Romans 11:28-29 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
Paul believes here that God is not finished with Israel as a people. They are enemies of the cross and believers because they are scandalized by the message of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18-24). They cannot understand why the Messiah would need to die on a Roman cross. They cannot accept Christianity’s claim that Jesus is the divine Son of God. Yet, God made promises in the Old Testament through covenants, especially with Abraham (Genesis 12) and Moses (Exodus 19-20), that God would save Israel. Paul held on to those ancient promises in spite of the Jews current rejection of the Gospel. Verse 29 reveals Paul’s deep conviction and claim about the matter. When God makes a promise, it is sure to happen, no matter what people do. This indicates God’s sovereignty, even over human affairs. God will not force Israel to believe but Israel will come to believe as a result of what God will do, namely, with the return of Jesus Christ. By extension, we can trust also in God’s promises. Not every promise in the Bible is meant for us. We must consider carefully the historical and literary context of God’s promises and discern the timeless principles behind them. But there are plenty of timeless promises that apply to us. Just like Paul, we can rest assured that what the Bible claims is true and we can build our lives on this.
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