ROMANS 11: 25-32
THE FUTURE SALVATION OF ISRAEL
[Isaiah 60]
The crowning outcome of the discussion in chapters 9-11 is "THE FUTURE SALVATION OF ISRAEL." The culminating point is that God has promised to save Israel. For the same mercy that has overtaken the Gentiles who were once disobedient toward God will finally overtake disobedient Israel. This revelation disclosed the mystery of God's purpose for Israel.
Israel's harden heartedness has not been total and now we learn that it will it be permanent. Israel's rejection of God did not force God to reject them. For out of Israel has come a believing remnant and this remnant is the first fruits of the salvation of Israel as a whole.
The restoration of Israel has always been part of God's plan. This final restoration is not just for a faithful remnant but for all Israel. It is a plan of mystery and mercy. For the word of God's promise [revealed in Isaiah 59:20-21 & Jeremiah 31:33] must be fulfilled. The new covenant will not be complete until it fully embraces the people of the old covenant (CIT).
Let's use the following outline to guide us through our study:
I. A COVENANT MYSTERY, 25-27.
II. AN IRREVOCABLE CALLING, 28-29.
III. A MYSTERIOUS MERCY, 30-32.
A mystery which can not be gained by insight or by understanding is revealed in verse 25. "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;"
Israel's corporate stumbling, which is temporary, not permanent, is called a mystery. In Scripture a mystery is not a truth difficult to understand, but a truth previously unrevealed (and therefore unknown) which is now revealed and publicly proclaimed (Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:26; Mt. 13:10-16). Mystery relates to things once hidden but now made known or revealed by God (16:25; Mk. 4:11; Eph. 1:9). Paul wanted to make sure his readers knew about the mystery of God's plan concerning Israel. God purpose for revealing this mystery is "so that you may not be conceited" (Lit., "wise in yourselves"). The salvation of anyone is a matter of God's grace, not of their own merits and it will be the same for Israel. The salvation of anyone is because of God's grace and is not a basis for personal boasting [but for a display of His glory].
In Romans 11:25 are two specific facts about Israel's hardening (vv.7-8): (a) it is partial or "in part" (because there were-are Jews being saved, v. 5), and (b) it is temporary [because it will end when the time of the of Gentiles is fulfilled]. ["Hardening" is prsis ("hardening, dulling"); it differs from the verb sklrynei ("hardens") used of Pharaoh (9:18) and the noun sklrotta ("stubbornness," lit., "hardening," 2:5). The first noun (prsis) refers to dullness, the second suggests stubbornness.]
When God turned His gospel toward the all the nations of the world many would believe it and receive the righteousness provided by grace. In order to achieve this goal Israel's relationship as God's Chosen People was rescinded for a time because of Israel's partial hardening. Israel's condition is partial in that there are genuine believers and it is temporary in that there will be a restoration of the fortunes of the people of Israel. When will Israel's temporary hardness end? Israel's hardness will end when "the full number (plrma, "fullness") of the Gentiles has come in." The fullness of the Gentiles refers to the time when the full complement of non-Jews will have believed and come into the kingdom.
Now the fullness of the Gentiles is different from the times of the Gentiles. The times of the Gentiles (Luke 21) deals with the recovering of Jerusalem. In Luke 21, Jesus said Jerusalem would be trodden down until the "times of the Gentiles" are fulfilled. [In 1967 Jerusalem was recaptured by Israel. It could very well be that the "times of the Gentiles" were fulfilled in 1967. We are simply in overtime right now, due to God's goodness and patience. If you got saved after 1967, aren't you glad He took us into overtime as God prepares His people for their upcoming salvation.]
But the fullness of the Gentiles is a different issue. What is the fullness of the Gentiles? Again, it's when the full number of Gentiles are saved. In other words, there is a Gentile somewhere on the earth who will be the last one saved before the rapture. When that person acknowledges Jesus Christ as Lord, the fullness of the Gentiles will be complete, and at that moment, we'll be raptured. So if you're not yet saved—get saved. You could do us all a great favor because you might be the last one!
The Lord will wait until all one hundred are in the flock. He'll leave the ninety-nine and search out the one, and when that last one is brought into the fold, the fullness of the Gentiles concludes and up we go. The times of the Gentiles deals with Jerusalem; the fullness of the Gentiles deals with the last individual coming into the fold and accepting Jesus Christ—which will usher in the Rapture and the completion of the Gentile Age (Acts 13:48).
Verse 26 asserts and promises the future salvation of all Israel. "and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob."
As Israel's hardening gave opportunity for Gentile blessing so the conclusion of Gentile blessing will give rise to the new day of opportunity for Israel so great that "all Israel will be saved." So after "the fullness of the Gentiles" or the rapture the partial hardening of Israel will be removed and all Israel will be saved, that is, "delivered" ("saved" often means "delivered").
To confirm this, Paul quotes from Isaiah 59:20-21 and 27:9 which make three affirmations. Their Salvation comes from the Messiah or "the Deliverer." There is no doubt that something unusual should be expected in terms of Israel's future response to the Messiah whom they reject to a great extent at this time.
The statement, "All Israel will be saved" does not mean that every Jew living at Christ's return will be regenerated. It means Israel as a people, a collective unit, not specifically every Jew. Many of them will not be saved, as seen by the fact that the judgment of Israel, to follow soon after the Lord's return, will include the removal of Jewish rebels (Ezek. 20:34-38). Following this judgment God will then remove godlessness and sins from the nation which is the second result or affirmation [as He establishes His New Covenant with regenerate Israel (Jer. 31:33-34)]. The second task of the Deliverer is to turn away godlessness from Jacob, which is far more difficult than delivering them from a physical foe.
[The gather stated in Ezek. 20:34 is also see in Matthew 24, when God says He's going to bring the elect (Isa. 45:4) from all corners, it means He's going to gather His people, the Jewish nation together in the Tribulation.]
Verse 27 reveals a third result of the Deliverer is the establishment of His Covenant with Israel which promises the taking away of their sin. "This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."
Sin is what separates us from God. One of the main ingredients of justification by faith is the removal of sin (Rom. 4:25; 5:8, 9, 19; 8:1-3). After the Messiah turns Israel away from ungodliness He will establish His covenant with them and take away their sin. The new covenant will not be complete until it embraces the people of the old covenant.
The covenant reference reminds us of Jeremiah 31:31-34 & 32:37-40. Why shall it not be broken as the first covenant was? The reason is, "I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." The power of salvation is God's grace and the only condition is one's faith. [God choose Israel in His grace and not because of any merit on her part (Deut. 7:6-11; 9:1-6). If He did not choose them because of their merit He will not reject them because of their sin.]
This national conversion is also predicted in Zechariah 12:10, Jeremiah 46:28, Ezekiel 37:21, 25 & Amos 9:15.
II. AN IRREVOCABLE CALLING, 28-29.
These verses sum up some of what has been previously taught. Though the Jews have taken a stand against the Gospel and its converts they are still chosen and loved by God as verse 28 states. "From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;"
Here Paul summarized God's dealings with Israel and with the Gentiles. In order for God to facilitate bringing the gospel to Gentiles He had to deal with Israel corporately as enemies. They had rejected God's message by His Son, and thus proved themselves His enemies even while they called Him their God. They activity opposed God by preventing people from hearing the gospel.
But in relation to God's choice (election) of Abraham and His covenant with him and the patriarchs, Israel is beloved. Because God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (9:6-13), He loves their descendants and will carry through on His promises.
This is another reason Israel's hardening must be temporary (11:15, 22-25) and she must finally be saved corporately: God chose her. He does not revoke what He has given or whom He has chosen (1:6; 8:30).
Verse 29 indicates that Israel will never fall beyond recovery. "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
Why will God gather Israel? Because His calling is sure. The privileges and invitation of God given to Israel have not been withdrawn. He has not changed His mind about Israel. Nor does He change His mind about you. Even if we are faithless, He remains faithful because He cannot deny His nature (2 Timothy 2:13).
"God's gifts and His call are irrevocable" (lit., "for not repented of are the grace-gifts and the calling of God"). These gifts are the special privileges mentioned in 9:4-5.
God must be faithful to His word.
Realize that if you are a child of God, He will never reject you either. He will not discard you. If you have been saved by His grace, He will keep you in His grace.
III. A MYSTERIOUS MERCY, 30-32.
This section show again how the Jews and the Gentiles benefit each other. When ever God show mercy to one group, the other eventually shares in the blessing.
So yet another grounds for confidence concerning Israel future is God's mercy. For as verse 30 states God shows mercy to the disobedient. "For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,"
God's purpose must be implemented to be effective. Mercy is what is must be given. God has already been merciful to you disobedient but repentant Gentile. You, indicating you gentiles is emphatic. The Gentiles to whom Paul wrote were at one time disobedient to God, but in this Age of Grace Gentiles have now received mercy.
We are not to think God's mercy strange because it was us who stood in dying need of it in our disobedience. You were lost in the darkness and pollution of disobedience, till God in mercy redeemed you from your vain manner of life. Someday He will do so to His people Israel also.
Verse 31 reminds that we too were recipients of God's unmerited mercy. "so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy."
It was Jewish disobedience that sent the gospel to us. Israel is now corporately disobedient to God so that when God's mercy to the Gentiles (you) reaches its full number (Rom. 11:25), Israel will again receive mercy (vv. 26-27).
Verse 32 reminds us that all are sinners and all that would be saved stand in need of God's mercy. "For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all."
Here the argument is summed up in such a way as to disclose God's purpose and plan. Disobedience places us in dungeon with no possibility of escape. When Adam disobeyed (5:19) all were constituted sinners because all humanity sinned in Adam (5:12).
God's ultimate purpose is to have mercy on . . . all. To do so justly God has bound (synekleisen, "enclosed, shut in on all sides") all men over to disobedience. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (3:23). "Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin" (3:9), so that "there is no difference" (3:22). The disobedience of the Jews enables God to show mercy to the Gentiles. Then, when that purpose is achieved, He will again show mercy to Israel corporately. [Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy B. The Bible Knowledge Com.. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 486.] God shows mercy on all without distinction [not on all without exception. Everyone will not be saved, except they repent and turn to Jesus for mercy].
Disobedience does not have the last word (Gal. 3:22). God's plans will not be thwarted. He will one day ‘have mercy on them all.'
IN CLOSING
Israel's harden condition is partial in that there are genuine believers, and it is temporary in that there will be a restoration of the fortunes of the people of Israel. In His divine wisdom, God chose to use the rejection of Christ by His people as a means of reaching the Gentiles so that through His abundant demonstration of grace to them Israel might be brought to a realization of the grace of God in Christ. The tragedy of Israel's unbelief is therefore used by God to bring about the victory of Gentile evangelization, which, in turn, will lead to Jewish restoration. God has not altered His plans or forsaken His people. Even in the midst of human obstinacy and rebellion, God can and will use all things to bring about His eternal purposes. [See Isaiah 60.]
Israel's rejection of her Messiah was both tragic and necessary. It accomplished God's purpose in sending Christ to die and set the stage for the extension of the gospel to the Gentiles. This hardening is only temporary and will last until "the full number of Gentiles has come in" (v. 25). God has not rejected His people Israel. He continues to have a purpose for them and will fulfill all the promises made to Abraham and his descendants.
It is no accident that the World's eye is turned toward the Middle East. This part of the world is important, not only for it's oil, but also because it is the stage on which the final act of God's redemptive drama will be played out.
There have been many revivals down through the ages. The greatest revival yet to come will be the day when Israel as a nation recognizes its Messiah and turns to Jesus Christ for salvation. The hardening and subsequent salvation of Israel is a mystery in both the biblical and the traditional sense. In many ways God's plan for His people Israel is unfathomable.
As one of William Cowper's most famous poems begins, "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm." Yes God most certainly still moves in a mysterious way "His wonders to perform."
