Today is Day 11 of our current series, where we're working through Part 2 of the Not Ashamed of the Gospel Bible study from Hellomornings. Thanks for joining me here.
Our Bible reading for today is Romans 11: 25 - 32 ...
So that you will not be conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: A partial hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The Liberator will come from Zion;
'He will turn away godlessness from Jacob.
27 And this will be My covenant with them
when I take away their sins.'
28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs, 29 since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. 30 As you once disobeyed God, but now have received mercy through their disobedience, 31 so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also now may receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all.
The "mystery" Paul speaks of in verse 25 is that, in spite of what they may have feared (and as many modern Christians mistakenly believe), the nation of Israel has not been cut off from faith in Christ permanently.
Rather, it is a temporary season, until all the Gentiles who will believe are saved. When that point is reached, the Jews' hardness of heart against Christ will be lifted, and many will be saved by faith.
Three important things to note about this:
The Church has not replaced the nation of Israel in the plan of salvation.
Individual Jews can come to salvation by faith in Jesus in the intervening period - the Scripture here is referring to the nation as a whole.
Not every Jewish person will come to salvation (sadly) - it is and will always be an individual decision, and no one will be saved without faith in Jesus, no matter what their race, culture, or nationality. The "all" in verse 26 signifies "a large proportion", indicating that so many Jews will be saved that they will represent the nation of Israel as a whole.