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Imagine being the first one to cross the finish line of a world-class marathon, only to see the officials give the prize to someone else. Even worse, gold medals go to everyone who dropped out and to many who did not even enter the race. You find out that you and all who finished have been disqualified and penalized for entering an illegal marathon.
Such is the picture we see in Romans 11:7–10, where the themes of election and reprobation take center stage against the backdrop of Old Testament prophecy. Paul begins chapter 11 by reminding his readers that God has not rejected His people—His elect—by citing himself, an Israelite, as an example. He then reinforces his argument by calling them back to Elijah’s day to remind them that God always reserves for Himself a “remnant according to the election of grace” (11:5). Paul stresses that the doctrine of election according to grace was not new to Israel; rather, it was cradled within the oracles of God that were entrusted to them (9:4).
Yet that which was a privilege they regarded as a right. Pride caused the “precious cornerstone” (1 Peter 2:6, NIV) to become “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense” (Rom. 9:33; 1 Peter 2:8). Their awaited Messiah became their Judge.
The nation of Israel made the fatal mistake of pursuing righteousness by its own efforts (10:3). When the Jews looked into the law of God, they did not see their need for Christ; they saw an opportunity for achievement. Self-righteousness is a direct violation of the most fundamental principle in Scripture, which Paul labors in 11:6. Because of this, “ ‘ God has given them a spirit of stupor [and] eyes that they should not see . . . ’ ” (11:8). Instead of running to the cross, they inevitably ran headlong into “ ‘a snare and a trap’ ” that was prepared for them (11:9).
The curses delivered to Israel should serve as sobering reminders for us. Dr. James M. Boice reminds us that many in the church are not exempt from falling into the same error as Israel. He warns, “It is entirely possible (indeed probable) that many sitting in the evangelical churches of America today are also missing salvation because of their failure to trust Jesus in a personal way and that their blessings have become curses, too.”
Scripture likens the Christian experience to a race (1 Cor. 9:24–27; Heb. 12:1–2). Like a race, there is a start, finish, prize, and much striving. Focus and endurance are keys for victory. Unlike those in the “illegal marathon,” the elect realize they cannot reach the real finish line by their own strivings. They see that the goal of righteousness is far beyond their reach. They need a champion to run in their stead. He, of course, is Christus Victor, Christ our Victor, “the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (10:4)—Messiah!