Romans
Chapter 9
I.
The Rejection of Israel (Chapter 9).
II.
The Availability of Salvation To Israel (Chapter 10).
III.
Israel's Restoration (Chapter 11).
|
|
I)
God's rejection of Israel. (vs. 1-24)
|
| 9:1
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness
in the Holy Ghost, |
|
1.
Paul's burden & Israel’s Blessings. (vs. 1-5) |
| 9:2
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. |
V.
2 |
– |
"heaviness"
= “pain or grief”, and is used of those who mourn. |
|
|
- |
"sorrow"
= “consuming grief” |
|
|
- |
"heart"
= emotional travail. |
9:3
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren,
my kinsmen according to the flesh:
|
V.
3 |
– |
"accursed"
= “A thing or person devoted to destruction” (L.K.G.N.T)
“Notice
what he did say: ‘For I could wish.’ The Greek tense is the imperfect,
incomplete. ‘It was in my heart to wish it, but I never completed
it. That is the way I feel about my people, but when I come to wish
myself accursed there is something that stops me! It is an uncompleted
wish and never was completed. ‘I could wish’, if God would let me,
but He won’t. I could do it, if it were permissible, but it is not!
No man has the right to say, “Let me be accursed and let this man be saved,”
(cited by Dr. David Doherty). Paul, had a sense of identity with
the unsaved, do we? |
| 9:4
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;
9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ
came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. |
V.
4,5 |
– |
Eight
aspects of Israel’s privilege are brought to Paul’s remembrance.
“These
points not only show the preeminence of Israel’s position, but also heighten
their sin in rejecting Christ” (Griffith Thomas)
"the
adoption" = (sonship) of the nation as a whole as God’s family (Exodus
4:22).
"the
glory" = the Shekinah glory, special evidence of God’s presence among
them (Exodus 16:10).
"the
covenants" = God made 5 covenants with Israel. - The Abrahamic Covenant:
unconditional, promising a mighty nation (Genesis 12:2,3,7; 13:14-17; 17:8).
- The Mosaic Covenant: conditional, promising blessings for obedience
(Exodus 19:3-8; Deuteronomy 28). - The Palestinian Covenant:
unconditional, promising a land (Deuteronomy 30:3). - The Davidic
Covenant: unconditional, promising an eternal kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12-16;
23:5; 2 Chronicles 13:5). - The New Covenant: unconditional,
promising new hearts made possible by redemption (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Concerning the New Covenant we observe that “certain features of this covenant
have been fulfilled for believers in the present Church Age…the covenant
remains to be realized for Israel according to the explicit statement of
Jeremiah 31:31” (New Scofield Reference Bible, p.804)
"the
giving of the law" = this includes all the laws found in Exodus to
Deuteronomy.
"the
service of God" = The tabernacle and temple ceremonies along with the
offerings and their spiritual meanings.
"the
promises" = These include all the promises found in the O.T.
"the
fathers" = the early leaders of the nation.
"Christ"
= The Jewish Messiah. Here Christ is described as “God” who is “over
all”. “Of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to
the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.”
(Romans 9:5, NKJV)
|
|
2.
Israel is set aside: God's purposes have not been defeated (vs. 6-24).
|
| 9:6
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not
all Israel, which are of Israel: |
V.6 |
– |
Israel,
as a nation, is presently not experience the blessings of “the promises”
(i.e. The land, kingdom, ect…). Paul is now going to demonstrate
that Israel’s “setting aside” does not tarnish the credibility of God.
|
|
|
(a)
All Israel is not true Israel (vs. 7-13).
“Physical
decent did not guarantee spiritual blessings.” (see Romans 2:28,29 &
Matthew 3:9)
|
| 9:7
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but,
In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
9:8
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.
9:9
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall
have a son. |
|
– |
V.
7 - As seen from Abraham's seed. |
| 9:10
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by
our father Isaac;
9:11
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works,
but of him that calleth;)
9:12
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
9:13
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
|
|
– |
V.
10-13 - As seen from Isaac’s seed. |
| 9:14
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. |
|
(b)
God is Sovereign (vs. 14-23). |
|
|
|
i.
Sovereign in His Mercy |
| 9:15
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and
I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
9:16
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of
God that sheweth mercy.
|
V.15,16 |
– |
Man
cannot demand mercy from God as Moses did. |
|
|
|
ii.
Sovereign in His Judgment |
| 9:17
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I
raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might
be declared throughout all the earth.
9:18
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he
hardeneth. |
V.17,18 |
– |
God
has the right to harden those who have rejected truth |
|
|
|
iii.
An objection to God's Sovereignty answered. |
| 9:19
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted
his will?
9:20
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing
formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? |
V.19-23 |
– |
As
the supreme Creator God’s ways are not subject to man’s approval. |
| 9:21
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel
unto honour, and another unto dishonour? |
V.21 |
– |
V.
21 – God has the right to use unsaved men in various ways in order to fulfill
His purposes (such as in the crucifixion or the decree of Cyrus to rebuild
the Temple).
As
we consider this great truth let us keep in mind that all men have the
opportunity to respond to truth. But when a man rejects truth “hardening”
as seen in the life of Pharaoh may be brought upon him.
“dishonour”
= menial use. The potter does not make ordinary everyday pots in
order to destroy them.
|
| 9:22
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: |
V.
22 |
– |
“vessels
of wrath fitted to destruction” = The word “fitted” is in the Middle
Voice indicating that the “vessels of wrath” fit themselves to destruction
by not accepting truth. Unsaved men have only themselves to blame
for their coming judgement. |
| 9:23
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels
of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, |
V.
23 |
– |
We
are told in verse 22 that men fit themselves for hell. But here in
verse 23 we are told that it is God who fits men for heaven,
“vessels
of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,”
|
|
II)
God's acceptance of the Gentiles (vs. 24-33)
|
| 9:24
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
9:25
As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my
people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
9:26
And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them,
Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living
God.
9:27
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children
of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
9:28
For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because
a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
9:29
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed,
we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. |
|
|
1.
Defended from the O.T. (vs. 24-29) |
| 9:30
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness,
have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. |
|
|
2.
The criteria to attain righteousness with God - Faith (vs. 30-33) |
| 9:31
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained
to the law of righteousness. |
V.
31 |
– |
Why
has Israel been set aside as a nation? |
| 9:32
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works
of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
9:33
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence:
and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
|
V.
32 |
|
Answer
= Because they sought to be made right with God by works. |
