The Second Advent of Jesus Christ in Romans 11.25-27 (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)
Doctrinal Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday September 25, 2024
The Day of the Lord Series: The Second Advent of Jesus Christ in Romans 11:25-27
Lesson # 41
There are four major passages in the New Testament epistles, which discuss the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, namely Romans 11:25-27, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2:8 and Jude 14-15.
Romans 11:25 In fact, I by no means want each and every one of you spiritual brothers and sisters to be ignorant of this mystery in order that you will not be arrogant concerning yourselves, namely that a partial hardness is taking place in Israel until and during which time the full number of Gentiles has come into existence. (Pastor’s translation)
The expression “the fullness of the Gentiles” or “the full number of Gentiles” is not the same as the expression used by our Lord in Luke 21:24, namely, “the times of the Gentiles.”
“The times of the Gentiles” refers to an extended period of time when the Gentiles are the dominant world powers and Israel is subject to those powers and extends from the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.) and continues through the Tribulation (Revelation 11:2).
This period of history includes the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the church age and the Tribulation period.
So “the fullness of the Gentiles” in Romans 11:25 and the “times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21:24 both end with the Second Advent of Christ.
However, the former deals with the number of Gentiles who will be saved whereas as the latter is political dealing with the political control of Jerusalem.
The apostle Paul in Romans 11:26 cites Isaiah 59:20 to support his assertion that there will be a national regeneration of Israel and to teach that it will take place at Christ’s Second Advent.
Romans 11:26 And then, in the following way, all Israel will be delivered just as it stands written for all of eternity, “The Deliverer will arrive out from Zion. He will remove totally and completely the godless ones from Jacob.” (Pastor’s translation)
Romans 11:26 teaches that at the Second Advent of Christ and immediately after the full number of Gentiles that have been elected by the Father in eternity past have been saved there will be a national regeneration of Israel.
“All” is not referring to each and every citizen of the nation of Israel but rather it refers to nation as a whole.
It is used to denote a large and representative number from a group and refers to the majority of the citizens of the nation of Israel at the time of Christ’s Second Christ who will trust in Him as their Savior.
So the word “all” is referring to the national regeneration of Israel at the Second Advent of Christ in which at that time the majority of Jews in Israel will exercise faith in Christ so as to be saved in contrast to His First Advent when the majority of Jews rejected and only a remnant believed.
We know that some in Israel at that time will reject Christ since the Scriptures teach that the Lord will judge Israel immediately after His Second Advent and will have His elect angels remove every unbeliever from the nation (Ezekiel 20:37-38; Zechariah 13:8-9; Malachi 3:2-3, 5; Matthew 25:1-30).
So Paul is using “all” here in Romans 11:26 much like we would say in America that “the whole country watched the events of 911 transpire on television!”
Of course not each and every person would have done so but the idea behind the statement is that a good majority in the country did watch the events of 911.
“Israel” refers to the nation of Israel as a corporate entity at the time of Christ’s Second Advent without reference to spiritual status whether saved or unsaved, which is denoted by the adjective pas, “all.”
“Will be delivered” is used with reference to those Jews in Israel at the time of Christ’s Second Advent who will trust in Jesus of Nazareth, the incarnate Son of God as Messiah.
It speaks of these Jews being delivered not only in a temporal sense from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulational armies but more importantly being delivered in a spiritual sense from eternal condemnation as well as personal sin, the sin nature as well as Satan and his cosmic system.
It is used here with reference to the national regeneration of Israel that will take place at the Second Advent of Christ, which is indicated by the quotation that follows that is from Isaiah 59:20-21 and 27:9, which is a reference to the Second Advent.
This prophecy in Romans 11:26 that there will be a national regeneration of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent is taught throughout the Old Testament.
Zechariah 12:10-14 records that at the Second Advent the nation of Israel will mourn as a nation over their rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah and will acknowledge as such and will turn to Him for deliverance from Antichrist and the Tribulational armies.
On the Day of Atonement, at the Second Advent of Christ, Israel will as a nation trust in Jesus Christ as Savior (Ezekiel 37; Zechariah 12:10; 14:9-21).
Paul’s statement in Romans 11:26a that “all Israel will be saved,” which refers to the national regeneration of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent is echoing Paul’s previous statements in Romans 11:12 and 15.
“The Deliverer” is a title referring to the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Luke 21:25-28, the Lord Jesus in His Olivet Discourse replying to a question as to the time of His return to deliver Israel teaches that He will deliver Israel at His Second Advent.
Revelation 19:11-20:3 teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver Israel at His Second Advent in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Deuteronomy 30:3; Psalm 2:1-9; 24:7-10; 96:10-13; 110; Isaiah 9:6-7; 63:1-6; Jeremiah 23:1-8; Daniel 2:44-45; 7:18-27; Zechariah 12; 14).
Paul teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver Israel at His Second Advent (2 Thessalonians 1:1-10; 2:1-8).
“Zion” refers to heavenly Jerusalem located in the third heaven since the Scriptures teach that Christ will descend on the Mount of Olives on planet earth at His Second Advent to deliver Israel from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulational armies prompting a national regeneration in Israel at that time.
“He will remove totally and completely the godless ones from Jacob” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ removing the unsaved from the nation of Israel when He judges the nation subsequent to His Second Advent and this judgment is prophesied in Ezekiel 20:33-38.
So in Romans 11:26, the apostle Paul cites Isaiah 59:20 to support his assertion that immediately after the full number of Gentiles that have been elected by the Father in eternity past have been saved there will be a national regeneration of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent.
Romans 11:27 “Furthermore, this is the covenant established by Me for their benefit when I act on My promise and remove their sins.” (Pastor’s translation)
Paul cites a combination of Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 as further support for his prediction in Romans 11:26 that there will be a national regeneration of Israel.
These quotations are alluding to the New Covenant recorded in Jeremiah 31:31-34, which refers to this national regeneration of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent.
Paul in Romans 11:27 quotes Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 to teach that this national regeneration of Israel will involve the Lord fulfilling one of His promises in this covenant, namely removing the sins from those Jews who have faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
In Romans 11:27, the noun diatheke, “covenant” refers to specifically to the New Covenant since in context Paul is speaking of the future national regeneration of the nation of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent, which the New Covenant speaks of.
Also, he is presenting the provision of the forgiveness of sins, which appears in the New Covenant.
The New Covenant is unconditional meaning that it is based upon the faithfulness of God rather than the faithfulness of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-37).
The New covenant is related to the restoration of the nation during the Second Advent and His subsequent millennial reign.
The blessings the nation of Israel will receive are based on the New Covenant (Isaiah 61:8-9; Hos. 2:18-20).
The greatest blessing in this covenant is that of being brought in close relationship with God (Jeremiah 30:22; 31:33; 32:38-41; Ezek. 11:20; 34:25-27; 37:27).
The New Covenant with Israel was based upon the voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths of the impeccable humanity of Christ in hypostatic union (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25).
The Lord Jesus Christ is the mediator of this New Covenant to Israel (cf. Heb. 12:24).
Therefore, in Romans 11:27, the noun diatheke refers to the New Covenant, which the Lord Jesus Christ will establish with Israel at His Second Advent and subsequent judgment of Israel and millennial reign.
So as we can see from our study of Romans 11:27, Paul cites a combination of Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 as further support for his prediction in Romans 11:26 that there will be a national regeneration of Israel.
These quotations are alluding to the New Covenant recorded in Jeremiah 31:31-34, which refers to this national regeneration of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent.
Paul in Romans 11:27 quotes Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 to teach that this national regeneration of Israel will involve the Lord fulfilling one of His promises in this covenant, namely removing the sins from those Jews who have faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
