Romans 11:25, Israel’s Blindness

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

The word “blindness” means “hardness, obstinacy.” There seemed to be that rebelliousness from a section of Israel choosing to reject Jesus Christ, their Messiah. The text is not saying that no Jews will be saved. The Apostle Paul is saying that he cannot offer any logical explanation why his countrymen behaved in this way. He was like them before his conversion to the extent of persecution Christians by putting them to death. The hatred is so great from a section of the Jewish establishment who utterly rejected Jesus Christ.

He is saying that God has His higher plan for the redemption of all mankind that He is enacting during the Church Age where Israel is set aside. Thinking carefully, it is a two prong approach that God has taken; the gospel allows both Jews and Gentiles to be saved! The nations of the world since the destruction of Israel in A.D. 70 till today in 2016 is given an opportunity to be evangelised through missionaries like the Apostle Paul.

Perhaps God is showing mankind the impossibility of prosperous self-government without God. Man’s existence has been plagued with violence, destruction, and war till now with no solution of real peace in sight. The nations of the world will appreciate the time better when God will bound Satan and God in Christ will physically rule the earth during the millennium. It will be the real golden age for Israel as true representatives of God. The time when Israel will fulfil their God-given role. This role of pointing the nations of the world to worship the living and true God, Creator of heaven and earth. While God is allowing time for Gentile conversion, may we be up and about the gospel work. Amen.

Chart: World Empires culminating in Christ’s Rule on earth