I still grapple with that scripture....whether all Israel means the Israel of God or Israel after the flesh.
In any case......it changes nothing about where the focus of the church needs to be.....getting lost souls saved one at a time. If the last generation of Jews gets saved just before Jesus returns and this world goes up in smoke and flame, it is only one generation when many generations that have gone before perished. From an eternal perspective it seems like small potatoes, though of course I'd be glad to see it anyhow. But I think of where Isaiah cried that though the number of the Israelites be as the sand of the sea only a remnant will be saved....can that scripture be broken?
I
(Rom 11:11) " I say then, did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid! But by their fall, salvation came to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. "
(Rom 11:12) " Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness? "
(Rom 11:13) " But I speak to you who are Gentiles- inasmuch as I am an apostle of the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry, "
(Rom 11:14) " if by any means I may provoke to jealousy them that are my flesh, and may save some of them. "
(Rom 11:15) " For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? "
(Rom 11:16) " And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. "
(Rom 11:17) " But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and did become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree- "
(Rom 11:18) " do not boast over the broken branches, for you are but branches too. For if you boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root supports you. "
(Rom 11:19) You will say then: Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.
(Rom 11:20) " Well. Because of their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Be not highminded, but fear. "
(Rom 11:21) " For if God spared not the natural branches, neither will He spare you. "
(Rom 11:22) " Behold then the goodness and severity of God: Towards those that fell, severity; but toward you, God's goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also shall be cut off. "
(Rom 11:23) " And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, shall be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again. "
(Rom 11:24) " For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more appropriately shall these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
-------------------
This is the very, very, short generalized answer..........if I can manage to encircle the Bottom Line.
Paul knowing that even under the OT, only a remanent in each generation were being saved. The rest were being cut-off in each previous generation, as branches of the national olive tree of God's salvation' the only tree at that time for salvation.. Most never were imputed righteousness to salvation...however.
Paul then continues to say that opening up the gospel of the NT to non-Israelite tribes, to all peoples, has made his 'nation's people' jealous (hardened their hearts in the process) (verses 11 and 14) and he hopes that SOME (only some - verse 14) will be saved under the Gospel of Christ and the Kingdom. And those who do come to Christ will come most certainly will, with a greater zeal for God as the rest of the nations (verse 24).
Paul is saying that there in no more national Israel. There is still ONLY one tree of life for ALL Nations, of branches from the previous and now forgotten natural tribes, and with the grafting in of other nations and tribes, these branches are now considers ALL THE SAME.
All people including his own countrymen are of the same status as other nations. All are 'reset' to the same spiritual status. No difference between Jew and non-Jew. Just look at 70 AD to prove this point. God got rid of national Israel and its temple, period; and all ancestral records were all deliberately destroyed to foot stomp this intention of God.
Paul then warned that if many branches were cut-off, from his people, it can also happen to you,(
now get this point) any Non-Jew (not just of a nation, on a personal level) AND by inference ALSO those NEW Jews (not of any now extinct tribe of Israel) of Paul's time under grace/NT. They are all considered the same in the eyes of God, no more chosen special people of specific tribes.
And in Verse 18-22, those prophetic words as a warning
did and
still is coming true today, and tomorrow. Paul knew that what happened to his people will also happen to the rest of humanity on a personal level NOT of any tribe or national level. The 'you' Paul is speaking to is really to all peoples, of the other nations in the world, and inferred to a minority of his people that went into the other nations during Paul's generation and many assimilated there, and their record of ancestry died with them.
Yes, there is still only a remnant of people that were saved in Paul time, and being saved, remaining on the tree of life, from Paul's time, and the next ones, today, and tomorrow. Nothing has changed on the tree of life for salvation.
Most people since Paul's time were cut-off and are still being cut off the tree due to their unbelief and unfaithfulness. Today, we did not fair any better that those of the OT Israelites and Hebrews. Only a remnant of souls have been added to the tree of life in each and every generation.