But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but, “Through Isaac your descendants will be named.” 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. For this is a word of promise: “At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son,” Romans 9:6-9.
Those with faith in, and obedience to, Jesus, the Son of God, are the children of the promise. But where does that leave the children of the flesh? As Paul said, “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uniformed 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; and thus all Israel will be saved…” Romans 11:25-26a.
…just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.’” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable,” Romans 11: 26b-29.
My friends, we Gentiles are so indebted to the Jewish people. We are enjoying the delicacies of God’s kingdom because of them. God, in His infinite wisdom, put a partial hardening on them and sent the gospel to the Gentiles. When the fulness of the Gentiles has come in, He will remove the partial hardening, and all Israel will come in.
Please remember that it is only by their disobedience that we are in the kingdom. They received a partial hardening and, because of this, the majority of them didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah, and God counted their unbelief as disobedience. The Gentiles, who were without God and riddled with sin, received mercy because of the disobedience of the children of the flesh. Now because we, the children of the promise, were shown mercy, thank God, they, the children of the flesh, will also receive mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all, Romans 11:32.
Please weigh everything I say on the scales of the word of God.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
jondavidbanks.com 