God Is Always At Work

“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!” – Romans 11:11-12

Israel’s rejection of Christ was not the end of their story—it was a turning point in God’s redemptive plan. Through their fall, salvation came to the Gentiles. What looked like failure was actually a doorway. God used their rejection to extend grace to the nations. This wasn’t a detour in God’s plan—it was part of it. And if their fall brought such blessing to the world, imagine the glory that will come when they are restored. God’s purpose is always to redeem, to restore, and to bring beauty from ashes.

Paul is building a case not only for God’s faithfulness to Israel but also for His wisdom in using even rejection for good. The early church was largely Jewish. The apostles, the first believers, the first missionaries—all Jewish. But as the gospel spread, many in Israel turned away. And yet, God used that very resistance to open the floodgates of salvation to the Gentiles. It’s a reminder that God can use even the hardest moments to accomplish His purposes. If He can bring global blessing through rejection, how much more will He do through restoration? Paul is preparing his readers—especially Gentile believers—to see the bigger picture. God’s story isn’t finished, and His promises haven’t failed.

This truth should stir both humility and hope in us. Humility, because we are recipients of grace that came through another’s fall. Hope, because God is not done with any of us. Maybe you’ve experienced rejection, failure, or seasons where it felt like everything fell apart. But if God can use Israel’s fall to bless the world, He can use your brokenness too. Don’t count yourself—or anyone else—out. God’s purposes are redemptive. He restores what’s been lost. He brings fullness where there was once failure. So trust Him with your story. God is always working, even when it looks like everything is falling apart.

“The fall of the Jews was the riches of the world, and their diminishing the riches of the Gentiles; their rejection made way for the calling of the Gentiles. Much more shall their recovery be beneficial to the world.” — Matthew Poole