Section 2
of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what does the divine an swer say to him? I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (11:1-4). Elijah, a prophet of God, pleaded with God against Israel. However, God told Eli jah not to accuse the people before Him because He had reserved to Himself seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Paul con tinues, "So then at the present time also there is a remnant according to the selection of grace. But if by grace, it is no longer out of works; other wise grace is no longer grace" (vv. 5-6).
Paul argued in a marvelous way, always win ning his case regardless of which side of the question he debated. When in chapter 10 he said that Israel was bad, he proved how bad they were. Romans 10:21 says, "But to Israel he says, All day long I have stretched out My hands to a dis obedient and contradicting people." Certainly the worst people on earth are a disobedient and contradicting people. When we read a statement like this we are inclined to say, "Israel's situation is hopeless. Israel is finished." However, when we come to chapter eleven we see a record of