You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
-Romans 11:19-21, NIV
Often times, God refers to His relationship with Israel as a marriage. He is the groom and Israel is the bride. The covenant putting them in this relationship is analogous to human marriage vows as the metaphor goes.
Here in Romans 11, we see that some of Israel is “divorced” permanently from God.
They are broken off and “not spare[d]” as the Apostle Paul writes. God explicitly separates Himself from the faithless members of the covenant and does not spare them from judgment for their unfaithful actions like a faithful husband divorcing an adulteress.
The flip-side of this chilling judgment picture is that Gentiles are brought into covenant relationship with God. In other words–mixing metaphors–God remarries. The faithless Israelites are broken off–i.e. sent away–to make room for the Gentiles who come to God by faith as Paul teaches here.
So, the Bible has a picture of God divorcing remorseless “cheaters” and then remarrying a people willing to honor His covenant by accepting Him in faith. This “remarriage” has brought forth great fruit for most of us would never enjoy the benefits of God’s first covenant as we are not Jewish. We are Gentiles.
