The Everlasting Covenant

How all Israel shall be Saved

The other portion of Scripture which we shall briefly notice in this connection is in the eleventh chapter of Romans. Here the people of God are called an olive tree. This is in harmony with Isaiah 11:1 and 53:1, where Christ is called the Root. Some of the branches have been broken off “because of unbelief.” ¹ It is the Root that makes the branches holy (verse 16), and therefore when the wild olive branches are grafted in, they partake of “the root and fatness of the live tree;” but they stand only by faith, and may be cut off if they are heedless. (Verses 16-22.) The branches which because of unbelief have been cut off, will be grafted in again, “if they abide not still in unbelief.” (Verse 23.) Thus we see that both Jew and Gentile according to the flesh stand in exactly the same relation to God. The Jew by nature, who is unbelieving, is separated from the Root, Christ Jesus, while the believing Gentile by nature is joined to Him. But a failure to continue in the faith will result in the cutting off of the Gentile convert, while the Jew who has been cut off because of unbelief has the same privileges that the Gentile has, provided he is obedient to the faith. EVCO 509.1

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to EVCO 509.2

Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Verse 25.) Blindness in part is the lot of Israel at present, because at present Israel exists only in part. Israel can be made full and complete only by the coming in of the Gentiles, that is, as many as will believe. When “the fulness of the Gentiles” has come in, then will that which is perfect be come, even the perfect day. EVCO 510.1

“And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Verses 26, 27. Compare also Acts 3:24-26.) EVCO 510.2

Note the connection in verses 25, 26. “Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved.” That is to say, all Israel cannot be saved except by the bringing in of the Gentiles; which is the same as saying that prospective Israelites are now reckoned as Gentiles, but that in due time they will all come in; “and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd.” EVCO 510.3

“We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no not one.” “There is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” ¹ But there is hope for all alike; “for God hath concluded them all in unbelief”—“shut them all up together in unbelief”—“that He might have mercy upon all.” ² EVCO 510.4