Romans 11 « CONNECT/HOOK

What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain.
The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written:

God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear,
to this very day.

And David says:

May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!
Rather, because of their transgression,
salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
But if their transgression means riches for the world,
and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,
how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

Romans 11 (NIV)

Check out the BRIDE @ 9:52 !
(Don’t you love the noisy gongs andclanging symbols ?)

I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?