The Blinding Of Israel
(Romans 11:7 KJV) What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
(Romans 11:11-15 KJV) I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. {12} Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? {13} For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: {14} If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. {15} For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? [emphasis added]
There are five words used in conjunction with Israel being set aside and her prophetic program being put into abeyance during this present Dispensation of Grace. Those words are identified in the verses above and explained below:
Stumbled...Israel tripped over the earthly ministry of Christ, yet God did not cast away Israel due to their rejection and crucifying of Jesus Christ. It was during this time that God used Israel's ignorance and heart of unbelief to bring about the crucifixion of Christ...God delivered Him into Israel's hands by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God -- Acts 2:22.
Fall...Having not fallen when they stumbled at Christ during His earthly ministry (He was the prophetic stumbling Stone and Rock of Offense -- Isaiah 28; Romans 9) Israel clearly demonstraes here unbelief during the early Acts Period. After the crucifixion God continued to work upon Israel by sending them messengers (The Twelve Apostles and the Little Flock) preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Gospel of God and the Gospel of the Circumcison. During this time, God removes their ignorance by this preaching committed unto Peter and the Eleven, confirming their message by signs, wonders, and miracles by the Holy Ghost. But the majority in Israel continued to rebel and with pre-meditation with makice aforethought they murdered Stephen; a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost doing great wonders and miracles. At the stoning of Stephen Israel committed the unpardonable sin (Matthew 13) and she fell unto the dispostion of God's judgment and wrath to be poured out
BUT WAIT, IN PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS NEW WORDS ARE GIVEN CONCERNING GOD'S MYSTERY ACTIONS TOWARDS ISRAEL.
Diminishing...Instead of unleashing the prophetic Day of the Lord upon Israel, God started to dimish Israel. The diminishing of Israel carries an understanding of deterioration; as a piece of food would, after a period of time, no longer be fresh but deteriorate and unfit for use. Instead of an abrupt discontinuation of Israel and her prophetic program, God from Acts 7 to Acts 28 (a period of time) brought about the deterioration of Israel, her prophetic program, service, and power. During this same time God manifested to mankind a hidden purpose known as the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery -- Romans 11:25, et.al. As Israel was being diminished by God the new things of the Mystery were being introduce to humanity through Paul's apostleship, ministry, and message of Gentile Grace.
Casting away...this word summarizes the action of God as being a rejection of Israel. The idea is one of Israel's loss; God having adjudicated her unbelief in the stoning of Stephen with the subsequent action of God sending forth His salvation to the Gentiles through the new messenger and message of Gentile Grace. the Gentiles, of whom Israel is now numbered after their fall, have been reconciled to God through the death of His Son and are given a season wherein they might be saved by grace through faith in Paul's Gosepl of the Grace of God. Today there is no difference; for all have sinned with God concluding, in Acts 7, them all (Jew and Gentile) in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all.
Blinded...Nationally, Israel has a blindness put upon them during this present time of Gentile Grace. God's disdain and displeasure of Israel's heart of unbelief, demonstrated in the stoning of Stephen, came forth in a righteous act of judicially blinding Israel. Romans 11:7 is clear that "the rest were blinded". Paul wrote in 58 AD that until this day, Israel is blinded in their minds in the reading of the Old Testament -- 2 Corinthians 3:14. By reason of the glory which excelleth (The Message of Grace) the Old Testament and its former glory which faded has now become darkness unto Israel. In the new Dispensation of Grace individual Israelites can come to the salvation of God in the same fashion as a Gentile does: by faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ through grace. But as far as the prophesied national salvation of Israel is concerned, that cannot and will not happen diring this Dispensation of Grace.
Why is there such hope for national Israel in the future after the catching away of the Body of Christ? Well, in Romans 11 there are other words, phrases, and verses that give this hope. Those references are:
Fullness...Romans 11:12
Receiving...Romans 11:15
Graft them in again...Romans 11:23
Blindness in part is happened to Israel until...Romans 11:25
And so all Israel sahll be saved...Romans 11:26
They are beloved for the Father's sakes...Romans 11:28
The Body of Christ program in this Dispensation of Grace is not all there is to God's salvation, but it is where the salvation of God is today. Any person person, Jew or Gentile, must come to God through the message He has ordained for the saving of the soul during this season of Gentile Grace. After the fulness of the Gentile has come in (i.e. the Body of Christ complete and God's purpose for the heavenly places filled up) then the salvation of God will revert to Israel and the prophetic program and promises. Until then, salvation is by Grace alone through faith alone in the gospel Paul preached unto the nations...the Gospel of the Uncircumcision!