ROMANS ELEVEN TWENTY-FIVE

"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 Israel,

until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." 

According to my understanding of the Middletown Bible Church's web site, Romans 11:25 may be understood as follows:

Paul did not want the Roman believers to be ignorant concerning the mystery of Israel’s partial blindness during this present age. A New Testament mystery is that which has been hidden, kept secret, and not made known to men in previous ages, but has now been made manifest, and made known, and revealed, in this present age by the New Testament apostles and prophets (see Rom. 16:26; Eph. 3:4-5, 9; Col. 1:26).

What Paul wanted the Roman believers to know was something about which believers in other ages knew nothing.  Neither Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, or Isaiah, knew anything about what Paul is speaking of here.  Paul is speaking about a special thing that God is doing among the Gentiles during this present age between the First and Second Advents of Christ (compare Acts 2:1-41; 15:14); that during this time, Israel is limited in its ability to comprehend, due to Israel’s blindness (see 2 Cor. 3:14-16). The blindness can be taken away from individual Jews today, if they believe the Gospel and turn to the Lord Jesus; the blindness will be taken away from the nation at the Second Coming as the nation turns to the Lord (compare 2 Cor. 3:16 and Rom. 11:26).
 
Paul did not want the Gentiles to be puffed up with pride "lest ye should be wise in your own conceits," and to prevent this, the Gentile believers needed to understand God’s present and future program for Israel.  Paul made two major points with respect to Israel’s blindness: 1) Her blindness is partial, not total.  Though most Jews are blind today, not all Jews are.   There are some Jews who see very clearly, because they have received Christ as their Messiah and Savior; 2) Her blindness is temporary, not permanent.  It will only last "until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in."

The fullness of Israel (v.12) will take place after the fullness of the Gentiles (v.25).  What is the "fullness of the Gentiles"? The NIV translation is helpful: "until the full number of the Gentiles has come in."  Today Christ is building His Church, made up primarily of Gentiles.  God is visiting the nations of the world to take out of them a people for His Name (Acts 15:14). At some time in the future (a time known only to God), the full number of Jews and Gentiles will have come in (that is, all those who believe will be gathered into the Church, by faith, and will be saved).  The rest of Israel will be saved when their eyes are opened at the time of the "abomination of desolation" (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; Rev. 13:1-18)!

 

TIME IS SHORT!  TRUST IN JESUS WHILE YOU STILL CAN!