For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” [Isaiah 59:20-21] (Romans 11:25-27)
In the previous studies, we've discussed why God chose the children of Israel to reveal His Holiness to the world, not because they were more special than any other people, but because He had promised their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. (Genesis 22:18, 26:4, 28:14) But now we get to a fact that may be very difficult for some to accept, after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, all Israel will be saved.
In order to understand why God would do this for Israel and no other people, we need to review the miracle God performed for the prophet Ezekiel in the valley of the dry bones. The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’” (Ezekiel 37:1-6)
So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:7-10)
Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’” (Ezekiel 37:11-14)
Just as Paul previously said, this miracle proved, For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15) And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt? For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God. (I Chronicles 17:21-22) God has done this for no other nation but Israel. Why?
Paul went on to explain to us Gentiles, Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. (Romans 11:28-32)
So why did God do this for Israel? Because He promised their forefathers. God keeps His promises, and regardless of how Abraham, Isaac and Jacob's descendants treated Him, the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old. (Micah 7:18-20)
How wonderful to know that no matter what we do, we can trust God to keep His promises to us! Even if the promise is delayed because of our disobedience, it will come to pass in time. And how much more to know that even though Israel is beloved by God for the sake of the fathers, He will not take away their sins, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Why hasn't Christ returned yet? Because all the Gentiles who will be saved have not been saved yet. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:8-9)
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” [Isaiah 40:13; Jeremiah 23:18] “Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” [Job 41:11] For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)
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