The last post in this Romans Study For Kids we looked at Romans 11:7-16. Today we will be digging into Romans 11:17-24.

Romans 11:17-24

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,

18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”

20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;

21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.

22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

Before we dig into our next section of Scripture, let’s watch this video on grafting.

 

Now as we dig into these next verses in Romans we will be able to use this grafting lesson to help us understand Romans 11:17-24

But first let’s take a look at what Jesus teaches us in the book of John. 

Read John 15:1-17 and use them to answer the questions below.

 

Who is the true vine?

__ __ __ __ __

 

Who is the vinedresser

the  __ __ __ __ __ __

 

What happens to the branches in the vine that do not bear fruit?

He  __ __ __ __ __   them   __ __ __ __

 

What happens to the branches that DO bear fruit?

He __ __ __ __ __ __ them

Who is the “He” that does all this to the branches?

__ __ __

 

Why does He prune the branches that bear fruit?

so that they will  __ __ __ __     __ __ __ __  fruit

 

Can the branch bear any fruit if it is not in the vine?

Yes           No         I don’t know

 

Can we bear fruit if we do not abide in Jesus?

Yes             No           I don’t know

 

Look at John 15:16. Who chooses who? Circle the correct answer.

you choose Jesus

Jesus chooses you

No one chooses it just happens

 

What does Jesus choose us to do? What does He appoint us to do?

to go and __ __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT….

We have been looking at God’s choice over and over in Romans 9-11 and we have also talked about what it means to bear fruit… and not just any fruit, but good fruit. 

Are you beginning to see how important it is to read the books of the Bible from the beginning of the book to the end? We would not begin a letter written to us from out mom or dad from the middle and we would not just read a couple of the words they wrote and not read the rest. 

The books in the Bible are letters that God has written us, so we should not do His letters to us that way either. We will never understand what He wants us to know if we do.

It’s okay to pick out favorite parts of the letter, I bet you do that with other letters too, but not until you have read the whole letter first. Read the whole letter first, then you just might be surprised by how many special and favorite parts you could have missed if you had not read the whole thing.

Now lets get back to Romans 11:17-24! 

Read Romans 11:17. First of all we need to figure out who is the natural branch and who is the wild olive. Draw a line connecting which one you think is which.

Jews (Israel)                                   wild olive

 

Gentiles                                   natural branch

 

When we look back at Romans 11:7-16 we can see that Paul is using the natural branches to describe Israel and the wild olive to describe the Gentiles. Circle which group you belong to.

Jew (Israel)        Gentiles        I don’t know

 

If you are of Jewish descendant and you are a Christian, then you are part of the remnant that we have been studying about… how cool is that!

Now if you are not of Jewish descent then you are a Gentile. Romans 11:17-24 is directed to Christians who were Gentiles. 

 

Read Romans 11:17 again what was broken off?

__ __ __ __  of the  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

What was grafted in to the rich root of the olive tree?

the __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __ __

 

Before we go any further, look up and read Revelation 22:16 and Romans 15:12. Who is the root?

__ __ __ __ __

 

How is the wild olive that is grafted in NOT to act toward the branches that were broken off?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

(To be arrogant means having or showing the insulting attitude of people who believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people)

 

Read Romans 11:18. Who supports who? Circle the correct answer.

you support the root          the root supports you

 

Read Romans 11:19-20. Why were the branches broken off?

their __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

How does the wild olive stand?

by __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 11:21-24. What will God do if they do not continue in unbelief but believe?

He will __ __ __ __ __ them in __ __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Do you remember the video you watched at the beginning of this lesson? What did the gardener put around the branches he grafted in?

Look up and read 2 Corinthians 1:22 and Ephesians 1:13. How does what the gardner did in the video relate to what God does for us? 

That’s enough for today!

 

In the last Romans Study For Kids post we looked at Romans 11:1-6. Today we are digging into Romans 11:7-16.

Romans 11:7-16

7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;

8 just as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not, Down to this very day.”

9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

10 “Let their eyes be darkened to see not, And bend their backs forever.”

11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.

12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!

13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. In as much then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.

15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

16 If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.

 

Read Romans 11:7. This verse begins with a question. Paul asks “What then?” We then read “What Israel was seeking, it has not obtained…” 

Now what was Israel seeking? Look back and read Romans 9:31 and Romans 10:3 to answer this question.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Who does Romans 11:7 say did receive it?

those who were __ __ __ __ __ __

Who chose them? Look back and read Romans 9:11 and Romans 11:5 to answer.

__ __ __

Read Romans 11:7 again. What happened to those who were not chosen?

they were __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Read Romans 11:8-10. How long ago did God tell us that this would happen. Who is mentioned in Romans 11:9?

__ __ __ __ __

Look up and read Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 29:10, Psalm 69:22-23, and Matthew 13:13. How many times did God warn us about this?

never      once       twice     many

Who are some of the people He used to warn us? Circle all that apply.

President Obama    Moses    David    Isaiah   Oprah

Read Romans 11:11. Once again Paul asks a question, “they did not stumble so as to fall, did they?” How does Paul answer thus question?

__ __ __     __ __    __ __ __ __ __   __ __!

What came to the Gentiles because of the transgression of Israel?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Why did God allow salvation to come to the Gentiles in this way?

to make them (the Jews) __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Read a Romans 11:12 what comparison does Paul make concerning the transgression of the Jews and the salvation of the Gentiles?

their __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

is __ __ __ __ __ __ for the __ __ __ __ __

and their __ __ __ __ __ __ __  is __ __ __ __ __ __

for the Gentiles

Look back and read Romans 5:8-10. Do you see a similar comparison here in these verses?

Yes        No        I don’t know

Read Romans 11:13-14. Who is Paul specifically addressing in these verses?

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

What ministry is Paul magnifying? Look up and read Acts 9:15 and Acts 22:21 to help you answer this question.

the ministry God gave him to __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Who is he wanting to move to jealousy by magnifying his ministry?

the __ __ __ __

Read Romans 11:15. What did Israel’s rejection of Jesus bring?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of the world

What will their acceptance of Jesus be?

__ __ __ __ from the __ __ __ __

Look up and read John 3:16-17, Romans 3:19. Romans 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:18. Who did God send Jesus to save? Circle all that apply.

the Jews

the Gentiles

You and Me

the World  

all who believe

Read Romans 11:16 and fill in the blanks to answer the questions below.

(1) if the __ __ __ __ __ piece of dough is __ __ __ __, the __ __ __ __ is __ __ __ __

(2) and if the __ __ __ __ is __ __ __ __,

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  are __ __ __

THINK ABOUT IT…

Do you have any play-doh or molding clay? Or if your mom has time you could mix up some cookie or biscuit dough to help illustrate what God is teaching us in the first part of Romans 11:16. 

Get the dough all ready and pinch a piece off. When you pinched it off did it change any?

Now mix it back into the dough. Can you tell where you removed it?

No you can’t. When we make cookies we begin with one dough and then we take from that dough an if that dough is good, then the cookies will be also.

Now let’s think about the second part of Romans 11:16.

Did you hear in the news about a man named Harvey Updike who poisoned the trees at Toomer’s Corner at Auburn University? 

Take a moment to look up this story. How did he poison the trees? Did he pour it on the branches? 

No, he poured it on the roots. 

Why? 

Because what ever happens to the roots effects the branches.

That’s enough for today. We will look at Romans 11:17-24 tomorrow.

 

Our Romans Study For Kids continues…

Romans 9:14-18

 14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 

 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 

 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 

 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” 

 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

 

************************************

 

Read Romans 9:14. How does this verse begin? Circle the correct answer.

with a question     with a statement      with a lie

 

Read Romans 9:14 again. How does Paul answer the question, “There is no injustice with God, is there?”

__ __ __      __ __      __ __ __ __ __    __ __ !

 

THINK ABOUT IT….

Can we ever say that God is not fair?  

 

Read Romans 9:15. What did God say to Moses? Fill in the blanks below to answer.

“I will have  __ __ __ __ __  on whom I have  __ __ __ __ __,  and I will have  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  on whom I have __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.”

 

Look up and read Deuteronomy 33:19 to see when God say this to Moses. Now read Deuteronomy 32:1 to see the context in which God says this to Moses. The children of Israel had not waited on Moses or God. They instead made a gold image of a calf and began to worship it. God could have destroyed the entire nation right then, but He didn’t. Instead He showed them mercy. They did not deserve it. They did not earn it, but God gave it anyway, because He had chosen them.

 

Read Romans 9:16. What does it depend on to be a child of the promise? (Romans 9:8) Circle the correct answer.

the man who wills        the man who runs        God who has mercy

 

Read Romans 9:17-18. Have you ever thought about how God demonstrated His power through a Pharaoh who did not serve Him or love Him?

Look up and read Exodus 7:8-13 and answer the following questions:

When Moses told Aaron to throw down his staff and God turned it into a serpent Pharaoh told his magicians to do the same thing. Were Pharaoh’s men able to turn their staffs into serpents? Circle your answer.

Yes              No

 

What happened to the serpents that were made by Pharaoh’s men? Circle your answer.

the magicians serpents slithered away

Aaron’s serpent ate the magicians serpents

the magicians serpents killed Aaron’s serpent

 

watch the video below now.

At the beginning of this video we hear Pharaoh’s magicians calling out names. These names are all names of some of the god’s that the Egyptians worshiped. The Egyptians worshiped many false gods. They even believed that Pharaoh was a god to be worshiped. The true God begins here with the staff of Aaron to begin to show Israel, Egypt, and all the surrounding nations that He is the One and Only True God.

 

Look up and read Exodus 7:14 – 10:10 and Exodus 12:29-30 to learn about all the plagues that God sent to Egypt.

Watch the video below now.

Each of these plagues represented the false gods that the Egyptians worshiped. God had specifically chosen these plagues and He was using the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart to show the children of Israel and all of Egypt that He alone was God. Through these plagues He was showing them that He was more powerful than any of the gods they worshiped.

 

Look up and read Exodus 14:5-31 to learn about the end of Pharaoh.

Watch the video below now. 

Do you remember that the Egyptians also worshiped Pharaoh as a god? So God used the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart and the splitting of the Red Sea to once again show that He alone was God. He showed His power and authority over all rulers, all gods, and over all creation, like the sky and the seas.

 

Look up and read Joshua 2:1-13 and answer the following questions. Circle your answers: 

Had other nations heard about what God had done in Egypt? 

Yes                    No

 

Go back and read Romans 9:17. Had God displayed His power throughout the whole earth?   

Yes                     No

 

THINK ABOUT IT….

If Pharaoh would have let the children of Israel go when Aaron’s staff was turned into a serpent and ate his magicians serpents do you think the whole earth would have heard about it?

They most likely would not. God raised Pharaoh up and used his hard heart to show the whole earth who the real God is. God also showed the world during this time that we did not have to be a child of Jacob, Isaac, or Abraham to become a child of His. 

Anyone who believed in Him and obeyed Him could be His. It is still the same today. Our salvation has always came through faith. Simply believing God and taking Him at His word. 

Rahab was not child of Jacob, Isaac, or Abraham but she was saved because she believed God. 

Look up and read Matthew 1:1-6. Whose name do you see listed as part of the family of Jesus? Rahab! That’s right.

Do you believe God? Are you a part of the family of Jesus? Remember it is believing the gospel that saves us all.

We continue in our Romans Study For Kids.

Today we will be beginning a new section in the book of Romans. We will be studying through Romans 9, Romans 10, and Romans 11. This section is called the Scope of Salvation. In this section we will be learning about God’s choice, man’s responsibility, and how God has not rejected Israel.

Let’s begin by digging into Romans 9!

 

Read Romans 9:1-2 and answer the following questions. 

Who is the “I” in this verse?

 

______________________

 

What is he telling?

 

__ __ __       __ __ __ __ __

 

How is he telling it?

 

in  __ __ __ __ __ __

 

in the  __ __ __ __     __ __ __ __ __ __

 

What does he say about himself?

 

I am not  __ __ __ __ __

 

I have great  __ __ __ __ __ __  and unceasing __ __ __ __ __ in my heart

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Does it sound like Paul is sad? Does it sound like he wants us to know that what he is sharing is true and that God is speaking through him? 

Let’s study further to see if we can find out why Paul is so sad.

 

Read Romans 9:3 and answer the questions below.

What does Paul wish?

That he himself was  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __,  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

from __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Why does he wish this?

for the sake of my  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __, my __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Look up and read 2 Corinthians 11:22 and Philippians 3:5. Who are Paul’s brethren and kinsmen? Circle the correct answer.

Greeks        Romans         Indians        Hebrews

 

Read Romans 9:4. What is another name for the Hebrews? 

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 9:4-5. What eight things do you learn about the Israelites?

 

1) to whom belongs the _______________________________

2) and the _______________________________

3) and the _______________________________

4) and the _______________________________

5) and the ________________________________

6) and the ________________________________

7) whose are the ________________________________

8) and from whom is the _______________________

 

Now let’s take some time to find out what these eight things you just listed from Romans 9:4-5 are all about. It is time for some cross-referencing so that we can let Scripture interpret (or explain) Scripture. You don’t have to write anything down. I just want you to look it up, read, and discover!

1) Look up and read Exodus 4:21-22 to find out when the Israelites received God’s adoption as sons.

2) Look up and read Exodus 40:34-35 to find out what glory the Israelites received.

3) Look up and read Genesis 17:1-7 to find out about the covenant.  

4) Look up and read Deuteronomy 5:1-22 to find out about the giving of the Law

5) Look up and read Exodus 25:8-9 , 1 Kings 6:1, and Hebrews 9:1 to learn about the temple. This was first the tabernacle, then Solomon built the house of the Lord.

6) Look up and read Genesis 12:1-3 to learn about the promises.

7) Look up and read Acts 3:13 to learn who the fathers were.

8) Look up and read Matthew 1:1-16 to learn how Jesus came from the Israelites.

 

WOW! That was an awesome time of study! Good job! How about taking a break now and just think about all that you just learned.

 

Read Romans 9:5. What three things do you learn about Christ in this verse?

1) He came from the Israelites according to the flesh (He was born a Jew)

2) He is  __ __ __ __   __ __ __  

3) He is  __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __ __ __  forever

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

If all that you learned by digging in to Romans 9:4-5 is true, then why is Paul so upset. What have his brethren, the Israelites, not believed? 

I hope you have said, the gospel. 

Remember that is what Paul has been teaching us about up to this point. Remember that the theme of the book of Romans is that the gospel is the power of salvation and that salvation is by faith, the righteous man shall live by faith (Romans 1:16-17). 

So now the question is, if all this that you learned about the Israelites is true, then has God’s Word and His promises failed?

Let’s keep studying to find out!

 

Read Romans 9:6. 

How does Paul answer the question we just asked?

But it is  __ __ __  as though the word of God has failed.

Has God’s Word failed? Circle the correct answer.

Yes                 No

 

Read Romans 9:6-7. How does Paul explain that God’s Word has not failed?

For they are  __ __ __  all  __ __ __ __ __ __  who are descended from

__ __ __ __ __ __  nor are they all  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ because they

are  Abraham’s  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Look up and read Genesis 22:15-19. We learn about two sons in this verse.  Circle the name of the son that God said was the son of the covenant and the son that was promised by God.

Ishmael             Isaac

 

Look up and read Galatians 3:6-9. In verse 7 who are the sons of Abraham?

those who are of  __ __ __ __ __

 

Now look back in our study to Romans 2:28-29 and let us remember what we have already leaned about who is a true Jew or Israelite.

he is a Jew who is one  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 9:8. Who are the children of God? Circle the correct answer.

children of the flesh         children of the promise

 

Read Romans 9:9. What was the word of promise?

At this time I will come, and  __ __ __ __ __  will have a son

 

Read Romans 9:10. Who do you read about in this verse?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __     and     __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 9:10-13. How many kids did Isaac and Rebekah have? Circle your answer.

1             3           5           2

 

Were they twins? Circle your answer.

Yes                No

 

Read Romans 9:10-13 again and decide whether the following statement are True or False. Fill in the blank with a T or F.

 

_______   Jacob did a better job of making God happy that is why God loved him more.

 

_______   Rebekah and Isaac got to pick the child they wanted God to bless.

 

_______  God said the older kid is always boss.

 

_______  God had chosen before the children were born who would be the child to carry the promise.

 

_______  The works of the children had nothing to do with God’s choice

 

Look up and read Matthew 1:2. Which of Isaac and Rebekah’s sons is in the family of Jesus?

 

____________________

 

Look up and read Galatians 3:16, 26-29. Who is the promised seed or son that allows us to be descendants of Abraham? Circle the correct answer.

Isaac           Ishmael           Jesus           Superman

 

Just to know, look up and read Genesis 3:15 to find out when this promise was first given.

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Do you remember that we have already learned earlier in Romans that salvation comes from believing God. We learned that salvation has always been by faith. 

God made a promise right after the fall that He would send a seed to be our Savior. Since the garden He has chosen who would carry that seed from family to family until Jesus would come.

We can follow this all the way through the Bible. Below is just part of the trail:

Adam to Seth to Noah to Shem to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah to David to Jesus… 

God made a promise and He kept it. It didn’t matter how bad the men had messed up, when God called them they came, and God protected them because He was protecting the promise and the seed. 

Romans 9:11 assures us that God saves and keeps us saved according to His choice and His purpose and His promise. How important is it to you to know this about God when you have messed up? 

Isn’t it great to know that God keeps us saved in Jesus because He promised He would. 

That’s enough for today. We will look at Romans 9:14-18 next.