How Much More Their Fullness
The Fullness of Israel Designed to Bless The World
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
That Israel had fallen, and that Israel had been diminished assumes that they had first been set on high, they were elevated before their fall, and just as naturally as they had fallen comes the question that Paul answers in the very first verse of the passage;
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. (Rom 11:1)
These are the people of God, they were a chosen people and set apart for the Lord and for his purpose, set apart to indeed be a light unto the gentiles, to be a witness of the Lord and of his Christ to all the world.
We often forget that.
The nation of Israel was not set apart solely for themselves; their very lives, their land, their laws and their preservation by God, was to be a witness of God and his faithfulness to all the world.
They were SET ON HIGH, even Chosen from the beginning for a blessing to ALL the families of the Earth!
Turn in your Bibles to Genesis 12:1-3
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
The very first time the Lord speaks to Abram, he lays out his plan for them and their purpose to all the earth.
THE FULLNESS OF ISRAEL is designed from the beginning to be a blessing to ALL THE EARTH!
It was not a mean or lowly purpose, it was not something insignificant, Israel were set on high, and they were set on high for a divine calling that would have its impact upon all the families of the earth.
Our failure in understanding this, is always a failure in not taking Gods word seriously enough. When we fail to do this, we fail to see how the Lord works in the world.
Now we know that Abram had two sons, one was the Son of the Promise, that is, the Son that would come from his loins through his wife Sarai who was long time barren and both in their very old age. But the other son, the first son that came through Hagar the handmaid given to by Sarai, is known as ‘the son of the flesh’. The name of this son was Ishmael.
God made a promise to Abraham that “in Isaac shall thy seed be called” and not in Ishmael (Gen 21:12, Rom 9:7), Nevertheless God also promised that a great nation would come ASLO from Ishmael;
Go forward in your Bibles to Genesis 17:17-22
God had just confirmed to Abraham the original promise, and Abraham responds;
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
Ishmael became the man through whom a part of the Arab world came, twelve kings or princes came from Ishmael.
But the Lord had not stopped building up the FULLNESS OF ISRAEL specifically, for Isaac himself would have two sons.
His two sons were born twins in the womb of Rebecca their mother, and even in the womb they strove one against the other until the time of their birth.
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. (Gen 25:22-23)
Esau was the first born, but Jacob would not let go of his heal as he came out the younger.
Esau would have 12 sons of his own, each would become the leader of a people, but Jacob was the son through which the seed would come, and that seed is Christ.
Christ was the promised Saviour of mankind, he would be given as a gift for the sin of mankind, HE IS THE ULTIMATE BLESSING TO THE WORLD through Israel.
Jesus CHRIST would be the blessing of every family on the earth.
Israel’s fullness gave us CHRIST.
Israel’s rejection of CHRIST brought salvation to the gentiles and precipitated their FALL.
The World Desires Israel Fallen and Diminished
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
The history of the nation of Israel provides for us also and understanding of how serious a matter it was that led to their fall, or the diminishing of them.
All through history The WORLD DESIRED ISRAEL FALLEN, from within and from without.
SATAN himself stood and stands against ISRAEL.
The miracle of their existence today demonstrates God’s promised preservation of them, EVEN AFTER they are fallen and diminished.
EGYPT
EGYPT was the nation that became the incubator for a family. It was there that Jacob came during the famine of seven years that plagued Canaan.
One of his youngest sons was sold into slavery in Egypt, betrayed by his own brothers. But through much adversity, Joseph would become the second greatest leader of the known world as God set him up as a “father to Pharaoh” (Gen 45:8).
It would be to preserve a family and “to save much people alive” (Gen 50:20). This was unknown to his brothers who only sought to do EVIL to Joseph, nevertheless Joseph says to them;
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. (Gen 50:20)
God desired their FULLNESS
Israel is our LIVING EXAMPLE OF God’s control and purpose when things occur that bring fear to our hearts and worries for our souls.
The Lord is at hand, he hears the prayers of his saints.
What the world may do for the purpose of Evil, God can turn for Good.
But the Good that God would ultimately do for the nation would come well after the evil that proceeded it.
Of all people, it would be Israel who understand the proverb that “The BITTER IS BEFORE THE SWEET”.
For four hundred years they would be afflicted, and through their affliction they grew and they multiplied.
In fact, the more they were afflicted by the world for the very PURPOSE OF DIMINISHING THEM, The record states explicitly; “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they [EGYPTIANS] were grieved because of the children of Israel” (Exo 1:12)
Israel would not be diminished by the satanic efforts of men, and in their history, there were many who tried.
The World has always Desired Israel Fallen and Diminished
But God brought them out with a mighty hand, nine signs did he against Egypt and against her gods, but through none of them were the people made free to worship the Lord, but on the night of the sabbath day, the fourteenth of the month to Israel, the 13th of the month to the Egyptians, the PASSOVER was instituted.
It would be that LAST SIGN that would set them free.
The PASSOVER LAMB is the sign that which would FREE them FROM BONDAGE, and would carry on to the time CHRIST would be the true PASSOVER LAMB.
But to Egypt, the 13th of the month would see the death of the first born in every home.
God delivered Israel there, but it would not be the last time he interceded.
For the next thousand years approximately, Israel was threatened to be diminished from within and without.
Sin would threaten them from within, wars and enslavement from without.
Until finally they were carried away to Babylon for their sin.
PURIM
Purim is a celebration of Israel that extends from the time of their time in Babylon to this very day, it is a celebration of an effort to destroy the nation and the people as we have recorded in the book of Esther.
In short, a prince named Haman had decreed their complete destruction in all the 120 provinces of the land under the power of that ruling empire. He was given all he needed to destroy them from the King Ahasuerus.
Their destruction was set for a day and for a time, the lot was cast and the day of their doom was set for the 13th day of the month Adar.
But God had other plans as he set a young Jewish queen to replace the existing monarch, and that day was turned about completely against the enemies of the Jews.
The thirteenth day and the fourteenth day became a day of great destruction against the enemies of Israel and is celebrated to this very day as a Sabbath day, a high day of Celebration called PURIM. A day of no work, but a day of great feasting.
It is still celebrated to this day from the evening of the 14th Adar in the Hebrew Calendar (it was Monday and Tuesday the 9th & 10th March in our calendar). Keep in mind that they begin their days in the evening 6pm, it is the 13th day if it was according to our times.
By tradition, the name of their mortal enemy, Haman, would be written on the sole of the shoe of every child, and down would come their stomping to remind themselves of another great delivery.
When it comes to tradition, the same accounts are come down through the secular world as a time of foreboding, a day and a date runs together, The number is seen as “Unlucky” The date is reffered to as “Unlucky for Some.
Friday the 13th.
Its origin is Egypt and Persia.
Both days proceeded the Sabbath day in the secular calendar, the Sabbath is the 14th, the Sabbath was traditionally the Saturday, Friday the thirteenth marks the death of the firstborn in Egypt, AND the destruction of the enemies of the Jews in Persia (Modern Iran).
None of the nations could make Israel to fall, none of Satan’s devices would diminish the nation.
Nowhere in the Old Testament, not even for Israel’s rampant adultery against God is he ever described as having fallen, diminished, made blind or broken off as a nation, but the rejection of his messiah would see him described this way in the New Testament.
Yet even in this, the Lord has a purpose;
The Fullness of Israel IS The Wealth of Nations
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
It was their rejection of Christ that finally identifies the nation as having fallen, having been diminished, blinded and broken off.
For all they have done against the God of their fathers, for all their wickedness and adultery, for the sin, even such sin that is not named among the gentiles had they sinned. Yes indeed, the Old testament speaks of wickedness in Israel as worse than the nations about them, yet the Lord had not referred to them as fallen, diminished, blinded and broken off.
Turn to Ezekiel 5:5-8
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her. 6 And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them. 7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you; 8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.”
These are the Children of the Kingdom, and to them was the promises given, to Israel was the covenant made and it was not until the rejection of their Christ, the messiah who came unto his own, but was not received by them (John 1:11), that a terrible yet temporary pronouncement was made;
Matt 21:42-43
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
More valuable than anything else was “The stone which the builders rejected”, for all that Israel had done against the Lord in the years past, this of all things was the one thing that caused them to be broken off, for this was the very purpose for the nation, this “same is become the head of the corner”, the single most vital element of the Building is the head stone, it is the datum point from which all else is measured.
This was attested to by Peter who rebuked the Jews, being filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them respecting Christ;
“This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner” (Acts 4:11)
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Peter warned the Jews of this early in the Book of Acts, but we see the transfer come to pass most clearly with the Apostle Paul, who is known as the Apostle of the Gentiles, Turn to Acts 13:45-48
Acts 13:45-48
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
The gentiles were glad, and should they not be? They have received that which was rejected by the Jews, the riches of eternal life.
I think to myself of the spoiling of Egypt by the Jews at the time of the Exodus, and now is see the spoiling of the riches originally determined for the Jews falling to the gentiles. Now if the fall of thembe the riches of the world.
Consider the second last of such passages as we see Paul ‘wash his hands’ of responsibility to the Jews;
(Acts 18:5-6)
5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
To them did Christ come, unto them was the Gospel first to be preached; when a gentile woman came to Christ for those riches, he responded to her saying;
It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 In Matthew 15:26, These things belonged to Israel,
Beloved and how did this gentile woman respond? Not only did she take no offence in being referred to as a Dog, she yet spoke to the Lord acknowledging her unworthiness, and said, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (Matt 15:26-27)
The humility testified by this woman is a sample of the humility testified by the gentiles the world over when they heard of the truth of Christ.
This was known to Paul, he was sent to testify the truth of Christ to the Gentiles directly by the Lord, confessing in Acts 13:47
“For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”
What wonderful wealth the nations have received, what riches and what abundance. I look at the days that surround me today and I cannot be more happy of what I have in Christ, for all that is in this world will indeed pass away, but who can take away the treasure that I have set in heaven, who will steal it? Who will make it rust or diminish the wealth of it?
There is no diluting of the value of eternal life as there is the diluting of the value of money today!
There is no corrupting of heavenly Gold as there is the corrupting of the earthy metal!
I am not going to ever get TAXED out of the mansion the Lord has prepared for me as I would be here!
O feel free to take my temporal tabernacle if you think it valuable for yourself, I have a richness and a wealth I will inherit that this world can never compare to; for “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor 2:9)
The last passage presenting to us The Wealth of Nations that came through Israel’s fall;
Acts 28:23-28
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
The Fullness of Israel Ushers The Kingdom of God
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
The fall and diminishing of Israel was never intended as a permanent end for them.
Jesus himself testified to this even when he understood their rejection of him loomed ahead;
Turn to Luke 13:34-35
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
It is one of the most anticipated “Until’s” of the Bible.
The Lord makes clear that the desolation of the house of Israel is temporary and not permanent.
So if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Paul argues this point as if there is an expectation of a far, far greater blessing to all people through the fullness of Israel. It is a fascinating way of arguing a point and it is not the first time he employs it.
Turn back with me to Rom 5:10 as Paul speaks to the fullness and security of our salvation;
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Do you see the use of the argument?
If we are redeemed by the death of Christ, how much more are saved by his life?
if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
To what does the Lord refer when he speaks to the fulness of Israel?
It is that very time for which Jesus gave the great “UNTIL”, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed ishe that cometh in the name of the Lord.
And when is that time?
It is the time when the vail that now blinds their mind is removed and the Kingdom is given.
Turn to 2 Cor 3:12-17 as we behold another of the great Until’s that seems to perfectly link with that of our Lords in Luke 13;
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
Here is yet another proof that the blindness of Israel is temporary and the vail shall indeed be taken away.
Now, we have seen this text before, but for the purpose of clarity yet again we see one other of the Great Until’s that link to all these passages;
Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Pauls argument for the nation of Israel is complete in this sense and speaks to an even greater blessing awaiting the world for the fullness of these people;
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
The fulness of Israel will usher in the Kingdom of God to the hope and joy of the nations of the world at his coming.
They shall indeed be grafted back in again to this natural branch from which they have been cut off, and if their fall had led to the riches of the world and the riches of the gentiles, how much more their fulness?
Many shall be the blessings of the Lord in that day and that time, and to the world and for the nation it shall last a thousand years (Rev 20:4). And the Devil shall be bound and deception shall not stem from him (Rev 20:2-3), and Christ shall reign in Jerusalem (Isa 24:23) and everyone of all the nations shall come to Jerusalem to Worship the King each year (Zech 14:16-19), and righteousness will be the rule (Isa 11:4) and quick judgement against any wicked shall govern (Isa 11:4)
And 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isa 11:6-10)
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (Isa 65:19-24)
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? (Rom 11:12)
Who can comprehend what the fullness of the nation of Israel will bring? I have read to you only a foretaste of what it will be when Israel inherits the Kingdom long promised them, and when their King and our Lord, will rule from the City of Peace.
Ultimately Israel is the perfect picture of The Prodigal Son.
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