“I ask, then, God did not reject his people, did he? Never may that happen!” - Romans 11:1 (NWT)
Let's see how Paul continues to answer this questions in Romans 11.
* In Rom 11:7, 8 shows that the nation of Israel did not obtain what it sought. Paul goes on in verses 9 and 10 showing that their eyes were darkened so they would not see the truth.
* Paul continues his thought in verse 11 showing that Israel did not stumble so as to fall. The purpose of their stumbling is so the Gentiles would also have an opportunity to be anointed and be part of the 144,000, but even so, verse 1 says that “God has not rejected His people” Israel.
* Not only did they not utterly fall, but there was a purpose to the fall. Their disobedience was for a purpose, which is to bless all. This is where it gets really exciting! Verse 15 begins a section which shows the true purpose of Israel being blinded, and allowed to fall for a time is the “reconciling of the whole world.”
* In verse 12, Paul shows that their rejection results in the “reconciliation of the world” and their future acceptance (“fullness”) will mark the time of “life from the dead.”
* All Israel will be saved (verse 26), both fleshly and spiritual.
* Verses 25-29 is so beautiful. It shows that Israel was “blinded UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles comes in,” that is until the 144,000 are complete. And then the blindness and their sins will be removed (verse 27). Verse 28 shows this that they are enemies for the sake of the Anointed, but beloved for the sake of the fathers – God still keeps them in His plan and will help them.
Romans 11:28 says, ” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers”
How can Romans 11:28 be speaking of anything other than the nation of Israel, when it specifically says:
1. They are enemies for the Gospel’s sake
2. They are beloved for the father’s sake
Are Christians (Jehovah’s Witnesses) enemies for the Gospels sake? I should hope not. So this group of enemies is natural Israel who are “beloved for the fathers’ sake.”
Moses told natural Israel that Jehovah loved them in Deut 7:6-8, “For thou art a holy people unto Jehovah thy God: Jehovah thy God hath chosen thee to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. Jehovah did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples: but because Jehovah loveth you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers, hath Jehovah brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
Rom 11:29 tells us that, “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” What are the gifts and calling of God to the natural nation of Israel that are irrevocable?
* God will bless all the nations of the world through them (Gen 12:3)
* They will own the land of Israel forever (Gen 13:15)
* They will eventually be planted in their land and never again plucked up out of it (Amos 9:15)
In Luke 21:24 (NASV) Jesus said, “they (the Jews) will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Notice that the time of Jerusalem’s trampling ended in 1914 with the end of the Gentile times. WWI which began in 1914 produced the Balfour Declaration through which the British Empire set aside land in Palestine for a Jewish nation, which became a reality in 1948. So the early Watchtower (C.T. Russell) was then correct in connecting the reestablishment of the nation of Israel with the end of the Gentile Times. Here is what the early Watchtower wrote about THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL.
“This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that the waves roar — the Lord Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.” This is what the Lord says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the Lord” - Jeremiah 31:35-37 (NIV)
Let's see how Paul continues to answer this questions in Romans 11.
* In Rom 11:7, 8 shows that the nation of Israel did not obtain what it sought. Paul goes on in verses 9 and 10 showing that their eyes were darkened so they would not see the truth.
* Paul continues his thought in verse 11 showing that Israel did not stumble so as to fall. The purpose of their stumbling is so the Gentiles would also have an opportunity to be anointed and be part of the 144,000, but even so, verse 1 says that “God has not rejected His people” Israel.
* Not only did they not utterly fall, but there was a purpose to the fall. Their disobedience was for a purpose, which is to bless all. This is where it gets really exciting! Verse 15 begins a section which shows the true purpose of Israel being blinded, and allowed to fall for a time is the “reconciling of the whole world.”
* In verse 12, Paul shows that their rejection results in the “reconciliation of the world” and their future acceptance (“fullness”) will mark the time of “life from the dead.”
* All Israel will be saved (verse 26), both fleshly and spiritual.
* Verses 25-29 is so beautiful. It shows that Israel was “blinded UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles comes in,” that is until the 144,000 are complete. And then the blindness and their sins will be removed (verse 27). Verse 28 shows this that they are enemies for the sake of the Anointed, but beloved for the sake of the fathers – God still keeps them in His plan and will help them.
Romans 11:28 says, ” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers”
How can Romans 11:28 be speaking of anything other than the nation of Israel, when it specifically says:
1. They are enemies for the Gospel’s sake
2. They are beloved for the father’s sake
Are Christians (Jehovah’s Witnesses) enemies for the Gospels sake? I should hope not. So this group of enemies is natural Israel who are “beloved for the fathers’ sake.”
Moses told natural Israel that Jehovah loved them in Deut 7:6-8, “For thou art a holy people unto Jehovah thy God: Jehovah thy God hath chosen thee to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. Jehovah did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples: but because Jehovah loveth you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers, hath Jehovah brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
Rom 11:29 tells us that, “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” What are the gifts and calling of God to the natural nation of Israel that are irrevocable?
* God will bless all the nations of the world through them (Gen 12:3)
* They will own the land of Israel forever (Gen 13:15)
* They will eventually be planted in their land and never again plucked up out of it (Amos 9:15)
In Luke 21:24 (NASV) Jesus said, “they (the Jews) will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Notice that the time of Jerusalem’s trampling ended in 1914 with the end of the Gentile times. WWI which began in 1914 produced the Balfour Declaration through which the British Empire set aside land in Palestine for a Jewish nation, which became a reality in 1948. So the early Watchtower (C.T. Russell) was then correct in connecting the reestablishment of the nation of Israel with the end of the Gentile Times. Here is what the early Watchtower wrote about THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL.
“This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that the waves roar — the Lord Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.” This is what the Lord says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the Lord” - Jeremiah 31:35-37 (NIV)
