout church history, but the plain sense is unmistakable. It does not refer to “spiritual Israel” (the church), because in verse 25 that Israel is blind. Nor does it mean every individual Jew in history will be saved. Rather, it refers to the future salvation of the nation as a whole—Israel in its corporate identity. Just as the rejection of Israel was national though not absolute (since some Jews still believed), so their salvation will be national though not universal. When Paul says “all Israel,” he speaks of the mass of the people, especially their leadership, turning to Christ in the last days.
This future salvation will take place when Israel, under great tribulation, looks upon the Messiah whom they pierced and repents (Zechariah 12:10–11). Jesus Himself indicated this condition in Matthew 23:39: “For I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” The Second Coming of Christ is directly tied to Israel’s national repentance.
Paul supports his claim with Scripture, quoting Isaiah 59:20–21 and 27:9: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” These promises reaffirm God’s covenant faithfulness to Israel. The Deliverer is Christ Himself, who at His return will remove Israel’s unbelief and establish His kingdom. God’s covenant with Abraham, reaffirmed through the prophets, guarantees that He will forgive their sins and restore them as His people (Genesis 13:15; 17:7–8; Jeremiah 31:31–34).
This passage powerfully refutes the idea that the church has permanently replaced Israel. The promises made to Abraham and his descendants remain intact. While the church enjoys continuity with God’s plan of salvation and receives spiritual blessings through Christ, Israel remains distinct as a nation with a unique role in God’s redemptive program. Paul carefully maintains both truths: continuity in God’s grace across the ages, and distinction between Israel and the church in their identity and calling.
When Paul declares, “All Israel will be saved,” he envisions a day when the Jewish people, long hardened in unbelief, will experience a great national conversion. They will not be saved by a different gospel, but by the same gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Lord. Their salvation will be through Christ alone, and it will usher in unprecedented blessing for the entire world—what Paul earlier described as “life from the dead” (Romans 11:15).
C. God’s Plan for Israel Includes Their Eventual Restoration (continued)
Romans 11:28-29 – “Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
Paul describes the paradoxical position of Israel in God’s plan. On the one hand, “concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake.” In their rejection of Christ, the majority of Israel opposed the gospel, often persecuting the church. Their resistance to the message of salvation placed them in the position of enemies. Yet, this enmity served a purpose: it opened the door wider for Gentiles to receive the gospel.
On the other hand, “concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.” Despite their present unbelief, Israel remains the chosen nation, beloved because of God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The love God set upon the patriarchs extends to their descendants, ensuring that His promises will not fail. As Paul emphasizes, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” God does not withdraw His covenant promises or cancel His election. His faithfulness guarantees that Israel’s calling as His people endures and that their future restoration is certain.
This truth extends beyond Israel to all believers. Just as God’s promises to Israel cannot be annulled, so His saving promises to us in Christ cannot be revoked. His gifts are permanent, His calling secure, and His love unchanging.
Romans 11:30-32 – “For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.”
Paul now addresses the Gentile believers directly, reminding them of their own past. “For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience...” The Gentiles were once alienated from God, walking in sin and idolatry. Their salvation came, in part, through Israel’s rejection of Christ, which led the gospel to spread more freely among the nations.
Paul then explains God’s larger design: “Even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.” Israel’s present disobedience is not the end of the story. Just as Gentiles were once disobedient but obtained mercy, so also will Israel obtain mercy through the example of Gentile salvation. God’s dealings with the Gentiles are meant to provoke Israel to jealousy and ultimately draw them back to Himself (Romans 11:11, 14).
Finally, Paul concludes with a profound theological statement: “For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.” Both Jew and Gentile alike have been shut up under sin, declared guilty before God (Romans 3:9, 23). This universal disobedience reveals man’s utter inability to save himself and magnifies the grace of God. His purpose is to show mercy to both Jew and Gentile, uniting them under the same salvation in Christ. No one can boast in their heritage or works; all must bow before the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.
This passage reveals the astonishing symmetry in God’s plan: Gentile salvation came through Jewish unbelief, and Jewish restoration will come in response to Gentile mercy. In the end, God’s sovereign design ensures that His mercy is magnified in both groups, and His covenant promises are fulfilled without fail.
Romans 11:33-36 – “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! For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
After laying out God’s redemptive plan—Israel’s temporary hardening, the salvation of the Gentiles, and Israel’s future restoration—Paul bursts into doxology. His heart overflows in praise: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” The Apostle marvels at the vastness of God’s wisdom, which far surpasses human understanding. As he contemplates how God has woven together the destinies of Jews and Gentiles, Paul acknowledges that such wisdom is beyond man’s ability to conceive. God’s judgments are “unsearchable” and His ways are “past finding out.”
Paul then cites Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11 to reinforce this truth: “For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” No one can claim to advise God or contribute something to Him that obligates repayment. God is entirely self-sufficient, infinitely wise, and utterly independent. He does not need man’s counsel, nor does He owe man anything. Every blessing we receive flows from His grace, not from any debt He owes us.
This truth destroys human pride. Too often men presume to sit in judgment of God’s decrees, as though they could evaluate His eternal counsels. Clarke rightly observed, “It is strange that, with such a scripture as this before their eyes, men should sit down coolly and positively write about counsels and decrees of God formed from all eternity, of which they speak with as much confidence and decision as if they had formed a part of the council of the Most High, and had been with Him in the beginning of His ways!” God’s wisdom humbles man into silence and calls forth worship.
Paul concludes with a majestic summary: “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” These simple words contain infinite depth.
It is all of Him: Every part of the plan of salvation originates in God. Man did not devise it; God initiated it by His sovereign grace. In our spiritual blindness and death, we could not have conceived of a way back to God. The plan is His alone.
It is all through Him: Not only did God design the plan, but He also accomplished it. Salvation was achieved through the work of Christ—His death, burial, and resurrection. Man could never free himself from sin’s bondage, but God in Christ accomplished redemption on our behalf.
It is all to Him: The end goal of redemption is not man’s glory but God’s. As Paul elsewhere writes, it is “to the praise of the glory of His grace” (Ephesians 1:6). All creation, all redemption, and all history exist to magnify God’s glory.
Paul ends with the only fitting response: “To whom be glory forever. Amen.” God’s plan is so wise, so gracious, and so perfect that the only proper conclusion is worship. The inability of man to fully comprehend God’s ways should not lead to frustration but to adoration. The mystery of His wisdom calls forth reverence, humility, and glory to His name.
