Israel Identified Series

(31) Israel Identified

Romans 9:6-13

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

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

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.

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

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

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),

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

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

Introduction

In this section, the apostle meets an objection, that his teaching as to the rejection of the Jews would make a case for failure on God’s part to fulfill His promises. This is the first step toward his argument as to the righteousness of God in calling the Gentiles into the blessing of salvation.

The following are the steps in the argument: (1) The subjects of the promise (v. 6); (2) The character of the promise (vv. 7–9); (3) The basis of the promise (vv. 10–13).

THE SUBJECTS OF THE PROMISE (v. 6)

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

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect.—no effect means without effect. The word of God is always effective; God said, “My word never returns void.”

Paul makes a distinction here between the natural Israelites and those who are men of faith. The argument of verse 6 opens up the subject of election. The case that Paul is making is this: “The choice of Abraham and his seed has not failed; because even though a portion of Israel has been rejected by God, the Gentiles have taken their place; and God has a right to choose the nation He wants, to receive the privileges of His kingdom.” The remainder of the Israelites (sometimes called the remnant) is the “Israel” whom God has chosen through the exercise of His solemn right as God. But, apart from this, the Gentiles are not mentioned until we come to the end of the chapter. A choice by God is a choice not to mere external privileges, but to eternal salvation, and that will be made clear in the verses that follow.

For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,—That is, the number of those who are of Israel is not determined by natural descent.

The apostle now faces up to a serious theological problem. If God made promises to Israel as His chosen earthly people, how can this be squared with Israel’s present rejection and with the Gentiles being brought into the place of blessing? Paul insists that this does not indicate any breach of promise on God’s part. He goes on to show that God has always had a sovereign election process based upon promise and not just on lineal descent. Just because a person is born into the nation of Israel does not mean that he is an heir to the promises. Within the nation of Israel, God has a true, believing remnant.

One of the objects of Paul’s argument is to show that God had determined to bring Gentiles into His favor. The phrase “who are of Israel,” probably refers to the patriarch Jacob, and the meaning is that not all that are born of Jacob (his descendants) belong to the true Israel, the people of God. Israel, as subjects of the kingdom of God, does not consist simply of the natural descendants of Jacob; the kingdom contains Gentiles, as well.

Often distinctions have been made between Israel and those who are truly of Israel. The Lord Jesus spoke of Nathanael as “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile” (Jn 1:47). Paul speaks of the Israelites as being true Israel when they are “born after the Spirit” (Gal 4:29). Being of the seed of Abraham does not make one an Israelite, for Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. The promise went through the family line of Isaac, through his son Jacob (also called Israel)—“In Israel shall thy seed be called” (Gen 21:12).

†word of God— the means by which God makes Himself known, declares His will and brings about His purposes.