The basics are in Romans, Chapter 9 thru 11. The bottom line is this,
11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Phoenix, I'll quote your passage in its context:
"There is a divine secret here, my friends, which I want to share with you, to keep you from thinking yourselves wise: this partial hardening has come on Israel only until the Gentiles have been admitted in full strength; once that has happened, the whole of Israel will be saved, in accordance with scripture: From Zion shall come the Deliverer; he shall remove wickedness from Jacob. ​And this is the covenant I will grant them, when I take away their sins. Judged by their response to the gospel, they are Gods enemies for your sake; but judged by his choice, they are dear to him for the sake of the patriarchs;
for the gracious gifts of God and his calling are irrevocable. Just as formerly you were disobedient to God, but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so now, because of the mercy shown to you, they have proved disobedient, but only in order that they too may receive mercy. For in shutting all mankind in the prison of their disobedience, Gods purpose was to show mercy to all mankind." (Rom 11:25-32, REB)
I see
no mention here of a temple in Jerusalem in the future.
I see no throne mentioned in Jerusalem from whence Jesus Christ reigns and
I do not see any sacrifices re-instituted here. I take this passage to mean that the elect Jews will be saved according to the promises and be one with the Gentiles in the church, the new Israel. The calling and election of God is irrevocable, no blotting us out of his book, neither Jew nor Gentile. As to whether a large body of Jews come to Christ in large numbers toward the end of time, or come into the church throughout history I do not know.
I will quote the words of the old Baptist, John Gill, who was a premillianarian:
"they are immutable and unalterable; God never revokes them, or calls them in again, or takes them away from the persons to whom he has made such a previous donation: the reasons are, because that his love from whence they spring is always the same; it admits of no distinction, nor of any degrees, nor of any alteration; and electing grace, according to which these gifts are bestowed, stands sure and immovable; not upon the foot of works, but of the sovereign will of God, and always has its sure and certain effect; and the covenant of grace, in which they are secured, remains firm and inviolable; and indeed, these gifts are no other than the promises of it, which are all yea and amen in Christ, and the blessings of it, which are the sure mercies of David. Whatever God purposes, or promises to give, or really does give to his people, whether into the hands of Christ for them, or into their own, he never repents of or reverses.
Moreover, the apostle here says the same of the "calling of God," as of gifts; by which is meant, not a bare external call by the ministry of the word, which oftentimes is without effect, and may be where persons are neither chosen, nor converted, nor saved; but an internal effectual call, by special, powerful, and efficacious grace; and designs either actual calling, to which are inseparably annexed final perseverance in grace, and eternal glorification; or rather the purpose of God from eternity, to call his people in time, and which is never repented of, or changed. The apostles argument here is this, that since there are a number of people among the Jews whom God has loved, and has chosen to everlasting salvation, and has in covenant promised to them, and secured and laid up gifts for them, and has determined to call them by his grace; and since all these are unchangeable and irreversible, the future call and conversion of these persons must be sure and certain."
I understand Abraham was not looking for an earthly city:
"By faith he settled as an alien in the land which had been promised him, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him to the same promise. For he was looking forward to a city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Heb 11:9-10, REB)
Chuck
