Romans 9 - Israel's Past

Previously in Romans, we saw how believers have hope in their suffering. They have hope because creation will be restored, they will receive resurrected bodies, the Lord is working all things together for their good, and the Lord loves them with a love they cannot be separated from. In the following three chapters, Paul will discuss God’s sovereignty and election demonstrated through the nation of Israel. It can be divided into three sections: Israel’s past, Israel’s present, and Israel’s future. Many today are confused about the nation of Israel, mistakenly believing the Church has replaced them, however, as we will see, the Lord still has a plan for the Jewish people, although they do not see it. This may seem like an abrupt change from chapter 8, but there is a connection. If God cannot or will not bring Israel into salvation who were once His people, then what security would we have as believers? God’s faithfulness to the Jewish people is what gives us the confidence He will be faithful to keep His promises to you and me.

Paul begins by stating he is telling the truth, and not lying, his own conscience was bearing witness in the Spirit. He does this because what he was about to say would be hard to believe. He said he had great sorrow and continual grief in his heart, and could wish himself accursed from Christ (doomed to destruction) for his brethren, his relatives according to the flesh, who were Israelites. This was not an allegory, but Paul was clearly speaking of the nation of Israel here, the Jewish people. Israel is mentioned 75 times in 73 verses in the New Testament, and in each case it is referring to the nation rather than the Church. Paul was not a Jew hater. He could have hated them for being the ones primarily responsible for Jesus’ death, rejecting the Gospel, and following him around trying to kill him, but he didn’t. How could he? Paul was a Jew himself, and was guilty of the same things. However, the Lord had mercy on him. Not only did he not hate them, but he was willing to give up his own salvation (although not possible) in order for them to be saved. I’ll be honest, there are people whom I love dearly, but I would not be willing to give up eternal life for them. Hell is an awful place, and eternity is a long time to be there. However, this is what Paul said. Moses said a similar thing when he spoke to the Lord after the Israelites had made a golden calf, “Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” (Ex 32:32) The Lord did not accept Moses’ request just like He didn’t Paul’s, but we do get a glimpse here into the heart of godly individuals towards God’s people.

Paul recognized their spiritual heritage: God had blessed them with all the privileges of being His special people. They were the first to be adopted, to receive glory, the covenants and the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises of the Scriptures. They belong to God the Father, and it is through them that Christ came into the world, who, said Paul, “is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.” This is another one of these passages that is a clear proclamation of the deity of Jesus Christ. Some like to state otherwise, but the grammatical context does not support their views. So then, without the Jewish people, we would not be here today, saved and headed for Heaven. They are truly blessed, and we have been blessed because of them. For this we should be grateful.

God came to them first to offer them what we have, but they, not recognizing it,  rejected it. They rejected their own Messiah, and the good news of salvation through faith in Him. However, just because the Jews have rejected their Messiah and are walking in rebellion and unbelief does not mean the word of God has been broken. For not all who are of Israel are Israel, and not all the descendants of Abraham are considered children of God. Abraham had many sons, even Ishmael his firstborn, but only Isaac received the inheritance because he was the son of promise. In other words, a person can be part of the nation of Israel, but not part of the true family of God because they have not believed in the true Son of promise, Jesus Christ. Paul writes a similar thing to the Galatians, “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written: ‘Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.’ Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless, what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.’ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.” (Gal 4:21-31) So then, the nonbelieving Jews are under the bondage of the law which came from Mount Sinai, and are not children of promise. This refutes the teaching out there that there is a dual-covenant in which the Jews do not have to come to Christ for salvation. If we recall from chapter 1, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

To further illustrate his point, Paul gives the example of Isaac and Rebecca who gave birth to Jacob and Esau. When they were still in the womb, the Lord spoke to Rebecca, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ God chose Jacob to receive the inheritance and the blessing, not by his works, for neither of them had done good or evil yet. Even if God had waited, Jacob’s works would not have proven to be better than Esau’s (maybe worse). God chose Jacob according to His purpose and election. In His foreknowledge, He knew that Jacob would ultimately respond to His call to repentance and faith, whereas Esau would not. On this basis, the Lord accepted Jacob, and rejected Esau. Just like God chose Isaac and Jacob, so too He has chosen some Jews as part of the nation of Israel to be saved. Ultimately, we may not understand why God chooses some and rejects others, but we do know He has a reason for His choices that is in harmony with His loving and just nature.

So, if God chose Isaac instead of Ishmael or Abraham’s other sons, and if He chose Jacob rather than Esau, Paul asks if there is unrighteousness with God? Like he has done before, he answers “Certainly not!” He then quotes from Exodus 33, saying ‘I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.’ (Ex 33:19) Mercy is not getting what we deserve, so no one is unfair for not showing mercy, especially the Lord. It is not about wishing to do well or actually doing well, but it as the Lord who shows mercy.

He then gives the example of Pharoah. God said He raised up Pharoah to show His power in him, and that His name might be declared in all the earth. If we recall, the Exodus account refers to Pharoah hardening his own heart, as well as God hardening it. God hardened Pharoah in the direction he was already going in order to show the world how powerful He is and bring glory to His name. Throughout history and even today, the Exodus account is one of the most well-known Bible stories. Some individuals God has mercy on, and some He hardens like Pharoah.

Some might object to this, saying, if God has mercy on some and hardens others, how can God find fault with someone since they are being hardened against their will? But Paul responds by saying who are we to reply against God? The thing formed does not ask the one who formed it why he made them this way. If we think about it, it is arrogant to question the God of the universe why He made something or someone a certain way. The potter has the power to make whatever He wants, whether it is a vessel of honor or dishonor. What if God endures with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to show His wrath and make His power known? Notice it does not say God prepared them for wrath, but simply that they are prepared, probably by their own doing. God shows His wrath and power as a deterrent to sin and to teach mankind to fear Him.  On the contrary, what if God makes known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory? It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. This kindness is shown on those whom He called, both Jew and Gentile.

Next, Paul quotes from several OT passages in Hosea and Isaiah concerning Israel’s future. They will be called His people who were not His people, and beloved who were not beloved. In the place where they were called not His people, they will be called sons of the living God. Although the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved. This is according to the Lord’s complete and righteous judgment. If the Lord had not left them a seed, they would have become like Sodom and would have been made like Gomorrah. What Paul is saying here is that God will have to severely discipline the nation of Israel, but He will save a remnant in the end, something he will come back to in chapter 11.

As for now, Israel is pursuing the law of righteousness, but cannot obtain it because they seek it by trying to keep the law rather than by faith. They stumbled at the stumbling stone and rock of offense which is Jesus Christ. Whoever believes on Him will not be ashamed. Gentiles, on the other hand, were not seeking righteousness, but have obtained it by faith in that same Jesus. Paul will continue this topic in the next chapter, tell us what genuine faith looks like, and how this faith comes to us.