“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved”
Romans 11:25-26
Last week, after my sermon on Romans 11:1-11, I had a student come up to me and ask, “What does it even mean that Israel are the chosen people? Especially since I have been hearing they have been acting extremely wicked to people around the world? How can God still favor a people that have rejected Jesus?”
Talk about a nice and easy question right after you step off the platform after preaching a relatively heavy sermon!
In my most cordial tone I asked the kind lad, “Before I answer your question, what do you think is meant by the word ‘chosen’? Because how you define the word determines how you view the events surrounding Israel and what scripture has to say.”
Without saying a word, he bit his bottom lip, while the rest of his face contorted into a quizzical look. Holding out his hands in an exasperated shrug, he said, “Man, I don’t know, but whatever it means it sounds unfair.” And that is the problem with people’s understanding of Israel! Most people have a misunderstanding of terminology.
Defining Chosen
When it comes to Israel, the word “chosen” can mean three things:
- They are special. Favored above all nations by God because he likes them more.
- They are not special, his whipping post. Born to suffer.
- They are his representatives, both messengers and examples of his promises.
Most people see the word “chosen” in the light of 1 & 2 – – and when you do there is no reason to have sympathy for Israel either way. Especially those who believe Israel is special and privileged by God; they see the world events and cry, “Oh…so Israel can act anyway they want towards the nations around them, even treat them cruelly, and we are supposed to just keep going along with it? And plus, in our own nation it seems like the Jews are always the richest and most successful community, often not even caring about those who are struggling financially, charging exorbitant interest of those who borrow from them, and then thinking they are superior in religion and rights (Think George Soros).”
Or simply put on a more relational level…
“No one likes a spoiled brat son. Just because your dad is the richest man in town, and for the matter, God, it gives you no right to push your privilege on others.”
And this sentiment is why many hate the Jews.
Chosen for a Purpose
If you have been following along with us in our discussions on Romans 9-11, you have learned that Israel has been chosen, not just because God likes them, but to display the greatness of God to the world. They have been chosen to be the guardians of an enormous spiritual trust (Romans 9:2-5) that was meant to awaken a desperate lost world to the Savior of all Mankind. Or as Simeon said in Luke 2:32, “A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
But instead of fulfilling their duties, historically speaking, Israel has shirked them. They abandoned their purpose, and rejected the Savior because they wrongly saw themselves as “special” and “better than others.” Just listen to these two verses:
- “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11)
- “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.” (Luke 18:11)
They grew arrogant leading to unbelief. That is exactly what Romans 11:20-21 is very clear about as Paul is talking to the Gentile church when he says: “they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.”
So tremble! Don’t take salvation for granted, but rejoice and live a life of gratitude. And as you do, the watching world will notice, and even more than that, the people of Israel will begin to want what we have. We are to make them “jealous” (Romans 11:11 & 13).
Full Inclusion
There is a strange phrase in Romans 11:12, and it is one few Christians ever take time to process. Listen closely to it, “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!” Full inclusion? What does that mean? It means exactly what you think it means, drop all your biases and disdain for their historical hardening and realize, “God is not done with his chosen people!” And yes, they are chosen because through them, God wants to show off. Not only his great power to restore, but his incredible ability to keep his promises. Look at Romans 11:29…
“For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable!”
He is a promise keeping God. And if truth be told, the only reason you can have any hope for a better future is because of his promises. That is why the historical return of Israel excites me, because there is no reason in the world for God to love them other than he promised he would.
The Time Frame
So, when will God restore his people? Paul gives a few hints in this passage. Let me show you and then detail what I think is going to happen by referring back to a conversation concerning a few Old Testament prophecies:
- According to Romans 11:25, “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” At this moment in time God has focused his primary attention on the church. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are the Bride. We are Building. I believe that this period of time has an expiration date in real time. Jesus even said something about this in Luke 21:24, “Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
- When the church has completed it’s “chosen” purpose on earth (Ephesians 3:10-11), then God will begin to redirect his attention back to the nation Israel.
- According to Romans 11:26, “all” Israel will be saved.
When I was taking systematic theology at Moody Bible Institute, we had a professor that previously was an Orthodox Jew who studied theology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Later in his life he became convinced Jesus was the promised Messiah. He came into our class for a two-hour question and answer time where we could ask anything about his view of Judaism and the end times.
One student asked him if he thought we were in the “last days?” He first answered with a proper professorial response, “Of course, Hebrews 1:2 says we have always been in the last days since the appearance of our Lord Jesus.” And then with an impish grin, and a sparkle in his eye, he looked at the class and said, “I know what you really are asking. Do I think we are close to his return?”
He paused, told us to open our bibles to Hosea 3, and then said, “Look at verse 4-5. Someone read it aloud, ‘For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.’”
“Notice a few things here. First of all, ethnic Jews will be returning to the land at a very unusual rate. But when it comes to their moral character at the time of their return, it will be in a secular state. Without a king, that is referring to a lack of theocracy. Without sacrifice, no temple worship. Without ephod, no priesthood to serve. That is exactly what is happening to Israel at this time.”
And then he had us turn to Zechariah 12:10, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”
“Notice,” he said, “the spirit of grace and supplication is the return of the Holy Spirit to the people of Israel. God, in his mercy, is going to pour out his favor back on his people, and when he does there will be a Jewish revival like you have never seen before.”
And then someone asked, “Will all Israel then be saved? Does that mean every Jew who ever lived is redeemed?” He sat down and sadly said, “I wish that were true. In fact, my whole family are devoted to Torah. But as Paul says in Romans 11:28, they at this moment are ‘enemies’ to the Gospel. So that means they have been cut off for a time, and for my family, that time is now. But there will be time when God will turn his favor back to the Jews who are living on earth, and yes, the majority of them will be saved.”
“Majority? Doesn’t ‘all’ mean all?”
“God still requires faith in his crucified and resurrected Son, and faith is an act of worship. So ‘all’ is relative in the sense of response. I think it will be an impressive number, but people will still have to receive his grace on their own. As it is how salvation is currently working with us, God is no respecter of persons, all must turn to the Son to be saved!”
A Final Word
Christmas season may be one of the greatest Jewish holidays of all-time. Sadly, they just don’t see it. But we do, so rejoice! You have been chosen!
