Now Paul comes to the final outcome of the plan. First we should notice the warning that Paul gives. We must not adopt a superior attitude and think that Israel has been rejected forever. There are other clear warnings in the New Testament that if we only heeded them we could avoid a lot of rubbish theology. Jesus' words on not knowing the day or hour of His return is the prime example.
All Israel will be saved. This is the result. At present, and for the last two thousand years, God is focused on bringing many Gentiles into the kingdom. Once this is complete Israel itself will be saved.
There is much debate about exactly what "all Israel" means. Three interpretations are: (i) the total number of elect Jews (I must admit this does not seem a particularly helpful answer, as it gives no clue to the total number of the elect); (ii) the total number of Jews and Gentiles; (iii) a large number of Jews in the last generation. In (ii) the Gentiles are being viewed as part of the true Israel. Whatever the case, a significant number of Jews will turn to Christ. We are to pray for this happen, and some of us are to work directly for it to happen.
Paul then quotes from Isaiah and Jeremiah. A simple fact we need to remember is that the Old Testament is stuffed full of promises of Israel's eventual redemption. God has not changed His mind. Paul says this in v29. At the time Israel appeared to be an enemy of the gospel. often persecuting the Christians. This was a temporary state of affairs. God's overall plan will prevail.
In the same way we are sinners, but the end result will be that we become just like Christ. In the end God will have mercy on Israel.
Paul concludes all this with a hymn of praise to the Lord. The key theme is that God's plans are far greater than anything we can imagine. We are to use our minds, but the fear of the Lord always needs to be our starting point. God's mind is far greater than ours.
All Israel will be saved. This is the result. At present, and for the last two thousand years, God is focused on bringing many Gentiles into the kingdom. Once this is complete Israel itself will be saved.
There is much debate about exactly what "all Israel" means. Three interpretations are: (i) the total number of elect Jews (I must admit this does not seem a particularly helpful answer, as it gives no clue to the total number of the elect); (ii) the total number of Jews and Gentiles; (iii) a large number of Jews in the last generation. In (ii) the Gentiles are being viewed as part of the true Israel. Whatever the case, a significant number of Jews will turn to Christ. We are to pray for this happen, and some of us are to work directly for it to happen.
Paul then quotes from Isaiah and Jeremiah. A simple fact we need to remember is that the Old Testament is stuffed full of promises of Israel's eventual redemption. God has not changed His mind. Paul says this in v29. At the time Israel appeared to be an enemy of the gospel. often persecuting the Christians. This was a temporary state of affairs. God's overall plan will prevail.
In the same way we are sinners, but the end result will be that we become just like Christ. In the end God will have mercy on Israel.
Paul concludes all this with a hymn of praise to the Lord. The key theme is that God's plans are far greater than anything we can imagine. We are to use our minds, but the fear of the Lord always needs to be our starting point. God's mind is far greater than ours.
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