Text- Romans 9:17-29
Title- Defending God’s Sovereignty
Romans 9:17-29 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" 20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. 25 As He says also in Hosea, "I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ’MY PEOPLE,’ AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ’BELOVED.’" 26 "AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ’YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’ THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD." 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED; 28 FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, THOROUGHLY AND QUICKLY." 29 And just as Isaiah foretold, "UNLESS THE LORD OF SABAOTH HAD LEFT TO US A POSTERITY, WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH."
I. The Example of Pharaoh
II. The Example of the Potter
III. The Example of Prophecy
Last week we started in on chapter 9 of Romans. Romans is generally broken up into two main sections. The first 11 chapters deal with theological issues and the last 5 chapters deal with practical application matters. Paul begins by explaining how we are saved and then moves on to talk about how we should live now that we are saved.
As we have seen throughout this book already Paul touches on the doctrine of revelation. He explains the shortcomings of general revelation and the need for God’s word. He also gives us a detailed explanation of the doctrine of sin. The conclusion is that we are all dead in sin, slaves to sin, and unable to respond to God.
Then Paul gives us the good news. God has provided a way of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that brings us new life and new hope. Through God’s grace we are made new. We are saved from that slavery to sin and we are brought back to spiritual life.
In chapters 9-11 here Paul takes some time to deal in greater detail with the doctrine of God. Paul is addressing the charge that some of the Jews made that if God had turned His back on His chosen people and opened salvation up to the gentiles that must mean that God is unfair and doesn’t keep His promises.
In addressing God’s dealing with Israel Paul is defending God’s faithfulness. He is defending God’s trustworthiness. As we will see today he is even defending God’s sovereignty.
The word sovereign is a simple one. It means to rule or reign like a king. Sovereignty refers to God’s ability to rule this world. It is recognizing that God is in control, He calls the shots, and nothing can thwart His ultimate will. God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present.
Last week we saw Paul address some questions about God’s faithfulness. Today we will see Paul address some questions about God’s sovereignty. Paul will deal with the charge that God’s sovereignty is unfair.
Let’s look at the passage. Follow along as I read 9:17-29…
In this section of scripture Paul offers three examples of God’s sovereign choosing. There’s the example of Pharaoh, the example of the potter and the clay, and the example of prophecy. The goal is to prove that God’s sovereignty is completely fair, completely just, and completely in keeping with God’s character.
Just like last week Paul used the example of Abraham, Jacob and Esau, and Moses as a way of showing that the promises of God were not dependant on birth, but on the blessing of God. Paul’s goal here is to prove that God is perfectly justified in blessing the gentiles and punishing the Israelites.
Paul has that same goal in mind here. God is perfectly justified in choosing to bless the gentiles over the Israelites because God is sovereign.
Let’s start by looking at the example of Pharaoh. Look at 17-18…
First of all it is clear that it was God who put Pharaoh in the position of leadership that he was in. God raised him up and set him in that place of power and authority. This isn’t a new concept. We understand that God directs the lives of people for a specific reason.
God used the treachery and evil of Joseph’s brothers to raise him up and save many lives. God used pagan nations to punish Israel and take them into captivity. God used the corrupt Pharisees to reveal Jesus’ true message. God used the actions of Judas to accomplish the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. God using the evil actions of evil men isn’t a new thing.
Romans 8:28 says that we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. The story of Pharaoh is one example of how God used the evil actions of one man to make know His power and glory.
Verse 18 says that God has mercy on whomever he wants and he hardens whomever He wants. There are a couple of different ways of understanding this verse. But in order to really understand it we need to look at the fuller context.
The big question that is always asked in relation to this verse is- who actually hardened Pharaoh’s heart?
If you look at the context of the passage over in the book of Exodus you see that there is a progression that takes place. Moses goes to Pharaoh and asks for permission to go. Pharaoh at that point has a choice to make. He can either honor Moses and honor God, or he can refuse. Obviously Pharaoh considered himself to be the only god worth worshiping so he refused Moses’ offer.
Next Moses brings out the plagues. After each of the first few plagues it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. He made his choice. He resolved to reject God and refuse to let the people go.
Finally, after Pharaoh had become hard and unyielding the text says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, but He did it by offering him chance after chance to do the right thing. He did it by giving Pharaoh the gracious opportunity to relent. He did it by displaying unmatchable miracles and making His glory known. He did it by shining a light of love on him.
Sunlight will either melt ice or harden clay. The light of God’s love only served to make Pharaoh more rebellious and selfish and hardened.
Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? God did, but Pharaoh surely had a part to play. Just like so many aspects of our relationship with God, it’s a mixture of our free will and God’s divine plan. God allowed Pharaoh the freedom to be who he wanted to be and then used that hardened heart to display His power and glory to the nations.
The question that Paul anticipates in verse 19 is, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” This is a good question. That’s why Paul asks it. If God predetermined that Pharaoh would reject Moses’ offer and harden his heart, how could Pharaoh be to blame for his actions? It wasn’t his fault it was God’s fault. Pharaoh didn’t stand a chance.
God isn’t fair in punishing people if God is the one who makes them like that in the first place. This is really a charge against God’s holiness. God doesn’t force us to sin. He isn’t the author of sin. He didn’t force Pharaoh to act in an evil way, God allowed Pharaoh to act in a way that was perfectly keeping with his own sinful nature. He allowed Pharaoh to make his choice.
Paul goes on to further explain why God’s sovereignty is just by using the example of the potter and the clay. Look at 20-24…
The first answer that Paul gives to those who would question God’s sovereignty and His fairness is, “who do you think you are?” On what grounds do you have the right to question God’s reasoning and His will? What right do you have to say that He is acting in an unfair way?
This is an important reminder for all of us. We are finite, sinful, flawed, creatures. We are just a breath, a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. We are created beings with a limited capacity for understanding anything.
God is perfect, unchanging, eternal, all-knowing, holy, and just. He is the creator. He doesn’t have to justify Himself to us.
I used to hate it when I would ask my parents for something and they would say no and I’d ask them why and they would say… because I said so. Now that I’m a parent I understand why that is the best answer sometimes. I try my best to explain my reasoning to my children as much as I can, but there are times when they simply don’t have the capacity to understand the reasons behind my request. Even though I would like to answer that “why” question, the only answer I can give them is simple because I’m your father and I know what is best for you and I need you to obey.
God has gone to great lengths to explain Himself to us through His word. He has told us a lot about who He is and what He is like. But there are some areas where we simply don’t have the capacity to understand what’s going on. There are times when we want to ask God “why” and the only answer we will find is, because I said so.
The hard part is being able to live with that answer. Being able to trust God enough to not have to know everything. Having the humility to accept our own limitations.
That being said, Paul then goes on to try and explain things to us in a way we might be able to understand. He offers this illustration of the potter and the clay. Obviously the clay doesn’t say to the potter, why did you make me like this? Likewise, we have no real place to question God’s reasons.
This illustration of the potter and the clay isn’t a new one. It is a comparison that is made in a number of other places in scripture. Isaiah 64 speaks of our complete sinfulness and then says; Isaiah 64:8 8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.
But the passage that Paul probably is referring to here in Romans is found over in Jeremiah 18. Remember, here in Romans 9 Paul is addressing the fact that God has chosen to bless the gentiles in light of Israel’s rejection of Christ. Jeremiah 18:3-6 says…
Jeremiah 18:3-6 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. 4 But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, 6 "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.
God is still in control. He is the potter, we are the clay. He has every right to do as He pleases with us. What a great passage to bring up. Remember, Paul’s purpose here in this passage is to explain how and why God is justified in blessing the gentiles over the Jews.
Israel has rejected their messiah, they have become spoiled in the hands of the potter. God still has the right to recast them.
Verse 21 says…
It is God alone who gives us our purpose. Some have an honorable use and some have a common use.
At this point it is helpful for us to go back and remind ourselves of Paul’s teaching concerning the doctrine of sin. We are all sinful. Every single human is born into sin and deserving of condemnation. We are all worthless lumps of clay. We are all facing judgment. We have all chosen to disobey God. We all set our desires against God.
God didn’t force pharaoh to persist in his hard-hearted rebellion, He allowed him to act the way he wanted. God didn’t force Adam and Eve to sin, but He allowed them to do it. God isn’t the author or the architect of sin. He isn’t responsible for the sin in the world, but it certainly isn’t out of His control. God has allowed man to persist in its sinful state for a reason. In verse 22-24 Paul offers some possible reasons…
Even though God is more than willing to execute His wrath and His power on those who have sinned against Him, He has chosen to be patient. God is gracious and loving and patient. We see that illustrated for us over and over again in the Bible.
2 Peter 3:9 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
God had every right to execute His judgment on us all, but He doesn’t. He is gracious and loving and merciful.
What is God’s reason for His patience? Verse 23 says…He does it for our sake. He does it so we will realize just how awesome God is. He did it to bring praise and glory to His name. God’s patience and grace has the effect of making us realize just how incredibly glorious God is.
Let me simplify it even further. The question that is being asked is, “Is it fair for God to bless the gentiles instead of the Jews?” Paul’s answer here is simply, of course it is fair. He has every right to choose out the gentiles and open salvation to them. This in no way contradicts the promises He made to Israel, and it in no way contradicts His sovereign character.
24 goes on to say…
Paul is bring the argument back around. He is wrapping it all up nicely. Verses 25-29 offer the final example of God’s sovereign plan through prophecy.
Not only is God perfectly just in blessing the gentiles, this was something that was a part of the plan from the beginning. Paul quotes from Hosea and Isaiah to prove his point. But even all the way back in the book of Genesis in chapter 12 where God establishes this covenant with Abraham the promise of a future blessing on the gentiles is implied.
Genesis 12:2-3 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
Israel’s rejection of Christ and God’s pouring out of His blessing on the gentiles does not mean that God has failed. It was a part of the plan from the beginning. God remains faithful and sovereign. He has chosen to bless us because that just the kind of God He is.
If you take nothing else from this passage, I want you to be reminded of God’s glory, His sovereignty, and His patience. Praise God for opening the way of salvation to us. Praise God for not giving us all the punishment that we definitely deserve. Praise God for being in control and for having a plan that no one can thwart. Praise God because He is worthy to be praised!
