Romans 11:25-32 (NIV)
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, 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 so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Even though so many of the Jews had rejected Jesus, Paul looked to the future in faith that that would not always be the case. Instead of closing doors to anyone, God had worked to bring the gentiles into His kingdom, basically opening the doors to the whole wide world of humanity instead of restricting it to only the Jewish nation.
But Paul knew that God’s love for the Jewish nation had not disappeared, nor had His plans for them to be a part of His kingdom. Paul went to prophecies (Isaiah 59:20-21, reinforced and supplemented by Jeremiah 31:31-34) that show God’s plans to restore rebellious Israel, and extrapolated it into the future, understanding that ultimately the Jewish nation as a whole would return to God by receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Paul realized that many of the gentiles had experienced scorn and even persecution from the Jews, hence his calling them “enemies on your account” in verse 28. But he also understood that God’s love for the patriarchs through whom they had come was still strong. The word translated “irrevocable” in verse 29 simply means that God has not changed His mind about His gifts and His call on the Jewish nation. In other words, He has not turned His back on them as some suggested was the case due to His new calling extended to the gentiles. He still wants them to participate in His plan, and any of them can if they will repent and believe.
Just as the gentiles had to repent in order to come into God’s kingdom, so the Jews needed to repent as well. But many of them were so confident in their heritage that they could not be convinced that they needed to repent before they could proceed further as His people. So, God was allowing them to realize their status as outsiders instead of insiders by bringing in the gentiles, so that they could be moved to repentance and be able to enter into His kingdom through Jesus, the Way, and be saved. Thus, what some might interpret as coldness or lack of love on God’s part is shown to be full of perfect love for the people whom He cared too much for to simply write off.
Father, this gives me hope even today when I read about the great numbers of Jewish people who are turning to Jesus and experiencing Your salvation, a restored place among Your chosen people. Lord, continue Your work in the hearts of these precious people who Have endured so much through the ages, and whom You so desire to save. Amen.