Has God Cast Away Israel?

When we left our Romans study last time, we listened as Paul told us many Gentiles are being saved, but most of Israel remains in unbelief. This all begs a question Paul asked in Romans 11:1, "I say then, has God cast away His people?" The word translated "then" is the Greek word "therefore." Some would conclude the Apostle Paul taught God had forever washed His hands of His responsibility toward Israel as a nation.
Because this thought was in the minds of his readers, Paul decided to bring it out into the light to deal with it. What you and I cannot see in the English translation is how Paul constructed the initial question in the Greek so the expected answer is no. Paul asked the question, did God cast away the Jewish people? Then answered it unequivocally. The very idea was "impossible!" or "unthinkable." Why was it so impossible? The Apostle gave two reasons in this paragraph.
I. It Is Impossible Because I Was Saved (v. 1-2a)
II. It Is Impossible Because of God's Grace (v. 2b-6)