Romans Chapter 11 Vs. 7

 

The Remnant of Israel

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded Rom 11:7

What then?... Question 75. Next, Rom. 11:11. What then is the real case under discussion? It is this, Israel has so earnestly desired. The election or chosen ones only have obtained it. The rest have been blinded.

In spite of their intense religious zeal, the Jews of Paul’s day had failed to obtain God’s righteousness.

The Elect are those whom God graciously had chosen in turn sought and found His righteousness.

rest were blinded... By a judicial act of God, in response to their hardened hearts. As we learned (in Romans 1), God gave them over to a reprobate mind.

Paul then discussed what “a remnant chosen by grace” out of Israel meant for the people as a whole. The situation was ironic. The Jews zealously sought to be accepted by God on the basis of works and the righteousness of the Law (cf. Rom. 10:2-3). However, they were not accepted by God; only the elect were, because of God’s sovereign choice by grace. The others were hardened (cf. Rom. 11:25). What it means to be hardened is seen from Paul’s explanatory and supporting quotations. The first is taken from both Deut. 29:3-4 and Isa. 29:10, and indicates that hardening involves spiritual drowsiness (stupor is the rendering of katanyxeōs, “a numbness resulting from a sting”), blindness.