Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved
Romans 11:25-26 (ESV)
This is an interesting and disputed passage. Who is Paul referring to when he says that all Israel will be saved? In chapters 9-11 of Romans, Paul addressed the issue of ethnic Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). And that is generally who he is referring to when he uses the name Israel. And it is who he means in the first use of the name Israel in the passage quoted above.
But what about the second usage? A partial hardening has come upon Israel (the Jews), until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in that way, all Israel will be saved? Is the Israel that will be saved referring only to the Jews? Or does it include the fullness of the Gentiles?
I believe it will help to review what Paul has said about Israel in these three chapters. Paul expressed his desire for the salvation of his own people, the Jews (Rom. 9:1-3, 10:1). He also affirmed that God had not rejected them (Rom. 11:1-2) and that they had a future (Rom. 11:25-32).
But Paul also expressed that not all who descended from Israel (Jacob) belong to Israel, and not all those who have come from Abraham are children of Abraham (Rom. 9:6-8). During a time of apostasy in the nation of Israel, Elijah told God that he was the only follower of God who was left. But God said to him that there were 7,000 that He had kept for Himself, 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal (Rom. 11:2-4). And even so, as Paul wrote, there was a remnant, chosen by grace (Rom. 11:5). Only a portion of the Jews belonged to God and were Israel.
Includes All Who Believe
In Romans 9:22-26, Paul quoted from Hosea to indicate that those God had chosen for his own included both Jews and Gentiles. And later, in Romans 11:16-24, Paul used the analogy of an olive tree. The root of this tree is holy, and the implication of that seems to be that the tree represents Israel. But some branches were broken off (unbelieving Jews), and wild olive branches were grafted in (believing Gentiles). And now the tree is home to all those who believe, both Jew and Gentile.
And that is the context for the expression “all Israel will be saved.” Israel includes all those God has chosen, Jew and Gentile alike. All those who are branches on the olive tree, Jew and Gentile alike. All who believe and have confessed Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10).
That is not to say that ethnic Israel has no further part to play in God’s plans. That they still exist as a people group is proof that God is not through with them. Paul concluded his discussion of the Jews by expressing his conviction that there will be a future awakening of the Jews, and they will come to Jesus as their Lord and experience His salvation (Rom. 11:25-32). Not as a separate people, but as a part of the true Israel of God.
