Scripture Daily

Context No. 1510 of 4322 · Romans

Context · Reflection

Romans 11:1-6: in context

1I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel: 3“Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.” 4But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And 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.

Paul asks whether God has rejected his people Israel, and answers emphatically, by no means. He points to himself, an Israelite, as evidence, and then recalls Elijah. The prophet, in despair, had complained to God that the people had killed the prophets and torn down the altars, and that he alone was left, and they were seeking his life. But how did God answer him? I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too now, Paul says, there is a remnant, chosen by grace; and if by grace, then not by works.

The moment worth dwelling on is Elijah's despairing complaint and God's answer. Elijah was sure he stood entirely alone: I alone am left, and they seek my life. In the depth of his discouragement, it seemed to him that faithfulness had died out with everyone but himself, that he was the last one left who had not bowed to Baal. And God corrected him: I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Elijah was not alone at all; there were seven thousand faithful ones he knew nothing about, whom God had preserved. His sense of standing alone was simply mistaken. There is real encouragement in this for the times we feel we are the only ones left holding to God, that faithfulness has died out around us and we stand alone. Elijah felt exactly that, and he was wrong; God had a faithful remnant he could not see. We are almost never as alone in our faith as we feel. In discouraged moments it seems that everyone has given up, that no one else cares about God, that we are the last faithful soul; but God has his seven thousand, faithful people we know nothing of, preserved by his grace. The loneliness of feeling that we alone are faithful is real, but it is usually mistaken. God has kept for himself more than we can see, and we do not stand as alone as we think.

When I feel that I am the only one left holding to God, that faithfulness has died out around me, can I remember Elijah's mistake, that God had seven thousand he did not know about, and trust that I am not as alone in my faith as I feel?

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