The Watchman
God warns us not to boast against Israel.
Look at what the Bible says about this subject in Romans 11:18-21:
Verse 18: “Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.”
Verse 19: “Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
Verse 20: “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear.”
Verse 21: “For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.”
This is God’s warning to the Gentiles to be careful about boasting. Beginning in Romans 11:11, Paul explains how the fall of unbelieving natural Israel — the natural-born Jews — led to the salvation of the Gentiles.
In verses 17-24, the apostle uses the metaphor of two olive trees: one natural, representing Israel, and one wild, representing the Gentiles. Because of Israel’s unbelief, many natural branches were severed from the tree, and God grafted many new Gentile branches into the tree of Israel.
The root of the tree was Israel, and the Gentile believers and churches were the branches. This veil of blindness mentioned in verse 7, however, is not permanent. In the future, if they do not continue in unbelief, as stated in verse 23, they will be grafted in again through a renewal of faith.
Note that verse 26 says all Israel shall be saved when the church age ends and the Second Coming commences. Then Israel will accept Christ and be saved, as it is written in Isaiah 27:9 and Isaiah 59:20-21.
There shall come out of Zion a deliverer. Jesus Christ will be the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Christ will deliver Israel from the Antichrist and, more importantly, from its sins.
This conversion of Israel to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, will begin when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, as stated in verse 25. This phrase has numerous interpretations, including one that asserts it refers to a set, predetermined number of Gentiles who will be converted before God turns his full attention back to Israel.
The prediction of the deliverer coming from Zion, seen in Romans 11:26, was foretold in Isaiah 59:20. The removal of Israel’s sins at that time is a theme in Isaiah 19:20-21.
Because of God’s covenant with Abraham, Romans 11:28 says the Hebrew people are his beloved. Romans 11:29 says God’s gifts and callings are irrevocable.
Paul argues that the Gentiles were once in unbelief and are now provided with faith. Israel, which once walked in unbelief as a nation, could rediscover faith. See Isaiah 11:1-2.
From a prophetic perspective, the church today is filled with Gentile believers in every nation of the world, along with a small remnant of Jewish believers who have received Christ as the Messiah.
This pattern will persist until the Gospel is preached around the world, and then the end will come. See Matthew 24:14.
After the gathering together of the church in heaven, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, the Great Tribulation will be unleashed upon the earth.
During this time, God’s full focus will be on releasing judgment upon the Gentile nations while also protecting and sparing national Israel and the Jews. He will save them from destruction and eventually bring them into the knowledge of Christ, their Messiah.
This is when their unbelief will turn to faith, and the natural branches will be grafted back into the tree of Israel. At the conclusion of the Tribulation, all Israel shall be saved. See Romans 11:26 and Zechariah 12:7.
Stay tuned: The Watchman.
