Covenant theology refuses to acknowledge any present or future plan of God for the Jews. Through the use of non-literal interpretation, covenant theologians bend Scripture to fit their preconceived ideas. Claiming that the church is the New Israel, covenant theologians remove the eternal promises of God from ethnic Israel and allegorically transfer them to Christian believers. By contrast, in Romans 11:11-26, Gentile partakers by faith in the Abrahamic spiritual blessings are admonished not to be conceited against the chosen eternal people of God: Jews.
Paul recognizes that, since Abraham, there always has been and will be a Jewish remnant on the earth. During the time of Elijah, the Lord pointed out that 7,000 people of Israel had not bowed the knee to Baal (I Kings 19:18). No matter how small, God still has not cast off Israel. Today, the remnant continues as more Jews come to Christ by grace through faith apart from works. From this, one can see that God has a continuing plan through His preservation of Israel.
The purpose of Israel’s temporary national stumbling is for the Messiah’s name to be made known and believed among the Gentiles, thus provoking Jews to jealousy (Romans 11:11). Through divine synergy, the more Gentiles come to Christ, the more Jews will be provoked and drawn to Christ. Dr. Fruchtenbaum summaries verse 12 by noting that Paul rejoiced in the prospect of using Gentile evangelism as a bridge to Jewish ministry (Israelology 742-743).
Paul continues his logic by noting that if "the reconciliation of the world" (Romans 11:15) came through Israel’s stumbling, so many additional blessings will be given at Israel’s restoration! With spiritual riches going out among the Gentiles because of Israel’s failure to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah (v.12), what more could be given at Israel’s restoration except "life from the dead" (v.15)? As seen through the spiritual abundance of the church, God surely has the will and means to bless Israel’s repentance beyond the imagination.
The fact of Israel’s temporary stumbling and future national restoration is depicted by Paul through two illustrations. Walvoord states that the principle behind both of these illustrations is that the lump and tree change by the elements of their contributors (484). When a piece of dough was offered before the Lord during the feast of firstfruits, the rest of the harvest was then sanctified (Walvoord 484). Likewise, "the firstfruits and the root represent the patriarchs of Israel or Abraham personally, and the lump and the branches represent the people of Israel" (Walvoord 484). Because of being separated as holy unto God, Israel’s present rejection of Christ is temporary.
The rich root of the olive tree illustrates the place of divine privilege and blessings. The owner of the tree is Israel (Romans 11:24) and this is affirmed through the four unconditional covenants God made with Israel (Abrahamic, Land/Palestinian, Davidic, and New Covenants). With the law of partition overthrown by Christ’s death, Ephesians 2:11-16 declares that now Gentiles can become partakers (not overtakers), by faith in Christ of the spiritual promises given to Israel.
Enjoyment of divine blessings by both Jew and Gentile is illustrated through the branches of the olive tree. The natural branches represent ethnic Jews descending from the chosen seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and blessed in the divine plan of God (Genesis 21). By rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, Jews as a nation were cut off from the fulfillment of blessings from God at this present time (Matthew 21:43, Romans 11:18-23). However, this partial hardening is not everlasting, but will surely end with Israel’s repentance (Romans 11:23-25, 29-31, II Corinthians 3:16).
A major component of the olive tree illustration is the role of the wild Gentile olive branches in the divine spiritual blessings during the Mystery age of Christendom. Paul accentuates the dignity of the natural branches by sternly condemning egotistical attitudes in believers (wild branches) against God’s chosen people of Israel (Romans 11:20). The enduring relevancy of the Abrahamic covenant is manifested in God blessing those who bless His people and cursing those who curse Israel (Genesis 12:3). By looking at the bulwark of the Protestant Reformation, Germany, one can see the fulfillment of God’s promises through the decimation of the bastion of Nazism. Today, believers must not become conceited in their position of privilege in Christ (Romans 11:20-24), but recognize that God still has a consistent plan for Israel’s restoration and blessing (Romans 11:25-27).
Israel’s regrafting into the tree God’s blessing hinges upon Jesus’ second return. Although the rapture of the church is imminent (Matthew 24:36-39), there are certain prerequisites for Israel before the second coming of Christ. God has promised that the current hardening of Israel is temporary for the present time "until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in" (Romans 11:26c). Walvoord states Israel’s hardening will end and they will be regrafted "when God’s sovereignly chosen number of Gentiles has been saved" (486). Leading to Christ’s second coming, a literal state of Israel consisting of ethnic Jews is required in order to sign a security treaty with a Roman ruler, the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27). Chafer states that after three and a half years from signing this covenant, the Antichrist will renege his promise and bring upon Israel "the time of Jacob’s trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7, Chafer 308-309).
Therefore, God is currently in the process of regathering Israel out of all the nations for His wrath (Ezekiel 34:12-14). God will use a time of extreme judgment (tribulation) by the Antichrist to purge them from their sin (Isaiah 1:25-26, MacArthur Topical 686). By tribulation and death, Christ will judge the two thirds of Israel who accept the Antichrist’s "peace" covenant (Zechariah 13:8, Romans 11:26, Wood 138). However, the other one third of Jews rejects the Antichrist, escapes to the mountains of Petra (Micah 2:12, Daniel 11:40-45), and is entirely saved by the grace of God (Zechariah 13:9, MacArthur Commentary 297). This remnant of Israel will repent of their iniquity of rejecting the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, and then He will return and save all Israel (Leviticus 26:40-42, Matthew 23:37-39, Hosea 5:15, Romans 11:25-27, Fruchtenbaum Footsteps 212-213, Thiessen 362). The remnant of repentance will be grafted back into the place of God’s blessing and privilege alongside the church in the Millennium (Romans 11:23-24).
The unfulfilled prophecies and covenants of the Old Testament call for a special place for Israel in the Millennial Kingdom. Dr. Fruchtenbaum states that through the New Covenant, all Israel will be nationally regenerated unto righteousness (Jeremiah 31:31-34). In addition, through the Palestinian Covenant (Deut. 21:1-30:20), all ethnic Jews will be regathered eternally to the land and to the Lord (Isaiah 11:11-12:6, Zechariah 19:8-12). Through the Abrahamic Covenant, Jews will dwell secure in the bountiful land of Israel (Ezekiel 34:25-31). Finally, the Davidic Covenant will be fulfilled through the reign of Christ in Jerusalem (I Chronicles 17:10b-14, Fruchtenbaum Israelology 793-805). The basic purpose of the Millennial Kingdom is to carry out God’s unfulfilled promises and covenants with Israel to completion.
Throughout eternity, Israel will be considered unique in God’s sight. Although there will be no functional difference, both Jew and Greek will stand before God praising Him. In Revelation 21:12, God designates names of the twelve tribes to the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. Also in Revelation 21, the word for nations (also, "Gentiles" from the Greek: ethnos) is used to describe the people walking in the eternal light of the Lamb. The distinction of Jew and Gentile will remain as people of all time and culture bow the knee before the throne of God.
Therefore, Gentile partakers by faith in the Abrahamic spiritual blessings are admonished not to be conceited against the chosen eternal people of God: Jews. The remnant of Israel will continue to be distinct in God’s eyes. For now, God has used this time of Israel’s blindness so that the gospel might be preached among the Gentiles. Those who persecute Jews will be judged by God, as seen nationally in this century by the crumbling of the United Soviet Socialist Republic, the Third Reich of Nazi Germany, and the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Christians must not adopt a superior attitude towards the Jews. It was the Jews who were originally blessed by God, and Christians now take part in this blessing. Respect, concern, and prayer are to be given to Jews as Christians strive to share with them the good news of the true Messiah Yeshua: Jesus Christ.
Works Consulted:
Chafer, Lewis Speery. Major Bible Themes. Revised by John F. Walvoord. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.
Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. The Footprints of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events. Tustin, California: Ariel Ministries Press, 1983.
Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. Israelology: The Missing Link of Systematic Theology. Tustin, California: 1996.
Hulse, Erroll. The Restoration of Israel. Worthing, Sussex, England: Henry E Walter, Ltd., 1968.
MacArthur, John F. Jr. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Revelation 1-11. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1999.
MacArthur, John F. Jr. The MacArthur Topical Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Word Publishing, 1999.
Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1986.
Thiessen, Henry C. Lectures in Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979.
Walvoord, John F. and Roy B. Zuck, eds. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament Edition. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1983.
Wood, Leon J. The Bible and Future Events: An Introductory Study of Last-Day Events. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973.