A Deeper Look At God’s Promises to Israel Romans 9:6-13
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6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,
7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”
10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,
11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
The Jews and the Israelites were concerned about their salvation and confused because they were supposed to be God’s chosen race.
However, as noted in these verses, the true chosen race of Israel are not necessarily all of the offspring of Abraham. As pointed out, it only comes through God‘s sovereign plan in which he providentially laid out before time.
God’s promises are always true.
God’s promises are always true.
God made several promises to Abraham. It was through those promises that Israel became the great nation that it became. It was also though those promises that Israel is still being blessed as well as the fact that we as foreigners can also experience the blessing of God’s promises to Abraham.
I want to remind you all that God’s character and very nature is one of truth. God can’t have anything to do with sin so everything that God says is truth.
In John 8:42
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
God is Father of Truth!!!
Satan is Father of Lies!!!
In verse 6, Paul is clearing up the fact that to the Jews who believe they no longer matter to God because of the message that Paul was preaching, Paul is reminding them that God’s word hasn’t failed and that it is still as truthful to them at the time as it was the day God spoke those promises to Abraham. Guess what? It is still as truthful to us today as it was the day God spoke it into existence!!!!!
God’s word does not and will not ever fail. I love what Isaiah 55:11 teaches us:
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Transition: Romans 9:6b is a transitional verse as it leads us to a vital truth about God and the people of Israel, more specifically it points to the descendants of Abraham who want to refer back to the fact they are descendents of Abraham and that they are part of God’s chosen people. However, God’s word here is very clear…they might have descended from Israel but they do not belong to Israel.
God’s promises are specific.
God’s promises are specific.
Let’s turn to Genesis 12:1-6 to look at God’s Promises to Abraham
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Look at Romans 9:9
9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”
This takes us back to Genesis 17.
In Genesis 17:15-21 God promised Abraham that Sarah, who was barren, would bear him a son in their old age. God even gave Abraham was the boys name was to be. It was to be Issac.
Notice the specific promises found in Genesis 17:20-21
20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.
21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”
God blessed Ishmael and said that he would make him into a great nation as well.
However, notice what the promise to Issac was…He would establish His covenant with Him. This means that the same covenant that God made to Abraham to bring a great nation and hope for all the nations would also go through Issac.
The covenant went even deeper. Look at Romans 9:10-11.
10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,
11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
It is even more specific that not all of the offspring of Isaac is the true, the Israelites, and the true Jews, because God‘s word lays out it is through Jacob who’s name would later be changed to Israel after he wrestled with God in Genesis 32:26-28.
So, it is only through the lineage of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob that the true children of Israel come.
Ishmael had his own race: Ishmaelites which is where the Nation of Islam comes.
Esau had is own race: Edomites which hated Israel and often attacked them.
Abraham had other sons because in Genesis 25:1-6
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.
6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
So, with this understanding, Paul is very clear in his teaching to the Jews in Romans 9. Just because you are a child of Abraham, doesn’t mean you are of the chosen race. As a result, The Gospel is needed by Jews and Gentiles.
Look at Romans 9:13
13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Paul is quoting the Prophet Malachi 1:1-3 in this verse.
1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob
3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”
It should be noted here that God is not talking about hating the individuals, he is talking about the love and hatred for the nations that came through the individuals. The Israelites came through Jacob and the Edomites came through Esau.
God’s promises are fulfilled.
God’s promises are fulfilled.
Israel became a great nation
A Savior came to the World through Abraham
That Savior was promised through the Prophets
That Savior suffered and died and rose again, just as God promised
God’s promises continue.
God’s promises continue.
In Genesis 12:3, God states that He will bless all the families of the earth.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
This is a promise that continues today.
I read an article on Biblestudytools.com that stated:
“Most of the time this promise is viewed in relationship to Israel and rightfully so. But I want to add another thought to this promise because this promise has a greater reach than just Israel. I think there is probably a question mark in your head right now so let me explain. This promise did not just apply to Abraham but to Abraham’s seed. Because of this, there are two parts of this promise that are relevant for us today.
First, the greatest offspring that came from Abraham’s lineage was Jesus Christ. Therefore, this blessing and cursing do not just apply to the way you treat Israel it applies to the way you treat Jesus. For those who bless Jesus, God will bless them. For those who curse Jesus, God will curse them. Second, however, this promise also applies to those who are in Christ. Consider these 3 scriptures.
"Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." – Ephesians 2:12-13
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household." – Ephesians 2:19
"This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." – Ephesians 3:6
God’s promise to Abraham, especially the part in Genesis 12:3 goes beyond the nation of Israel. Paul is clear here that those who are Gentiles have now been included in this citizenship in Israel. Therefore the promise of Genesis 12:3, while still relevant for the people of Israel, also extends to everyone who is found in Christ. If you are in Christ then this promise applies. Those that bless you God will bless and those that curse you God will curse.”
This is good news for all of us today. The promise that God would bless the children of promise also includes you and I today.
When you look at the Genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1, you will see that the genealogy of Christ begins with Abraham and moves through Issac, Jacob, and so forth. As we saw above in how God’s promise is specific, it shows that the the true children of promise leads to Jesus!!!!!
You too can experience the promise of eternal life through Jesus. After all that’s why Jesus came to earth so that you can have eternal life through Christ.
Give Invitation!!!