神的丰富，智慧和知识是何等的大！ The Greatness of God’s riches, wisdom and knowledge!

罗马书 11：25－36  Romans 11:25-36

弟兄们，我不愿意你们不知道这奥秘，就是以色列人有几分是硬心的，等到外邦人的数目添满了，於是以色列全家都要得救。如经上所记：必有一位救主从锡安出来，要消除雅各家的一切罪恶；又说：这就是我与他们所立的约，我要除去他们的罪。

这样，就著福音说，他们为你们的缘故是仇敌；就著拣选说，他们为列祖的缘故是蒙爱的。因为神的恩赐和选召是没有后悔的。你们从前不顺服神，如今因他们的不顺服，你们倒蒙了怜恤。这样，他们也是不顺服，叫他们因著施给你们的怜恤，现在也就蒙怜恤。因为神将众人都圈在不顺服之中，特意要怜恤众人。

深哉，神丰富的智慧和知识！ 他的判断何其难测！ 他的踪迹何其难寻！ 谁知道主的心？ 谁作过他的谋士呢？ 谁是先给了他，使他后来偿还呢？ 因为万有都是本於他，倚靠他，归於他。愿荣耀归给他，直到永远。阿们！

现今有一个奥秘， 就是以色列人有几分是硬心的，於是他们没有得救。等到外邦人得救的数目添满了，以色列全家都要得救。这个数目是什么而这事情会几时发生呢？我们不知道，只有神才会知道。等到这个数目添满了，以色列全家就要得救，因为神的应许是确实的：神与他们所立的约是永恒的，他要除去他们的罪。

就著福音来说，他们是神的仇敌；但就著拣选说，他们是蒙爱的，是被拣选的。所以他们仍然是蒙神所爱的子民，不是为他们的缘故，而是应为神已经拣选了他们的列祖，亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的缘故。当神赐他的应允和恩赐，他不会后悔与回转的。这是一件奥妙的事 － 外邦人曾经是神的敌人， 不顺服神， 但因犹太人的不顺服，他们倒蒙了怜恤。如今，借着外邦人，神也怜恤犹太人。这样，神将众人都圈在不顺服之中，特意要怜恤众人, 无论是犹太人或外邦人。

在此显明了神的丰富、智慧和知识； 他的判断何其难测； 他的踪迹何其难寻！ 谁能超越他的思考呢？ 谁能超越他所赐的恩赐呢？谁能超越他的作为呢？  “因为万有都是本於他，倚靠他，归於他。愿荣耀归给他，直到永远。阿们！”

I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”

Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

The present mystery is: a portion of the Israelites is hardened in their hearts, and so, they are unsaved. But they will remain in this condition until “the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.” What is the full number and when this is going to happen we do not know, only God knows. And when this happens, ALL Israel will also be saved because God’s promise to them is sure: He has made an everlasting covenant with Israel to turn them from ungodliness and save them from their sins.

According to the gospel, the Israelites are now enemies of God but according to selection, they are chose and loved of God. Thus they are still the people that God loves, not because of themselves, but because He has chosen their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And when God promised and gave, His gifts are irrevocable. Here is a strange happening – Gentiles were once enemies with God but when the Jews rebelled against God, He turned to show His favor to Gentiles. So now, through the Gentiles, God is showing His mercy to the Jews, which means that His mercy is shown to everyone, Gentile and Jew alike.

Herein lies God’s greatness in riches, wisdom and knowledge; and His decisions and ways of doing things are unfathomable! We can’t out-think God. We can’t out-give God, and we can’t out-do God! “For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.”