God’s Saving Promises to Israel (9:1-29)
The Epistle to the Romans • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsThis lesson on Romans 9:1-29 was taught by elder Dick Bickings on Sunday, April 3, 2022 at New Life Bible Fellowship Church, Longneck, DE
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Up to this point we have seen that God’s Righteousness is for both Israel and the Gentiles. Paul has made it clear that God’s saving promises have been fulfilled for the Gentiles. Indeed, the church of Jesus Christ now enjoys the spiritual blessings promised to Israel: the gift of the Spirit (8:9); adoption as God’s children (8:14–17); future glory (8:17, 30); election (8:33); and the promise of never being severed from God’s love (8:35–39). Paul now asks in chs. 9–11 whether the promises God made to ethnic Israel will be fulfilled. If his promises to the Jews remain unfulfilled, how can Gentile Christians be sure that he will fulfill the great promises that conclude ch. 8? Paul answers that God is faithful to his saving promises to Israel (9:6) and that he will ultimately save all his people, both Jew and Gentile alike (11:26).
I. PAUL'S CONCERN FOR HIS BRETHREN OF ISRAEL (9:1-5)
I. PAUL'S CONCERN FOR HIS BRETHREN OF ISRAEL (9:1-5)
A. HIS GREAT CONCERN (9:1-3)
A. HIS GREAT CONCERN (9:1-3)
1. His conscience and the Holy Spirit bear witness to his great sorrow and grief (1-2)
1. His conscience and the Holy Spirit bear witness to his great sorrow and grief (1-2)
Sorrow (lupe) - of persons mourning
unceasing anguish (adialeiptos odune) – continual consuming grief, pain, sorrow
2. He would even be willing to be cut off from Christ for their sakes (3)
2. He would even be willing to be cut off from Christ for their sakes (3)
accursed and cut off (anathema apo) - a person or thing doomed to destruction, along with a separation of a part from the whole
B. FOR ISRAEL, RECIPIENTS OF MANY BLESSINGS (9:4-5)
B. FOR ISRAEL, RECIPIENTS OF MANY BLESSINGS (9:4-5)
Paul describes here eight blessings that uniquely describe God’s choice of Israel as His instrument in bringing Jesus the Christ.
1. Including the covenants, the Law, the promises (4)
1. Including the covenants, the Law, the promises (4)
adoption - chosen to be God’s children from all the nations of the world
glory - the presence of God was seen in His shekinah glory
covenants (diatheke) – a legal contract
Law (nomothesia) – the Ten Commandments
worship - clear instructions were given by God in how to enter His presence.
Promises (epaggelia) – an announcement of good or blessing
2. Of whom are the patriarchs, and of course, Christ Himself (5)
2. Of whom are the patriarchs, and of course, Christ Himself (5)
Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Christ – God’s ultimate purpose
II. THE TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD (6-29)
II. THE TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD (6-29)
However, Paul wants us to know that the fact that all Israel are not saved is not a failure in His plan
A. ARE CHILDREN OF PROMISE, NOT CHILDREN OF FLESH (6-13)
A. ARE CHILDREN OF PROMISE, NOT CHILDREN OF FLESH (6-13)
1. They are not all Israel who have descended from Israel (6)
1. They are not all Israel who have descended from Israel (6)
not a new idea with Paul
those of faith are the true sons of Abraham
not making a clever dodge here to escape a difficulty
the original purpose of God to include only those who believed
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
2. As illustrated with Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau (7-13)
2. As illustrated with Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau (7-13)
Children of promise chosen, not children of flesh alone
3. According to God's purpose, whose choice was not based upon works (11)
3. According to God's purpose, whose choice was not based upon works (11)
Not based on good or evil deeds
Based on God’s election and calling
God Loves and Hates (13)
Paul quotes from Malachi 1:2-3 “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.””
“Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.“”
Question: How are we to understand this statement in the light of God’s character ?
Answer: This language sounds a bit harsh to us. It is possible that the word “miseo” did not always carry the full force of what we mean by "hate." In Mt 6:24 (two masters) where these very verbs (miseo and agapao) are contrasted. So also in Lu 14:26 about "hating" (miseo) one’s father and mother if coming between one and Christ. So in Joh 12:25 about "hating" one’s life. There is no doubt about God’s preference for Jacob and rejection of Esau.
Note here that Paul anticipates an objection to the statement of God hating Esau, and his answer is the following:
B. ARE THE OBJECTS OF GOD'S MERCY (14-23)
B. ARE THE OBJECTS OF GOD'S MERCY (14-23)
Note: This is the answer to the objection, “Is there injustice on God’s part?”
1. Possible only through His Mercy (14-16)
1. Possible only through His Mercy (14-16)
19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
God is always good and never unjust
God, the sovereign of all creation, has the right to show mercy and compassion to whomever He chooses
This choice is not dependent on any man sponsored activity
2. Just as Pharaoh was the object of His Wrath (17-18)
2. Just as Pharaoh was the object of His Wrath (17-18)
16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
God’s power (dunamis) was proclaimed to the whole earth in His dealings with Pharaoh
God shows mercy and hardens whomever He chooses
God Hardens Hearts
“…he hardens whomever he wills.”
Question: How are we to understand this statement in the light of God’s character ?
Answer: The word “harden” does not necessarily mean to exert a positive influence, but more likely to leave a sinner to his own course, and to place him in circumstances where the character will be more and more developed. It is more of an “inactivity” on God’s part as opposed to an activity.
It is clear that when God hardens the heart of a person who has hardened himself against his Maker, God cannot be accused of being unjust. God may at times remove His restraint from an individual, thus allowing him to exercise the full extent of his depravity. Whether God will actually do this, or whether, instead, he will show mercy, is not for that person or for us to decide. It is a matter pertaining to God’s own will, power, and eternal decree. It is exactly as stated in verse
29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
3. God's right to choose the objects of His mercy and His wrath (19-23)
3. God's right to choose the objects of His mercy and His wrath (19-23)
Again, Paul anticipates the reader’s opposition to this supposed character flaw of God, and in essence says, If this is true, why are we still blamed for our sins? (19) Answer:
Man is a creature of God, (20)
Man is unqualified to understand the subject, (20)
Even if man were qualified to investigate those subjects, what right has he to reply against God, to arraign him (20)
The Potter has power over the clay (21)
God’s wrath makes His Power and Patience known (22)
God’s mercy makes the riches of His glory known (23)
C. ARE OF BOTH THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES (24-29)
C. ARE OF BOTH THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES (24-29)
1. Not of Jews only, as foretold by Hosea (24-26)
1. Not of Jews only, as foretold by Hosea (24-26)
The doctrine which he had established is found in Hosea 2:23 “23 and I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’ ””, which in summary says…
God intended to call his people from the Gentiles as well as the Jews,
God was bound by no promise and no principle of obligation to bestow salvation on all the Jews
Therefore it was right for God to reject any or all of the Jews, if he chose, and cut them off from their privileges as a people, and from salvation
2. But only a remnant of Israel, as foretold by Isaiah (27-29)
2. But only a remnant of Israel, as foretold by Isaiah (27-29)
From Isaiah 10:22-23 - “22 For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. 23 For the Lord God of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth.” (27-28)
Only a remnant of Jews will be saved,
It refers here to his threat of cutting off the people; and means that he will fulfill it,
From Isaiah 1:9 - “9 If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.” The nation was so wicked, that unless God had preserved a small number who were pious from the general corruption of the people, they would have been swept off by judgment. (29)