God’s promises for Israel - Session 5.4
Christian remnant among the Jews and Israel - Four
Romans 11:25-26 reads 25I do not want you to be ignorant of this
God will restore Israel fully the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in”. See dispensationalism for time table illustration.
Mystery in the NT typically refers to a major doctrine or part of God’s plan that was hidden in Old Testament times and was only revealed in the NT. The church age, a time of rejection of Jesus by the Israelites and vast numbers of Gentiles being saved, is one of these mysteries. Knowing that this was part of God’s eternal plan should keep us, Christians, from being prideful in our high spiritual position. Remember, it is not because of us but because of God’s grace.
Partial hardening refers to the fact that it’s not permanent nor complete, meaning the Jews as a nation will not reject Christ forever. And even now it doesn’t apply to all Jews, as some are elect. This partial hardening will last until God has mostly finished His work among the Gentiles during the church age. It is perhaps simpler to see this as a vast harvest, a harvest of souls. For whatever reason, God has chosen to mostly work in one field at a time. Therefore, we divide time frames into dispensations. This doesn’t mean He doesn’t glean from other fields, but mostly He cultivates the ground, tills it, removes stones and weeds, plants seeds, waters, and finally harvests a crop from one major field at a time. In the OT, the field He worked in was Israel. In the NT and until now it is the Gentiles. When He has mostly finished harvesting the Gentiles (and the Israelites see the blessings He has given to us), He will move back to the dispensation of the Israelites. This will occur during the 7-year tribulation period.
Q36 Do you think the fullness of the Gentiles has come in? If so, what would God’s next step be?
Q37 What does it mean that all Israel will be saved?
Q38 We know that our Redeemer Jesus was a Jew, who became the Redeemer for all who put their faith in Hem, Jew and Gentile. However, in Romans 11:26 is witten “The deliverer will come from Zion”. Zion is another name for Jerusalem. Since Romans was written after the Lord Jesus had ascended into Heaven, which coming is Paul talking about? Does it have to do with the city the King will ruling from? How do we call that dispensation?