"God has not rejected His people … they stumble[d] … they were broken off because of their unbelief." Romans. 11:2, 11, 20
What does Paul mean when he says, "And in this way all Israel will be saved"? There are those (Jews, Zionists, Dispensationalists) who think "all Israel" means physical, ethnic, national Israel—the biological descendants of Abraham. But is this true? Here is a question that you need to wrestle with if you are a Jew, Zionist, or Dispensationalist who believes this: If all Israel is ultimately saved, then why would Paul want to trade places with them?
"For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites..." Romans 9:3-4a
Why would Paul give up his salvation for those who are going to be saved anyway? That kind of logic simply does not make sense. Something does not add up.
"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree." Romans 11:17-24
Please take careful note of what Paul is saying here. He takes physical, ethnic, national Israel and divides them into two groups: (A) believing Jews and (B) unbelieving Jews. According to Romans 2:28-29, Group B, the unbelieving Jews, are not true Jews: "For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God." According to Romans 9:6-8, Group B, the unbelieving Jews, do not belong to Isreal: "But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring." This means that Group A, believing Jews, are true Jews and do belong to Israel.
Paul then takes the whole of gentiles and divides them into two groups. The believing gentiles are grafted in with believing Israel. All through the Old Testament, God prophesied about the gentile inclusion (Is. 11:10; 42:6; 49:6; 60:3; 66:18-19; et al.). What Paul is describing here and in Ephesians 2:11-3:13 is an expansion. So, if believing gentiles are grafted in with believing Jews, what does that make them? Well, according to Romans 2:28-29, they are true Jews, and, according to Romans 9:6-8, they belong to Israel. So when Paul says, "And in this way," he is talking about the gentile inclusion, the expansion of Israel. When he says "all Israel will be saved," he is speaking about spiritual Israel, the one Body made up of believing Jews and believing gentiles.
"God has not rejected His people … they stumble[d] … they were broken off because of their unbelief." Romans. 11:2, 11, 20
This in not some divine judgment. The Jews cut themselves off. Gentiles as a group benefit, but if they likewise reject Jesus, they will be cut off, too. Verses 20-21 are not a warning or threat to believers about some possibility of losing their salvation. That is quite impossible. This passage is not dealing with individuals but with groups. Clearly all the natural branches were not cut off. The only ones who were are Group B, the unbelieving Jews. Therefore, this is a warning to unbelieving gentiles. If gentiles continue in unbelief, as the unbelieving Jews did, then God will likewise not spare them. This passage could not be more clear, but you need a Seminary degree in order to confuse the issue so badly.
"Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits." Matthew 21:43
Jesus said that the kingdom of God would be taken from the Jews and given to a people producing its fruits. Which people is that? Let us take a look at what Peter said: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10). Who are the people producing the fruits of the kingdom of God? Christians! The Ekklesia, made up of believing Jews and believing gentiles.
There are those (Jews, Zionists, Dispensationalists) who claim that "God still stands with national Israel today." But, again, is this true? The answer is both "Yes" and "No." Let us see how.
A new Jacob is introduced when Jesus chooses the 12 disciples (Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16; Matt. 10:1-4). Jesus says something to Nathaniel in John 1:51 that echos Jacob’s experience in Genesis 28 (because Jesus was that ladder). Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, citing to the Devil what the Israelites could not learn in 40 years wandering the desert (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). The new Jacob (Jesus) finds His Rachel at a well—at noon.
- Isaac’s wife was found at a well (Gen. 24).
- Jacob comes to a well and Rachel appears at noon.
- Moses came to a well and found a bride, Zipporah (Ex. 2).
The Bridegroom, Christ, figuratively speaking, finds His bride at a well. Jesus is weary from His journey and asks for her water; she is weary from life’s journey and asks for His water. The Samaritan woman is a perfect picture of Christ’s bride—she is one woman, but she is part Jew and part gentile.
A new Israel is declared (John 15:1a; Matt. 2:15; et al.). In the Old Testament, Israel was frequently depicted as a vine (Is. 5:1-7; Ps. 80:8-15; Hos. 10:1; Ez. 19:10-14; Jer. 2:21; 12:20; Ez. 17). So when Jesus says, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1a), understand this . . . clearly, unequivocally, and irrefutably: Jesus was claiming to be the true Israel! I have said it before, and I will say it again: not only is Jesus the second Adam, as Paul refers to Him, but He is also the second Israel. Jesus succeeded on all points where Israel failed. His life parallels the life of Israel.
- The King of kings was born in Bethlehem, the very place where David was crowned king of Israel. The magi following the star were looking for the baby who was born King of kings.
- After Jesus was born, He went to Egypt, just as Israel fled to Egypt to avoid death during a famine.
- Both national Israel and the NEW Israel (Christ Jesus) were "called out of Egypt."
- Jesus was baptized at the very location national Israel crossed the Jordan to enter Canaan.
- Before Jesus entered into His public ministry, He spent forty days in the wilderness, and before national Israel entered Canaan, they spent forty years in the wilderness.
- God gave the Old Covenant Law on a mountain (Sinai) through Moses, and He gave the new Law on a mountain through His Son (i.e.: "the Sermon on the Mount").
- National Israel has a history of disobedience to Yahweh and failure to meet the conditions of the Old Covenant Law, while the NEW Israel (Jesus) fulfilled every "jot and tittle" of the Law.
- The Law promised "blessings" from Yahweh for full obedience and punishment for disobedience to the Law. National Israel experienced constant punishments from Yahweh throughout the duration of the Old Covenant (ending in AD 70), but Jesus experienced and felt the full pleasure of His Father because of His perfect obedience.
- Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law's festivals: born on the Feast of Tabernacles ("He tabernacled among us"), died on Passover, in the tomb during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, raised on the Feast of First Fruits, and sending the Comforter on Pentecost.
God's New Covenant with Israel/Judah (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12, 10:17) was initiated at the Last Supper (Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; John 13:1-30) and activated at the cross (Heb. 9:15-23), but God's controversial plan was always to include the gentiles (Is. 11:10; 42:6; 49:6; 60:3; 66:18-19; et al.). God's only focus now is whether you embrace His Son (Matt. 17:1–8; Heb. 1:1-2).
Does God still stand with physical, ethnic, national Israel? No! Does God still stand with true Israel, Christ Jesus? Yes! (Matt. 17:1–8; Heb. 1:1-2)
The physical, ethnic nation of Israel ceased being the people of Yahweh God with their final rejection of Jesus the Messiah when they murdered Stephen. The Ekklesia, one new man made up of both believing Jews and believing gentiles (Eph. 2:11-3:13; Rom. 11:17-24; et al.), is now His people (1 Pet. 2:9–10), the "Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16). This should not be controversial, except among those who do not actually know a thing about the Scriptures (let alone the New Covenant and the Gospel) and instead have been seduced by Jewish myths and fables. The ignorant and ill-informed will argue that "God still stands with national Israel today," but that simply is not true.
By the way, when Jesus says "...and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2:9b) and "Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie..." (Rev. 3:9a), he is referring to religious Jews. Who else would claim to be a Jew but a Jew? According to Paul, a true Jew is anyone who has received circumcision of the heart made by God (Rom. 2:28-29), and has the same faith as Abraham (Rom. 4:11; Gal. 3:7, 16, 29; see also Rom. 9:6-8). Those religious Jews who persecuted Jesus and the apostles were not true Jews. By rejecting the faith of their father Abraham, and the testimony of the Law and the prophets, they proved themselves false. John the Baptizer said to them, "And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham" (Matt. 3:9). Jesus also said to them, "You are of your father the devil" (John 8:44). Jesus continues by saying, "[the devil] was a murderer from the beginning." When He refers to them as "a synagogue of Satan," he is referring to the fact that these Jews had embraced a satanic agenda of violence and murder. They had persecuted Jesus in Judea, and they continued to persecute His followers all across the Roman Empire.
It is not "hateful" or "anti-semitic" to state unequivocal and irrefutable biblical facts that God is done with the physical, ethnic nation of Israel and is now only concerned with His Son, Christ Jesus, and His people, the Ekklesia, which is made up of believing Jews and believing gentiles. If you oppose these truths, it is because you are opposed to Christ Jesus Himself.