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(Israel) to jealousy. Gentile nations are not in view in Romans 11, for such
cannot be addressed as `brethren', neither do they stand `by faith'.
If we teach that the `olive tree' position still continues after Acts
28, let us see what the apostle's words imply. Into that same olive tree
from which some of the branches had been broken out, God assures us that He
will graft them again. We shall see by the references yet to be adduced that
when this takes place, Israel as a nation will be restored. How is it
possible for Israel to be restored as a nation by having any number of
branches grafted into any existing Christian community? There is but one
answer. Only while Israel existed as `a people' was it possible for
believing Gentiles to be grafted in among the other believing branches, and
so become linked with the blessing of Abraham, and partake of the root and
fatness of the olive tree. We are preserved from any attempt at
spiritualizing the expression `All Israel shall be saved', by the fact that
the apostle quotes Isaiah 59:20, where the Deliverer Who comes out of Zion
shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. We have never met anyone who would
teach that `Jacob' can mean anything but the literal people of Israel.
Moreover, all this is in fulfilment of the New Covenant:
`For this is My Covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins'
9Rom. 11:27).
Under the terms of the New Covenant, the forgiveness of sins leads to
the restoration of the Nation (Jer. 31:31-37), and in verse 37 we read:
`If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth
searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all
that they have done, saith the Lord' (31:37).
With the knowledge of this promise under the New Covenant, the apostle
writes:
`As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as
touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For
the gifts and calling of God are without repentance' (Rom. 11:28,29).
Before the quotation of Isaiah 6:9 in Matthew 13, we have a series of
events leading up to this critical point:
(1)
The failure of Israel to repent, even though the mighty works
done in Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum would have brought about
the repentance of notorious cities of the Gentiles like Tyre and Sidon
(Matt. 11:20-24).
(2)
The threefold rejection of the Lord Jesus in His three offices,
as Priest, Prophet and King. `In this place is one greater than the
Temple' (Priest); `A greater than Jonah is here' (Prophet); `A greater
than Solomon is here' (King) (Matt. 12:6,41,42).
(3)
Consequent upon this rejection and non-repentance come the
`mysteries of the kingdom of heaven', and the citation of Isaiah 6:9
(Matt. 13:11,14).
At the close of the Acts we find a repetition of this crisis, but on a
larger scale. This time Israel are set aside, but no command is given to