In Paul's parable of the Olive Tree, (borrowed from Jer. 11:16,17, 12:1,2), the wild branches (Gentiles) are grafted into the Good Olive Tree (Jewish remnant which began the Church), after SOME of the natural branches (unbelieving Jews) were broken off. Notice that the blindness upon Israel is "IN PART." Not all of Israel rejected Christ. The believing remnant were the first to enter into the blessings of the New Covenant. The Jews (the natural branches) who accepted Christ remain in the Olive Tree. All remaining Jews who survive the tribulation will be saved in one day and be grafted back into their own Olive Tree, the true Israel, at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

(Rom 11:16-27 KJV) For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. {17} And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; {18} Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. {19} Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. {20} Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: {21} For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. {22} Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. {23} And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. {24} For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? {25} For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. {26} And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: {27} For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

What did Paul mean that "And so all Israel shall be saved"? If there is anything we need to get straight at this point in all that is changing are the differences between Israel and the Church. The Bible distinguishes between the natural born Jew who is a descendent after the flesh of Abraham and the spiritual Jew who has come to Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Some rejected Christ when He came the first time, but God has been working to bring those who do not believe to faith in Him, and He is gathering them back to their land. What lies ahead of them is seven years of tribulation, out of which He will bring a Jewish remnant. Scripture has said that this will be a third of Israel in the last days.

The Church and the Gentiles will go through the tribulation as well. Scripture says that at the end, ALL Israel will be saved. What does that mean? In one sense, it could mean the Church as the household of God (sons of Abraham after the Spirit, both Jew and Gentile who have believed on Christ, and will go through the tribulation), the Jewish remnant who believe on Him when the Lord returns and are gathered into the millennial Kingdom at the end of Daniel's 70th week (not before that), and the dead saints in heaven (waiting for the redemption of their bodies). After having thought quite a bit about it, I believe it is referring to the Jewish remnant that God saves at the end of the age. This seems to be more applicable. (See Rom 11:25-26 KJV).

Looking again at the olive tree, in Jeremiah we read:

(Jer 11:16 KJV) The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. {17} For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

(Jer 12:1 KJV) Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? {2} Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

Jews like the ones Jeremiah complained of were broken off because of unbelief, but all the natural Jews have not been utterly discarded by God. He dispersed them with the promise that He would again gather them. He also promised that in that gathering they would pass through a period of great tribulation, at which time He would do the following:

(Zec 13:8-9 KJV) And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. {9} And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

In Ephesians 1, we read the completion of the "mystery" God kept secret but revealed to Paul, that God would make one body of the Jews and Gentiles:

(Eph 1:9-14 KJV) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: {10} That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: {11} In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: {12} That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. {13} In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, {14} Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

(Rev 10:5-7 KJV) And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, {6} And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: {7} But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.