Why did God conclude Israel in unbelief?
Scripture teaches that God concluded Israel in unbelief because of their total rejection, so that He might have mercy upon all—both Jew and Gentile, the whole human race. Their unbelief was not outside God's plan but served His purpose to extend mercy universally.
Les explains that in verse 32, God concluded Israel—all of them—in unbelief because of their total rejection, with the purpose that He might have mercy upon all. The 'all' refers to both Jew and Gentile, the whole human race. Les also connects this to the gospel: when Scripture says Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead, God expects us to believe it. When we believe with all our heart, God opens our ability to believe, makes us a new person, and these things become easy to comprehend. He further reads verse 33 about the depth and riches of God's wisdom and knowledge, His unsearchable judgments and ways past finding out, and verse 34 asking who has known the mind of the Lord or been His counselor. He illustrates that leaders rise and fall based on the men around them, such as weak advisers.
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.