“So that you will not be conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: A partial hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” (Romans 11:25, HCSB)

God’s time limit on evangelism. This was the mystery which God finally revealed in the New Testament. A mystery is something in the Old Testament which was unknown and which now has been revealed to be understood. Paul is referring to a truth which the people in the Old Testament could not yet grasp. The truth is that God had a number of people who were not Jews, whom God wanted to bring into His eternal family. In order for that to happen, the people of Israel would have to be unwilling to hear and accept the Gospel. We are living during this time. This was mentioned in the Old Testament:

“And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away godlessness from Jacob.” (Romans 11:26, HCSB)

This quote is a combination of two Old Testament statements, the first of which came from the prophet Isaiah:

““The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit who is on you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouth of your children, or from the mouth of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.” (Isaiah 59:20–21, HCSB)

The other quotation is from the prophet Jeremiah:

““Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke even though I had married them” —the Lord’s declaration. “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them” —this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”” (Jeremiah 31:31–34, HCSB)

This is often called the “New Covenant” which Jesus instituted.

Jesus predicted this when He was on Earth:

“He answered them, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.” (Matthew 13:11, HCSB)

The kingdom of heaven has been given to some, but not everyone will receive it.

“Now to Him who has power to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages” (Romans 16:25, HCSB)

The mystery has been kept hidden by God. However, it has been revealed by the Holy Spirit:

(1 Corinthians 2:7–10, HCSB)

It has been revealed to certain people (the apostles and prophets):

“The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. By reading this you are able to understand my insight about the mystery of the Messiah. This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:” (Ephesians 3:3–5, HCSB)

We have received this answer through the writings of the New Testament. This is all to say that for a time, Jesus will accept people into His kingdom who were not part of His tribe. He opened up eternal life for people who will follow Him. The problem is that there will be people who will reject this wonderful gift.

What about the people who reject?

“What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,” (Romans 11:7, HCSB)

“as it is written: God gave them a spirit of insensitivity, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this day.” (Romans 11:8, HCSB)

Even Jesus mentioned the fact that not everyone who hears the message will listen:

“For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive.” (Matthew 13:13–14, HCSB)

Moses said it this way:

“Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.” (Deuteronomy 29:4, HCSB)

Isaiah said it this way:

“For the Lord has poured out on you an overwhelming urge to sleep; He has shut your eyes—the prophets, and covered your heads—the seers.” (Isaiah 29:10, HCSB)

David said it this way:

(Psalm 69:22–23, HCSB)

So God’s people have been warned about rejecting His covenant, His agreement. They have warned that God would send this covenant to another group of people. He warned that there would be people who would reject His message. The time of that message to be heard is winding down.

This is why it is imperative that we continue to share the Gospel with the Gentiles as much as we possibly can. Because at some point, time will be up. God will stop the clock. He will say it is time to finish business. The time of hearing the message that will save us will end.

“He swore an oath by the One who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: “There will no longer be an interval of time, but in the days of the sound of the seventh angel, when he will blow his trumpet, then God’s hidden plan will be completed, as He announced to His servants the prophets.”” (Revelation 10:6–7, HCSB)

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