Romans 11:25-27 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part 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 deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
Paul believes that Israel’s rejection of Jesus as their Messiah is temporary because of God’s promises in Scripture. Someday, Israel will realize its wrong assumptions and rebellion. This will be when the deliver comes from Zion. Many interpreters over the ages have taken this to be Jesus’ second coming. At that time, Jews will realize that He is the Messiah and come to faith. There is nothing here about a millennial kingdom or other speculative eschatologies. That is not Paul’s point. He is trying to do two things: help the Gentiles realize the danger of becoming conceited and proud in their new spiritual standing, and urge the Jews to come to faith in Jesus, but realizing that God is causing them to continue in their unbelief. This hardening of Israel is a mystery that Paul cannot explain; he just sees it in his ministry and logically arrives at these ideas based on his reading of the Old Testament. Paul is sure that God will fulfill the covenant He made with Israel. How or when exactly is unclear, but when they see the messianic Deliverer come from Jerusalem, they minds will be changed. The Jews of Paul’s day heard the message but rejected it. They would be judged fairly by God, but it was not a good place to be in one’s faith (Romans 2:5). We don’t need to wait for this. When the word goes out, we must respond.
For older posts, click here.