Tonight, we will continue our study of Romans Chapter 9. Last week, we opened the study of these vital three chapters, Romans chapters 9-11, as a critical understanding of Israel and her relationship to the new covenant and the church today. And last week, we saw how Paul was in travail over Israel's rejection of the gospel. What Paul wanted more than anything was to see his people and his nation come to know and realize that Jesus was the Messiah. This challenged us to share the same passion, not only for the community around us but also for Israel too. This brings us to an important question we have to answer tonight.
If you were to go to Israel today, you would discover a Jewish culture that is primarily secularized. A dichotomy exists in this land where the Bible took place. However, among the Jewish people, two dominant views regarding the Messiah largely exist. The first is the secular view, which states that the nation of Israel is the Messiah. It is the nation that will save God's people. The second dominant view is that the Messiah is yet to come. The Jewish people are today are expecting Messiah to come and open the eastern gate of the temple mount, which was sealed by the Turks, and ascend his throne on the temple here now; we know this to occur at the second coming of Christ, but they don't recognize Jesus asthma Messiah so they are still expecting his first.
Herein lies this critical question that we will answer this week and next. The question is, “How is it that the Jews missed their Messiah?” Both of these views reject categorically that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. And when you think about this, it is shocking because it was Israel that was given the blessing of bringing him into the world. It was the prophets who proclaimed throughout this land that he was coming. Here in Israel, Jesus's ministry of teaching and healing occurred, his disciples were called, and the prophets were fulfilled.
Yet, with all the biblical data and all the historical facts that fill the land, the Jews still reject Jesus. This nation that God uniquely chose to be a source of blessing for the entire world, and yet the religious leaders of his day who had the entirety of scripture at their hands, who were given the blessing of these revelations, reject him. In other words, if the leading Jews of the time of Jesus Christ did not believe he was the Messiah, and for the most part the Jews then and the Jews today do not believe he was the Messiah, then how could he really be Messiah? Why would God give them a messiah their leaders would reject and consider a heresy?
So what we are left with, is a divide between Christianity and Judaism. If you were to ask any orthodox Jew, they would see Christianity as a blasphemous heresy. In their minds, Jesus could not possibly be the Messiah or the religious leaders of his time would have accepted him as Messiah. This isn't anything new because this is precisely how they essentially felt in the apostle Paul's day. The attitude is this” “If God sets aside His people because of the Messiah that no one believes in, then God has broken his promises and covenants, and His Scriptures are false, and we cannot accept that.” This rejection is what Paul addresses in Chapter 9.
And so, over the next several weeks, we are going to unpack this. And so Paul is going to say four things:
1. The unbelief of Israel is not inconsistent with God's promise,
2. The unbelief of Israel is not inconsistent with God's person,
3. The unbelief of Israel is not inconsistent with God's prophets
4. The unbelief of Israel is not inconsistent with God's prerequisite.
So tonight, we’re going to unpack how Israel's unbelief is not inconsistent with God's promise in verses 6 to 13.
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. Not all descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Romans 9:6-13).
The Unbelief of Israel is not Inconsistent with God's Promise.
Now, remember that Paul opens a chapter by telling us how much he cares for Israel. There is a heaviness in his heart, so much so that he would rather have himself cursed to see the Jews realize Jesus as Messiah. And also, remember that Paul outlines that Israel was the recipient of God's adoption, glory, the covenants, the prophets, the law, the sacrificial worship system, and the patriarchs. Then, ultimately, the Messiah. So, with all of that privilege, how could they have not believed? In the opening verses of this chapter, Paul says that his heart is grieving over Israel’s rejection of the gospel. However, Paul argues that Israel's rejection and unbelief are not inconsistent with God's promise. Look at verse 6:
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, (Romans 9:6)
What Paul is saying is that nothing implies that God's word has failed or that his promises have been broken.
For thus says the Lord: Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon these people, I will bring all the good that I promise them. (Jeremiah 42:42)
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11).
Here's what we must understand as believers today. When God gave the covenants to Israel, he established his kingdom through them, including a forthcoming King. None of this has been canceled, nor can it be canceled. We have to understand this. That's why Israel still exists today. Of all the nations of the world that existed during Jesus’ times, Israel still stands, and God has preserved them for a purpose. Their unbelief is not a violation of His promise but underscores His steadfastness.
The end of verse 6: "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel" is a very important statement. Paul is saying that God never promises unconditionally to each offspring of Abraham’s covenant just because they are offspring of Abraham. In other words, the Jews believe that because they are descending from Abraham biologically, they are automatically included in the covenant. Or comment put in another way, because someone is born a Jew, they are automatically saved. God never intended that, nor how god would redeem Israel, because not everyone who is included in Israel’s covenant is of the flesh from Israel. Rather, through the nation of Israel, they were chosen to be a vehicle to transmit the scriptures, a vessel of God's message, a witness to the other nations, and a means Of declaring God's salvation. So, the fact that Israel does not believe as a nation in this time of history does not negate God's promises because, throughout all of history, there have been apostate Jews.
But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal (Romans 11:4)
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. (Hebrews 11:4)
They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, (John 8:39)
Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness (Galatians 3:6)
For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (Romans 2:28-29
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If we believed, like the Jews currently believe, that you're saved because you are born into a nation, then we would have a problem understanding how they could reject the Word of God. There’s no faith in that. The true Jew is the one who believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior. That’s the promise of God. And because the nation has chosen to reject that promise does not mean that God's promises or covenants are nullified.
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:29)
And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah. (Romans 9:29)
Now, verse 7 brings us to an illustration: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” Paul is bringing to light that not everybody who is a descendant of Abraham is automatically in the covenant. The firstborn son of Abraham was Ishmael. The second son, the one born legitimately through Sarah, was Isaac. And it is Isaac where the covenant is established. Why? because God ordained that before Ishmael or Isaac were even born.
And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. (Genesis 17:18-19)
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. (Genesis 21:5)
The point here is evident that God chose Isaac and rejected Ishmael. That was the covenant line that God established from Abraham, so just because a child belongs to Abraham does not mean that they are included in the covenant blessing. Here again, Paul outlines this in verses 9-10: “For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac”
The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. (Genesis 18:10)
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son. (Genesis 18:14)
This is God's promise, and this is God's word: Sarah shall have a son. Not Hagar should have a son, but Sarah should have a son. God's plan goes according to his word and his sovereignty. God had a plan for Isaac, for Jacob, for Ruth, and for Esther, whom he ordained. God is sovereign, and God always keeps his promises and his covenants. This includes his covenants with the nation of Israel regardless of whether they accept today Jesus as Messiah.
Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them an abundance of prosperity and security. 7 I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and rebuild them as they were at first. 8 I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me and forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. 9 And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. (Jeremiah 33:6-9)
“Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.” (Ezekiel 28:25-26)
I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God. (Amos 9:14-15)
In that day, declares the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted; 7 and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore. (Micah 4:6-7)
Now, Paul does the same thing with understanding the relationship between Jacob and Esau. Esau was the firstborn. But Israel comes from the line of Jacob. That was the chosen nation. Edom was the nation that emerged out of Esau. Edom was an object of wrath. Once again, Paul is saying that God is selective and sovereign in his choices. This happens with the birth of Isaac and with the birth of Jacob. He confirms this with a closing statement in verse 13: “As it is written, Jacob I have loved but Esau I have hated.” This is a direct quote from Malachi 1:2-3.
Now, the question is was God referring to the person or the nation? I believe God is referring to the nation because this is never referenced in the book of Genesis. The nation of Esau was filled with idolatry and paganism. What God hates is evil. God hates witchcraft, paganism, and idolatry. These things bring about his eternal indignation. (Psalm 5:5, Psalm 11:5, Proverbs 6:16, Hosea 9:15, Jeremiah 44:4, Amos 5:21)
If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.” (Malachi 1:4)
In all of this, Paul affirms the electing purpose of God, who distinguishes himself by his own sovereign will. The Jewish people have rejected God's promise, not because God's promise was ambiguous but because they were blinded by false religion. However, this does not mean that God is through with the nation of Israel. They are part of the covenant. The Word of God stands forever.
