What does the 'fall of them' mean in Romans 11:12?
The 'fall of them' refers to Israel's rejection of everything and God setting the nation aside from His program, turning instead to the Gentiles. This fall out of God's program brought spiritual riches to the world, meaning the predominantly Gentile world system, not material wealth.
Les explains that in Romans 11:12 the 'fall of them' is Israel rejecting everything and God setting the nation aside and turning to the Gentiles. The 'world' here is the Greek kosmos, meaning the human world system—politics, economy, and population, predominantly Gentiles—not the physical earth. The resulting riches are spiritual riches, not money, gold, or silver, and these are what Gentiles have enjoyed.
Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
More Questions
What does Paul mean in Romans 11:12 by 'how much more their fullness'?
Paul's point is that if Israel's fall (their rejection of their Messiah) brought such riches to the Gentile world, then Israel's fullness, after the Gentiles have received the riches, will bring even more.