“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
Out of his argument that God has saved his elect and hardened Israel, Paul offers a hopeful revelation: God is not through with Israel. This hardening of Israel, this sewing their rebellious eyelids closed, is not a permanent condition. It is a stumble rather than a fall. It is a temporary condition. As is so often the case with God, he is turning their evil into something good.
Israel’s rejection of God has provided for the inclusion of the Gentiles. And, in turn, the inclusion of the Gentiles will serve to provoke Israel to jealousy. He will accomplish two goods with their one evil. Using their rebellion, God will save the Gentiles and ultimately save Israel as a result.
What should be most remarkable to us is that while human beings often fret about the secret counsels of God and sometimes fall prey to the delusion of Eve, namely that God is not fair and is withholding blessings from us (in this case withholding blessings from Israel), God is always gracious, even in justice. Here Israel has been a disobedient and contrary people all day long, and God, while executing judgment on them, is using it to their favor. This is by definition, an unmerited favor, which is the same thing as grace.