Romans 11:25-36

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;
26: and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.”
27: “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”

28: 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;
29: for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30: For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
31: so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
32: For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

33: Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
34: For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35: Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN?
36: For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

*** 

Paul concluded his main discussion of the letter regarding doctrine by saying that he wanted them to realize this mystery which God had hidden until then, which was that once the "fulness of the Gentiles" has come, Israel (the actual Jewish nation, not "spiritual Israel" which is both the Jew and Gentile believer) will be saved.

There is a timing to this age of Gentile Christians, and during this age the bulk of Israel remains as unbelievers in Christ. Yet, there is a time coming where they, for the most part, will receive the Deliverer, their Messiah—Jesus Christ. Paul referenced Scriptures in Isaiah 59: 20-21 and Psalm 14:7 to point this out.

God has not revoked the gift or calling He’s placed on the Jews. Rather, just as mercy came on the Gentiles because of the Jews rejection of the Gospel, and because of their preservation of the Law and oracles of God concerning the Messiah who would save both Jew and Gentile by faith, so will mercy come on the Jew again through the Gentile believers. It’s like the Jews were the good son who wanted to please the Father but couldn’t. The Gentiles were the bad son who didn’t care if they pleased the Father or not, until they saw Jesus as the way to come out of their sinful ways and into true life. When the good son sees that the bad son has discovered a way to be good, to please the Father, and live in His promised life like they were supposed to be doing all along, they too will eventually follow the way.

Paul admired the depth of the wisdom of God who had thought this through. He is beyond man’s understanding, authoring all things.


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