CHAPTER 7

GOD’S PURPOSE FOR ISRAEL - PART 2

All Israel will be Saved

 

God’s purpose has always been to save all Israel.

Romans 11:25-27
25 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. 26 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; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

Please note, Apostle Paul urges believers not to be ignorant of the mystery that God has blinded a part (most) of Israel to the Gospel until the full number of His Gentile Elect has been saved. Israel’s blindness will be lifted after their Deliverer (Jesus Christ) returns to earth and ultimately, all Israel will be saved. God’s purpose is to save all Israel, even though He has blinded the majority of His people to this day and given them unbelieving hardened hearts.

Let us consider in detail the reasons why God has blinded the majority of His chosen people, and how and when God will save all Israel?’

Apostle Paul was an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin. He had great sorrow and continual grief in his heart because he knew that the vast majority of his fellow Israelites had been cut off from the blessing (salvation), which God promised to Abraham. However, he understood that this cutting off was only temporary, and not permanent.

Romans 9:1-4
1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises.

Paul says that he would have been willing to swap places with his fellow Israelites, and be cut off from Christ if it meant that they would accept Jesus as their Saviour in this life, before they die. Paul was willing to be accursed from Christ for the sake of his fellow Israelites.

The curse Paul was talking about was the Abrahamic curse of unbelief, ‘I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you’ (Genesis 12:3).

Paul wanted his fellow countrymen to be saved before they died so that they would not remain under God’s curse of missing out on the glorious Millennial Kingdom of God, and of having to face God’s judgement in the Lake of Fire. If it were at all possible for God to accept Paul’s sacrificial offering of being accursed from Christ for the sake of his fellow Jews, it would mean that Paul would miss out on the blessing of the Abrahamic Covenant to enter the Millennial Kingdom as God’s Elect Bride of Christ. Also, it would mean that Paul would have to face God’s judgement in the Lake of Fire instead of his unbelieving fellow countrymen.

Just think about it. If the doctrine of hell were true and all Israelites who died as unbelievers ended up in hell’s never-ending torment, it would be absolutely absurd for Paul to want to swap places with them. It would mean that Paul’s love for God’s chosen people surpassed God’s love for them, as God would be willing to throw them into a hell of eternal torment and Paul wouldn’t. It simply does not make sense for anyone to believe that Paul was willing to be separated from Christ forever in hell in order to save his fellow countrymen.

The truth of the Bible is that Paul believed in and taught Universal Reconciliation (Colossians 1:20), and he never believed in or taught the doctrine of eternal torture in hell. He did not want his fellow Israelites, as God’s chosen people, to miss out on the Abrahamic blessing of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, and for them to have to endure God’s judgement in the Lake of Fire. Paul understood that all of God’s judgements flow out of His love, and lead to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Ultimately, all Israelites without exception will be saved and reconciled to God. They will all enter God’s Eternal Kingdom of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

There is not a single verse in the New Testament where Paul supports the doctrine of eternal torture in hell. There is only one statement made by Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:9, which speaks about ‘everlasting' destruction, but this is a mistranslation of the Greek word aionios, which we explain in Chapter 17.

Paul continues his case for unbelieving Jews in Romans Chapter 11. He says emphatically that God has not cast away unbelieving Jews, whom He foreknew.

Romans 11:1-2
1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.

Paul understood that it was never God’s purpose to save all Israel before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, but only a remnant few. This remnant is God’s Elect, according to the election of grace, and the rest of Israel is blinded in unbelief. However, God has not cast away His people forever, to end up in a hell of eternal torture.

Romans 11:5-7
5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Have the unbelieving Jews stumbled so that they are fallen and lost forever? Apostle Paul’s answer is an emphatic no.

Romans 11:11
I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

So why has God blinded the vast majority of His chosen people to the truth of the Gospel to this very day? Paul gives the answer in this same verse. Many unbelieving Jews, especially Orthodox Jews, think that God has rejected the Gentiles, and that they are an unholy people. Unbelieving Jews will be provoked to jealousy when they come to realise that their God has chosen a number of Gentiles before them, and in favour of them. This jealousy is a holy jealousy, which will cause Jewish unbelievers to want the same salvation as the Gentile Elect.

Romans 11:12
Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

The amazing thing about the plan of God is that God will bless the whole world through unbelieving Jews when He removes their blindness in the future, during the Millennial Kingdom, and reveals to them the truth of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Paul says that if the failure of the Jews to believe in this life means riches for the Gentiles, then how much more blessing will come to the world when unbelieving Jews come to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord? This will happen in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, when all unbelieving Jews who survive the Great Tribulation and their descendants will be saved, and Israel will be a nation of great blessing to the whole world, both physically and spiritually, as promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. God will enter into a New Covenant with Israel in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.

Romans 11:15
For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead.

This verse confirms three important truths. Firstly, we see that the casting away of the Jews is only for a temporary period because in this same verse we see that 'their acceptance' will happen. Secondly, we see that God is using the casting away of the unbelieving Jews to reconcile the world, meaning the non-Jews, the Gentiles. Thirdly, we see that when the cast off unbelieving Jews come to accept their Saviour, they will have ‘life from the dead’, meaning new life in Jesus Christ.

Romans 11:16-18
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Paul continues his case for the unbelieving Jews. Even though they are temporarily broken off, they remain part of the same olive tree, which is holy to God. Paul warns Gentile Christians not to boast against Jewish unbelievers who have been temporarily sacrificed so that Gentile believers can be grafted into the Jewish Holy Olive Tree. Gentile believers must never forget that they receive their support from the root who is a Jew, the Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ.

Romans 11:22-24
22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

In verse 22 above, Apostle Paul asks us to consider the goodness and severity of God. This verse has been greatly misapplied and misunderstood by those who believe in hell. They misinterpret this verse to mean that God is both good and severe, good to those Gentile believers who are saved but severe to those unbelieving Jews who are judged to go to hell. However, hell believing preachers forget to read the next two verses, verses 23 and 24, which prove that the cutting off of the branches is only temporary and that God will graft all unbelieving Jews back into their own Holy Olive Tree.

These verses also totally disprove ‘Replacement Theology’, which says that the church has replaced Israel and that unbelieving Jews are lost forever. Verse 22 above gives a warning to Gentile Christians to be sure to continue in the goodness of God, otherwise God will cut them off too, like He did the unbelieving Jews.

Romans 11:25
25 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. 

Please note that God has blinded a part, the majority of Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. The fullness of the Gentiles refers to the complete number of God’s Gentile Elect who, together with the Jewish remnant Elect, form the Bride of Christ. This means that in God’s Plan of salvation for all Israel, the Gentile Elect will be saved first, before all of the unbelieving Israelites (the broken off branches of the Holy Olive Tree).

Romans 11:26-27
26 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; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

Paul has been powerfully developing his case for all unbelieving Jews right from the beginning of this chapter, and now he makes a crystal clear, unambiguous statement that all Israel will be saved.

As verse 26 above says, the Deliverer, who is their Messiah Jesus Christ, will come out of Zion (return to Jerusalem). This will happen at Jesus’ Second Coming when He will start the glorious Millennial Age. Jesus will then take away all ungodliness and sins from Jacob (Israel) during His Millennial rule on earth.

Please notice that Jesus Christ returns to earth to fulfil God’s Covenant with Israel, which is the Abrahamic Covenant whereby all Israel will be blessed with salvation. ‘All Israel’ means all Israel without exception. Why don’t we take the Word of God at its face value and believe what God says that ‘all Israel’ does mean all Israel?

Romans 11:28-32
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

These are the beautiful words of God, spoken through Apostle Paul, which confirm that none of the unbelieving Jews are cut off, fallen and lost forever. Unbelieving Jews have been sacrificed only temporarily for the sake of the Gentile Elect. However, notice verse 28 above says that unbelieving Jews have remained beloved for the sake of the fathers, meaning Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom God made the unconditional promise of the Abrahamic Covenant. It is God’s purpose that through His mercy shown to the Gentile believers that all unbelieving Jews will also obtain mercy. God has committed all unbelieving Jews to disobedience so that He might have mercy on them all, as clearly stated in verse 32 above.

God first saves His Elect few in this life before they die, through the gift of God given faith. These Elect few are the Elect Bride of Christ from both the nation of Israel (the remnant) and the Gentile nations. They will rise in their saved immortal bodies in the First Resurrection at Christ’s Second Coming. All of the Jews who survive the Great Tribulation to enter Christ’s Millennial Kingdom and all of their descendants are elected to be saved  during the Millennial Age. These fleshly Israelites will die during the Millennial Age, and they will rise in their saved immortal bodies in the Second Resurrection, which occurs at the end of the Millennial Age. 

But how will God save the rest of the Israelites who die as unbelievers, those who will miss out on Christ's Millennial Kingdom? Let us now go on to see that God has not forgotten them or condemned them to eternal torment in hell. As the scripture Romans 11:32 above says, God will have mercy on all unbelieving Israelites. Ezekiel 37 is a prophecy that powerfully describes the resurrection and salvation of all unbelieving Israel, 'the whole house of Israel' who die as unbelievers.

Ezekiel 37:11-14
11 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!’ 12 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’. 13 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. 14 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.

Israel’s hope is not lost. As this scripture says in verses 11 and 12 above, all Israelites who are cut off (the cut off branches from the Holy Olive Tree) and who think that their hope is lost, will be resurrected. This will be at the Second Resurrection when all ‘cut off’ unbelieving Israelites will be resurrected in their immortal yet still unsaved bodies, and they will all be placed in their own land (Israel) as prophesied by Ezekiel.

Please note, in verse 13 above, God says to His people Israel, “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves” This is wonderful. Prophet Ezekiel agrees with Apostle Paul by confirming that all Israel will come to know their Lord, hence all Israel will be saved. This wonderful Ezekiel prophecy about the salvation of the whole house of Israel will be completely fulfilled during God’s refining but merciful Lake of Fire Judgement Age. This is the time when all resurrected unbelievers, both Jews and Gentiles, will come to know their Saviour as we explain in detail, in Chapter 12, The Lake of Fire Judgement Age - Part 1.

Acts 5:31
Him (Jesus) God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Jesus Christ is indeed the Prince and the Saviour of Israel, and ultimately in God’s time and His order, all Israel will be given the gift of repentance and faith to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, their Messiah, for the forgiveness of their sins.

Isaiah 45:17, 25
17 But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced forever and ever.

25 In the Lord all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory.

Can we believe the Bible? God says that all the descendants of Israel past, present and future will be saved and justified, and none of them will be ashamed or disgraced forever. Scripture clearly says that God will save all Israel without exception. This is not only Good News for all Jews, but it is also Good News for all Gentiles. In the previous chapter, Chapter 6, we showed from Scripture that the salvation of all Jews, together with all Gentiles, is an integral part of the Abrahamic Covenant. It is God's unconditional promise of God to save not only all Israel but also all Gentiles, through the Seed of Abraham who is Jesus Christ.

Let us rejoice in the truth that Adam and Eve and all of their descendants, every Jew and every Gentile, will be saved in God’s time and in His order. Let us praise God for the wonderful truth that He is the loving and merciful Saviour of all people, and reject any unbiblical false teaching, which makes God out to be either a murdering annihilator or a horrific torturer of unbelievers in hell.

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