Romans 11:26 reads “In this way all of Israel will be saved;” but in which way?

Question

Considering the epistle was not originally written with verses and chapters breaking up the text, what is Paul saying when he says

“Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭

In what way?

How does all of Israel get saved with the Gentiles joining the Church?

Answer 1

Not so fast - let us examine what Paul is discussing. Paul's discussion of this tricky and controversial topic begins in Rom 9 and continues for three chapters! Very early in this discussion Paul defines the true Israel as:

Rom 9:6-8 - ... For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children ... So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

Again we read that:

Rom 10:11-13 - It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In Rom 11 Paul, again, makes the point that Gentiles are "grafted in" to Israel (V16-21). That is, Gentiles become part of Israel - those who have faith in God's salvation.

Paul makes a similar point in Eph 2:12, 13 and Gal 6:16 where Paul talks about the "Israel of God" - those that accept God's salvation by faith and do NOT distinguish between "circumcision nor uncircumcision", "What counts is a new creation."

Thus, the true Israel, by definition, will be saved in its entirety. I say this in part because I do not believe that being a biological Jew will, at least at some point in time, automatically provide access to eternal salvation, especially those disobedient Jews who refuse to accept Jesus as Messiah by faith.

For more information about the Bible's blurring of the distinction between Jew and Gentile and the composition of Israel, see Is there a difference between Israel of the flesh and the Israel of God?

Answer 2

Maybe my view is simple and naive, but Romans 11:30-32 fragment seems like making the same statement, from slightly different angle.

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Romans 11:30-31, KJV:

For as ye [Gentiles] in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their [, Israel's, fall into] unbelief: Even so have these [people from Jacob] also now not believed, that through your mercy[, your, Gentiles, which come to believe in Christ,] — they, [ungodly ones from Jacob,] also may obtain mercy.

Sad to say, but at least historically without Israel's unbelief Jesus would not be crucified and could not resurrect, and prophesy would not become fulfilled, and consequentially the Evidence of God - Scripture of Israel, today's Old Testament, would not be proven true, and therefore people of Israel would not got a chance to be considered by anyone aside as the 'chosen people of God'.

Practically speaking from casual day-by-day standpoint, ungodly Israel fulfilled prophesy by their own hands, but by that they also gave a mercy for godly part of Jacob, because they proved Old Testament status of God's word, while being clueless what they had been doing; and therefore all Gentiles of further time, who followed Jesus, actually are giving a factual mercy to godly ones of Israel by respecting Old Testament preservance, without which they could not know Jesus at all.

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Romans 11:32, KJV:

For God hath concluded them all [Gentiles and Jacob's people] in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all [godly Israelites by blood - jews, and godly Israelites not by blood - gentiles].

Here, from my opinion Paul gives a straight answer on in which way?, though with a ton of implications, which I hope I succeed to unpack a little bit.

In brief Paul says, that all those, who came from Israel - godly and ungodly (even those who shouted «kill him»), have got gift of God's mercy, and any who would turn back from ungodliness - will practically, evidently be saved in a way that all followers of Jesus — ungodly jews and ungodly gentiles turned back to God — will accept Tanakh status as 'God's word' prophesying of Jesus, alongside with Evidence of Jesus - today's New Testament. And by that - all previous (i.e. dead) who came from Israel (and was more godly than ungodly without knowing Jesus) are saved too, because 'chosen people' status of Israel is became confirmed by non-chosen people too.

John 8:56, KJV, Jesus says about that deliverance of sins for godly Israelites, which already dead, through His coming:

Your [, jews by blood,] father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

«Ungodly part of Israel» which got mercy and still had stayed ungodly, can't be counted as 'real Israel', of course, because Israel meaning is 'people of God'; — people can't be of God and ungodly at the same time.

Answer 3

Answer

Question: In which way will all of Israel be saved as per Romans 11:26?

Response: καθὼς γέγραπται (‘according to the manner in which’ ‘it has been written’).

All of Israel will be saved according to the manner in which it has been written.

And what has been written? “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob”.

As always, God takes the first action because on our own we, whether Jews or Gentiles, are unable to reach God and receive salvation.

Explanation

Paul is talking about all of the physical Israel as against the Gentiles. He is not talking about any spiritual Israel here. See:

“for I myself was wishing to be a curse from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to flesh, who are Israelites, whose are the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the Lawgiving, and the service, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to flesh, He being God over all, blessed forever. Amen” (Rom 9:3-5).

“Perhaps I can make the people of my own race jealous, and so be able to save some of them” (Rom 11:14; GNB).

Throughout this chapter Paul contrasts between “they” (the physical Israel) and “you” (the spiritual Israel, i.e., Gentile believers).

So Paul does talk about the race of physical Israel; not the spiritual Israel.

Are the physical Israelites lost forever just because they didn’t believe in Jesus?; because they rejected Jesus and the salvation through Him?

Paul answers:

“I ask, then: When the Jews stumbled, did they fall to their ruin? By no means!” (Rom 11:11).

Sinned and stumbled does not mean that they are lost forever! God will bring them back.

But why did they stumble?

Paul himself gives the clear answer in the same chapter:

“For God shut up ALL into disobedience, that He may show mercy to ALL” (verse 32).

It is God who shut up all Israel (except a remnant) into disobedience, according to Paul.

This means that God didn’t reveal the truth to them:

“Yet even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts” (2 Cor 3:15).

How ALL Israel will be Saved

When the Deliverer comes out of Zion, that is, from Jerusalem (verse 26).

This is talking about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem. That is the time (even afterwards) God has set for redeeming whole Israel from sin.

This is beautifully illustrated in a breathtaking prophecy. We can find this in Ezekiel chapter 37. In what can be considered as a modern Hollywood depiction, Prophet Ezekiel is taken to a great valley filled with millions of dry bones (verse 2).

“He (God) said to me, "Mortal man, can these bones come back to life?" I replied, "Sovereign LORD, only you can answer that!" (verse 3).

God makes Ezekiel to command and all the dry bones join together!

“So I prophesied, just as I had been ordered to do so. Immediately there was a noise and a rattling—and then all of a sudden the bones came together by themselves! Each bone came together, all of them attached together!” (verse 7).

Then what happened?

“As I continued to watch, I saw tendons growing on the bones, and muscles growing and covering them, and then skin covered the flesh from above. But the bodies weren't breathing” (verse 8).

God gave them breath of life and they became “a very great army” (verse 10). This is talking about the general resurrection at the end of the age!

Who are these people?

These are the “ALL Israel” who have been shut up in disobedience, sinned and fallen!

“"These bones represent the entire house of Israel," the LORD explained to me. "Look how they keep saying, 'Our bones are dried up (in death), and our future is lost (sinned). We've been completely eliminated (stumbled)!'” (verse 11).

That this is talking about the general resurrection is clear when God Himself explains thus:

“Therefore prophesy to them, and tell them, 'Watch me! I'm going to open your graves, lift you out of those graves, and bring my people back into the land of Israel. Then you'll learn (finally the “veil” is removed and God reveals the truth to them) that I am the LORD, when I've opened your graves and caused you to come up out of them, my people. I'm going to place my Spirit in you all, and you will live. I'll place you all into your land, and you'll learn that I, the LORD, have been speaking and doing this,' declares the LORD." (verses 12-14).

Does anyone remember Jesus’ words:

“Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they will come out of their graves” (John 5:28-29).

This is the time when ALL Israel will be living in Israel and Judea once again under the rulership of Jesus the King in the coming Age, the Kingdom of God.

“And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of Hosts in Jerusalem (“the city of the great King” – Mat 5:35), and to seek the favor of the face of Jehovah. So says Jehovah of Hosts: In those days ten men out of all languages of the nations shall take hold, and will seize the skirt of a man, a Jew, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zech 8:22-23).

Conclusion

It has been written: “the Deliverer (the Lord and King Jesus) will come out of Zion (Jerusalem, the city of the great King) and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob”.

“In this way, all of Israel will be saved”.

This is yet to happen at the Second Coming of Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 4

Important ClarificationFor those who have older translations of the Bible, they will read, So all Israel shall be saved. And many commentators and casual readers have interpreted it to mean that "in the end" or at least, "down the road of time..." Israelis will all be saved.

However, modern translations have gotten it right: In this way all Israel shall be saved. The Greek conjunction here, is a conjunction of manner, not a conjunction of time.

So how will all Israel (God-fearers, Gentile, Jews) be saved? The method had just been laid out by Paul in the previous chapters.

Note first, a redefinition of who a Jew is, who an Israeli is...who a real Jew is not. A real Jew who can be saved is anyone who calls on the name of the Lord. (Romans 10:11-13) There is no distinction between Jew and Ethnics (Gentiles) any more. Being a DNA descendant of Abraham is now not of any value or importance. (Romans 9:6-8) Neither does attempting to keep all the Mosaic Law avail. (Romans 8:3) See also the record of John:

As many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on His name.
Who were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

And then secondly, as we all know, salvation comes to all by grace and trust in the mercy of a loving God.

But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets---even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all of them that believe, for there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24)

Conclusion Whether natural Jew (cultural or DNA Jew) or whether a spiritual Jew (ethnic believer), this is how all are saved:

Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. (Acts 3:19)

Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation that fears Him, and works righteousness, is accepted by Him. (Acts 10:34-35)

And this is how all Israel will be saved. Not limited to some revival in the future; but this salvation is open to all in the here and now...unto the Coming of Jesus again (Acts 3:21)

[Note: Many of the quotations by the Apostles in their letters---or by modern expositors in their books---are from the Old Testament era, and they are to be taken from the perspective of "the Old forecasting the New". They are not N.T. verses forecasting the End-of-the-World events.]

Answer 5

The challenging aspect to answering this question is the interpretation of the term "all Israel" which include but are not limited to;

1. National Israel - refers to the entire ethnic nation of Israel as a fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham.
2. Representative Israel - refers not to every single individual but to a representative number of Jews who will come to faith in Christ.
3. Spiritual Israel - refers to both Jews and Gentiles who have faith in Christ.

In my opinion, it is unlikely that Paul means "Spiritual Israel" in Romans 11. The context shows he is warning the Gentiles against the misunderstanding that they are chosen because of the Jews' iniquity. The phrase "All Israel will be saved when the full number of the Gentiles has come in" refers to God's chosen timing. Paul does not emphasize the number of Gentiles. Instead, he provides the reasoning in the subsequent verses in Romans 11:26-27;

26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (NIV)

Romans 11:26 cites Isaiah 59:20, "The Redemmer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins (NIV)." This redemption is limited to those who repent of their sins, as Paul states earlier in Romans 11:14, "in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. (NIV)".

In Paul's perspective, as illustrated in Romans 11:11, he does not believe that the Jews have stumbled beyond recovery. His reasoning is that the Jews are destined to stumble so that the Gentiles would receive mercy first (Romans 11:30). However, because "God's gifts and His call are irrevocable (Romans 11:29 NIV)", some Jews will not persist in unbelief (Romans 11:23), for they are God's elect, due to His love for the patriarchs (Romans 11:28).

The first half of Romans 11:27 - "And this is my covenant with them" - is cited from Isaiah 59:21;

21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord. (NIV)

The second half of Romans 11:27 - "when I take away their sins" - is cited from Jeremiah 31:33-34

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Since it is God's covenant that "all Israel" will be saved, I believe the term refers to "National Israel", and it is through God's righteousness and His grace.

Answer 6

The "partial hardening" allows their faith in God to remain while excluding their acceptance of Christianity.

Had they accepted Christ, Judaism would have been absorbed and the Jews become part of the chaotic system of divergent beliefs that calls itself Christianity. Instead, for the last two thousand years the Jews have preserved the Hebrew scriptures, and their faith and practices have remained almost unchanged.

During this current age, these Jews (and most Gentiles) will not be offered salvation; it is not their time.

Romans 11 continues:

⁷ What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded ⁸ (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

Or, more understandably, as the NLT has it:

⁷ So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. ⁸ As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.

But as described in the book of Revelation, near the end of the Millennium, they (and tens of billions of others that were never offered salvation), will be physically resurrected into the Kingdom of God. It is then that their eyes will be opened and they will have their opportunity to accept God's salvation.

Not only will they receive salvation, they will be among the most honoured of people when the New Jerusalem appears at the end of the world, as described in Revelation 21:

¹⁰And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, ¹¹Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; ¹²And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: ¹³On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. ¹⁴And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Answer 7

Paul seems to envision a situation in which the growth of Christianity among the Gentiles will stimulate those Jews who have not yet accepted Jesus to do so. He does not specify the circumstances, but it seems that Paul is thinking in terms of weight of the fact of large numbers of Gentile Christians turning to the God of Israel. In verse 13-14 he says:

I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them.

It is known historically that groups within Judaism during this period reached out to Gentiles in order to bring them to God. Thus Paul hopes that his ministry will make these Jews jealous and cause them to recognize that what Paul preached about Jesus was true.

In verses 25‬-‭27‬ ‭Paul applies a similar principle to the future, when not only "some" of the Jews will be saved. Instead, when "the fullness of the Gentiles has come in," the fact that so many former pagans have turned to God will stimulate the people of Israel generally to recognize that only the Messiah could accomplish such a miracle.

Answer 8

Unfortunately, I can't fully comprehend Paul's theology, and give you all the scriptures he hyperlinks to. But I am pretty sure that the aftermath of Absalom's rebellion is the clearest picture of what the apostle talks about here.

I already told you in my answer to your previous question, (Is there a difference between Israel of the flesh and the Israel of God?) that Ephraim represents the gentiles. Jacob prophesied in Genesis 48:19 that in him would be the fullness of the gentiles (מְלֹֽא־הַגּוֹיִֽם melo hagoim). You must have noticed that the history of the Twelve Tribes from the time of Jacob up to the Assyrian captivity was dominated by two of them: Judah and Ephraim/Joseph. The influence of the Ephraimites on the other nine tribes after Solomon's death was so great that the whole kingdom was sometimes called Ephraim. Jesus Himself represents both of them too. He already came as the suffering servant (Messiah ben Joseph), and is coming back as the king of the whole creation (Messiah ben David). We have to keep in mind that according to Jewish tradition (has been kept for the last two millennia) Ephraim and Manasseh wouldn't be considered Jews today, because their mother was an Egyptian.

Fast-forward to the Assyrian exile. The aristocracy and most people of any importance were forcibly relocated to other parts of the empire. They were mainly from the heart of the Northern Kingdom, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh. Unlike the Judeans, they lost their identity, mingled with the gentiles and vanished. From now on, we can't talk about the pure blood descendants of the ten lost tribes, because their DNA has been compromised. But since every believing gentile may have some in him/her, they can be considered descendants of Ephraim in the spiritual sense.

Back in Samaria, the left behind by the Assyrians mingled with foreigners that were resettled there from Mesopotamia. The descendants of those "bastardised" Israelites (at least in the eyes of the Jews), are known today as the Samaritans. They are quite important in the history of spreading the gospel, as they were the mid-stage (half blood) between the Jews (pure blood) and the gentiles (low percentage DNA).

In Deuteronomy 32 Moses predicted the unfaithfulness of the people and prophesied about the judgement and the exiles. He wrote:

18 You were unmindful of the Rock that boree you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth. 19 “The Lord saw it and spurned them, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters. 20 And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them; I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness. 21 They have made me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are no people (בְּלֹא־עָ֔ם); I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

Wait a minute. I know that phrase from somewhere else. Yes, Hosea used it in the context of Ephraim (used in the book 37 times), the Ten Northern Tribes:

2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” 3 So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 And the Lord said to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.” 6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the Lord said to him, “Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. 7 But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.” 8 When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. 9 And the Lord said, “Call his name Not My People (לֹא עַמִּי), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” 10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Childrene of the living God.” 11 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

What is interesting, is the fact that the prophet talks about the Ephraim's return from the exile again:

10 They shall go after the Lord; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west; 11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord. (Hosea 11)

So they were exiled to Assyria, but will return also from the west and the south? From everywhere? Very puzzling.

And what is even more interesting is the fact that both, Paul and Peter quote Hosea 1 in connection with the gentiles saying that this scripture has been fulfilled in them:

22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” (Romans 9)

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2)

So now we only have two options before us. The two apostles were either very creative and twisted the scriptures to fit their agenda, or the gentiles really are the spiritual descendants of the divorced Ephraim of the flesh. John the apostle says the latter winking at us while writing:

Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. (John 11:54)

Some see the two beams of the cross as the fulfilment of Ezekiel 37:15-28. It may be so, since the unification of Judah with the Ephraim is a big part of the messianic profile.

Now back to the rebellion of Absalom. The twelve tribes of Israel are united after the control of the kingdom returns to the father.

Handsome and vain Absalom (the father of peace, in reality more like the father of deception) as the usurper of the throne of David is a picture of the satan himself. In his death, however, he becomes the antitype of Jesus. He rode to his death on the mule, an infertile beast, trying to escape from the battlefield. The rebellious son hangs on a tree and is pierced three times, which brings peace to the whole nation. Jesus the obedient son wilfully rode to his death on an ass and her colt (more likely the symbol of the Jews and the gentiles again). The prince of peace brigs everlasting peace to the whole creation. The good news about the victory and restoration of the king (euaggelion in LXX: 2 Sam 18:19, 20, 26, 31) is brought by two messengers (the image reused by Isaiah in 40:9 & 52:7). An Israelite first and then a gentile from Kush. The delegation of all the tribes of Israel except Judah comes to Machanaim and ask David to be their king again. Mahanaim? I know that name. Wasn't this the place where Jacob split his family into two camps to save Joseph and Rachel? Coincidence? I don't think so.

9 And throughout all the tribes of Israel there was much discussion and argument going on. The people were saying, “The king rescued us from our enemies and saved us from the Philistines, but Absalom chased him out of the country. 10 Now Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, is dead. Why not ask David to come back and be our king again?” 11 Then King David sent Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, to say to the elders of Judah, “Why are you the last ones to welcome back the king into his palace? For I have heard that all Israel is ready. 12 You are my relatives, my own tribe, my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last ones to welcome back the king?” 13 And David told them to tell Amasa, “Since you are my own flesh and blood, like Joab, may God strike me and even kill me if I do not appoint you as commander of my army in his place.” 14 Then Amasa convinced all the men of Judah, and they responded unanimously. They sent word to the king, “Return to us, and bring back all who are with you.” 15 So the king started back to Jerusalem. And when he arrived at the Jordan River, the people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the river. 16 Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin, hurried across with the men of Judah to welcome King David. 17 A thousand other men from the tribe of Benjamin were with him, including Ziba, the chief servant of the house of Saul, and Ziba’s fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan to meet the king. 18 They crossed the shallows of the Jordan to bring the king’s household across the river, helping him in every way they could. (2 Samuel 19)

All in all, the whole Israel Paul talks about must be the gentiles (spiritual descendants of Ephraim, the Ten Lost Tribes) and the Jews.

Answer 9

Romans 11:26-27 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

All Israel is all of Israel: this is 12 Tribes, which is not limited to the Jews, as the Jews are only 1 tribe of Israel. This is both the converted and the grafted in, and the unconverted.

Paul is making a point in Romans 11 that there are the elect of Israel now but all of Israel will be saved in the future once the times of the Gentiles has been fulfilled.

In what way will all of Israel be saved?

1. The Deliverer (Jesus Christ) Will Come Out of Zion
2. He Will Turn Away Ungodliness from Jacob

Note that ungodliness and sin is mentioned: these are not holy seed. See Zechariah 13:1 And notice that Jacob is mentioned, the father of the 12 Tribes. This drives home that salvation is to the twelve tribes.

Jeremiah 16:14-15 and Jeremiah 23:6-8; God intends to save Israel again at His coming. A controversial point, but is true, is that when Christ returns He has not come to save the world, rather He has come to save Israel (both ethnic Israel and those grafted in)

The Exodus is a foreshadow of Christ's return in which God saved Israel out of Egypt and out of Egypt also came a mixed multitude. At Christ's return, Christ is going to save Israel out of the world with a mixed multitude (Gentiles grafted-in).