Bible Questions and Answers

Can you explain Romans 11:29?

Romans 11:25-31 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." 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.

God originally called Abram and gave him the promise of an eternal inheritance of the land of Canaan to him and his progeny. The promise was reiterated to Isaac and Jacob. Jacob was renamed Israel and became a nation. Israel as a nation were beloved of God for their father’s (i.e. Abraham Isaac and Jacob’s) sakes. Thus, God had called the people of Israel to be his special people and gifted them the promise of an eternal inheritance and made a Covenant with them at Sinai. Israel constantly disobeyed and failed to keep the Covenant. They killed their promised Messiah as prophesied in their scriptures.

Consequently, God, through his Son Jesus, introduced a New Covenant, replacing the Law given through Moses with the commandments of Jesus Christ. This New Covenant is open to both Jew and Gentile. This does not change God’s original call and gift promised to Israel, because God’s calling and gifts are irrevocable (KJV ‘without repentance’) which means that God won’t change his mind. The call and promise made to Israel were dependant for their fulfilment upon the promised Messiah who would save them from their sins. The ‘casting off’ of Israel as a nation, because of their unbelief, is temporary until the fulness of the gentiles is come in.

Romans 11:25 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.

At which point Jesus will return to restore the kingdom of Israel as the Kingdom of God. The faithful of all ages will be raised and rewarded with eternal life. Mortal Israel will be resettled in the promised land (as described in Ezekiel 48) and Jesus will reign over the mortal population of the earth for 1000 years. After the millennial reign there will be a second resurrection and final judgment; all who live on will possess the divine nature promised to Abraham.

The promise to Abraham and his descendants will be fulfilled. The Gentiles who believe and obey the Gospel will have their part along with the faithful of natural Israel in the Kingdom of God.

Galatians 3:27-29 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Romans 4:13-16 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn