November 23, 2023

Romans 9:6-15 (HCSB)
God’s Gracious Election of Israel
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 8 That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. 9 For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. 10 And not only that, but also Rebekah received a promise when she became pregnant by one man, our ancestor Isaac. 11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand— 12 not from works but from the One who calls—she was told: The older will serve the younger. 13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.
God’s Selection Is Just
14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not!15 For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Tracie Joiner
Romans 9 is titled Israel’s Rejection of Christ and the verses we are looking at today are titled God’s Gracious Election of Israel.  These verses are some of the most difficult truths that Paul wrote on, the doctrine of election.  This doctrine states that God chooses some people to salvation and passes over others.  God’s sovereignty in choosing some Jewish people to salvation doesn’t destroy God’s righteousness, but establishes it.  In these verses, Paul is clarifying a misunderstanding from Old Testament writings that the nation of Israel was guaranteed to receive God’s spiritual blessings...but there is clarity here in that Abraham had children by Hagar and Keturah, BUT, the promised land was through Sarah’s son, Isaac.  Ishmael was a son of Abraham; however, Isaac was the son of the promise.  God’s promises to Israel will be kept not simply in the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but the physical/spiritual descendants of the patriarchs - Jews who believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.  I don’t know about you, but reading these words has a profound impact on me, given the war that Israel is fighting as I write this on October 9.  It speaks to me that as Christians we should be more involved in spreading the word of salvation to others and praying that God’s Word can be heard by all the people of Earth and that we should live in a manner that God finds us worthy!