Israel: Past, Present, Future (Romans 9-11)
Notes
Transcript
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Paul’s Concern for the Jews
Paul’s Concern for the Jews
Even though Paul has just stated that nothing can separate him from the love of Christ, he is still willing to be accursed for his people.
He is burdened for the Jewish nation. He reasons that with much light comes much responsibility. The “light” God had given this nation included:
The Adoption – the privilege of sonship...Israel was referred to as God’s Firstborn
The Glory–This references the Shekinah glory, the splendor of God’s presence in the Tabernacle, and later the Temple.
The Covenants – God had entered into an unconditional arrangement with the descendants of Abraham, and in particular, those descendants of David.
The Law–No other nation outside of Israel had God entrust to them His Law, a revelation of His holiness...what a privilege!
The Service – This word refers to the religious ordinances conducted within the boundaries of the temple worship.
The Promises – Salvation promises were lodged in Adam and Abraham; Kingdom promises were lodged in David.
The Fathers – what a heritage of people who were able to see God work...Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...
God Himself–Concerning the flesh, Messiah–the Lord Jesus Christ–was born into a Jewish home...He is God, blessed forever...
We do not become a spiritual Jew in order to enjoy God’s salvation in Christ.
Israel as a nation has been temporarily set aside as the “vessel of divine blessing” to the world.
The Gentiles (as covered in Romans 11) now have a privileged place. Ultimately, Jews and Gentiles alike are able to come individually to a heavenly inheritance.
The Jews felt that they did not need salvation.
Paul prayed specifically for their salvation (Romans 10:1)
Paul’s Defense of God’s Sovereign Choosing
Paul’s Defense of God’s Sovereign Choosing
In this section, Paul lists five personal examples of God’s choices:
Ishmael or Isaac (9:6-10)
Esau or Jacob (9:11-13)
Pharaoh or Israel (9:14-24)
Jew or Gentile (From Hosea) (9:25-26 )
All Israel or Believing Israel (9:27-29)
He wants his countrymen to know that God has not been unfaithful in His promises to Israel; they have been unfaithful in their promises to Him.
Paul argues biblically that the OT Scriptures foretold a temporary rejection which would allow the message of Grace to come to the Gentiles:
There is still great future blessing that will come based on God’s mercy. The word of God has not been made null and of no effect. (See John 8:37-44; Gal 3:7)
I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
God’s sovereign choices do raise some difficult questions:
a. How could God hate Esau?
b. What is the purpose of God according to election?
c. Was God choosing Jacob to salvation and Esau to condemnation?
Consider Romans 9:11, For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; (v12) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. (v13) As it is written, Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated.
God’s choice of Jacob is a decision not to choose Esau.
What was the content of this choice? What does verse 12-13 mean?
Verse 13 starts with the phrase,“As it is written...”Where is it written?
This quotation comes from Malachi. Paul is not speaking of just the men
Jacob and Esau. The picture is much bigger. We are dealing with their
descendants.
Ultimately, the purpose of God according to election is this: Will God choose
the Israelites or the Edomites?
The content of the choice is the blessings of having the lineage of the Messiah.
(To say it another way, “Which nation will God choose to bring the Messiah to the earth?”)
With both Ishmael and Esau, the father wanted them to receive the blessing of the Firstborn.
In both cases, God overruled.
In time, both Ishmael and Esau despised the things of God
God’s foreknowledge demonstrates that He made the right choice.
His choice of a nation does not preclude individuals from other
nations from accepting salvation.
If God would have made His choice based on either Jacob or Esau’s
works, neither boy would have been chosen!
God’s sovereign choices raises difficulties concerning Pharaoh as well. Consider: “God so loved the world...” “God is not willing that any should perish...”
Granted, He can show mercy on whomever He pleases, but He has said that He will show mercy to all that believe.
If His will is redemption for all, why does He harden Pharaoh’s heart?
First observation: God never hardens the heart of anyone who does not first harden his own heart.
The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, whether viewed from Pharaoh’s or God’s perspective, resulted in a display of power and in God’s name being widely proclaimed.
But the fact that God works through it does not make the hardening any the less Pharaoh’s act.
God’s action is not arbitrary.
When Pharaoh (or anyone else) chooses to reject the right, he will be hardened in the wrong, whether we think of God or of Pharaoh as at work.
Additionally, we should not see his hardening as permanent. The fact that God does not immediately kill the sinner means that He is still giving the sinner opportunity to repent.
Brevard Childs, in his commentary on Exodus, argues that the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was in the rejection of the signs / plagues – not necessarily in some salvific way.
Summary of Chapter 9
Summary of Chapter 9
While much of Romans 9 deals with God’s sovereignty, in verses 30-33 Paul will emphasize human responsibility.
Paul is not emphasizing “elect” and “non-elect.” He is emphasizing faith!
Israel’s religious privileges should have led them to Christ; instead, they became a
substitute for Christ.
The approach that believes righteousness can be earned through our works or our own
merits does not fully understand / appreciate the enormity of sin.
Just as justification by faith was a stumbling block to Israel then, it remains the same to
many today.
Once, a man approached Charles Spurgeon with a question: “Mr. Spurgeon, how do you
reconcile divine sovereignty with human responsibility?”
The answer given that day is appropriate.
Mr. Spurgeon answered: “I never try to reconcile friends.”
Through faith, the Gentiles have found God’s righteousness without seeking it.
Through the law, Israel has not found God’s righteousness, even after seeking it.
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Paul did not write his letter chapter by chapter.
The chapters and verses are there for our benefit.
Therefore, to get a better grasp on chapter ten, we need to start with verse 30 of chapter nine.
We are still dealing with national Israel in this chapter.
Even the verses on salvation are in the context of national Israel.
We are not looking at her glorious past, but rather at her wretched presence.
There is no happiness or joy when a nation has rejected her Messiah.
Righteousness (not from Law, but from faith) exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any (even God’s chosen) people.
The Reason for Rejection
The Reason for Rejection
Israel (9:31) is following after the law of righteousness (not the Person of righteousness).
As a result, she does not attain to a righteous standing before God.
She is nothing more than putrifying sores (Isa 1:6ff).
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Righteousness is attained by faith.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Again, Paul lays open his heart for his own people.
If Paul would feel this for his own, imagine the words of Christ and how he felt as he wept over Jerusalem. “He came unto his own and his own received him not...”
The Jews felt that they did not need salvation. Paul prayed specifically for their salvation (Romans 10:1)
Paul understands the zeal that comes from knowing that God has chosen your race to make Him known. He also understands when zeal is coupled with ignorance. (10:2)
a. Zeal without knowledge is dangerous.
b. Knowledge without zeal is fruitless.
c. Zeal coupled with knowledge is powerful.
The Jews had a system of doing, when God had a system of believing.
Notice the word righteousness and how it is used in the first 10 verses. Notice verse 4: CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
a. They had become proud.
b. They had become self-righteous.
c. They never understood the purpose of their own laws.
The law was not given to bring hope; it can only bring death.
By the law is the knowledge of sin. The wages of those sins are death. That is the only thing that will come out of keeping the law for righteousness – death.
Therefore, Jesus has already become the end of that – he died!
In chapters 9-11, Paul will quote the Old Testament at least 30 times. He quotes at least 8 Old Testament scriptures in this chapter alone.
Summary of Reasons for Israel’s rejection of the Messiah:
They didn’t feel a need for salvation 10:1
They were already zealous for God 10:2
They were proud and self-righteous 10:3
They misunderstood the purpose of the law 10:4-13
The Remedy for their Rejection:
The Remedy for their Rejection:
God’s will (in His Sovereignty) was not to blind Israel. That blindness is a result of their OWN unbelief. God had already provided the answer for their stubbornness:
Messengers were sent
The Word was declared
The Word was heard
Sinners would believe
They would call upon Christ as “Lord”
They would be saved
In the Epistles, faith is linked to righteousness. We often use Romans 10 in our Gospel presentation.
This is applicable, but not the primary interpretation based on context.
Contextually, Israel would have to confess with their mouth
They would have to believe with their heart
Question: What was the basis for the confession?
We sometimes say “confess their sins...”
Is that in this context? They were to confess that Jesus is “LORD”
This is an agreement on the PERSON of Christ
He is the Messiah
He is God (for to call someone Lord is to acknowledge His deity)
To disagree with this statement renders a Jew nonsave-able.
Remember, the context is that we are dealing with the nation of Israel.
Paul’s heart is heavy for them. He would literally go to hell if that would save them.
We are dealing here not with individual salvation per se, but with national salvation.
For Israel, as a nation, to be saved – she must confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father.
The Jews were so close, but still so far away.
The “word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth...” The very word that they recited; the law that they hid behind – it all pointed to Christ.
Rather than keep the law outwardly, they needed to believe inwardly.
The Results of their Rejection
The Results of their Rejection
Israel is declared guilty (10:18-21)
The Gospel goes to the Gentiles (10:19-20)
God is still keeping the door open (10:21)
Chapter 10 Summary
Chapter 10 Summary
Chapter 9 emphasizes God’s sovereignty in making choices to further His plan
Chapter 10 emphasized Man’s responsibility
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
In chapter 11, Paul’s focus is still on the nation of Israel.
Chapter 11 is a continuation and completion of the thoughts began in the previous two chapters.
He has shown some of Israel’s history, he has looked at this nation in her present light.
However, he will not leave on a negative note.
He wants to look forward.
God has bound Himself with an unconditional oath and covenant to these people.
The present may look bleak, the horizon might even look dark – God is still in control of the future destiny of His people.
The Fairness
of God’s Dealings with Israel: (vs 1-10)
The Fairness
of God’s Dealings with Israel: (vs 1-10)
God has not cast off Israel forever.
There is a believing minority and a blinded majority.
Israel’s rejection has not been total
Israel’s rejection will not be final
The minority are there because they have given up on works and understood the grace. The rest go on in their blindness because their trust is in their own keeping of the law.
NOTE: God has been fair with His people, the Jews, since He entered into covenant with them. There are times that He has been disappointed or frustrated with their actions. But He has never cast them out of His plans forever. God still has a great plan for Israel.
The Farsightedness of God’s Dealings with Israel: (vs 11-29)
The Farsightedness of God’s Dealings with Israel: (vs 11-29)
Did God receive some kind of pleasure in rejecting Israel and accepting the Gentiles?
GOD FORBID!
Watch the Almighty Plan of God in “slow motion”:
God chooses a man – Abraham
God chooses a son–Isaac
Again, He chooses a son – Jacob
Yet again, He chooses a son for the royal lineage–Judah
God chooses an illegitimate son who was born to Judah and Tamar – Pharez
He chooses a Moabitess woman to bring to Bethlehem – Ruth
He chooses a family line for the Messiah – David
He sends Prophets and Messengers to foretell His two comings.
He is born of a Virgin, fulfilling prophecy.
He comes to His own people; they reject Him.
He dies for His own people; still they cry out crucify Him.
Blindness falls in part to Israel.
Peter unlocks the Gospel mystery to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ home.
Paul is called an apostle to the Gentiles (still preaching to the Jews first)
Through the rejection of Israel, the gospel turns to the Gentiles and we are grafted
into the Olive Tree.
Still this is only a means to an end.Just as the stumbling of the Jews prepares the
way for our salvation; even so our acceptance into the Beloved provokes the Jews to
Jealousy and prepares them to accept their Messiah.
Because of their rejection, we are in!
Because of our acceptance, the Jews are brought back in!
God is not leaving any one out of the picture.
The Faithfulness of God’s Dealings with Israel: (vs 30-36)
The Faithfulness of God’s Dealings with Israel: (vs 30-36)
Verses 33-36 form a hymn of praise, a doxology.
i. His riches are deep
ii. His judgments are unsearchable
iii. His ways are past finding out
iv. His mind is unknowable unless revealed by Him
v. NO man is His Counsellor
vi. He is the total sum of where glory belongs
When “Theology” becomes “Doxology”–we are heading in the right direction!
God is not indebted to us; we are indebted to Him.
God does not need our Counsel; we need His.
God has a plan for Israel, the Church, and the World – we can trust Him.
I used notes from WCBC college notes