Related resources...

Summary on the Attributes of God
Spurgeon on the Attributes of God

Israel of God - Is God "Finished" with Israel in His prophetic plan?

Off Site - Table Comparing/contrasting Israel & Church
Off Site - Does the Church Fulfill Israel's Program? - John Walvoord
The Jewish People, Jesus Christ and World History - S Lewis Johnson

Are you confused about God's plan for Israel? Then I highly recommend Tony Garland's 12 Hour Course on Romans 9-11 in which he addresses in depth the question of  What Will Happen to Israel?  (click) or see the individual lectures below)

Romans 9:1-5 Paul's Sorrow Concerning Israel
Romans 9:6-13 Children of the Promise
Romans 9:14-24 The Potter and the Clay
Romans 9:25-33 A Remnant Will be Saved
Romans 10:1-13 The Righteousness of God
Romans 10:14-21 Has Israel Not Heard?
Romans 11:1-6  God Has Not Cast Away The Jews
Romans 11:7-15 Life from the Dead
Romans 11:16-24 Two Olive Trees
Romans 11:25-36 The Salvation of Israel

Note that when you click the preceding links, each link will in turn give you several choices including an Mp3 message and brief transcript notes. The Mp3's are long (avg 70+ min) but are in depth and thoroughly Scriptural with many quotations from the Old Testament, which is often much less well understood than the NT by many in the church today. Garland takes a literal approach to Scripture, and his love for the Jews and passion to see them saved comes through very clearly in these 12 hours of teaching! Take your home Bible Study group through this series if you dare. Take notes on the tapes as the transcripts are a very abbreviated version of the audio messages. This course is highly recommended for all who love Israel! I think you will agree that Tony Garland, despite coming to faith after age 30 as an engineer, clearly has been given a special anointing by God to promulgate the truth concerning Israel and God's glorious future plan for the Jews. Garland has also produced more than 20 hours of superb audio teaching in his verse by verse commentary on the Revelation (in depth transcripts also available) which will unravel (in a way you did not think was possible considering the plethora of divergent interpretations) God's final message of the triumph and return of the our Lord Jesus Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords! Maranatha!

NOW IF THEIR TRANSGRESSION BE RICHES FOR THE WORLD AND THEIR FAILURE IS RICHES FOR THE GENTILES: ei de to paraptoma auton ploutos kosmou kai to etthema auton ploutos ethnon: (Ro 11:15,33; 9:23; Ephesians 3:8; Colossians 1:27) (25; Isaiah 11:11-16; 12:1-6; 60:1-22; 66:8-20; Micah 4:1,2; 5:7; Zechariah 2:11; Zechariah 8:20-23; Revelation 11:15-19)

Now if their stumbling (their lapse, their transgression) has so enriched the world [at large], and if [Israel's] failure means such riches for the Gentiles, think what an enrichment and greater advantage will follow their full reinstatement! (Amplified)

Transgressions (3900) (paraptoma from parapipto = fall aside, apostatize) is a "false step" and describes a deviation from living according to what has been revealed as the right way to live.

Riches (4149) (ploutos from pletho = fill) can describe wealth, money, possessions, or abundance. Here Paul is obviously not speaking of worldly riches but of spiritual riches.

Failure (2275) (hettema from hettáomai = be overcome) describes a deterioration and objectively as used in this verse pictures a failure or a loss.

"their fall... their fullness" (Ro 11:12KJV) - These two phrases, their fall and their fulness, correspond to the two comings of Christ. Paul writes in the interval when the cross is past history and the redemption of Israel is, as in our day, future.  (Romans 117-15 - Life from the Dead)

God has used even the great transgression of Israel in rejecting her Messiah to accomplish His ultimate purpose of bringing spiritual riches to the world, that is, the Gentiles, just as He had declared to Abraham when He first called Israel to Himself: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Ge 12:3). Although Israel failed to witness to the world in righteousness, God caused her to witness to the world, as it were, in unrighteousness. Because the Lord could not use Israel’s faithfulness to bring riches to the Gentiles, He instead used her failure.

HOW MUCH MORE WILL THEIR FULFILLMENT BE: poso mallon to pleroma auton:

Much more - When used in a comparison regarding quantity, denotes a greater abundance (as here). Otherwise the phrase much more denotes a greater certainty (Ro 5:9,10-note,Ro 5:15-note, Ro 5:17-note).

What is Israel's "fulfillment" associated with? Messiah's return and the establishment of His Millennial kingdom. This is why it is much more!

Earlier in the letter Paul had used another extreme contrast to portray the greatness of God’s love and grace:

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Ro 5:8-9-note, Ro 5:10-note).

If a dying Savior could redeem us, how much more can a resurrected, living Savior sustain us. By the same logic, if a faithless Israel could bring salvation to the Gentiles, how much more or much greater blessing will her faithfulness bring. The Lord promises Israel one day will receive the Messiah she rejected because He...

will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced (Zech 12:10).

In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity (Zech 13:1).

Following that,

the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one...And there will be no more curse...Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations...will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts” (Zech 14:9, 11, 16).

Comment: Zechariah 12-14 constitutes a unit and should be studied together for a proper understanding.

Although the Jews had stumbled, their fall would not be irrevocable (Ro 11:27, 29) for as Paul explains in this section their fall was the way by which God had appointed salvation to come to the Gentiles. However in their fall, the sovereign, omniscient, omnipotent God had their restoration in view, because the very kindness God demonstrated to the Gentiles would be the means of provoking Israel to jealousy. And as great as were the benefits to the world from Israel's fall, the benefits of their restoration would be even greater. One might say "The best is yet to come!"

It is notable that almost 500 years before Paul penned these words of hope for Israel, the prophet Ezekiel had foretold of not only a physical (including reuniting of Judah/Benjamin and the Northern 10 tribes) but a spiritual renewal in Ezekiel 37:1-28-See commentary.

Fulfillment (4138) (pleroma from pleroo = make full, fill, fill up) describes fullness, a full measure, an abundance or a completion. Pleroma is that which has been filled and thus refers to that which is complete, the completeness of Israel referring here to its return to God at the second Advent of the Messiah when all Israel would be saved (cp Ro 11:26). Paul uses pleroma in Ro 11:25-note to describe the fulness of the Gentiles.

If Israel's rejection of light brings "riches", how much more will Israel’s restoration result in rich blessing for all the world! When Israel turns to the Lord at the close of the Great Tribulation, (the Second Coming of the Messiah) she will become the channel of blessing to the nations in the Millennium. The Lord Jesus will reign in Jerusalem on the earth, the nation of Israel will be composed of born again believers in Messiah, Satan will be bound, and the world will experience unprecedented universal righteousness, peace, and prosperity for one thousand years. And all God's people cry "Maranatha, Come Lord!"

Charles Hodge wrote that "At the second coming of Christ, "The conversion of the Jews will be accompanied by the most glorious consequences for the whole world."

Claude Stauffer writes...

In the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32, we see a prophetic word about what would happen when Israel forsook God. The result has come to pass in what we see today. God is working in the world primarily through the Gentile church in the present day. But God is not finished with Israel. He is going to provoke them to jealousy through showing the Gentiles His salvation. Like a child playing hard to get, who is provoked to jealousy when their sibling is shown attention by a parent, so too will Israel be provoked to jealousy and return to the Lord (11:11).

In Deuteronomy 32 it states God’s plan:

Deuteronomy 32:21 – “They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.”

God has never stopped loving Israel and He will use the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy to awaken their love for Him. Jeremiah is inspired by God to describe God’s love for Israel as everlasting when he writes:

Jeremiah 31:3 – “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

To you who are Gentiles - While Paul was directly addressing the Gentile believers in Rome, the truths in this section are applicable to Gentile believers in our day.

INASMUCH THEN AS I AM AN APOSTLE OF GENTILES I MAGNIFY MY MINISTRY: eph hoson men oun eimi (1SPAI) ego ethnon apostolos eph hoson men oun eimi (1SPAI) ego ethnon apostolos, ten diakonian mou doxazo (1SPAI): (Romans 15:16-19; Acts 13:2; Galatians 1:16; 2Timothy 1:11,12)

Apostle of Gentiles - Jesus explained to the somewhat fearful Ananias so that he would be encouraged to go to Saul (Paul) and help him...

(On the Road to Damascus Jesus described Paul's "marching orders" to Ananias) Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake. (Acts 9:15-16)

Paul a Jew repeatedly emphasized his ministry to the Gentiles...

(In his Defense before the Jews he testified) and He (the risen Christ) said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" (Acts 22:21)

15 "And I said, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 'But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' (Acts 26:15-18)

(Paul before the Jewish Council at Jerusalem testified that) "And it was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain...I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. (Gal 2:2,7-9)

“the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8-note).

And for this (the fact that there was one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus) I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.(1Timothy 2:7)

Paul understood the sovereignty of God in salvation. He understood that whom God foreknew He predestined and called (Ro 8:28-30) and yet here we see he approaches this issue of salvation with a sense of his responsibility of delivering the gospel to all men for he does not know who the elect are.

We see a similar thought in his last known letter, 2 Timothy, in which he explained that it was because of the gospel that ...

I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.  For this reason I endure all things (man's responsibility) for the sake of those who are chosen (elect - God's sovereignty), that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. (2Ti 2:9-10 -notes)

Note that when Paul first came to a city, he invariably would go first to the synagogue or search out individual Jews if they were too few to have a synagogue. Some of those hearers would believe, but, for the most part, they resisted and rejected the gospel that was “spoken against everywhere” (Acts 28:22). At that point, Paul would turn his focus to the Gentiles.

In this way Paul would "magnify" his "ministry" or as Phillips paraphrases it...

In the hope of making my fellow Jews jealous [in order to stir them up to imitate, copy, and appropriate], and thus managing to save some of them. (Amplified)

If somehow. Elsewhere Paul stated it this was...

And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. (1Cor 9:20-22)

Jealous (3863) (parazeloo from pará = to the point of, unto, implying movement toward a certain point + zeloo = to desire, be zealous) means to stimulate alongside and thus to excite to rivalry or to provoke to emulation and so to make jealous. The idea is that then the Jews would be jealous and want it for themselves. Parazeloo is a Greek infinitive with a preposition (eis = unto, toward) and carries the idea of purpose.

AND SAVE SOME OF THEM: kai soso (1SFAI) tinas ex auton: (1Corinthians 7:16; 1Timothy 4:16; James 5:20)

Save (4982) (sozo) means basically to rescue from peril, to protect, to keep alive - the word involves preservation of life, physical or spiritual, in this context clearly referring to spiritual life associated with regeneration or the new birth brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-5) and the Gospel (Ro 1:16-note).

For if their rejection and exclusion from the benefits of salvation were [overruled] for the reconciliation of a world to God, what will their acceptance and admission mean? [It will be nothing short of] life from the dead! (Amplified)

The word “if” which Paul uses throughout his argument here is not ean the “if” of a hypothetical condition, but ei the “if” of a fulfilled condition. Paul is not arguing upon the basis of an hypothesis, but upon the basis of facts. The translation should read, “since,” or “in view of the fact.”

Rejection (580) (apobole from apó = from + bállo  = cast as casting away a garment) describes literally a casting off and thus a rejection.

Reconciliation (2643) (katallage from katallasso = change mutually; reconcile in turn from katá = an intensifying preposition + allásso = to make otherwise, to change the form or nature of a thing) means a change or reconciliation from a state of enmity between persons to one of friendship. In the NT, this word describes restoration to divine favor by bringing about a change in man, i.e., a conversion, the means or occasion of reconciling the world to God. Reconciliation is the removal of enmity that stands between people and God. Reconciliation is the basis of restored fellowship between people and God

The Greek verb katallasso basically means “change” or “exchange.” In the context of relationships between people, the term implies a change in attitude on the part of both individuals, a change from enmity to friendship. When used to describe the relationship existing between God and a person, the term implies the change of attitude on the part of both a person and God. The need to change the sinful ways of a human being is obvious. It should be noted that some argue that no change is needed on the part of God. On the other hand, inherent in the doctrine of justification is the changed attitude of God toward the sinner. God declares a person who was formerly His enemy to be righteous before Him.

WHAT WILL THEIR ACCEPTANCE BE BUT LIFE FROM THE DEAD: tis e proslempsis ei me zoe ek nekron: (Ezekiel 37:1-14; Revelation 11:11; 20:4-6)

Acceptance (4356) (proslepsis from proslambano = to receive unto oneself, to take in addition, to receive besides) means a taking to oneself and thus describes an acceptance.

The reconciling of Israel back to God is, indeed, associated with the "resurrection" of Israel as a nation (See Ezekiel 37:1-14-notes) and also with the bodily resurrection of all who have died in faith, Isaiah prophesying to Israel that...

Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. (Isaiah 26:19, compare Hosea 6:1-3 Rev 20:4-6-note)