God's Plan for Israel

Review:

We have been on our journey through Romans for quite some time my records indicate we began in May of 2021 and we have covered plenty of ground in that time.

Last session we finished the first section of Romans

Romans 1-8 = Doctrine (Faith) of the teachings of Paul on God’s remedy for man’s sin (The Gospel) - God’s Plan for Fallen Man

Today we begin the next section Romans 9-11 = Prophecy God’s plans for Israel.

We can divide this section like this:

Israel’s Past Election - (Romans 9)

Israel’s Present Rejection (Romans 10)

Israel’s Future Restoration (Romans 11)

Romans 9 where we are beginning today can be divided further this way:

Paul’s Passion & Burden for Israel’s Salvation (Rom 9:1-5)

God’s Reasons for Rejection of Israel (Rom 9:6-13)

God’s Principles of Election of Israel (Rom 9:14-18)

God’s Sovereignty in Israel’s National Election Defended (Rom 9:19-33)

So with that in mind lets start exploring this section on prophecy in Romans.

Paul’s Passion & Burden for Israel’s Salvation (Rom 9:1-5)

Romans 9:1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

Romans 9:2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.

Romans 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,

Romans 9:4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;

Romans 9:5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Paul’s Present Anguish (Rom 9:1-3)

How it must break Paul’s heart to see his people reject their only hope of survival and salvation.

It is not only sadness, but it is a palpable sorrow, and intense grief

It was also a grief and pain that did not subside - “continual sorrow” a few translation says “unceasing grief”

It is such a tragedy to Paul that he wishes that he was cursed and separated from Christ so that they could be saved.

He was willing to forfeit if possible, for the salvation of his people.

Now that is a burden - that is intercession.

Israel’s Past Advantages (Rom 9:4-5)

The reason for Paul’s grief and sorrow over the lostness of his people is because he saw what they had. He lists eight of the privileges and benefits that were exclusive of Israel - these were not given or promised to any other nation.

Adoption - Israel was the chosen people of God (Ex 4:22) For Paul this was an ongoing relationship although it was endangered by Israel’s rejection of the gospel. I should point out we are talking about national salvation - there is no scriptural guarantee for the salvation of individual Israelites - that is dependent on faith in Christ - we do however, have a guarantee of God’s special favor toward the nation of Israel as his covenant people - and there will be a salvation of the nation according to (Romans 11:26 “26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” )

Glory - The Shekinah or presence of God. Began as a bright cloud that followed Israel through the wilderness and later it resided in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and Temple (Ex 40:34; 1 Kings 8:11)

Covenants - Agreements in which God committed himself to Israel (Ex. 19:5,6; 2 Sam 7)

Law - The Holy Scriptures from Genesis to Malachi

Worship - Privileges of having God’s presence in their midst and specific knowledge of how to worship him.

Promises - of protection and provision

Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

Messiah - Look at the last part of Rom 9:5 “...and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”

God’s Reasons for Rejection of Israel (Rom 9:6-13)

Romans 9:6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,

Romans 9:7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”

Romans 9:8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Romans 9:9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

Romans 9:10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac

Romans 9:11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),

Romans 9:12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”

Romans 9:13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Beginning in this section and scattered throughout the rest of the chapter some of the attributes of God are questioned and defended by Paul.

God’s Faithfulness (Rom 9:1-13)

God’s Righteousness (Rom 9:14-18)

God’s Justice (Rom. 9:19-29)

God’s Grace (Rom 9:30-33)

Attribute #1 ‐ The Question of God's Faithfulness Raised (Rom. 9:6a)

Question: Does Israel’s failure mean that God’s word has failed? Paul’s answer is “No.”

"Not as thought the Word of God had taken none effect" (Rom. 9:6a) ‐ pictures a ship going off its course.

Paul asserts that God is faithful no matter what men may do with His word (see 2 Timothy 2:12,13).

But, so that all may clearly understand why God has done what He has done, Paul makes some IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS. His readers need to understand the following distinctions.

An Explanation of Important Distinctions (Rom. 9:6b‐8)

There is a difference between national Israel & spiritual Israel (6b) ‐ cf. also Romans 2:28‐29

”They are not all Israel who are descended from Israel (Jacob)” (Rom. 6b).

In other words, not all Israelites live up to their name and have a personal relationship with God as Jacob did.

There is a difference between Abraham's fleshly descendants & His nationally elect descendants (7‐8)