Romans 11 is the commentary inspired by the Holy Spirit that explains the constant turmoil that is Israeli/Palestinian current history. The famous Six Day war was thought to have established the state of Israel for all time to come; but now some thoughtful observers see it as a disaster so far as Israeli security is concerned. How can you sleep feeling safe when your next door neighbors believe you should not even exist, who want to drive you into the sea; you can’t indulge an innocent desire for recreation at a sidewalk café for fear of more suicide bombers, with the stock of youth supplying them increasing, not decreasing. Is dwelling in constant military fear what Abraham wanted his descendants to experience?
The apostle Paul has just discussed how ancient Israel were a “disobedient and rebellious people” (10:21), but he now insists that it was not God who cast them off in spite of the horror of their rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah; they cast themselves off. They are in a state of disconnect, which is “cast off” (11:15); but Paul’s point is that they “disconnected” themselves, “cast off” themselves; God was faithful, they were not.
All during the post-Pentecost explosion of soul-winning among the Gentiles, God had this “small number” of Israelites who were like the “seven thousand” that He had in Elijah’s day at Mt. Carmel when the prophet thought he was alone (1 Kings 19:10, 18). So today.
Modern secular “Israel” is a far cry from the spiritual nation that the descendants of Abraham were called to be (Gen. 12:2, 3); his descendant nation were to be God’s missionary agents to save the world through proclamation of the gospel, but they very largely forgot the vision. There is among them today still that “small number” who are thinking and pondering sacred history. The political and military world around them may (and will) crumble, but this “small number” will yet prove to be loyal to the Holy Spirit.
Jews who have learned to appreciate what Jesus of Nazareth accomplished on His cross will have a prominent part in the movement that “lightens the earth with glory” in fulfillment of Revelation 18. They will repent of their corporate age-long impenitence; they will repent of their ancestors’ rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah even though they were not personally present when it happened. No modern Israeli was physically there, but that “small number” will see themselves there.
Their repentance will be corporate; when they begin to understand the cross, they will see that they would have done the same had they been there, for our human nature is the same in all ages. Modern Jews will learn to understand corporate guilt.
So will we, Gentile Christians, for the Holy Spirit teaches it and convicts of it (John 16:8).
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