Romans 11:26, commentary and pictures

Blindness has come upon Israel only in part and only until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, and then all Israel shall be saved. The Deliverer coming out of Sion saves them by turning away ungodliness from Jacob under God's covenant to take away their sins. All Israel means the natural branches broken off through unbelief are grafted back into their own olive tree, which is Christ, when they accept Him. Though as a nation they became enemies concerning the gospel, they remain beloved concerning election for the fathers' sakes, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, and they did not stumble so as to fall beyond recovery, but their receiving will be as life from the dead. Therefore Gentiles grafted in from the wild olive must not be highminded or boast against the branches but fear and continue in His goodness, while a great work remains to bring present truth to the Jews, and many of them will come to the light and be converted.

Israel's Salvation Explained

Blindness has happened to Israel only in part and only until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, and then all Israel shall be saved. The partial hardening is temporary and limited, not total and not permanent, with the saving of all Israel following the coming in of the Gentile fullness. The Deliverer coming out of Sion turns away ungodliness from Jacob by God's covenant to take away their sins. He comes from Zion to remove wickedness from Jacob, taking away sins as the substance of the covenant with them.

All Israel means the natural branches broken off through unbelief do not remain in unbelief but are grafted back into their own olive tree. That own olive tree is the true stock, which is Christ, and the grafting back is through accepting Him, so that many of the seed of Israel shall be saved. Though Israel as a nation lost connection with God and are enemies concerning the gospel, they remain beloved concerning election for the fathers' sakes. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance, and God has concluded Jew and Gentile alike in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all.

The Jews did not stumble so as to fall beyond recovery. Their receiving will be as life from the dead and greater riches to the world. Gentile believers grafted in from the wild olive tree must not be highminded, wise in their own conceits, boast against the branches, or despise the Jews, but must fear and continue in God's goodness lest they also be cut off.

Work for the Jews

A great work remains to be done to bring the light of present truth to the Jews everywhere. Men appointed by God are to bear His message to the Jewish nation, and Christ goes with power before His people as Jews and Gentiles are converted. Many of the seed of Israel shall be saved through accepting Christ and being grafted into Him as the true stock, and bringing this about requires giving refuge to Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people and teaching them to work for their own people.

That work for the Jews must not be ignored. It must be carried out with special wisdom and righteousness, with God's wisdom coming to His people so that in all wisdom and righteousness they clear the King's highway. The Jews must be given every opportunity to come to the light. This includes giving refuge to Jewish converts cut off from their people and teaching them to labor for their own people.

God has declared that not only the Gentiles but also the Jews shall be gathered in. Blindness has happened to Israel only in part until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, and then all Israel shall be saved when the Deliverer coming out of Sion turns away ungodliness from Jacob by God's covenant to take away their sins. If they do not remain in unbelief, the natural branches broken off through unbelief and enemies concerning the gospel yet beloved concerning election for the fathers' sakes, because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, shall be grafted into their own olive tree again, and their receiving will be as life from the dead. Gentile believers must not be highminded, wise in their own conceits, boast against the branches, or despise the Jews, but must continue in God's goodness. Many Jews will come to the light, accept the truth, and be converted, and through them salvation will go forth as a lamp that burneth, for among them the Lord has mighty men who will proclaim the truth and the immutability of God's law with wonderful power as the Lord works and does wonderful things in righteousness.

The Deliverer comes from Zion and turns Jacob away from ungodliness and removes wickedness. In response to this light, each person must turn toward it and reflect it. This means praising God much more, showing cause for rejoicing, showing forth His praises as a chosen generation called out of darkness into light, and revealing in the home a love that honors and glorifies the Redeemer.