Romans 9 - 11

Romans 9:1-29

The Unexpected Mercy of God

Romans Defending God’s Covenant: Rejection of the Jews and Inclusion of the Gentiles (9:1–11:36)

It is common to see five sections framed by Paul’s sorrowful lament over the state of his people (9:1–5) and his closing doxology over the riches of God and his “unsearchable … judgments” (11:33–36). The three main sections are: (1) Romans 9:6–29, which emphasizes the centrality of election. God’s promises have not failed because he has sovereignly chosen to fulfill his purposes this way. (2) Romans 9:30–10:21, which portrays the rejection of Israel as a result of her own intransigence. The unbelief of the Jews and their refusal to accept God’s righteousness through faith in Christ has led to this state of affairs. (3) Romans 11:1–32, in which the sad state of Israel’s rejection is seen as temporary. There is a righteous remnant (11:1–10), and while some of the branches of Israel have been broken off from the olive tree and the Gentiles have been grafted in (11:11–24), there is a future salvation for national Israel (11:25–32). Integrating the whole is an incredible abundance of Old Testament quotations and allusions.

Having this overview will assist us in grasping what Paul is teaching. Remember that Paul writes to people he has never met, though he did know many of them personally (see Rom 16).

The group of believers gathered at Rome contained Jews and Gentiles as well. As Paul - in this missionary appeal - writes he seeks to explain the urgency of the gospel.

Romans 9:1–5 (HCSB)

These verses and their parallel in Rom 10:1-4 illustrate Paul’s passion for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

How can we nurture this kind of passion?

Notice the reasons Paul identifies:

a). Israelites (Paul’s ethnic identity) have a status as adopted children of God;

b) They have in their history experienced the presence of God’s glory unlike any other people;

c). to Israel God revealed Himself in unbreakable covenants, expressed in what we call the Ten Commandments;

d) Israel has been given the true meaning of genuine worship;

e) Israel is the heir of all God’s promises;

and finally

f) Israel can claim all that God has done in and through the patriarchs.

Recognizing that his own people are rejecting their heritage and their history brings Paul to grief.

Romans 9:6-29

Some might look at the Jewish failure to recognize the visitation of God in His Son Jesus and wonder…could God fail?

Verses 6-13 are a brief overview of how God was at work in His people.

What is the common theme among these examples?

God acts in unexpected ways!

Verses 14-18 describe THE most important event in Israelite history: deliverance from Egypt.

The exchanges between Moses and Pharaoh are truly an illustration of God’s ability to bless those whom HE chooses and to use whomever He chooses to illustrate His wrath.

Verses 19-24

Since God shows mercy to whom He wills and uses whomever He chooses to be examples of His wrath, why then are humans to blame?

Isn’t it all just a game - God arbitrarily chooses one over another. If this is true why call out the Jews for failure to receive all God has in Jesus Christ?

Perhaps Paul was drawing on an illustration he’d read in Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 18:1–11 HCSB

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down at once to the potter’s house; there I will reveal My words to you.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel. But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do. The word of the Lord came to me: “House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel. At one moment I might announce concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will uproot, tear down, and destroy it. However, if that nation I have made an announcement about turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the disaster I had planned to do to it. At another time I announce that I will build and plant a nation or a kingdom. However, if it does what is evil in My sight by not listening to My voice, I will relent concerning the good I had said I would do to it. So now, say to the men of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem: This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring harm to you and make plans against you. Turn now, each from your evil way, and correct your ways and your deeds.

God was pleading through Jeremiah for His people to return to Him and escape the judgment God had promised through Moses (Deuteronomy 28-ff).

Paul and Jeremiah are using similar language to remind their audience that God is not limited by our understanding. Neither is God obligated to explain Himself to us for His purposes.

Ultimately all God does is for the unveiling of His glory - His presence. The Psalmist reminds us of the simple truth that just glancing at the sky enables us to ‘hear’ God speak-

Psalm 19:1 HCSB

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.

Paul uses the same logic earlier in Romans 1:19-23

Romans 1:19–23 HCSB

since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

Verses 24-29

In this paragraph Paul uses two men through whom God had spoken centuries prior to his own era. Hosea and Isaiah were men used of God to call Israel to repentance. Most Jews would be very familiar with both prophets.

The passage from Hosea is intriguing because Hosea had been instructed by God to marry a prostitute. After having children with her, she returned to her former way of life.

God then called Hosea to reclaim her - literally buying her back from the lifestyle she had chosen.

God’s promise is not dependent on our behavior! Rather as these words from Hosea illustrate:

God does as He pleases!

The words form Isaiah are comforting. Isaiah recognized that if God exercises His wrath as He should, none would be left. But God, who is rich in mercy, will leave a ‘remnant.’

CONLCUSION

As we begin this section of God’s Word we are reminded that we cannot study one book or one letter apart from the whole. Paul will quote freely from the OT in these chapters - demonstrating a deep and thorough knowledge of God’s Word. The fact he quotes so many passages illustrates one of his assumptions: people to whom he writes are familiar with the Word of God.

We are also called to reverence. God is not limited to our ways of thinking or acting. He does the unexpected.

We can count on God to act unexpectedly - but always according to His nature and character. If we are surprised by God’s activities it is a call for us to revise our understanding of who He is!