Good morning, Bereans. This morning we are going to continue our study on Israel. With what is going on in Israel right now, the church is in a prophetic panic crying out that we are in the end times and it's the end of the world. Pulpits are putting out Zionistic nonsense that is causing much confusion and fear. So, we need to talk about what the Bible says about Israel.
Before we get into the Scriptures, let's talk about what's happening in the Middle East. Have you heard about the Israeli plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza? Israeli culture magazine, Mekomit, published on October 28th a leaked document issued by Israel's Ministry of Intelligence which recommended the occupation of Gaza and the total transfer of its 2.3 million inhabitants to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
The document, issued on October 13th, recommends that Israel evacuate the Gazan population to Sinai during the war, establish tent cities and new cities in northern Sinai to accommodate the deported population, and then create a closed security zone stretching several kilometers inside Egypt. The deported Palestinians would not be allowed to return to any areas near the Israeli border.
Biden tweeted this on Octobe 29th, 2023: "We (Biden and Egypt's President) reaffirmed our commitment to work together and discussed the importance of protecting civilian lives, respect for the international humanitarian law, and ensuring that Palestinians in Gaza are not displaced to Egypt or any other nation." This is going to greatly damage Israe'ls plan.
Meanwhile Israel has imposed a total siege on Gaza, cutting off food, water, fuel, and electricity. This siege, combined with intense Israeli bombing that has killed over 8,000 Palestinians, (the majority women and children), threatens to make Gaza uninhabitable.
And in America, Christians in support of Israel are cheering on the death of Palestinians like blood-thirsty dogs. And American politicians are standing in support of Israel and sending Israel the tax dollars that they have stolen from us.
Last week, Netanyahu said the following, in English, at a press briefing organized for foreign media: "Ladies and gentlemen, the Bible says that 'there is a time for peace and a time for war.' This is a time for war. A war for our common future." At the end of the speech he said, "May God bless Israel and my God bless all those who stand with Israel."
This is not a war; it's a war crime against an unarmed imprisoned population that is 50% children. Over 8,306 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. Some 70% of the deaths in Gaza are women and children, according to official figures. Gaza's 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, medicines and fuel, and aid convoys allowed into Gaza have carried only a fraction of what is needed.
Former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman, in a TV interview this week, described Palestinians as "horrible, inhuman animals." He stated that he is "puzzled" by the concern over their fate in the ongoing Israeli war amid a tightened blockade on Gaza.
He's puzzled by concern over the genocide of the Palestinian people? Israel is Evil. But it seems that no matter what they do, Zionist Christins stand with them.
Last week Justin Bass, who has a Ph.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary in New Testament Studies, and from what I understand, is Michael Heiser's replacement at AWKNG School of Theology, posted this on Facebook: "Only *one* nation out of the 195 nations on earth still speak the same language, worship the same God, read the same Scriptures, and dwell in the same land as their ancestors from around 3,500 years ago. Paraphrasing Blaise Pascal, if you want evidence for God look at the Jews."
He is saying that modern-day Israel is worshiping the same God worshiped by the Israelites that entered into a covenant with Yahweh at Sinai. Not even close. Read the same Scriptures? Does he consider the Talmud Scripture? Dwell in the same land as their ancestors? They are not in any way related to the ancient Israelites. This is dispensational nonsense. Modern-day Jews are evidence for God? More like evidence for the devil.
Last week, in a video entitled "Max Lucado and Glenn Beck Discuss End Times Prophecies Unfolding Around Us." Beck says, "We've got Gog and Magog for the very first time." Then Lucado adds, "All the players are in place." He goes on to say that, "The Jews repopulating Israel is just the greatest miracle."
So, my goal is to try to clear up some of this Zionist nonsense with the truth of the Word of God. For our study this morning we are going to look at Romans 11:26.
And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; Romans 11:26 ESV
Before we get to this verse, which is a dispensational stronghold, we need to consider this section as a whole. Romans 9-11 is a Theodicy. In other words, it is a vindication or defense of God. In Romans 1-8, Paul lays out God's sovereign plan of salvation in Yeshua the Messiah. The Jewish nation as a whole had rejected that Yeshua was the Messiah which posed a huge problem for them. Because of their rejection of Yeshua, God has rejected them. Speaking to the leaders of Israel Yeshua said,
Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. Matthew 21:43 ESV
This happened during the transition period from AD 30 - 70. It was consummated in AD 70 when Yahweh destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in an everlasting destruction.
Most of Christianity today believes that Romans 11 is a proof text that God is going to restore national Israel. Those who hold to a dispensational position argue for Israel's continuation in the plan of God. Dispensationalism teaches that as part of the events leading to the millennium, ethnic Israel must return to and be established in the Holy land.
What is the main problem with this view? As we have seen in the last three weeks, there is no ethnic Israel today. Despite this, Tom Constable, wrote this concerning Romans 11: "This chapter proves that God has a future for ethnic Israel, the racial descendants of Jacob."
Before we begin chapter 11, notice how chapter 10 ends.
But of Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." Romans 10:21 ESV
This is a quote from Isaiah 65. Paul is using this quote to reveal that most of Israel, who heard all the prophecies and all the fulfillments and all the Gospel teachings, did not believe them. Paul states in verse 21: "Israel is without excuse for her unbelief." It is not so much a matter of ignorance but, rather, of obstinance.
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. Romans 11:1 ESV
"I ask, then"—seems to reach back not just to 10:21 but to all of 9:30—10:21, which shows that Israel refused to believe in Yeshua.
"I ask, then, has God rejected his people?" Paul answers, "by no means." This is the strongest negative in the Greek language. Paul is as much as saying, "No, no, no, no, never, no way, impossible, absolutely absurd!" Whenever this phrase is used in Romans, it always reflects a false conclusion based upon a correct premise. The premise is: Yahweh has rejected the nation of Israel. The conclusion is that Yahweh has cast away His people. Though the premise is correct the conclusion is wrong.
Who are "His people?" This term is used in verse 1 and again in verse 2. It has the idea of possession. They are a people of His own. They are a people that He called, a people that He predetermined to love, a people that He chose, and He has not changed His mind. So, who are "His people"? Is it the nation Israel? Many say that it is, but I think it is a reference to the remnant within the nation Israel. Look at what Peter said.
Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' Acts 3:22-23 ESV
Here Peter affirms that those within national Israel who don't listen to Moses and who don't believe in Yeshua shall be destroyed from "the people." If you reject the Messiah, you will no longer be "the people." Peter's words were delivered right after Pentecost. From here on (Pentecost) ONLY those who follow Yeshua are "the people." All those who reject Him are the enemies of God and will be judged. Here is a clear indication that the coming of Yeshua would result in a new Israel arising out of the old, from which all who reject Him would be cut off. This new Israel will be the nation to whom God will give what the old nation has forfeited. A new nation will be formed with the Christ rejecters cast off.
Peter did not ask whether God had rejected national Israel. He clearly asked whether God has rejected "His people." "His people" is not synonymous with national Israel, but, rather, it refers to the remnant within national Israel.
It should be obvious that "the people" is not a reference to the nation Israel as a whole, but, rather, to the remnant, the elect, within the nation. Paul used himself as proof of his premise when he stated: "For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin." It seems that Paul used "descendant of Abraham" and "tribe of Benjamin" to emphasize that he was truly descended from ethnic Israel. Paul himself was a forceful argument against any claim that God had rejected all Israelites. Paul was a believing Israelite. Paul could say, "I am an Israelite. God has not forsaken me, therefore, God has not forsaken all of the Israelites." Let's put it in a syllogism:
Major premise: Paul is an Israelite
Minor premise: God had not rejected Paul.
Conclusion: God has not rejected all Israelites.
Will the syllogism work if we change the word "all" in the conclusion to "any" Israelites? No! Most Israelites in Paul's day had been set aside as we see in verse 7.
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, Romans 11:7 ESV
Now God has always had a faithful group of people in His nation. It's never been the whole nation. We see this so clearly in the ninth chapter.
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, Romans 9:6 ESV
Believers, please get this. There are two Israels! National Israel and True Israel.
Let me point out here something that I see as significant. Paul only uses the term "Israel" in chapters 9-11 of Romans. He only uses it in his theodicy. And the first time he uses it, he tells us that there are two Israels. He uses this term 12 times in the ESV. Ten of them refer to National Israel and 2 of them refer to True Israel. Keep this in mind because we will come back to this. It's extremely important.
Earlier in this theodicy, Paul quotes Isaiah 10:22.
And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, Romans 9:27 ESV
This testifies of the rejection of the great body of Israel and of the election of a small number among them. This is the proposition with which Paul began: "They are not all Israel which are of Israel." "Only a remnant will be saved." Hang on to that.
To further explain HOW it was that God has not rejected His people Israel, he gives an important historical example. The northern kingdom of Israel had fallen into apostasy. It was so severe that Elijah the prophet felt totally alone among them.
"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." Romans 11:3-4 ESV
Yahweh had seven thousand men, His remnant, who had not worshiped Baal. Elijah thought he was the only person left in the nation that was true to God. And God corrects him. There were, in fact, seven thousand men who were worshipers of Yahweh that had not gone into apostasy and idol worship.
Even though Israel had rejected Yahweh, He had "kept" for Himself seven thousand who had not given themselves to idolatry. The word "kept" intensifies the divine action. Yahweh did the keeping.
The point Paul is making is that even during one of the worst periods of apostasy in Israel's history, Yahweh had still preserved a remnant for himself who remained faithful to Him and His covenant.
So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. Romans 11:5 ESV
In Paul's day also, Yahweh has his remnant. "Remnant, chosen by grace" is literally "according to the election of grace." The word "chosen" is the Greek word ekloge, which means divine selection, election, chosen. The remnant are saved not because they chose God but because Yahweh chose them so that they responded in faith.
Just to make sure we understand that it is by grace he says,
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:6 ESV
Grace and works are mutually exclusive.
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, Romans 11:7 ESV
Notice that it doesn't say, "What ‘His people' are seeking, they have not obtained." His people are the "chosen" and they have obtained it. But Israel has not. The ones who were chosen obtained it. The word "elect" doesn't have reference to the theocratic nation of Israel nor does it have reference to the kingdom of Israel as a nation. It refers to the believing Jews, the individual Jews chosen out of the nation.
All of the promises of God to Israel were being fulfilled in the remnant. And in Paul's day, the remnant was receiving what Israel sought after. What was it that the remnant was receiving? Salvation in Yeshua! They were not receiving a physical kingdom, or racial superiority, or a physical redemption.
"Hardened" is from the Greek poroo which means "to petrify." The form of it indicates that they were hardened by some outside power, some outside force. And that force is none other than God Himself. Israel was hardened by God.
Hardened is a divine passive reflecting that it is God who is the agent of the hardening. God has not rejected "His people" because He has always had a remnant. But He has rejected those whom He has hardened. Just as "were chosen" is a theological or divine passive so also is "were hardened." In other words, it is the Lord who chooses and the Lord who hardens.
Paul backs up the fact that they are hardened with the Hebrew Scriptures:
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." Romans 11:8 ESV
The first half of the verse comes from Isaiah 29:10. The second is from Deuteronomy 29:4. Paul thereby provides the tree divisions in the Hebrew Scriptures by citing a text from the Law, a text from the Prophets, and then finally one from the writings.
And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; Romans 11:9 ESV
David's prayer was for Yahweh to exact vengeance on his enemies, but Paul applies it to the Jews.
let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever." Romans 11:10 ESV
In verses 11-15 we see the two-fold purpose of God as it relates to Jewish unbelief and Gentile conversion
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. Romans 11:11 ESV
Who is the "they"? The "they" in verse 11 is corporate, ethnic Israel as a whole. We need to realize that when Paul speaks of Israel, he is not speaking of every single Jew, but rather, he addresses them corporately without implying all of them.
Through Israel's transgression, salvation has come to the nations. Before their stumbling, Yahweh dealt with the human race through the nation Israel alone. No Gentile could come to Yahweh unless they came through the nation Israel. Well, that had now changed, as Yeshua made clear in the Gospels.
How did Israel's sin bring salvation to the Gentiles? First and foremost, their sin led to the crucifixion of the Lord Yeshua, and this in turn brought salvation.
"To make Israel jealousy" is an infinitive of purpose. The purpose of Israel's stumbling was that the Gentiles would be saved and that the Jews, seeing their blessing going to the Gentiles, would be drawn by jealousy or envy. The unbelief of Israel, then, is ordained to promote the salvation of the Gentiles, which in turn promotes Jewish jealousy, which leads to their salvation.
in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. Romans 11:14 ESV
"And thus save some of them"—the use of the term "some" is telling. Paul is not expecting that the entire nation of Israel will be saved through his ministry. He understands the promise to Abraham was there will always be a true seed.
For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? Romans 11:15 ESV
The "if" here is a first-class condition and could be translated "since." Who is the "their"? It is Israel. "Rejection"—is from the Greek word apobole which means "repudiation, to throw from one's self." Compare this with verse 2.
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? Romans 11:2 ESV
As you compare these two verses, remember the principle of chapter 9, verse 6: "For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel." So, Yahweh has not rejected "His people," the remnant, but He has rejected Israel.
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, Romans 11:17 ESV
"The nourishing root of the olive tree"—who or what is the "root"? N.T. Wright states that "The Messiah (most probably) is the 'root' through whom the tree now gets its life." I have a problem with this. Because if Messiah is the root, then Gentile believers are disassociated from Israel and their Hebrew roots. I would say that the root is Abraham and the promises Yahweh made to him.
"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him. Isaiah 51:1-2 ESV
It all goes back to Abraham.
Tom Holland writes, "Paul saw its root to represent the promises made to Abraham and its branches to represent his spiritual offspring--believing Jews and Gentiles who are justified and made holy by the same faith as their 'father.'"
So, I think it is better to see the olive tree as the people of Yahweh, which is made up of both Jews and Gentiles. The root is the covenant promises made to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). And the tree is the true believers in every age who embrace those covenant promises.
"Some of the branches were broken off"—"some" here is an understatement since the majority of Jews had failed to believe. Those of ethnic Israel who did not believe that Yeshua was the Messiah were broken off.
"And now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree"—Gentile believers become "partakers" with the Jews in the rich root. The word "share" here is from the Greek word sugkoinonos, which means "sharers or fellowshippers together with them in the rich root of the olive tree." With them" is a reference to believing Jews. We become partakers of the rich root of the olive tree.
This is not "replacement theology" because we did not replace Israel. We became partakers with the remnant of the Abrahamic Covenant. God did not replace the Hebrew tree with a Gentile tree; He grafted us into the Hebrew tree. This is fulfillment theology. In other words, the Church is the fulfillment of all of the promises Yahweh made to Israel. The root now supports two types of branches—cultivated and wild—and together they are "one" tree.
do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Romans 11:18 ESV
"The root supports you"—the grafted shoot is sharing the same rising sap as the remaining original branches. The Gentiles are totally dependent on the covenant which God entered into with Abraham and the promises made to him. Faith in Christ is the link with the promises made to Abraham. Faith unites us to the nourishing root of the olive tree—the promises of God.
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. Romans 11:24 ESV
This is not speaking of a national restoration of physical Israel. They are being grafted into the same tree as the Gentiles were. It is talking about ethnic Jews coming to believe that Yeshua is Yahweh, the God of Israel, and thus becoming part of the Church of Yeshua the Messiah.
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. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; Romans 11:25-26 ESV
"And in this way all Israel will be saved." This phrase is only five words in the Greek, but upon it have been built multiple theories about Israel. As I said, this chapter is a dispensational stronghold, and these are their most important verses.
Through the analogy of the olive tree, Paul shows that the Messianic promises were for one people of Yahweh, composed of two separate and distinct national origins. The olive tree represents all believers. Both Jews and Gentiles are in this tree, and together they make up the one people of Yahweh. From this analogy Paul writes:
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. Romans 11:25 ESV
Paul begins this verse with "lest," which is the Greek word gar, which joins it with what proceeds. Paul is saying that this passage explains what has already been said. I see this as referring to the olive tree and the union of Jews and Gentiles into one tree, which he calls a mystery.
"I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery"—there are many different views on what this mystery is. But the definition of a mystery is given in chapter 16 verse 25.
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Yeshua the Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings Romans 16:25-26 ESV
A mystery is something that's been hidden in the past and is now revealed in the Scripture. The word translated "mystery" is the Greek word musterion. Vines writes:
"In the New Testament it denotes not the mysterious...but that which, being outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known only by Divine revelation and is made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God and to those only who are illuminated by His Spirit. In the ordinary sense, a mystery implies knowledge withheld; its Scriptural significance is truth revealed."
The mystery very simply is that Jew and Gentile are brought together now in one body called the Church. The Tanakh spoke about Gentile salvation. The Tanakh spoke about Jewish salvation. But the Tanakh never fully revealed that these two would be brought together into one body, the body of Christ, the Church. Gentiles are seen experiencing salvation in the Tanakh. It is always in the context of Israel. Now here we find God is going to bring Gentile and Jews together in a relationship of oneness in the body.
This is the mystery—Jew and Gentile are one in Christ. We are both in the body of Christ, and we are, therefore, fellow citizens. Isn't this what Paul just said in Romans 11:17-24 about the olive tree? Jews and Gentiles were grafted into the SAME tree, sharing the same root.
"A partial hardening has come upon Israel"—"partial" here is adverbial and modifies "has come," not "hardening." It should read, "A hardening has come in part to Israel." The hardening isn't partial; it is that it has happened to part of Israel. The remnant is not hardened. This is what Paul said.
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, Romans 11:7 ESV
Please notice that the "elect" obtained it, and the rest, which is Israel, were hardened. So only part of Israel is hardened, and that part is the great majority of them.
Paul is just saying that the hardening is not complete. There are some who have been saved out of their total depravity and brought to the knowledge of the Lord Yeshua the Christ. In other words, he's saying the same thing that he said in verse 5:
So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. Romans 11:5 ESV
Now remember what Paul has taught: If there is no partial hardening of Israel, then there is no Gentile salvation. Israel's sin brought about Gentile salvation. Let me ask you this: What else did Israel's hardening bring about? It brought about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, which brought to an end the Old Covenant mode of existence and brought in the full consummation of the New Covenant. Judgment had to come on Israel because of her sin.
"Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in"—what does the word "until" mean? The Greek phrase used here is achri hos. This phrase means "even unto a point." Thayer says, "It is used of things that actually occurred and up to the beginning of which something continued." It is a point of reference and not a point of cessation. If you look at some other of its uses in the New Testament, it will help you understand this Greek phrase.
We could read our text as "a hardening has happened to part of Israel 'even unto the point' where the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." So, it is not saying that Israel's hardening stops when the fulness of the Gentiles happens. This is very important.
"The fullness of the Gentiles has come in"—what is the "fulness of the Gentiles"? Bob Deffinbaugh writes, "The fulness of the Gentiles refers to that time when the day of the Gentiles ends and the restoration of Israel begins." He sees the fulness of the Gentiles as signaling the removal of Israel's hardness. This is not what the text says. Paul has already said:
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, Romans 11:7 ESV
The form of the word indicates that they were hardened by some outside power, some outside force. And that force is none other than Yahweh Himself. Now think about this with me. Paul says, "the elect obtained it," the elect obtained covenant membership. But the "rest" would be those who were not chosen from eternity past. And since they were not chosen, they never will be chosen, they were hardened. This hardening is a permanent state which will bring judgment. Those of Israel, therefore, who are hardened will always be that way. The fulness of the Gentiles will not change that.
Most commentators see "Fullness" as meaning the full number of Gentiles. The NIV here has, "full number." This is a bad translation. The Contemporary English Version has, "complete number." This is equally as bad. This word "fullness" is the Greek word pleroma, which means "completeness." It is the same word Paul used in Romans 11, verse 12.
Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! Romans 11:12 ESV
"Full inclusion" is the same word as in our text. It is the word pleroma, and here it is talking about Israel. This fullness of the Gentiles coincides with the fullness of Israel. I think that "fulfillment" here is referring to the fullness of salvation that was to come in the age to come. This happens at the Parousia of Christ. The fullness of the Gentiles has to do with their perfection in Christ; it has nothing to do with numbers. It has to do with the maturity of the body and when it is matured.
And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; Romans 11:26 ESV
"And in this way all Israel will be saved"—there are three main questions here that we must answer: 1) Who is "all Israel"? 2) When will its salvation occur? 3) How will it be accomplished? Dispensationalism says that at the end of the church age, the Church will be raptured out, and God will once again begin to deal with national Israel. During the Tribulation, many Jews will be saved and the Millennium will be a time of Jewish dominance. They say that "And in this way all Israel will be saved" refers to Israel's being restored as a nation.
There is nothing in this text about "national" Israel. And as we have made clear, those who are not chosen are hardened. And that is the end of it. Many commentators see an insoluble contradiction between chapters 9 and 11. They realize that chapter 9 teaches that salvation is promised only for spiritual Israel, but then argue that in chapter 11, ethnic Israel will be saved. Yes, this would be a contradiction if Paul was in fact saying that all ethnic Israel would be saved. But he is not saying that. It is only a remnant that is saved. As you can see, making "all Israel" mean ethnic national Israel causes huge problems with this text.
Remember what I said earlier about Paul's use of Israel in chapters 9-11? He uses it 12 times. In his first use of it, he reveals to us that there are two Israels. In all other uses of the word (the last one here in Romans 11), however, he uses it to refer to national Israel.
I see "all Israel" here as referring to the remnant of the house of Israel and the remnant of the house of Judah and all the believing Gentiles. The "all" here is the all of Romans 10:12.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. Romans 10:12 ESV
This is "all Israel." It is all who call upon Him, all who share the faith of Abraham. Paul has been redefining Israel throughout this letter.
"All Israel" is all of true Israel, all of spiritual Israel, all of those who are united to Christ by faith. It is all of those who are in the olive tree.
Verse 26 begins with "and in this way." It is the adverb houto and can be translated, "in this manner" all Israel will be saved. Houto can refer to what precedes or to what follows. It seems logical here to connect it with what follows. In this manner all Israel will be saved by the Deliverer who comes out of Zion.
As to the question When? This happens at the Parousia:
"The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"— this text is conflated from Isaiah 59:20 and 27:9. It is a reference to the second coming. This is one of those places whereby if you don't know what time it is, you will misinterpret Scripture. All Israel's being saved is not future to us. It happened at the return of Christ, which happened in AD 70. Preterism is more than just an eschatology; it is a hermeneutic! It affects how you interpret Scripture.
Eternal life was a condition of the age to come! So, at the return of Christ, both houses of Israel receive their salvation, their fullness, and the Gentiles also receive their salvation in its consummated form, in its fullness!
In the Tanakh, "the deliverer" is clearly Yahweh, but for Paul it is Yeshua. Because as we have said over and over: Yeshua is Yahweh! The God of Israel.
National Israel has fallen never to rise again. God put an end to national Israel, ethnic Israel, in AD 70. There are no ethnic Jews today and there are no religious Jews today. No one today keeps the Mosaic covenant. There is one people of God, and they consist of those who believe in the Lord Yeshua the Christ. Believers have no connection to and no obligation to modern-day Israel. Israel is committing war crimes; they are committing genocide, and they need to be stopped not supported. Any believer supporting these antichrists should be ashamed of himself and should repent.