Romans 11:25–27
“For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.’” (Romans 11:25–27).
In this passage from Romans 11, Paul’s words about Israel can be a bit puzzling. He talks about a “partial hardening” that’s happened to Israel until the “fullness of the Gentiles” comes in, and then “all Israel will be saved.” But what does “all” really mean here?
Some think Paul refers to the physical nation of Israel, suggesting that even individuals like Judas Iscariot or others who didn’t follow God will eventually be in heaven. Yet, that interpretation might not quite fit the “all” Paul’s talking about. But, you might be thinking all means all…it cannot mean anything less.
Paul, in fact, points to a different kind of Israel — the true Israel, made up of believers in Christ. When he quotes Isaiah 59, he’s highlighting the prophet’s astonishment at the earthly Israel’s persistent sinfulness without repentance. But God intervened by offering the Messiah, inviting both Jews and non-Jews to trust in Him.
God raised up a Standard against earthly Israel. So, when Paul mentions “all Israel,” he refers to the chosen among the Jews and all believers in general. This understanding aligns with the idea that God’s plan includes both Jews and Gentiles, united through faith in the Messiah (the Seed of Jacob).
In essence, Paul’s message isn’t about a literal, earthly Israel but about the collective of faithful believers — where the dividing lines of ethnicity blur in the light of shared faith in Christ.
For a devotion on Romans 12:1–2 click here.
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