Why did God break off some of the branches in Romans 11?
God broke off some branches because Israel did not appreciate their position as branches of the holy root and rejected everything. When Israel rejected, God turned to the Gentiles through Paul and began calling out the Body of Christ, grafting Gentiles into the olive tree in their place.
Les teaches that in Romans 11:16 the root is holy, and so are the branches. But Israel did not appreciate that position, so God broke off some branches. The analogy is that when Israel rejected everything, God turned to the Gentiles through the apostle Paul and began to call out the Body of Christ. As He removed Israel from feeding on the root and the fatness of their father Abraham, He put the Gentiles in their place as a wild olive tree grafted in, partaking of the root and fatness. Paul also says the casting away of Israel brought the reconciling of the world, and their receiving will be life from the dead, which Les connects to Ezekiel 37's valley of dry bones and Israel's future life.
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
More Questions
What does Romans 11 teach about Israel's branches and the Gentiles being grafted in?
In Romans chapter 11, God broke off the branches of natural Israel and grafted in the Gentiles.
Why is the grafting in Romans 11 the opposite of normal grafting?
Paul's grafting illustration in Romans 11 is the direct opposite of how we normally graft trees.
How is the grafting in Romans 11 different from normal grafting?
The grafting Paul describes in Romans 11 is the direct opposite of the way people normally graft trees.