With this passage Paul concludes a lengthy section from chapter 9 to 11 in which he deals with the past, present and future status of the Jews. This does not seem of huge relevance to many Christians today who have little to do with Jews. I have scarcely met a Jew during my lifetime. It has not been easy for me to get excited over this section of Paul's letter to Romans.

However, the passage does tell us something about:

(1) Israel in the present.

(a) The Jews of today are partially hardened to the gospel. Israel has experienced hardening in part. v25.

There are, for example, an estimated 6,000 to 15,000 Messianic Jews in Israel and 250,000 in the United States. However they remain very much in the minority. The majority of Jews continue to reject the Messianic claim of Jesus. For instance in a judgment of the Central Conference of American Rabbis: "For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their saviour is no longer a Jew and is an apostate. Through that belief she has placed herself outside the Jewish community. Whether she cares to define herself as a Christian or as a 'fulfilled Jew,' 'Messianic Jew,' or any other designation is irrelevant; to us, she is clearly a Christian."

(b) Unbelieving Jews are opponents of those who accept the gospel and love Jesus. As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account. v28

Paul's bitterest opponents were Jews. They drove him out of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Thessalonica and Corinth. When the apostle visited Jerusalem with a monetary gift for the church there, the Jews stirred up a riot and subsequently plotted to assassinate him.

There is no doubt that of all the World Religions Judaism is the most hostile to Jesus. Judaism does not accept Jesus as the Messiah of the Hebrew Bible, but generally considers him as one of many false Jewish Messiah claimants - lacking credibility in all departments. He was an imposter!

(c) From the time of Jesus the majority of Jews have been disobedient to God. Paul writes: So they too have now become disobedient ..... . v31.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus told the Jewish leaders what they had to do in order to please God: "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the son and believes in him shall have eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day." Jn6v40. For 2000 years this is what most Jews steadfastly refuse to do. Jesus remains a stumbling block to them.

(2) Israel's future.

(a) A time will come when the vast majority of living Jews will be saved. And all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The deliverer will come from Zion .... . v26.

The Jews will be saved in the same way that everyone else is, by trusting in the great Deliverer of Zion, the Lord Jesus Christ.

(b) This time will occur shortly before Christ's Second Coming - when the full number of the Gentiles has come in. v25. The great work of redemption will be drawing to a close when finally the Jews submit to Christ - the only Saviour of the world.

(c) The reason for this latter day outpouring of saving grace for the Jews is down to God's abiding love for his ancient people. They are loved on account of the Patriarchs, for God's gift and his call are irrevocable.

I don't understand this very well! But as Jesus said, God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - they are all alive to him. So it seems for the sake of the Patriarchs who had faith in him, great spiritual blessing will come at last to Israel.

I think, too, God will finally show what blessing his beloved people could have had through the centuries IF ONLY THEY HAD BELIEVED.

(3) Gentile Christians.

(a) Paul counsels the Gentiles to avoid feeling superior to the Jews as God remains committed to them because of his promises to the Patriarchs. Paul writes: I do not want you to be ignorant of the mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. The apostle doubtless remembered God's words to Abraham: "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between you and me and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." Gen17v7.

I think there has always been a tendency on the part of some Christians to think they are superior to the Jews. It is easy to let the dreadful words spoken at the trial of Jesus to colour our thinking: "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" Mt27v25.

(b) It is true that believing Gentiles have replaced the Jews as the people of God owing to their disobedience. The Christian church is predominantly Gentile (not many Gentiles have converted to Judaism!). So the Jews have forfeited their privileged position. Paul wrote: You (Gentiles) have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience. v30. Gentiles who believe in Jesus are by God's grace adopted into his family. Jews who, in the main refuse to believe in the One God sent, are excluded from his family.

(c) Eventually Gentile Christians will be responsible for salvation coming to the Jewish majority - that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. v31.

(d) A time is fixed when Christ's saving work amongst Gentiles is done. All that will left to accomplish is the conversion of the Jews. Their long delayed salvation will make the church complete.

(4) God.

The passage teaches us several lessons about God:

(a) Salvation, whether of Gentile or Jew, is dependent upon God's mercy. For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. v32. This is a rather strange way of Paul saying: "Salvation is all of God's grace."

(b) God's purpose throughout history has been to bring salvation and not destruction. Jesus didn't come to judge the world but to save it. My belief is, that working under the constraint of leaving men free, God will save all he can.

(c) God displays wisdom and knowledge in working his purpose out. Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. v33.

Just one instance of this is God's institution of the Passover meal before leading his people out of slavery towards the Promised Land. The Israelites were safe when the angel of death passed over so long as they sheltered beneath the blood. Centuries latter God sent his son to be the Passover Lamb slain for us. On the very night animals were slain for the Passover meal the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world suffered, bled and died on the cross. IT WAS NO COINCIDENCE.

(d) It is impossible for us mere creatures of time and space to see how present and future events are part of God's plan of redemption. How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out. v33.

In the stirring words of William Cowper:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

Job made the mistake of thinking he would tell God a thing or too. My old friend Jack Finch spoke as if God could do with his advice. Job didn't have much to say after God appeared to him. It was as much as he could do to cry out: "I am unworthy - how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." That is something we could well emulate. When we start questioning God let us put a hand over our mouth.

Peter made a similar mistake. When Jesus began to speak about his death and resurrection Peter drew him aside and said, "Be that far from thee, Lord." Jesus retorted, "Get thee behind me Satan." See Mt16v13to28.

(f) God does not owe us anything. Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Or as James put it: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows. Jms1v17.