“30 As you once disobeyed God but now have received mercy through their disobedience, 31 so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.”
Paul, speaking of Israel in verses 30-32, offers a small glimpse into the unfolding will of God as He redeems a broken world from sin. Why allow a partial hardening of Israel, leading them astray? So that God may show mercy to the Gentiles, bringing them into a covenant relationship with Himself. Why remain faithful to a faithless people in Israel? So that God’s glory may be displayed through His showing of mercy toward Israel. Why allow sin in the first place? Why uphold a law that condemns and imprisons all under sin and disobedience? So that God may display His glory as He righteously and justly judges those whom He has hardened, and as He graciously and mercifully saves those whom He has chosen.
In these verses, Paul again hints to us that God is not finished with Israel. Those Gentiles who are among God’s elect were once sinners, lost and in need of salvation from sin. Now we have received mercy; mercy shown to us through the catalyst of Israel’s disobedience. The elect Gentiles have received this mercy, and now, Paul says that Israel will too receive mercy from God: “…Resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now receive mercy.” (v. 31b)