God’s Faithfulness in Romans 9

Introduction

We read Psalm 136 earlier, which is a purposefully repetitive Psalm. The Psalmist obviously had a clear purpose he wished to convey; God’s mercy endures forever, His lovingkindness is everlasting, His חֶסֶד (Checed)––His Loyal Love––will never fade away. The Psalmist conveys this truth by looking back at Israel’s history. He communicates that, since God has proven His loyal love in Israel’s past, Israel can depend on God’s loyal love in the future. After all, His mercy endures FOREVER.

Looking back at Israel to look forward is the theme of another familiar song you may have sung recently. “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” is an approximately 1,200 year old Christmas hymn which speaks of the coming of Christ referencing specific Old Testament prophecies about Messiah. There are seven verses in the original hymn, with the refrain crying for Israel to rejoice for the coming of the Messiah. Reading through the verses though, the prophecies do not only pertain to Messiah’s first coming. They relate to His second coming. We can see the theme of the second coming clearly, starting in the first line:

O Come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel –– Emmanuel did come, but Israel rejected Him. They still are held captive in their sin, they remain an apostate nation. When will they be ransomed?

(2nd)O come, o come, thou Lord of Might –– a Reference to Is 9:6–7 “For unto us a child will be born… [And what shall His name be?] Mighty God,” Isaiah continues and says, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore.” Israel is still waiting for the throne of David to be reestablished in everlasting justice and righteousness.

(3rd) O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse Free –– This is also a reference to Is 11 (vs1, 2, 4, 9, 10–11) “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him… [The people] will do no evil nor act corruptly in all [God’s] holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord… As the waters cover the sea. Then it will be in that day, That the nations will seek the root of Jesse… Then it will be in that day, that the Lord Will again acquire the second time with His hand The remnant of His people, who will remain,”

O Come, Thou Dayspring –– A reference to Luke 1 and Zachariah’s praise for the one who will save Israel.

O Come, Thou Key of David –– A reference to Isaiah 22:22 and Rev 1, in which Christ judges the whole earth.

O Come, O Wisdom –– A reference again to Is 11 where the Spirit of the Lord rests on Christ in wisdom to judge the world.

O Come, Desire of Nations –– A reference to Haggai 2:1–9 and the future rebuilt temple.

As we sing this Christmas carol, we are faced in each verse with something of a dilemma. Immanuel has come, and Immanuel has gone, and Israel has rejected Him.

In the face of Israel’s rejection, how can we be sure that Christ will indeed come again to fulfill all these things?

Does His lovingkindness truly last forever? Has He been faithful to His promises to Israel, and if not, can I trust God to be faithful to me?

TO answer this, turn in your Bibles to Roman’s 9. In the letter to the Romans we find Paul facing this exact dilemma. Throughout the letter, Paul has defended the truthfulness, the faithfulness, and the righteousness of God.

The righteousness of God is displayed in the gospel of Jesus Christ in chapter 1. Those who have been made righteous will live by faith. Unfortunately, everyone stands condemned because they cannot measure up to the righteousness of God (chapters 2–3). And notice what Paul says in chapter 3, “what if some (of the nation of Israel) did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith[fulness] of God of no effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.” God’s righteousness and faithfulness in His Word is not marred by the inability of man to keep His word. So men are left unrighteous and God remains ever righteous!

Therefore, men must be made righteous through faith in another person’s righteousness, namely the perfect Person, Jesus Christ (chapters 3–5). Because we are united in Christ and made righteous through faith, we are enabled in our sanctification to defeat sin (chapter 6). Though we will never be perfectly righteous until heaven, we are able to––again by faith––live righteously (chapter 7). When we sin, we are able to depend on our union in Christ’s righteousness, made sure to us by the indwelling Holy Spirit, to keep us free from all condemnation (chapter 8). We look forward eagerly to being made fully righteous and freed from sin, knowing that those whom God saves He will surely glorify. In the meantime, God will keep us according to His faithful Word. We cannot lose the righteousness won for us by Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love of God! Thus Romans 8 ends with the following:

“37… in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ––ROM 8:37–39

Paul has established the faithfulness of God to His saving Word. Those He saves have been justified, they are being and they will be sanctified, and one day they will be glorified. And not even the powers of Hell could separate a believer from Jesus Christ! That’s God’s promise!

At this point, instead of proceeding straight to another rhetorical question or into the practical commands of chapter 12, Paul for some reason starts a new section about Israel.In fact, the next three chapters pertain entirely to the current state in Paul’s day of the nation of Israel.

WHY?

One reason: the faithfulness of God and His Word is at stake. If God’s love and God’s election are so secure, how do you explain Israel’s apostasy?

Put another way: Will God fulfill His promises to Israel? If not, how can I trust He will fulfill His promises to me? Can I truthfully sing “Rejoice, O Israel?” or is all their hope lost?

Paul explains this over three chapters, sometimes referred to as the “vindication of God.”

In the introduction of Romans 9, Paul shares his personal response to Israel’s apostasy to help you and I trust God’s loyal love because of Israel’s legacy, not in spite of it. This passage divides nicely into two parts: Paul’s Honest Heavy Heart, and Israel’s Loyally Loved Legacy.

I. An Honest Heavy Heart (1–2)

1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

Paul makes a hard and somewhat unforeseen transition from the end of Chapter 8. We are on a joyful high, and suddenly Paul brings his reader crashing down with heavy sincerity!

- In this first verse, Paul is communicating his sincerity and to do so, he appeals to three witnesses.

- 1. Christ: “I am speaking the truth in Christ”

o In other words, the manner of Paul’s speech here is marked by absolute sincerity which is in keeping with his union with Christ.

o “I am telling you the truth in a manner consistent with my standing in Christ.” (ICC, Cranfield)

o Lying is inconsistent with Christ’s character, it ought to be inconsistent with the Christian’s. Paul is simply emphasizing that truth.

o Why does Paul need to assert his truthfulness? Because the nature of what he is about to say might seem unbelievable.

- I am not lying

o Paul’s repetition should make you squirm a little, “What are you about to say, Paul?”

o This is like when someone says, “We need to talk. No really, we need to sit down and talk.”

o Paul is speaking truthfully, and no part of what he is about to say is dishonest, nor is it an exaggeration

- 2. Paul’s Conscience: “my conscience also bearing me witness”

o Paul’s conscience testifies to him or is giving confirmation to him.

o His conscience acts as a second witness to what he is about to say––the first witness being Christ.

o He is believing his conscience is giving him a trustworthy testimony. How can Paul trust his own conscience?It seems like appealing to conscience after appealing to Christ is quite the downgrade.

Paul trust’s his conscience because His conscience is submitted to and informed by the Holy Spirit through the faithful and trustworthy Word of God.

- 3. in the Holy Spirit

o Paul’s conscience was fully submitted to the Spirit of God. He was in tune with the Holy Spirit. He was not driven by the lust of His own flesh.

o Paul appeals to conscience throughout the New Testament in a similar manner:

o Paul did not, like the false teachers, sear his conscience (1 Tim 4:2). Rather he kept it tender to the Spirit’s convictions.

o This is not some out of reach standard only for apostles. Peter advises all Christians to “keep a good conscience” (1 Pet 3:15) so that men’s accusations fall flat.

HERE: We get to see how Paul’s conscience influenced his confidence in God and vice versa. Paul’s conviction is not set by his emotions or on his circumstances. His conviction is fixed by the Spirit of God through obedience to the Word of God.

- Notice Paul has called two members of the godhead as well as his own conscience as witnesses to the claim he is about to make:

1) Being united with Christ, Paul is not about to lie and violate that union.

2) Having been trained by the Holy Spirit, Paul trusts the testimony of his conscience.

SO: What is the truth that Paul is speaking in Christ?

2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.

Literally, “[I am telling the truth in Christ…] that grief in me is great and sorrow in my heart is endless.”

- Sorrow is not where we expect him to go after chapter 8.

- Is Paul being dramatic/hyperbolic? “May it never be!”

- Paul’s heart for the Jewish people is the same heart we could find in the prophets and in Christ:

Jere 4:19–22 “My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding in me; I cannot be silent Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The shout of war. 20 Destruction upon destruction is called out, For the whole land is devastated; Suddenly my tents are devastated, My curtains in an instant. 21 How long must I see the standard And hear the sound of the trumpet? 22 “For My people are ignorant fools, They know Me not; They are simpleminded children And have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they do not know.”

>>> Now is it Jeremiah or God speaking???

Jer 1:9 “Then Yahweh sent forth His hand and touched my mouth, and Yahweh said to me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.’” The prophet’s words are God’s words. The prophet’s pain over Israel’s suffering is God’s pain. This pain is made clearer by Jesus’ response to the Jewish people.

Luke 13:34–35 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you did not want it!”

Luke 19:41–44 “And as He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He cried over it,…”

- Paul’s anguish over the Jewish people’s lost state is one matched throughout Scripture. It is the Lament over a people who have rejected their God.

- Is Paul being overly dramatic? No. His heart for his own people is a shared testimony by the prophets and Jesus. AND The reason for his sorrow is not truly shown until chapter 10:

“Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 They are ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [which is Christ]” (Rom 10:1–3)

Back in 9:3, we can observe to what extent Paul’s lament would extend.

3a-b For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren,

- I could wish

o ηὐχόμην = this verb indicates a type of wish that is only a potential action. And in this instance, “the desire itself is often tendential” or pertaining to a bias of a tendency one might have.

§ Daniel Wallace describes it as “something that is at the point of almost happening (tendential)” (550) but the action itself is never carried out. May even indicate a reoccurring, but unrealized desire.

§ Fanning calls this instance, “desiderative:” “To contemplate the desire, but fail to bring oneself actually to the point of wishing.”

~A good comparative example of this kind of verb is in Galatians 4:20

In verses 11–19, Paul pleads emotionally with his readers. Finally, he states:

Gal 4:20 “I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.”

Paul is completely prevented––both physically and based on the current issues in the Galatian church––from being present with the Galatian church. He could almost wish that he were there though so that he could change his tone of voice.~

o In Rom 9:3, Paul “could almost wish” or “could almost pray,” but reality prevents him from even wishing.Wishing what?

- That I were accursed, separated from Christ instead of my brethren,

o ἀνάθεμα = devoted to God for destruction

o This means separated from Christ, no longer saved by Christ or united with Him. Paul is saying he could almost wish eternal damnation upon himself!

“What are you saying, O Paul?! ‘Away from Christ the beloved, from whom no kingdom nor hell, nor things visible nor intelligible, nor another world as great, would separate you, is it from Him that you would now be accursed?” ––John Chrysostom, 5th century preacher.[1]

o “In the stead of my brethren” > Israel is already separated from Christ, set apart for the judgement of God. And Paul grieves this reality heavily!

Concerning this startling claim by Paul, we can understand three truths about Paul’s Love for Israel:

1. Paul means this with all sincerity.

2. The uniqueness of Paul’s love for Israel mirrors that of Moses –

Exod. 32:31–33 “Then Moses returned to Yahweh and said, ‘Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made gods of gold for themselves.32 But now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!’ 33 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”

It is in the last phrase of Exod 32:33, that the third assertion can be understood.

3. God’s rule and God’s love have not changed: “The soul who sins, he shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4).

Moses could not substitute himself for Israel. Neither could Paul.

First, because there is only ONE mediator between God and man.

Secondly, and for our purposes this evening: because Paul is already held in the love of Christ, from which nothing can separate him; not even Paul’s own potential desires.

The reality that prevents Paul from even thinking about wishing this is recorded in 8:39, “I could almost wish myself separate from Christ for my own people’s sake. But NOTHING can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(MacArthur) “No one, of course, knew better than Paul that salvation is a believer’s most precious treasure and that only Christ’s sacrificial death has the power to save. But here he was speaking emotionally, not theologically, and there is no reason to doubt that his awesome statement of self-sacrifice was the expression of a completely honest heart. Paul felt such love that he was willing to relinquish his own salvation and spend eternity in hell if somehow that could bring his fellow Jews to faith in Christ! He knew, of course, that, even if such a thing were possible, his being separated from Christ would have no power in itself to bring a single person to Christ.”[2]

God remains faithful to His Word, and not even an apostle’s love for His people could change that. Nothing could separate Paul from his salvation, and there was no way for Israel’s salvation apart from their repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. Paul’s Heavy Heart confirms the faithfulness of God to keep His Word.

II. A Loyally Loved Legacy (3–5)

Why did Paul love these people so much? What is the significance of these people? Israel had a Loyally Loved Legacy.

The Jews held a personal significance to Paul and a promised significance from God.

3c–4 my kinsmen according to the flesh who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Personal Significance

- my kinsmen according to the flesh,

o Paul was an Israelite from birth, of the tribe of Benjamin. His fleshly kinsmen, his people, his nation mattered deeply to him.

o So Paul, are you just being nepotistic? Is Paul a Christian nationalist? Is the personal ethnic connection all the matters to this apostle?

o Absolutely not. There is a much greater significance to the nation of Israel promised to her from God.

Promised Significance

- Who are Israelites = more important than just being personally connected to Paul, these are those descendants of Jacob, Israel.

o Not simply, “Jews” or “Hebrews.”

o These are the chosen people of God! The elect, the Israelites!

- To whom pertaineth/To whom belongs

o Paul lists 8 privileges belonging to God’s elect nation Israel.

o The first 6 privileges, split into 2 mirroring sections based on a rhyming pattern and conceptual similarities which Paul employs.

You can hear it in the Greek:

§ υἱοθεσία. Δόξα. διαθῆκαι. (ADOPTION, GLORY, COVENANTS)

§ νομοθεσία. λατρεία. ἐπαγγελίαι. (LAW, TEMPLE SERVICE, PROMISES)

Our ears are not as trained to spot the pairings in Greek, but we can hear it in English poetry, like in the classic poem “The Little Blue Truck”

“Horn went BEEP! Engine purred.

Friendliest sounds you ever heard. Little Blue Truck came down the road

‘Beep’ said blue to the big green toad.”

There may not be any significance to the rhymes between lines 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 of that poem, unless you are my daughter and you love the Little Blue Truck. But in Paul’s poem, the coupled terms match not only in rhyme but in theme. Thus, it serves Paul’s intentions right to treat each couplet together:

- the adoption as sons AND the giving of the Law

o υἱοθεσία = adoption

§ A word which Paul has already used for privileges of believers in Rom 8:15, 23

§ Before the church was adopted through Christ, God was the adoptive Father of the nation of Israel.

Exod 4:22 “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”

Deut 32:6 “Is not He your Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you.”

o νομοθεσία = (sg nom) “giving of the divine law, legislation, Law of Moses”

Not only was Israel set apart as sons in position, but they were then given God’s instructions. As children, they were made responsible for God’s Law.

MacArthur points out that, having been set apart as sons, Israel was also set apart to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” by following God’s Law. (Ex. 19:6) [3]

Paul already highlighted this truth of Israel’s privilege in Rom 3:1–2 “Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles/LAW of God.”

Deut 4:7–8 “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is Yahweh our God whenever we call on Him?8 Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”

- And the glory AND the service of God (Literally: “the temple service”)

o Δόξα = glory

§ Again this is a word from 8:17–18, 21, 30, indicating the coming eschatological glory for the church age believers. And again, this privilege was afforded first to Israel!

§ The Lord’s presence with Israel

· Ex 19, the Glory fills mount Sinai

· Ex 40 the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle

· 2 Chron 7 the glory fills the Temple

· In Ezekiel the glory departs the Temple. And the promise of a future temple inhabited by God’s glory (Ezek 43).

§ As there is an eschatological glory for believers in chapter 8, Paul describes the eschatological glory for Israel throughout chapters 9-11. The Israelites will again see the glory of the Lord.

o λατρεία = divine worship, spiritual service

§ The same term used in Rom 12:1, “reasonable service.” Again, this was given first to Israel, not the church.

§ Refers to the temple worship, the sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood.

§ Israel received the picture and privilege of foreshadowing the work of Christ, the greater High Priest!

Heb 9:1–11 “Now even the first covenant had requirements of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary.2 For there was a tabernacle prepared:

- the lampstand and

- the table

- the sacred bread

- a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,

- a golden altar of incense and

- the ark of the covenant

- a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

- the priests are continually entering the first part of the tabernacle

- the high priest enters the second part once a year,

- a symbol for the present time.

Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, requirements for the body imposed until a time of reformation. 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,”

The focus of Hebrews and this passage in Hebrews 9 is on Christ as the fulfillment of the Law. BUT what a privilege it was for Israel to have received the foreshadowing worship! To participate in the glory and the worship of God!

- And the covenants AND the promises

o διαθῆκαι = (plural Nom) “Covenants”

§ Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and the New Covenant; i.e. ALL the covenants belong to Israel! (Schreiner 474, Moo 563)

§ God covenanted with Israel, He gave His Word. This includes the New Covenant which we are graciously a part of.

Jer. 31:31–33 ““Behold, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will cut a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,32 not like the covenant which I cut with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, but I was a husband to them,” declares Yahweh.33 “But this is the covenant which I will cut with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Yahweh: “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

o ἐπαγγελίαι = (plural Nom) “promises”

§ God cut covenants that have been or will be fulfilled. And He made promises, guarantees about Israel’s future.

§ Like what? Does Israel still have a future? Beyond the promise in Jeremiah which we just read, the prophet Zechariah speaks a lot about Israel’s future.

Zech 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”

God has promised a future repentance of Israel.

Zech 14:10–11“Jerusalem will rise and inhabit its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses.11 And people will inhabit it, and there will no longer be anything devoted to destruction, for Jerusalem will be inhabited in security.”

We read in the Old Testament of God’s people being gathered from every corner of the earth and travelling in safety to Jerusalem (Is 11:12; Zech 8:8). Of gentiles grabbing hold of Jews, wishing to go with them to worship the King, Christ Jesus (Zech 8:23). These are the promises of God, Israel will one day be inhabited in security.

Israel was given these 6 privileges, but there are 2 more of far greater importance in vs 5:

5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Paul highlights two more blessings, namely the fathers and the Son.

- whose are the fathers/patriarchs

o Abraham, Isaac, Jacob > Those who were given the covenant of a seed, land, and blessing.

o Those who received the covenants and the promises. Israelites prized this heritage, and rightly so.

§ Abraham, the friend of God;

§ Isaac, the promised son; and

§ Jacob, the man who wrestled with the Lord.

That is an impressive lineage. Each of these received the covenant of God.

o But the covenant they received was the covenant of a promised seed. A Seed who would surpass all of the patriarchs.

- from whom came Christ according to the flesh

o NOTE: There is a specific preposition that changes the meaning here from all of the other blessings to the people of Israel.

o FROM whom – Paul does not say the Messiah is OF the Israelites’ (belongs to)

o Rather, Christ in the flesh was born out of/FROM Israel.

o Why this distinction? WHO IS CHRIST???

CHRIST is over all. He is not simply “of Israel,” but in the flesh He did come to the nation of Israel, submitting Himself to that heritage, and the Law.

- Christ… who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

o Different translations:

KJV/NASB95 who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

LSB/ESV who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen

o Grammatically in this phrase, Paul is identifying Christ, NOT as being blessed by God, but as being God Himself.

o Christ is God, over all things sovereign. Christ is God eternally happy, satisfied, blessed, and self-sufficient in the Godhead.

Paul highlights Christ’s humanity and His deity in this verse not simply because it is true, but because this truth about Christ is the truth which condemns his beloved kinsmen.

o The Israelites do not accept Christ as God and they hated Christ the man enough to kill Him because He claimed to be God.

o They rejected Jesus the Messiah, even though He was the consummation of all of Israel’s privileges and promises.

So what was the point of Paul listing out all of these privileges and highlight the rejection of Christ?

1. To explain his grief over Israel

2. To address the problem of Israel’s apostasy.

If God is faithful, and nothing can separate the objects of His love from His purposes, and if He accomplishes all that He promises no matter who is opposed, what happened with Israel? They were promised so much, but they are an apostate nation away from Christ.

DID GOD’S WORD FAIL? Look at verse 6–8.

“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.

OR literally: “The Word of God has not failed.”

For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”

GOD’s Promise endures.

Conclusion

Paul goes on to show his audience over the next three chapters that God has a plan to redeem not just some, but all of the nation of Israel in the future. But even now, the gospel call is still going out to the nation of Israel. And “Whoever believes upon Him will not be put to shame.” (Rom 9:33; 10:11) whether they are of Israel or gentiles. “Has God cast out His people? God forbid!” (11:1) He has preserved a remnant of believers in Israel “according to the election of grace.” (11:5).

“Have they stumbled that they should fall [forever out of the covenant with God]? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.” (11:11) Our salvation was gained through the transgression of Israel. But their blinding is only a temporary one “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is [God’s] covenant unto them, when [He] shall take away their sins.”

Having been grafted in to the covenant mercies of God, you are the recipient of a great cloud of witnesses to God’s faithfulness to keep His Word. We have been given a similar list of privileges as Israel. But we ought never to boast about that. Our position, like Israel’s, is purely due to the grace and mercy of God through Christ Jesus. So we do not boast as though the church was somehow superior to Israel. We are all recipients of grace. As quickly as the church appeared she will be caught up together with Christ, and God will finish His work with His nation, Israel. God did not fail to keep His promises and He will not fail to keep His promises, “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” And in light of the grace which has been shown to us, and the grace which has been and will be shown to Israel, God will receive all the “glory forever. Amen.” (Rom 11:29, 36)

AS a way of application:

Know that God has not forgotten His promises, and He never proves to be unfaithful! Israel is an illustration for us of God’s faithfulness, they are not an example of God’s failure. Rather than discouraging believers, Israel’s history and their future hope should encourage us to trust every promise of God’s Word. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

21“[God] gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

[1] W. Sanday and Arthur C. Headlam, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle of the Romans, 3d ed., International Critical Commentary (New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1897), 229. [2] John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans, vol. 2, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), 11. [3] (John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans, 13)