What is meant, 'until the fullness of the Gentiles'?

In this THINK ABOUT THIS… let’s talk about what the apostle Paul meant, “until the fullness of the Gentiles.” – Romans 11:25. What did he mean?

To help us better understand, let’s begin in verse 1.

“I say then, has God cast away His people? …” Speaking of the Israelites. “2) … do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he [made intercession] with God against Israel, saying, 3) ‘LORD [this being a prayer that the prophet Elijah gave to the LORD God], ‘they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.’”

Truly, let me tell you──since about the year 2011──several times I have felt just like that. But, ‘the LORD God has not cast away His people who He foreknew.’ In other words, ‘Do you not know what God’s living word says concerning Elijah?’ He said that he only remained. And, like I said, there have been times in my life that I feel that exact way. I’ve discussed this with my sister as well as Minister LaMar before. I also typed up an article entitled, ‘You’re Not Welcome Here’ in which I relate how a sycophant leader of a church was going to bring me in front of their ‘synagogue, rulers, and authorities.’

Verse 4 – “But what does the divine response [of the LORD God] say to [the prophet Elijah]?” The LORD God said: ‘I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’

So, certainly, at that time they didn’t have the Holy Spirit, they weren’t promised eternal salvation, but they HAD NOT bowed their knee in front of a false god or a false goddess. The children of Israel that came out of Egypt, were 600,000 who journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. And, on average about 600,000 women – Exodus 12:37-38.

That’s about one million, two hundred thousand!

In the time of the prophet Elijah, there must have been five, six, or even seven million. So, seven thousand men out of about one million, two hundred thousand people is a small amount.

Throughout the generations from that time, we have had a great deal more than seven thousand that HAVE NOT bowed their knee in front of a false god or a false goddess – or even a different Jesus.

But there is a remnant, as the apostle Paul continues, “Even so then, at [the] present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

What the apostle Paul is saying is that there is a small proportion of Israel that has been converted. And, remember, at the time that he wrote this, the TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL ── not one of them had any promise of salvation. We often call them the “lost ten tribes.” Interestingly enough, the Jews of his day referred to the lost sheep of the house of Israel as ‘the dispersed.’ They had gone into places like Western Europe and Britain. Those that were there in Judea, and in Rome – the world in that area at that time – were those that were known as Jews. In other words from the tribe of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi.

Keep in mind, that the LORD God did not offer ancient Israel the glorious Holy Spirit or eternal salvation. But now, the apostle Paul is speaking about, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has come and eternal salvation has been offered. 

Let’s go on and continue this ── to me, this is very exciting! Learning and growing in spiritual knowledge and understanding!

Verse 6 – “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; [or rather, ‘of rituals’] otherwise … otherwise work is no more work. 7) WHAT THEN? …”

Meaning, what does that refer to, or what does that mean?

“ … Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but THE ELECT have obtained it, …”

Now, the true elect of God are those that DO HAVE GRACE, regardless of whether they are Jew or Gentile.

“ … THE ELECT have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.”

So, the overall majority of the modern nations of Israel were blinded, and the overall majority of the Gentiles have been cut off from the LORD God ──and they do not know that they have been blinded. Truly, they don’t know anything concerning the LORD God, and they can’t know. Take as an example: China. Think of the ancient Xia Dynasty. They certainly didn’t know anything about the LORD God. And, the oldest religion one can find ──Hinduism. They believe in one single all-powerful god but this single god often referred to as Brahman is accompanied by a whole host of other gods who all focus on one aspect of the human experience. There are 33 core gods within Hinduism with other lesser gods that play their part as well.

So, “the rest were blinded.”

Verse 8 – “Just as it is written: ‘God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, TO THIS VERY DAY.’”

So, the LORD God has given them this stupor ── this blindness. It’s not their fault. The LORD God is the responsible party, and therefore the LORD God must do something about it.

The ‘Great White Throne’ Judgment

Back in 2020, I had asked in an article, ‘Do you understand Ezekiel 37?’ This great and awesome prophecy has not been fulfilled by the Jews which has gone back to the nation called Israel in the Middle East.

Truly, this awesome prophecy in Ezekiel 37 is what the LORD God is going to do as far as Israel is concerned. The LORD God is going to bring them back in the ‘Great White Throne’ resurrection! At that time all Israel is going to be offered and given a chance for eternal salvation.

But, continuing ── ‘God has given them a spirit of stupor, …’ And, he’s talking about Israel – or rather the modern nations of Israel.

Verse 9 – “And David says: …” So, he goes all the way back to what King David said concerning Israel in his generation. “ … ‘Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. 10) Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.’”

So, understand, that was what King David had said. But, the apostle Paul continues.

Verse 11 – “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? CERTAINLY NOT! …’”

And, we’re going to see that the LORD God is going to save them yet ── but it hasn’t happened yet.

“ … But through their fall, to provoke them [the Israelites] to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12) Now if their fall [speaking of the original Israelites] [be the] riches for the world, …”

And, of course, they didn’t come to the Gentiles until after our Lord Jesus ── it wasn’t during Old Testament times.

“ … Now if their fall be the riches for the world, and their failure [be the] riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!”

So, he’s saying that salvation is yet going to come to them.

Verse 13 – “For I speak to you Gentiles; …”

The apostle Paul is addressing the Gentile Christians there in Rome.

“ … inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14) if by any means [that] I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and save some of them. 15) For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be …?”

They are going to be received back! The LORD God cast them away, as is spoken of in the Old Testament, i.e. Hosea 1:10 – “’ You are not My people.’” So, the LORD God has not accepted them back ──yet.

“ … what will their acceptance be but LIFE FROM THE DEAD?”

And it certainly will be ‘life from the dead’ because this will happen in the ‘Great White Throne’ Judgment.

Verse 16 – “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.”

The apostle Paul is speaking about a tree and the root of a tree. Along with the branches of a tree.

Beginning in verse 17, he actually begins talking about an olive tree.

Verse 17 – “And if some of the branches were broken off [speaking of Israel], and you, being a wild olive tree [a carnal olive tree], …”

‘Some of the branches being broken off.’ That’s through their unbelief. And, ‘and you, being a wild olive tree.’ He’s talking to the Gentiles, they are the branches on a wild olive tree.

“ … and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree.”

So, the branches of the wild olive tree are cut off from the wild olive tree ── which means their Gentile ancestry. And are grafted, contrary to nature, onto the good olive tree to be converted and to become a true Christian.

Verse 18 – “do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you [the LORD God is truly the root and our Lord Jesus Christ is the trunk of the tree, and we are the branches].”

Verse 19 – “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’” And, this is what a Gentile might say.

Verse 20 – “Well said. Because of unbelief, they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.”

In other words – don’t get too self-righteous about it because you have been grafted in ── because the gift of the offer of salvation has come to you. ‘Do not be haughty, but fear.’

Verse 21 – “For if God did not spare the NATURAL BRANCHES, He may not spare you either. 22) Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on [them] who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”

Again ── and we certainly can’t reiterate this enough ── within the Old Testament, the LORD God did not offer the children of Israel the Holy Spirit or the gift of eternal salvation. Yet, there was the government of God. There was the Law of God. He gave them God’s Way of life ── even though they would not live accordingly. They had the letter of the Law. And, without the glorious Holy Spirit, they couldn’t keep God’s Law spiritually. However, they wouldn’t even keep it literally, to the letter of the Law.

Verse 23 – “And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, WILL BE grafted in, …”

Yes! Praise always our mighty merciful CREATOR GOD! They have been cut off, but they too are going to be grafted right back onto that tree again!

“ … ‘for God is able to graft them in again.”

Verse 24 – “For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature [speaking of Gentiles from a wild olive tree], and were grafted contrary to nature into a [good] olive tree [which is Israel], how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?”

Now, we come to the question ── ‘until the fullness of the Gentiles’?

How do Gentiles get in? Truly, if you REPENT, and are properly baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus, and had hands laid upon you, receiving the glorious gift of the Holy Spirit ── are converted ── you are a converted Israelite. ALL the promises pertain to the children of Israel. You’ve got to become an Israelite (cf. Galatians 3:7, 14-16). The glorious promises and the New Covenant ── if you’re going to accept the New Covenant of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is with “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” – Galatians 3:29. You are no longer a Gentile.

Verse 25 – “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, THAT BLINDNESS IN PART HAS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL …”

Meaning, the overall majority of the modern nations of Israel. All but a few have been blinded.

“… until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

Or rather, “but this will last only until all of you Gentiles have come to Christ.” ── as the Living Bible translates it. Or the number of Gentiles to be converted becomes complete.

Verse 26 – “And so all Israel will be [so, ALL ISRAEL will be] saved, …”

Now, this expression, “ALL ISRAEL” is used in a great many places throughout God’s living word. And it doesn’t mean every single person in the house of Israel, but it does mean the house of Israel as a whole. They, as a whole, are going to be saved.

The Deliverer Is Coming!

So, he’s speaking about the whole of Israel being saved when… “as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion [the city of God in the new age], And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; …’”

Truly speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming! He will reign for the first thousand years on the Earth, and all of those still living at that time will be called. I just spoke of this in a new A Morning Bible Study ── What Will God’s Kingdom Be Like?

So, what about the Old Testament children of Israel?

They are going to remain in their graves. After the first thousand years, He will call them out of their graves and they will be resurrected ── and then in that ‘Great White Throne’ Judgment they will be offered eternal salvation.

Verse 27 – “’ For this is My covenant [an agreement] with them. When I take away their sins.’”

Verse 28 – “Concerning the gospel they are …”

He’s speaking about his own generation at that time.

“ … concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, …” – because the majority of the Jews rejected our Lord Jesus Christ. “ … but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29) For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30) For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience [their unbelief], 31) even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32) For God has committed them all to disobedience [or rather, unbelief], that He might have mercy on all.”

And then he praises God’s riches, the wisdom, and the knowledge of God! How wonderful are His judgments and Way!

Verse 34 – “’ For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?’

Verse 35 – “’ Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?’”

Verse 36 – “For of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

Truly, one of the most wonderful chapters of God’s living word is the eleventh chapter of Romans. That our Lord and Savior is coming! And, He won’t come until, ‘the fullness of the Gentiles’! □