Romans 11:26, 27, …and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
“The Deliver will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins,”
Romans 11:7-10, What then? That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; 8 just as it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day,”
9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened to see not, and bend their backs forever,”
In Romans 11:11, Paul goes on to say they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
[Deuteronomy 32:21, “They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”]
Romans 11:12, Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be?
Did they stumble so as to fall? May it never be! They stumbled so that the Gentiles could be included in their covenant with God.
Romans 11:28-31, So according to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but according to the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
Romans 11:25, I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in.
Some may bring up Romans 9:6-12 that says, …all are not Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “Through Isaac your descendants will be named.” 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.
9 For this is a word of promise: “At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11 for though the twins had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”
So all this was done in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand. You might ask, “So, it really doesn’t depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy?” Or, “He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires?” And I will answer, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” to both questions. And He does so in order that His purpose according to His choice might stand.
And what was His purpose? The answer is found in the beginning: Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought sin, suffering and death into the world. They did this in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand. And His purpose was to shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all.
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Please weigh everything I say on the scales of God’s word.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 