We Are Not Meant to Understand God’s Ways

Romans 11:30-31 “For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.”

The first thought that crossed my mind as I read these verses was that God is no respecter of persons. He always acts according to His unchanging character. He set a plan in motion for the nation of Israel; along with His plan He provided certain guidelines to ensure their blessings. Disobedience and rebellion would result in their being cursed according to His word. These guidelines were all clearly set before the people by Moses. Since Israel chose to rebel against God and reject Him (as a nation), God chose to set them aside for a while and work through the Gentile nations in an elect group of people of faith known as the “church.” This was an act of mercy by God. This act of mercy would spill over to the people of Israel as they responded to God’s provocation (cf v11), their desire to regain favored status before God.

The facts fall out as follows:
• Israel established in favored position with God through faith; the Gentiles are in unbelief.
• Israel rejects God; God in mercy turns to the Gentiles to establish a people of faith to assume the position rejected by Israel.
• Israel is provoked to jealousy by the Gentiles, and returns to God in faith and repentance; they are restored to favored position.
• All dealings of God with both groups are according to His mercy.

Israel’s purpose in God’s plan was to reveal God to the nations and to be examples that would cause men to turn from their wicked ways and to God in faith. When Israel rejected God, He had to establish another people of faith to continue to fulfill His purpose. In the end God’s plan will have been accomplished in spite of the failures of His chosen people—both Israel and the Church. The fact that Israel returns to God in faith and is restored to favored status in no way takes away from the blessings and privileges that He has given the church (cf v29). It is a result of God working to ensure that His covenant with Abraham is fulfilled to the last detail.

Romans 11:32 “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”

“concluded” = to shut together, i.e. include or (figuratively) embrace in a common subjection to…

Galatians 3:22 makes it clear how that mercy was shown—through the gift of Jesus—“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”

Based on the earlier chapters in Romans, we know that all men are sinners (cf 3:23). When God looked down at man, he saw His favored creation bound together in sin. His response was to show mercy and provide a way to deliver them from that bondage. That plan had to answer to God’s character in every aspect. There had to be a man without blemish or sin willing to sacrifice himself on behalf of his fellowman. The only solution was for God to send His only Son, Jesus, to become a man. He was not of the seed of Adam, so He did not have a sin nature. He became the new Adam. He lived the type of life that God had created Adam to live. He came in willing obedience to His Father. The Father gave proof of His acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice by raising Him from the dead. Only those men who acknowledge their need for His sacrifice and willingly accept His provision as a gift of God in faith will benefit from that mercy.

Note that God’s plan was for the benefit of ALL men. We are still in context flowing from verses 30&31 in reference to Jew and Gentile.

Romans 11:33 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

Depth has a reference to profundity and extent; Webster defines profound as “reaching to the bottom of a matter.” Riches have reference to wealth and abundance. The two things being referenced—God’s wisdom and His knowledge. Wisdom is the capacity to make the best use of knowledge with discernment, judgment and skill (from Webster). Knowledge is a “clear perception of fact, truth or duty.” Paul is saying that God knows all that there is to know and has the capacity to put that knowledge to the greatest use for good.

The Greek for unsearchable stated “inscrutable,” which Webster defined as “incapable of being searched into and understood by inquiry or study; impossible or difficult to be explained or accounted for satisfactorily…” The Greek for judgments references making decisions—for ways references “a road, a mode or means.” In other words, we are not capable of understanding why He makes the decisions He makes and does things the way He does them—unless He so chooses to make us understand. This verse immediately brings to mind a couple of my favorite verses in Isaiah.

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 11:34 “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?”

The first half of verse 34 made me think of a verse from my study in 1Corinthians.

1Corinthians 2:11 “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

The second half reminded me of verse in my study of Isaiah.

Isaiah 40:13-14 “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?”

In his letter to the Corinthians the answer is clear that only the Spirit of God knows the mind of God. The rhetorical questions in Isaiah as well as the last half of verse 34 have only one implied answer—No one.

Romans 11:35 “Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”

Another rhetorical question with the same implied answer—No one. God is the Creator of all things. Everything man has (including his abilities) is a gift from his Creator. There is nothing we can give to Him that we have not first received from Him.

Romans 11:36 “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

“of” = denotes origin
“through” = denoting the channel of an act, the causal agent
“to” = of place, time or purpose

God is the Creator and the provider of all things according to His purpose. He only is worthy of glory (praise, honor, worship). Amen = the exclamation point of that truth.