Page 19 - Torch Magazine #28 - Summer 2025

in relation to the Church but are less
inclined to preach about grace when it
concerns Israel. Paul begins Romans 11 by
offering himself as a living example of God’s
grace. He was once Saul of Tarsus, one of
the most bitter enemies of the Gospel and
a persecutor of the Church. Replacement
Theologians seem comfortable when
will not cast off His people, nor will He
forsake His inheritance.” In Jeremiah 31:35-
37, God says that Israel will never cease to
be a nation before Him as long as the sun,
moon and stars remain. Psalm 105:7-10 says
God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac
and “confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to
Israel as an everlasting covenant.”
relating to the ‘Christian’ Paul, but choose
to ignore His Jewish identity. Here Paul
was effectively pointing out, “if you think
God has rejected Israel… hello, I’m Paul an
Principle 2: Israel’s blindness is in part and
Israelite!” Or today he might put it another
temporary
way, “if you have a problem with Israel,
you have a problem with me.” Paul once
described himself as “the worst of sinners”
and here he is now, transformed by the
grace and mercy of God.
“God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes
that they should not see and ears that they
should not hear, to this very day.”
(Romans 11:8)
Paul was one of many Jews that
were now part of the Church (Jews and
Gentiles believing in Jesus). Paul gives
the example of Elijah and the saving of
7,000 men, demonstrating that there is
always a faithful remnant – not all Israel is
in unbelief. However, the existence of a
believing remnant does not negate a future
national restoration. The remnant, which
Paul could identify himself with, is part of
God’s present work, but a greater national
fulfilment is yet to come.
A Replacement Theologian might
contend that Paul offering himself
as an example of God’s grace simply
demonstrates the already known fact that
there are individual Jews who believe
in Jesus. But notice his self-declared
descriptor: he is referring to himself as “an
Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the
tribe of Benjamin.” Notice that Paul refers
to himself as “of the seed of Abraham” in
the ‘natural descendant’ use of the term.
This is critical, because it gives clarity
to which people Paul is referring for the
entire chapter. Reading the entire chapter,
it is very clear that ‘Israel’ in Romans 11 is
NOT meaning the Church. Nor is it only
Romans 11:7-10 speaks of a ‘spirit of
stupor’ and a blindness that has been
imparted to many. Further into the chapter,
verse 25 says that the “blindness in part has
happened to Israel until the fullness of the
Gentiles has come in.” This verse provides
two very important indicators.
Firstly, it defines the blindness as being
‘in part’. Considering it from a ‘glass half-full’
perspective, Paul shows an enthusiasm that
a ‘remnant’ exists. From the ‘glass half-
empty’ perspective, Paul, an evangelist at
heart, shares how he would do anything to
save some of his own flesh (Romans 11:14).
However, verse 25 also defines a
time-period: “until the fullness of the
Gentiles has come in.” This time-period
is sometimes described as ‘time of the
Gentiles’ or ‘Church Age’. While there are
various eschatological views about this
timeframe, this verse clearly says that
Israel’s blindness is temporary and lasts for
a period that coincides precisely with God’s
dealings with the Gentiles. We are living in
this Church-age period. Once the “fullness
of the Gentiles has come in,” then all Israel
will be saved in accordance with Scripture:
referring to Jews who believe in Jesus. Israel
is referring to the physical descendants
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And notably,
it continues, “God has not cast away His
people,” clearly meaning the Jewish people.
This is entirely consistent with other
Scriptures. Psalm 84:14 says, “For the Lord
“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is
written: The Deliverer will come out of
Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness
from Jacob; For this is My covenant with
them, When I take away their sins.”
(Romans 11:26-27)
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