his is a warning to us whenever we think we have got God's plans all worked out. God's ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are greater than ours (Isaiah 55:8), and this applies to His dealings with Israel. We must be very wary if ever we regard ourselves as superior to Israel.
It is true that Israel has been hardened, but only in part, and only for a time. The final result will be that Israel will be saved. God's plans, as stated in the Old Testament, are that the saviour will come from Zion (ie Jesus), and that Israel will be cleansed of sin (Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9). God repeatedly proclaimed this in the Old Testament, and He has not changed His mind.
In Paul's time the Jews could be violent enemies of the Church, this is what He means when he says they are enemies as far as the gospel is concerned. But they are still part of God's eternal plan. God cannot and will not revoke the promises He has made.
It is true that they have been given over to disobedience, but so were we. We did not deserve to be saved, but we were. Israel does not deserve to be saved, but it will be. For the gospel is all about God's mercy. This is how He deals with us, and how He deals with others.
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