"All Israel Will Be Saved"

My goal is to give some helpful insight (I won’t settle the debate today), and to recommend some relevant application (even though we may be indecisive about the full meaning).

Remember the Context

Has God rejected Israel? (v. 1) Has Israel fallen fully and finally? (v. 11)

God is not done with Israel.

Warning of arrogance against Israel (v. 18).

This seems to take all of this a step further.

What is the mystery?

Meaning

A secret now revealed.

Paul is revealing something now.

Content

All three details together.

“In this way”/ “and so” - the usual meaning of the Greek word has to do with the manner of something being done.

Who is Israel?

Spiritual Israel? (9:6)

Context HERE does not even hint at a spiritual Israel (9:30; 10:19, 21; 11:1-2, 7, 25).

We need a contextual reason to not take this naturally.

Elect Israel

National Israel

Ethnic - belonging to by citizenship/nationality, religion, language, culture, or background).

This fits with Paul’s argument.

And, it would refer to Israel at a certain point in time because of the word “all,” which cannot mean all Jews ever since many have all ready been damned, and Paul is not surveying history but looking to the future. It is a future “all.”

Not every Israelite

Joshua 7:25 “And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.”

1 Samuel 12:1 “And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you.”

2 Samuel 16:22 “So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.”

2 Chronicles 12:1 “When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.”

Daniel 9:11 “All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.”

“‘All Israel’ is a recurring expression in Jewish literature, where it need not mean ‘every Jew without a single exception’, but ‘Israel as a whole’.” (F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 6, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 218.)

Reference to corporate Israel as a whole (though there may be individual outliers/exceptions).

When will this happen?

When the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (v. 25) - FUTURE

When the Deliver comes.

End of history

Return of Christ

Ignorance is NOT bliss!

We need to learn in order that we might live.

Remember - God does the saving!

Benediction: Romans 11:33–36 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”