Monday 7 November 2016

Until the Fulness of the Gentiles Be Come In

"...blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in".

I don't think Paul said "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" in order to divide history up into two different dispensations.

I don't think it was to state that we are now in a period of history when God has postponed until the future His best efforts to get Israel saved and is instead focusing on getting Gentiles saved.

I think Paul mentioned "until the fulness of the Gentiles [specifically] be come in" in order to summarise the argument he'd just presented in answer to a conceited misconception about what the inclusion of the Gentiles meant for Israel.

It didn't mean God had withdrawn any of His efforts to see Jews saved! To the contrary, God was even then using Gentiles in an attempt to provoke more Jews to faith.

Paul was explaining a present-scheme, not forecasting a future change of scheme.

"...and so all Israel shall be saved".

Not, and 'then' all Israel shall be saved, but "and so" - after this manner, according to this scheme.

"According as it is written..."

Then he quoted two verses of Old Testament Prophecy which, if they had not already been fulfilled, no-one has ever yet been saved!

Elsewhere Jesus said, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come".

Not, and then God's attention will turn to the Jews - but, and then cometh the end.

The Gospel was and still is the only, the final and the most effective plan God has to bring men to salvation - no matter who they are.

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