Wednesday: All Israel Shall Be Saved
Read Romans 11:25-27. What great events is Paul predicting here?
Christians have been discussing and debating Romans 11:25-27 for centuries now. A few points, however, are clear.
Image © Krieg Barrie Goodsalt.com
For starters, the whole tenor here is that of God reaching out to the Jews. What Paul is saying comes in reply to the question raised at the beginning of the chapter, “Hath God cast away his people?” His answer, of course, is no, and his explanation is (1) that the blindness (Greek porosis, “hardness”) is only “in part,” and (2) that it is only temporary, “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”
What does “the fulness of the Gentiles” mean? Many see this phrase as a way of expressing the fulfillment of the gospel commission, in which all the world hears the gospel. “The fullness of the Gentiles” has come in when the gospel has been preached everywhere. The faith of Israel, manifested in Christ, is universalized. The gospel has been preached to all the world. The coming of Jesus is near. At this point, then, many Jews start coming to Jesus.
Another difficult point is the meaning of “all Israel shall be saved ” (Rom. 11:26). This must not be construed to mean that every Jew will by some divine decree have salvation in the end time. Nowhere do the Scriptures preach universalism, either for the entire human race or for a particular segment. Paul was hoping to save “some of them” (Rom. 11:14). Some accepted the Messiah, and some rejected Him, as it is with all people groups.
Commenting on Romans chapter 11, Ellen G. White speaks of a time “in the closing proclamation of the gospel” when “many of the Jews . . . will by faith receive Christ as their Redeemer.” – The Acts of the Apostles, p. 381.
“There is a mighty work to be done in our world. The Lord has declared that the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and not the Gentiles only, but the Jews. There are among the Jews many who will be converted, and through whom we shall see the salvation of God go forth as a lamp that burneth. There are Jews everywhere, and to them the light of present truth is to be brought. There are among them many who will come to the light, and who will proclaim the immutability of the law of God with wonderful power.” – Evangelism, p. 578.
| Take some time to think about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. How could a selective study of the Jewish religion help you to better understand your Christian faith? |
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God chose a special nation to be His witness to the world in the past. I used to think that this could be prejudice! But after a while, God revealed His true character by sending His own Son and by giving the chance to all nations to be gathered as one! Jesus is the one who unites every human being to Love! Ultimately, Love is the feeling that can take away all barriers among people! "Love thy neighbor and thy God..." That's what God is all about!
The expression "all Israel shall be saved" has an inspired midrash in Revelation under the discussion of the 144,000. There St John uses symbolic language of 12,000 for each of tribes to account for "all Israel," meaning that in the end, a full complement of the Jewish people will be accounted special attendants of the Messiah. What a wonderful promise and encouragement for Christians to bring the good news to the Jewish people of the world!
Are you quite sure that God is interested in saving a precise number of people who descended from Abraham? In light of Paul's declaration that those who have faith are the genuine "children of Abraham" (Gal 3:7), I seriously doubt this interpretation. The use of the "perfect" numbers multiplies by thousands (12x1000) would seem to indicate that the numbers are symbolic.
That said, we should all be eager to befriend any Jews among us, focusing on what we have in common, and then showing them that Jesus is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.
It needs to be understood that many Jews today are not religious but cultural Jews. Like the rest of society there is a broad spectrum of religious/spiritual persuasion from atheism to ultra-orthodox. I once made the mistake of assuming that a Jew wearing a Kippah or Yarmulke was religious and opened a conversation about the common heritage of the Sabbath. Big mistake. He was a cultural Jew and had no interest in the religious aspect of the Jews.
One thing I have noticed about Paul is his peculiar use of words. The question that arise from Romans 11:25-27 is who is Israel? Why didn't he say Jews or Israelites or Israelis? Does Israel here refer to a nation or person?
In Galatians 3:7-9 he says "Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." As a Jew who graduated under Gamaliel ,Paul had a deeper understanding of the scriptures. We learn from Genesis 32:28 the meaning of Israel.“Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Ellen White notes "As an evidence that he had been forgiven, his name was changed from one that was a reminder of his sin, to one that commemorated his victory."{PP 198}.
Therefore we can argue that Israel here can also refer to those he mentioned in Galatians 3:7-9 taking into consideration that he says "Israel" not Jews or Israelis. He had already stated in Romans 10:13 "all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved". It is also assumed that this "all" in Romans 11:27 carries the same meaning as the one in Romans 10:13.
Seems as though you are on the right track when you say symbolic language refering to the number 144,000. Or 12,000 times 12. And "all Isreal" meaning spiritual Iseral, meaning all who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and follow through in that faith and belief with obedience out of choice and love. Now your thoughts are derailed when you say, a full compliment of Jewish people will be accounted attendents of the Messiah. In my observation of our our Bible worker assigned to work in Jewish ministry, some accepted and some didn't. I gave a personal invitation to my Jewish friend for evangelist meetings with a Jewish flavor, he handed back the written invtation to me, and said this is asking me to become a Messanic Jew. "No John, I can't." I didn't fell badly rejected, because I knew he was rejecting Christ not me. We remained friends, in fact I sent him some Salmon when I was visiting the Oregon Coast, per his request. God is good, we may never know what happens to some of the seeds we sow, until the roll is called up younder.
In the Book of Revelation the symbolic number of 144,000 is representing the complete nation of Israel which is a separate and different group from the great multitude made up of every tribe and nation. Clearly the redeemed will be made up Jews and Gentiles not only Gentiles and only Gentiles again.
Why do some treat John's words in Rev 7 differently from the rest of the book. Where he tells us elsewhere that he "heard" and then "saw," it's clear that what he first "heard" adds a certain quality to what he then sees: he heard a trumpet, but saw a priest, for example (Rev 1). So, what's the justification for treating this particular "hear/saw" differently?
The same mistake is made by those who contend for the secret rapture in 4:1, 2. John uses the same expression in 3 other texts, but no one suggests a rapture in any of the other texts. A lack of consistency will only damage the results of study.
I believe that all of Israel shall be saved- "spiritual Israel". Although I recognize that many Jews by blood will in the end accept Jesus and the full, true gospel, more importantly, ALL of those who are children of Abraham, through faith, including those who are his children by blood, will be saved.
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”
Paul is not talking about "spiritual Israel" or gentiles who are grafted in when he says all Israel (Jacob) will be saved. He is dealing with his kinsman who do not at the present time believe in Jesus. Those who are under a partial (temporary) hardness or blindness, until the fullness of the Gentiles come in.
Paul's use of "ALL" does not mean every Israelite or Jewish person as the English world would seem to imply. Paul is referring to ALL meaning the whole of the redeemed of Israel of whom he is is part. Paul clearly looks forward to the day when his people will turn and believe in his Messiah Jesus.
YES, the grafting and the root is still Jesus
not ethnic or genetic Israel.
"If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble."
Israel is the tree of God's own planting, he chose the Patriarchs and Prophets of Old and guided His people own of Egypt. God inspired His chosen people to write the words of inspiration down in books which make up our Bible. It is from this heritage you have been grafted in by the Grace of God, and it is by God's grace you are nourished by the tree of God's own planting each and every time you read the words of the Bible. God chose Israel to be His witnesses and through them we are nourished and supported. We learn from Paul and all those before him back to Abraham. Both Jews and Gentiles, natural branches and wild grafted in branches receive teaching, and instruction from those God has chosen. No one should act arrogantly and think they support the root and have no need of the support of Paul or any that God has chosen.
Hosea 3:4,5 and Luke 21:24 and Romans 11:25 seem to all be talking about a time before Jesus' second coming that God's original chosen people of Judaism return to God and join True Christianity in spreading the True Gospel of Jesus to the entire world.
The understanding of the Sanctuary service is the key to many beginnings. Light would shine on with so many blessings if our pastors would only teach it. Our schools would educate our young with it. We lost it just like the Jewish nation has. Our people need it so bad and with the knowledge Rightousness by faith the third angles message would change our people get them ready and spread the gospel to all.
Hi Cynthia. I agree that an understanding of the Sanctuary service has the potential to be a blessing to us. Unfortunately, for many of us it has been a serious issue of discussion where we have emphasized its importance as far as our identity is concerned. We have to a large extent forgotten that the whole purpose of the Sanctuary was to focus on Christ.
Jesus said:
... and that is just as relevant to us as Seventh-day Adventists as it was to the Jews in Jesus' time. We need to understand the sanctuary service in the light of Jesus, not as a mark of self-identification.
Isn't the sanctuary study all about Jesus. He is the sacrifice. He is the bread of life. He is the light of the world. He intercedes for us He is our high priest. Our ministers teach/ preach that it's all about Him. In Christ alone by faith alone. I need to Trust Him completely
Surely this is one of the mysteries in Paul's writings. Today's lesson sounds as though God designed a plan where the Jews would reject the Messiah in order to allow the Gospel to be taken to the gentiles and then this being done, the Jews come back to their senses and believe Jesus.
God's plan was NOT that all Jews would reject the Messiah. He needed and chose a faithful remnant of Jews to spread the Gospel. But the question remains did God hide from some Jews even partially and temporarily blind them but reveal Himself to others such as the Apostles? Why some and not others? Could it be that God blinded some due to their own choices and revealed himself to others according to their receptiveness? Could it be that even those who were blinded or hardened could be used by God and his plan and that even those people one day would have their heats softened and see?
I do not believe that God designed any plan where the Jews choices would facilitate the gospel to the Gentiles. nor do I believe Paul or the lesson is implying that. Here is a quote worth reading, from the 1st chapter of the Great Controversy.
Their sufferings are often represented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of God. It is thus that the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work. By stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy, the Jews had caused the protection of God to be withdrawn from them, and Satan was permitted to rule them according to his will. The horrible cruelties enacted in the destruction of Jerusalem are a demonstration of Satan’s vindictive power over those who yield to his control. GC 35.3. I gave you this not to contradict, but to lovingly enlighten you.
John your quote seems to support my point. The Jews who were punished in regards to the destruction of Jerusalem was due to their rejection of divine love and mercy. It was due to the choices those Jews made. I do not believe God forced some Jews to reject Jesus, I believe it was their choice. Likewise, those Jews who accepted Jesus was also due to their choice. Still, I believe God has a plan for both Jews who accept Jesus and even those who do not for Paul wrote:
"Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!" Romans 11:11-12
Yes Robert I do believe his plan is to keep open arms to all. Inviting all who reject to come to Christ. Christ says: I am the way, the truth, and the life, He or she that comes unto Me I will in no way reject. I would rather be a part of God’s plan for those that surrender self to Christ, than those who reject Christ. No,they did not stumble so far as beyond recovery as individuals, but as a nation they gave up their privlage as God’s people, to Spiritual Isreal, of which they can belong to, just as much as you and I. Has God used a bad cituation to benefit His plan of salvation, yes. But He did not plan for man to reject Him to benefit His plan of salvation, is my point.
I agree God did not plan for man to reject Him, rather He made plans knowing what we would do. In regards to Israel Paul wrote: I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin" Paul in vs 5 says "So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace." Paul continues that branches were broken off due to unbelief but again a remnant of natural native branches remained. Thus to me, it appears individuals were cut off not the nation. For if the nation had been cut off and rejected would not Paul say that God did reject his people? Is not Paul saying God did not reject his people? That a faithful remnant remained intact? Yes, individuals, Paul says were broken off and wild branches (gentile individuals) were grafted in as replacements but I do not see a replacement nation just replacement individual branches. Finally, if God was finished with Israel why does Paul say in reference to Israel "for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable" why does he say that? One more thing you use the term "Spiritual Israel" but was there ever a time that Israel was not a Spiritual nation? From the very beginning did not people join Israel who were not Abrahams literal seed? The mixed multitude joined Israel, Jethro, and Zipporah, Rahab, Ruth, Obadiah and many others. Thus has not Israel always been Spiritual Israel?
That acually makes a whole lot of sense 🙂 considering that Paul says to the Galatians in 3:28-29 there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus, and if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise...this would've been a helpful passage in discussing our lesson on Children of The Promise 🙂
Furthermore Galatians 6:15-16 says for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything (no need to Judaize) but a New Creation, and as many as walk according to THIS rule (own emphasis) peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Writing under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul was expecting that all Isreal (all Jews cf. Romans 9:1-5) would be converted in the end (Romans 11:25-26). Could it be that this is a conditional prophecy? It reminds me of Ezekiel. Also writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he was expecting the fulness of both kingdoms, Judah and Israel, to be reunited under one king after the exile (Ezekiel 37:22.24). As is known, only a remnant of Judah and Benjamin returned. "All Israel shall be saved" is prefixed by a word that expresses condition, translated in the sense of "in this way" (NIV), "and so" (ASV), or "and thus" (NAV). Whereas Romans 9 is climaxing in Romans 11, the condition of conversion as believing in Christ is stated in passages, leading up to Romans 11 (Romans 9:33; 10:4.8-17). These conditions have to be individually met both, by Gentiles and by Jews. Conditional prophecy could be a solution to the Problem of Romans 11.
Winfried Stolpmann
Conditional prophecy is only a solution to the problem of Romans 11 if you find it a problem that the Jewish people will be saved. It is not only Paul but also Isaiah who Paul quotes and also many other prophets going back to Moses that wrote in the latter days Israel will repent. Yes, the prophets expected Judah and Israel to be reunited under One King (The Messiah) that would rule them forever. So what is the condition that Israel will repent and return to the Lord? Is it that they repent and turn to the Lord? Frankly, I do not see the salvation of the Jewish people as a problem at all! Paul sees it not as a problem but a cause for rejoicing. Romans 11:26-36