Transcript of the 6/5/26 video: 
Who is Israel, Today? Romans 11 provides insight to guide us during this age of deception.

Hey everybody, Bob here, The Open Scroll. The other day I was reading Romans 11 again, and given all the attention on who Israel actually is, that I've found recently, I figured it was probably well worthwhile to kind of review this for some, but really to try to penetrate the obscurity with the identification, especially with regard to Christianity. So who is Israel? Well, you know, Trump has been abusive toward Benjamin Netanyahu lately, and that's gotten a lot of news, and it causes real issues for some people because they believe that Trump is God's agent, and they see Israel, the nation, as a nation, as representative of Israel, all of God's people, God's chosen people.

And how accurate is that? And where do we stand, or where should we stand, or what is the position that the Bible appears to present? So let's identify Israel, shall we? Now here, I've addressed this in a number of places, and you'll find on the site content page of The Open Scroll, over on the right, you'll see what will their acceptance be from life from the dead, and you may recognize this as a quote coming from the book of Romans, chapter 11. And it's at a very fundamental transitional place in this body of writing. And it's addressed there because it's really critical to understanding how very significant things happen transitioning through the end times.

So we should be discerning at this point, very discerning, and we shouldn't be confused by all the noise that's going on and misidentifying who's who, as far as the players go on the world stage. Now I have another writing, and I'm going to show you that in a minute, but it deals with Romans, chapter 11. Israel is not cast away.

So here on The Open Scroll, I have a section called Interactive, which is actually dealing with linguistic structures in the Bible, oftentimes tagged as chiasm. When you go there, there's a description of what this is, and when you scroll down on the New Testament side, you'll see Romans 11. And what this looks like, I put up, and it's highly structured, as you can see.

And I include Romans 15, 8 through 12, because in the symmetry of the book, these are equating directly one to the other, and for good reason. So there's a lot of insight to be gleaned from being able to discern what the linguistic structure is, because these are pairings that the author of the book has made that aren't immediately apparent, but if you search it out, it's another layer of the presentation of truth, and it deals with where emphasis is placed, and it will affirm various interpretations while showing others to be, shall we say, less valid. So it's a fairly long chapter, as chapters in Romans tend to be, but let's take a look at it.

So here I have it up in the Bible Gateway app, and NASB is on the left, specifically the 1995 version, and the ESV, or English Standard Version, on the right. So I'm going to step through this and focus on identifying Israel today and discussing the relationship with the church. Verse 1, I asked then, has God rejected His people? By no means.

So right out of the gate, I need to address a misunderstanding. A lot of people believe the church has replaced Israel as God's chosen people, that He's done with them. And absolutely, if you believe what Paul wrote by the Holy Spirit in verse 1, God has not rejected His people.

So let's see how that works, because if you read through the book of Acts, you might think, ah, God's done with them, moved on, and that's it. Well, here we have Paul's argument by the Holy Spirit. He says, For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

God has given Paul a very special role as the apostle to the Gentiles. And so, that immediately really blows up the argument that God has rejected His people, that you'll hear people say. But he says, God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.

So he repeats and extends, Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. This wasn't revealed previously to Elijah, right? But this is how God works, and this is why He's introducing it here to inform us about Israel who has not been rejected, okay? So too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace.

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. Now there are people who judge entirely by works and look at Israel and say, yeah, they're gone. But God has reserved a remnant, a number, and it is by grace.

And so, God's choice, this is how He chose to do it, so we don't need to point anywhere and say these are Israel, these are not Israel, because God has a hidden remnant that He will reveal at the proper time to the proper people in the proper way. So there's a pattern that's established, it's a precedent, and this is the pattern that's being called to our attention in judging, right? So let's agree with God in His judgment. So it's by grace, and it's not on the basis of works.

There doesn't need to be any basis of works in this. God knows how to judge rightly. Verse 7, What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking.

The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened. Okay, so now we have a distinction. The elect obtained it, right? And He doesn't identify specifically what the difference is here, and He doesn't really need to, but He's setting us up, filling us in along the way.

So there's a huge difference. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened. They failed to obtain what they were seeking.

As it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day, and Paul's day, and yea, even to this very day. And David says, Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution for them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see and bend their backs forever.

Now you may think, well this is harsh and counterintuitive, but no, He has a plan in place, and He's not laying it all out in a clear fashion where it's an indisputable argument, but it will unfold at the proper time in the proper way, and He's given plenty of revelation in advance for those of us who need to know in advance to help set this up. That's His way. Verse 11, So I ask, Did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means.

Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles so as to make Israel jealous. Now if you just get a hold of that, that's a huge deal. It presents a dynamic that the Heavenly Father is using in a great exploit to bring His greater plan to fruition.

Through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles so as to make Israel jealous. And that's going to be quite a feat. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and let's back that up just a little bit, their trespass, that's Israel's trespass, through which salvation has come to the Gentiles.

If their trespass means riches for the world, yeah, the whole world, the whole world. And if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, which it does, and this is His plan, right? And it's to make Israel jealous. And He says, How much more will their full inclusion mean? Oh.

So through this plan, ultimately, through the Gentiles making Israel jealous, Israel will have a full inclusion, right? In God's family. Yeah. How much more will their full inclusion mean? And let's not skip over this lightly.

This is the plan that's in place. This is how it's going to ultimately unfold. And I would add, in stages.

Verse 13, Now I'm speaking to you Gentiles, inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry. Yeah. In making this presentation, I think especially, because this is key.

In order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, Paul is motivated here. He sees how this works. And he is not being diminished by being an apostle to the Gentiles while Peter was made, interestingly enough, an apostle to Israel.

This is an awesome plan that's going to manifest in a most glorious way and give glory to the author of the plan. Yeah. In order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

Not all, but some of them. And there's a plan that's going to be further described here so we get more clarity. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, which we've already established, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? Full stop.

Okay. Life from the dead. What does that mean? Well, let's be literal here because this is very much how things are going to go.

Does it just mean Israel has been considered as dead, but it's going to bring life to them, like life to the bones, right, in the valley? Well, there's that. But there's also the level of resurrection and what this means as their stages of reconciliation and their acceptance has to do with triggering resurrection. And I go into a lot more detail in the other writing that I referred to earlier.

Verse 16, If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, and it is, so is the whole lump. Okay. There's a promise.

That's a prophecy. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. And we're going to explore that.

The root and the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, okay, let's break it down. Branches broken off.

Well, in the context, Israel, temporarily, right? Temporarily, that's been established. And you, Gentiles, although a wild olive shoot were grafted in among the others, among the others, okay? Not instead of Israel. Among the others.

And now share, not eliminating Israel and taking all the nourishing sap from the root, right? Well, no. It's sharing. They're grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree.

Remember, Paul blew up the argument right out of the gate, saying that, hey, I'm an Israelite. The tribe of Benjamin, right? Legit bloodline. He was in the Sanhedrin.

His Saul, right? His Hebrew name. So, here's his warning now to the Gentiles. Okay? That's who he's addressing.

Verse 18, Do not be arrogant toward the branches. Yep. And boy, how much arrogance do I see against the natural branches.

A lot. If you are, remember, it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Yeah.

That's a very important thing to remember. Then you will say, branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. That is true.

They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So, do not become proud but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, did he spare the natural branches from being broken off? No, he did not.

Neither will he spare you. Figure it out. What's the promise? Those who are proud, there's coming a day when he will not spare you from being broken off.

Out of the tree, from the nourishing sap of the root. Right? Yeah, this is coming and in stages. So, verse 21, For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

That is a prophecy. Clear as day. Verse 22, Note then the kindness and the severity of God's severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you conditionally.

Conditionally, Gentiles. Otherwise, yeah, there's options here. But God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness.

Otherwise, you too will be cut off. Promise. Some will.

And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in. Yes, Israel will be grafted in. In stages.

For God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree? He makes a good point, right? A necessary point. And yes, it's going to be obvious how much more.

Yeah. And that day is coming. And this is what I should probably tell you is Israel's destiny.

Verse 25. 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. There's an appointed transition here, right? Make note of that. And in this way all Israel will be saved.

And this is in stages, as I've said many times. 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. Yeah. What a work.

What a hope. What a reality is going to manifest through these stages. Verse 28.

As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. Admittedly, as regards the gospel, yes. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God, but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, reiterating that point, so they too have now become disobedient in this season, in order that by the mercy shown to you, they also may now receive mercy. That time is coming.

And it will manifest through the lever of jealousy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. How beautiful.

How simple. How beautiful. How amazing.

And Paul at this moment kind of is overwhelmed in a sense in the spirit. And look at what he writes. And you can't hardly help but be very emotional when this dawns on you.

How awesomely incredible this plan is. And when it unfolds, the world will change. Absolutely, the world will change.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid.

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Oh man, that's mind-boggling how good our God is. So, let's go to the question, who is Israel? Is it a nation? Is it a national entity? Well, in the past, some say yes and there is a reality to that in the present which I've demonstrated in a number of ways. And that reality can hardly be denied when you look at the facts.

However, is that the whole of the story? No. God has a remnant and where are all the people that are his remnant? And what is the number? Well, I've pointed to 144,000, 12,000 from each tribe which I have to take as literal and there are very likely other interpretations that are more figurative. But you have to look at are they all in the boundaries of the nation of Israel? Maybe, maybe not.

Do they have to be exclusive to the boundaries of the nation of Israel? No. I don't see any place in Scripture that I understand to say one way or the other with respect to the boundaries of what we consider now to be the state of Israel. I see people in the political realm who have authority who are now and in the past also responsible to fulfill some of the Scriptures.

But if you want to know who God's players are, who are the remnant known as Israel, who exactly are these Gentiles and what do they do to make Israel jealous? Well, there's a lot more that's known than you might think. So, if we want to be small minded and ignore what the Holy Spirit is revealing in Romans chapter 11, we can get all caught up in all the drama of the day. But there's a better way.

It's not incumbent upon you or I to point to an individual and say, Israel or not Israel. It's fruitless. If the Lord were to do that, well, He'll make it known to you and there will be a reason for such a thing as that.

But as I understand it, in my role, in preparation for the time when it really counts, that should be of no interest to us. We should not engage in such activities. So, if you ask me about, can you tell me where those people are living who are the remnant today or in the near future who are going to be identified as that remnant, I have nothing to offer.

If you demand an answer there to satisfy some desire you seem to have, go elsewhere and see what you find. But I don't think you're going to be satisfied with the truth because it's not going to be there. So, I'm going out on a limb, I guess, by saying that.

But at this moment in time, I believe with my whole heart that's how it is. So, that's about all I got to say about this for now. God bless everybody. 

Bye-bye.