Elijah, the remnant, and hopes for Israel’s restoration (11:1–5, 25–27)

Says Paul asks, “did God reject His people? Certainly not!” (11:1, BSB). Elijah complained, “I am the only one left” (11:3; cf. 1 Kgs 19:10, “I have been very zealous for the Lord”), and the reply was, “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal” (11:4); “at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace” (11:5). “A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved” (11:25–26). Malachi promises, “I will send you Elijah the prophet” before the Day of the Lord (Mal 4:5; MT 3:23).

Sirach (non-canonical) praises Elijah, who “by his zeal made them few in number,” as one “ready for the time, as it is written,” “to restore the tribes of Israel” (Sir 48:2, 10); its editors, Box and Oesterley, compare Mal 4:5–6 and Mark 9:12. The Psalms of Solomon (non-canonical) ask God to raise up “their king, the son of David,” who “shall gather together a holy people” and “judge the tribes,” so that “nations shall come from the ends of the earth to see his glory” (Pss. Sol. 17:21, 26, 31). See the Romans 10 historical notes (zeal; Psalms of Solomon 11) and the Romans 9 note on Jews at Rome.

This background does not decide who “all Israel” is, when or how it is saved, or who the Deliverer from Zion is; the exegetical notes set out the views.