1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Is Paul lying or telling the truth?
1a I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying,
Paul is not lying he is telling the truth.
Who are all witnessing Paul's truth?
1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
Paul's conscience is bearing witness
Holy Spirit who lives within Paul is watching over him.
Paul is telling the truth in Jesus Christ who is alive and watching over him. Nothing can be hidden from Him.
Application:
Is there anything we can hide from our Lord Jesus Christ?
No.
Rev 2:23 - I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Ps 139:7-11 - 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
What happens when we lie?
When we lie
We make our conscience guilty.
We grieve the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
We make our Lord Jesus Christ sad and make Him to intercede for us.
Prov 12:22 - Lying lips are an abomination[NIV:detestable] to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
Out of great love and grace if Jesus didn't intercede for our sins then we may die instantly like Ananias and Sapphira.
Acts 5:1-10 - 1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. 7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much." 9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
Is Paul happy about this truth?
2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.
No, Paul is sorrowful and continually grieving in his heart.
What truth does Paul is telling?
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5a of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came,
Who are these Paul's fellow brethren and countrymen?
4a who are Israelites,
These are Israelites who are Paul's own family.
What is so special about the Israelites?
4b to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5a of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came,
God blessed Israelites, reveal through them and even almighty God Jesus Christ came to the earth through them but they crucified their savior Jesus Christ.
(Warren Wiersbe)
Israel was adopted by God as His own people (Ex. .4:22-23).
He gave them His glory in the tabernacle and the temple (Ex. 40:34-38; 1 Kings' '8:10-11).
The glory Moses beheld on Mount 'Sinai came to dwell with Israel (Ex. 24:16-17).
God gave Israel His covenants, the first to Abraham, and then additional covenants to Moses and to David.
He also gave them His Law to govern their political, social, and religious life, and to guarantee His 'blessing if they obeyed.
He gave them "the service of God," referring to the ministry in the tabernacle 'and the temple.
He gave them the promises and the patriarchs ("the fathers" in Rom. 9:5).
The purpose of all of this blessing was that Jesus Christ, through Israel, might come into the world.
All of these blessings were given freely to Israel and to no other nation.
Not only that God's son Jesus Christ came through Israelites. Or Israelites long waited Messiah came through them.
Is Paul worrying about Israelites?
No, but Paul is really burdened/concerned about Israelites.
Worry is always relates to fear and lack of faith that leads to anxiousness.
Paul was not worrying or anxious about this Israelites because he is going to explain what God has for them in this chapter Romans 9 through Romans 11.
Why is Paul so concerned about Israelites?
Paul so concerned about Israelites because
Israelites miss used all God's blessing listed here in Romans 9:4,5. Paul has described how Israelites miss used these in Romans 2:17-29
Romans 9:4-5 - 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Israelites rejected their long waited Messiah (Jesus Christ) instead of accepting Him as Lord and Savior. Even Paul did the same until he accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Romans 10:16 But they [Israelites/Jews] have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"
(David Guzik) Paul feels this because he considers a people who seem to be separated from God's love - unbelieving Israel, who rejected God's Messiah.
(Warren Wiersbe) But in spite of these blessings, Israel failed. When the. Messiah appeared, Israel rejected Him and crucified Him. No one knew this better than Paul, because in his early days he had persecuted the church.
What is Paul wishing to do for Israelites?
Paul is wishing to die or go to hell for his fellow countrymen so that they could obtain salvation.
(David Guzik) Paul says he himself is willing to be separated from Jesus if that could somehow accomplish the salvation of Israel.
This sorrow and grief is due to great love he has toward his fellow countrymen Israelites. We can see this in verse 3, that Paul is even ready to give his life or ready to suffer in hell for them.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,
Moses did the same
Exodus 32:31-32 - 31 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin--but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written." 33 And the Lord said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.
(David Guzik)
Of course Paul also shows the heart of Jesus, who was cursed on behalf of others that they might be saved (Galatians 3:13).
We should remember that when it came to ministry, the Jews were Paul's worst enemies. They harassed and persecuted him from town to town, stirring up lies and violence against him. Yet he still loved them this passionately.
(Bengel) "It is not easy to estimate the measure of love in a Moses and a Paul. For our limited reason does not grasp it, as the child cannot comprehend the courage of warriors!"
Is it really possible to give our life on behalf of someone's salvation? Why?
No, we are not sinless like Jesus Christ. Since, we all are born sinners we cannot be a sin offering to anyone else.
No one can replace the work of Jesus Christ.
There is no doubt, that Paul knows this truth but his love towards the non-believing Israelites makes him to say these. Paul is telling the truth not pretending.
Application: Do we have burden towards our fellow country people or love towards perishing non-believers?
(Spurgeon) This great passion for souls gave Paul perspective. Lesser things did not trouble him because he was troubled by a great thing - the souls of men. "Get love for the souls of men - then you will not be whining about a dead dog, or a sick cat, or about the crotchets of a family, and the little disturbances that John and Mary may make by their idle talk. You will be delivered from petty worries (I need not further describe them) if you are concerned about the souls of men . . . Get your soul full of a great grief, and your little griefs will be driven out."
Why Paul is talking about Israelites now here in Romans 9-11 instead of moving from doctrinal teachings in Romans 1-8 to practical duties given in Romans 12-13?
Because God started to reveal Himself to the world through Israelites and now Paul has taught this doctrinal teachings to both Jews and gentiles.
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Romans 3:19 - Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
 So, Paul is answering/explaining the following questions in Romans 9 through Romans 11.
Why does God included/called gentiles now?
 Did God abandon Israelites because they rejected their long waited Messiah Jesus?
(David Guzik) Chapter 9 brings a slight shift in focus to the Book of Romans.
In Romans chapters one through eight, Paul thoroughly convinced us about man's need and God's glorious provision in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Now, in Romans 9 through 11, Paul deals with the problem associated with the condition of Israel.
What does it mean that Israel has missed its Messiah?
What does this say about God?
What does it say about Israel?
What does it say about our present position in God?
(Warren Wiersbe) The emphasis
in Romans 9 is on Israel's past election,
in Romans 10 on Israel's present rejection, and
in Romans. 11 on Israel's future restoration.
The truth is about current state of Israelites and God's plan for gentiles and Israelites.
We will see this detail below.
What Paul says about Jesus Christ?
5b who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Is Jesus Christ God?
5b who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Yes, Jesus Christ is God.
This verse clearly declares that Jesus Christ is God.
This is the direct statement that states that Jesus Christ is God.
(Warren Wiersbe) Note that Rom. 9:5 affirms that Jesus Christ is God
(Morris) This is one of Paul's clear statements that Jesus is God. Those who prefer a punctuation that says otherwise impose their preconceived views on the text. "The grammatical arguments almost all favor the first position [that it says that Christ is God], but most recent scholars accept the second [that God here refers to the Father] on the grounds that Paul nowhere else says explicitly that Christ is God."
Wuest, quoting Robertson: "[This is a] clear statement of the deity of Christ following the remark about His humanity. This is the natural and obvious way of punctuating the sentence. To make a full stop after flesh and start a new sentence for the doxology is very abrupt and awkward."
Is there any other place Jesus Christ declared as God?
Yes
What are all other places Jesus is referred/claimed as God?
In addition to this there are few more verses clearly states that Jesus Christ is God.
Heb 1:8 - 6 But when He [God] again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him." 7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire." 8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.
John 1:1,14 - 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' " 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 20:28 - 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Acts 20:28 - 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood
Titus 2:13 - 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Is 40:3 - The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.
John 1:23 - 22 Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said: "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord," ' as the prophet Isaiah said."
Did Jesus claim Himself as God?
The New Testament clearly teaches that Jesus claimed to be God. The Bible also affirms the deity of Christ. This is evident in a variety of ways.
Jesus claimed to be equal with God. He could forgive sin, something only God could do (Mark 2:5). Jesus claimed power to raise the dead (John 5:25-29). He claimed to be honored as God (John 5:18, 23) as well as to be equal with the Father (John 10:30).
Jesus claimed to be the great "I Am." John 8:58 states, "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" This "I Am" reference is made in connection with Exodus 3:14 where God revealed His name to Moses as "I Am." Jesus' statement, then, is a biblical claim for the deity of Christ.
Jesus claimed to be Yahweh God, the same God of Israel from the Old Testament. This included His claim to have eternal glory with the Father (John 17:5), His claim to be the first and the last (Revelation 1:17), His claim to be judge of all humanity (John 5:27), His claim to be the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), His claim to be the Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1; Isaiah 62:5), and His claim to be the light of the world (John 8:12; Psalm 27:1).
Jesus also claimed to be the Messiah God. This is evident in many of the titles attributed to Him in the Old Testament that are referred to in the New Testament. These include reference to Jesus as God (Psalm 45:6 and Hebrews 1:8), Lord (Psalm 110:1 and Matthew 22:43-44), Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9 and Mark 14:61-64), and as Messiah (John 4:25,26). These references affirm the biblical deity of Christ.
Jesus accepted worship as God. Though the Old Testament commanded not to worship anyone but God alone, Jesus accepted worship on many occasions. Some of these included the healed leper who worshipped Him (Matthew 8:2), the ruler who knelt before Jesus after his son had been healed (Matthew 9:18), the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:25), the mother of James and John (Matthew 20:20), and a demon-possessed man (Mark 5:6). The disciples even prayed to Jesus (Acts 7:59) and in His name (John 14:6; 15:7).
Jesus' followers recognized Jesus as God. They called Him God on multiple occasions (John 20:28; Colossians 2:9; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13), referred to Jesus by other names used only of deity, such as Savior of the world (John 4:42), and prayed to or worshiped Jesus as part of the Godhead (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). John taught He was with God in the beginning as "the word" and that "the word was God" (John 1:1).
Is it important that Jesus Christ to be the God? Why?
Romans 9:5 has the direct statement "Jesus is God," also it is clear that He is referred to as deity in a variety of ways. Colossians 2:9 confirms, "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." (See also Philippians 2:6). Those who claim Jesus never referred to Himself as God deny many clear statements in Scripture (such as John 14:6).
Jesus' identity as God is the cornerstone of the gospel message. Had He simply been a man, just a good teacher or a prophet, His death on the cross would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2), and those who hope in Him are deceived and pitiable (1 Corinthians 15:19). Thankfully, there is ample evidence, both from the mouth of Jesus Himself, and from other accounts in Scripture, to prove to us that Jesus Christ is indeed God.
The deity of Jesus is biblical. Jesus is God, the second person of the Triune Godhead, consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Why Trinity is important? Following taken from Billy Graham Association Website Q&A section:
The Bible shows very clearly that there is only one God, and yet that there are three personal distinctions in His complex nature, traditionally referred to as "three Persons in the Godhead"—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Each is distinct from the others but never acts independently. They are one in nature and purpose. This mystery is called the doctrine of the Trinity, though that term is not used in the Bible. The teaching, however, is present in seed form in the Old Testament and is revealed explicitly in the New Testament. Note passages such as Matthew 28:19; John 10:30, 14:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14.
Our finite minds cannot understand or explain this mystery of God, which is nevertheless a fact. We must accept the truths found in the Word of God by faith even though we ourselves cannot comprehend them fully; read Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6 and 1 Corinthians 2:5-10, 14; 13:12.
It is really not surprising that the infinite God should be complex in His nature beyond the ability of finite humans to comprehend! This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. Theologians have pointed out that if it were not true, the Bible would be unreliable, Christ would not be divine, and His death on the cross would not atone for our sins, being merely the death of a martyr.
Who gave the law to Israelites?
God
Who fulfilled the law?
God almighty Jesus Christ fulfilled all the requirements of the law once for all by dying on the cross as a propitiation or the atonement sacrifice on our behalf.
(Warren Wiersbe) God obeyed His own Law in working out the plan of salvation. Jesus in His life and death completely fulfilled the demands of the Law.
Matthew 5:17 - "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Hebrews 10:10-12,14-18 - 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
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." 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
Did God abandon Israelites because they rejected their long waited Messiah Jesus?
6a But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect.
No
Has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? or Does Israel's failure mean that God's Word has failed?
6a But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect.
The Greek word translated "taken none effect" pictures a ship going off its course but here Paul clearly answers that God's word is not going off its course or God's word is in effect (not taken none effect).
The answer is, "No! God is faithful no matter what men may do with His Word."
What happened to God's promise towards Israelites?
6a But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect.
Paul is giving assurance that God didn't forget Israelites. his promise or His word never go void. As He promised He will accomplish.
Is 55:10-11 - 8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
The work that He started in Israelites and He will complete it before Jesus come back again to the earth to rule and reign.
Phil 1:6 - being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Paul has faith in God that the work that God has started in Israelites will complete before He comes.
Paul is explaining this in detail in these three chapters Romans 9 through Romans 11.
Who is true Israel?
6b 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.
Who is children of God?
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.
Children of God is children of promise.
Children of promise is Israel.
What is children of promise means?
Our Sovereign God out of His sovereign power choose/elects certain people to be a Children of Promise or Children of God.
Paul gives two examples here:
Isaac:
9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son."
Gen 8:14 - Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." [NTL: “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,”]
Gen 21:12 - But God said to Abraham, "Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.
Jacob:
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."
Gen 25:23 - And the Lord said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger."
Mal 1:2-3 - 2 "I have loved you," says the Lord. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" Says the Lord. "Yet Jacob I have loved; 3 But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness."
Does God hate?
Yes, in general God hates sin but not sinners.
Rev 2:6 But this you [Ephesus] have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:15 Thus you [Pergamos] also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Heb 1:9 - 8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
At the same time if a person continue to live in sin and totally reject God by blaspheming the Holy Spirit then that person is in danger to go through the wrath of God and suffer in hell forever.
Romans 1:18-32 - 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them[but still reject Him out of their unrighteousness]. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore [God blessed them as per their wild ungodly desire] God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Application: What do we need to hate?
We need to hate sin but not the sinners.
We need to hate our sin and stop sinning by overcoming power of the Holy Spirit.
Is there unrighteousness with God?
14a What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?
No, there is no unrighteousness with God because God is Righteous.
Through out the Bible God revealed His righteousness and offers His righteousness to all who believes in Him.
14b Certainly not!
Heb 1:8,9 - 8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
Psalm 11:7 - For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.
John 17:25 - O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.
Prov 12:22 - Lying lips are an abomination[NIV: detestable] to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
Romans 2:11 - For there is no partiality with God.
Acts 10:34 - Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
Eph 6:9 - And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Jer 23:6 - In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS [JEHOVAH-TSID KENU]
Romans 1:17 - For in it [gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Romans 3:21,22a - 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22a even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
How God can be righteous when God choose His children before they were born by His sovereign power?
God didn't randomly pick some to be in heaven and left out others to hell.
God used "Faith in Him" as the standard to all humanity to become a Children of God/Promise. This is same for both Israelites and Gentiles. We have seen this Romans 3:19 through Romans 4.
Paul again points out this here at the end of this Romans 9th chapter and explaining "Why Israelites miss Messiah?
Romans 9:30-33 - 30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
God is righteous because He choose those who believe in Him. He did this out of foreknowledge. So, God chose them boldly out of His sovereign power.
1 Peter 1:2 - 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Romans 8:29 - For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Here are few examples:
John 6:64,70,71 - 64 But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Abraham: Romans 4:2-5 - 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
Noah: Heb 11:7 - By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Here both Esau and Jacob are not righteous in their deeds/works. But read through Genesis about Esau and Jacob you will understand why God hate Esau.
Esau didn't encounter with the God because he didn't believe in God:
Gen 25:32-34 - 29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary." Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day." 32 And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" 33 Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
NLT: Heb 12:16-17 - 16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
Jacob encounter with God for 6 times because he believes in God.
Gen 32:22-32 - 22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. 24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" 27 So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." 28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel [Governed by God]; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." 29 Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."
Acts 17:26,27 - 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
God has every right to chose/love anyone and reject/hate anyone before they were born because He is the Sovereign God. At the same time He never compromise His righteousness. He do these by His foreknowledge.
So, we believers need to accept the truth ie the word of God whether we understand or not.
Therefore, if you are a believer in Christ then you can boldly say that God chose me before the foundation of the world for His purpose.
Jer 1:5,9 - 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." 6 Then said I: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." 7 But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord. 9 Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
Application:
Think for a moment:
If you earn high Executive position by your hard work then you will believe that no on can shake/fire me or move me, and you will live in pride. We do this because you have earned by your efforts.
If you were chosen to that high Executive position by your boss then you will be thankful, humble and faithful in serving to your boss. You never boast yourself in this position.
Therefore, if you are a believer in Christ then you can boldly say that God has chosen me before the foundation of the world for His purpose.
John 15:16 - You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Matt 20:16 - So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."
15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
To whom does God show mercy and compassion?
15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion."
God shows/have mercy and compassion to whomever He wills.
How anyone receive mercy and compassion? or Does anyone receive mercy and compassion based on their works/efforts?
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Since God shows/have mercy and compassion to whomever He wills, so they do not want to do anything to earn those.
What did God show through Pharaoh?
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth."
God shows His power through Pharaoh and make His name declared in all the earth.
NLT: Romans 9:17 - For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”
Did God's name and power become known to the ends of the earth during that time?
Through the plagues in Egypt and amazing rescue of Israel from strong willed Pharaoh by departing Red sea and by killing Pharaoh's army in Red sea makes our God's name and power known to all the countries on the earth. We can see that effect through out Exodus.
Josh 2:9-11 - 8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
What does Paul want to demonstrate about God through these references?
18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
God has mercy on whomever He wills, and whomever He wills He hardens their heart.
God has desire/will and
God wants to accomplish things on the earth as per His will.
Matt 6:10 - 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
What makes them (you/us) to raise that question in Romans 9:19 while they read the passage in Romans 9:15-18?
19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?"
What is this question mean?
If God created everyone out of His own sovereign power to fulfill His own plan and purpose then why God find fault with people when they sin because they all just doing things according to the purpose that He created?
Since they/we believe God is righteous but based on these God's action they/we see God's sovereign power but lack righteousness. That is the reason it raises this question.
God shows mercy to those He wishes and hardens/punishes/curses those who He didn't likes.
Do we have rights to question our sovereign God about His decision?
20a But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?
No.
Let us see why no one has rights to question our God:
Is God unrighteous because He showed mercy and compassion to whomever He wish? Why?
Is God still righteous even He shows mercy and compassion only to those He wishes? Why?
15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
God is always righteous and never show partiality. This we have seen already in answering Is there unrighteousness with God?
This reference seems like God shows partiality and He is unrighteous. Let us see the truth behind this.
This reference is from
Exodus 33:19 - Then He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
NIV: Exodus 33:19 - And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
NKJV says God showed grace and NIV says God showed mercy. This may be because Paul using Septuagint which is Old Testament in Greek.
What is the difference between mercy and grace?
By understand mercy and grace clearly then you will understand the difference.
What is mercy?
Mercy is not getting what we do deserve.
We all are deserve penalty of death for our sins and suffer in Hell forever and ever. But God because of His mercy He didn't give that punishment what we deserved.
Lam 3:22 - 22 Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
What is grace?
Grace is getting what we do not deserve.
We all are deserve penalty of death for our sins and suffer in Hell forever and ever. But God because of His mercy He didn't give that punishment what we deserved instead He saved us by dying on the cross on our behalf and offered heaven what we not deserve.
We all deserve Hell by God's grace we go to Heaven through faith which we didn't deserve.
That is the reason it is also expanded as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense - Getting something which we don’t deserve.
In the OT: When Abraham was told to offer Isaac as an offering to God, he obeyed and just before he could offer God was merciful to Abraham by sparing his son at the same time God was graceful to provide a substitute in his place.
Same thing is true today: God was merciful to us by sending His Son Jesus to die in our place (Justification) and God was gracious toward us by making us Righteous because of the Righteousness of Christ.
God showed mercy and compassion when God deals with Israel's idolatry while Moses was on the mount Sinai receiving the Law in Exodus 32, 33:.
What was God's reaction when He sees when Israelites made golden calf and worshiped?
Exodus 32:7-10 - 7 And the Lord said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!' " 9 And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."
When Israel sin against God by making golden calf almost all Israelites were deserved to be destroyed/killed.
What Moses did to appease God?
Moses interceded for them:
Exodus 32:11-14 - 11 Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: "Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, 'He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.' " 14 So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.
Application: This is how Jesus is interceding for us now whenever a believer sin. So, do not grieve the Holy Spirit and Jesus by sinning thoughtlessly.
How did Moses react when he saw them worshiping idol?
Exodus 32:19-20 - 19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses' anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it.
Application: This is how Jesus reacted when He saw money changes and others made His temple the house of prayer to be a market place. Believers need to have this zeal when we come across ungodlyness.
What did God commanded Moses to do to them as a righteous judgment?
Exodus 32:26,32,33 - 26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the Lord's side--come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27 And he said to them, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' " 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother." 30 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin--but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written." 33 And the Lord said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.
How many people get killed due to this terrible sin?
Out of 600,000 men Israelites departed from Egypt about 3,000 people were killed due to this terrible sin.
Exodus 32:8 - So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Exodus 12:37 - Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.
Why God spared those who were not God's side or who didn't respond to Moses' call?
God spared rest who were not His side not because they were holier than those 3,000 killed, but purely because of His grace and mercy. God is giving them more chance to believe in Him.
Moses called everyone come to him if they believe in God:
Exodus 32:26 - then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the Lord's side--come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
These are those who did not come forward when Moses called:
NIV: Exodus 33:1-5 - 1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way." 4 When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments. 5 For the LORD had said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.' " 6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.
Not only that Moses plead with God to lead them instead of sending Angel to lead them to promise land. As result of true forgiveness and God showed mercy and compassion to them and God said that He will lead them to promise land.
Exodus 33:14 - And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
(Warren Wiersbe) If God acted only on the basis of righteousness then nobody would ever be saved.
Only because of God's grace, mercy and love, we live and have the way to go to heaven freely by just believing in Jesus.
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Application:
Through His mercy God didn't punish us and throw as into hell. This is what we deserve.
Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Through His love God offered His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place.
John 3:16,17 - 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Through His grace God offered His righteousness to all those who put their faith in God. This we never deserve.
Eph 2:4,5 - 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Eph 2:8 - 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Is God unrighteous because He hardened Pharaoh's heart and declared His name to all the earth? Why?
Is God still righteous even He hardened Pharaoh's heart and declared His name to all the earth? Why?
Is God still righteous even though He hardened Pharaoh's heart, punished him through plagues and created him only to make His name fame to all the earth? Why?
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
God is always righteous and never show partiality. This we have seen already in answering Is there unrighteousness with God?
This reference seems like God is unrighteous and cruel/brutal because This reference says God created Pharaoh and did the following to make His name fame to all the earth:
God hardened Pharaoh's heart
God punished him through plagues
God made him to call him as sinner
Let us see the truth behind this.
This is a reference from
Exodus 9:16 - But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.
Did God harden the Pharaoh's heart?
Yes
Exodus 7:3 - 1 So the Lord said to Moses: "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them." 6 Then Moses and Aaron did so; just as the Lord commanded them, so they did.
Exodus 9:12 - [After sores on man and beast plague] But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
Exodus 10:1 - [After heavy hailstone plague] - 1 Now the Lord said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord." ... ... ...
Exodus 9:16 - 15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. 17 As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.
Exodus 10:20 - [After locust plague] - 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only." 18 So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord. 19 And the Lord turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. 20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go ... ... ...
Exodus 10:27 - [After thick darkness plague] - 24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, "Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you." 25 But Moses said, "You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. 26 Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there." 27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!" 29 And Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will never see your face again."
Exodus 11:9 - [Just before killing the firstborn the final plague] 9 But the Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." 10 So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
Exodus 14:4 - 1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.' 4 Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord." And they did so. 5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, "Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
Did Pharaoh harden his heart?
Yes,
Exodus 7:13 - 13 And Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. 14 So the Lord said to Moses: "Pharaoh's heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.
Exodus 7:22,23 - [After frog plague] 22 Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.
Exodus 8:15 - [After frog plague] 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said., ....
Exodus 8:12 - [After lice plague] 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said. ... ...
Exodus 8:32 - [After thick swarms of flies plague] 28 And Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me." 29 Then Moses said, "Indeed I am going out from you, and I will entreat the Lord, that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But let Pharaoh not deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord." 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord. 31 And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.
Exodus 9:7 - [After severe pestilence on livestock, horses, ... plague] 7 Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go. ... ...
Exodus 9:34 - [After heavy hail plague] 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses.
Exodus 10:8-11 - [Before Locust plague] - 7 Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?" 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?" 9 And Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord." 10 Then he said to them, "The Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. 11 Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
Exodus 14:5 - 1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.' 4 Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord." And they did so. 5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, "Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
Did Pharaoh's heart is hard because God harden Pharaoh's heart? or Did God harden Pharaoh's heart because Pharaoh already harden his heart?
As per the world's point of view this sounds like the chicken and the egg problem but it is not. As we repeatedly seeing from the scriptures that God is righteous and He never compromise His righteousness to exercise His sovereign power. Let us see this in detail...
Since God says that He will harden Pharaoh's heart before the plague starts in Exodus 7:3 so we tend to believe that God harden his heart first and so Pharaoh is hardened his heart as if Pharaoh was very good king but this is not true. Let us see why.
Did Pharaoh is hard hearted before even God harden's his heart in Ex 7:3?
Yes, Pharaoh is too stubborn and hard hearted
Is Pharaoh good king?
No, Pharaoh is wicked and he made Israelites to be slaves to them out of fear and envy.
Exodus 1:6-14 - 6 And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; 10 come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land." 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage--in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.
God, Himself heard their cry:
Exodus 3:7 - And the Lord said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
Did God knows that Pharaoh is hard hearted?
Yes.
God knows that Pharaoh will not respond to His miracle/punishment and also God knows how long Pharaoh will not respond.
Exodus 3:19,20 - 19 But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.
God knows when he will respond:
Exodus 11:1 - [Before killing the firstborn the final plague] And the Lord said to Moses, "I will bring yet one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether.
The only reason God harden Pharaoh's heart was because He was too stubborn and wicked and wants to go on his own way without submiting to God. God followed the same pattern described in Romans 1:18-32, which clearly shows how and when God hardens their hearts or give them up according to their evil heart's desire:
Romans 1:18-32 - 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them[but still reject Him out of their unrighteousness]. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness [in a way God blessed them as per their wild ungodly desire], in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
(Harrison) We know that Pharaoh did harden his own heart, according to Exodus 7:13, 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, and 9:34. But "He does not so much as bother to indicate that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, an evidence of unbelief and rebellion, because he is emphasizing the freedom of God's action in all cases."
Did God showed grace to Pharaoh and dealt patiently?
Since, Pharaoh is too stubborn and wicked and persecuted Israelites so, God had every right to wipe Pharaoh and Egypt altogether from the map but He didn't do that instead He showed grace and given them opportunity to repent and follow Him.
During this plague let us see how our God showed His grace to Pharaoh and Egyptians and dealt them patiently:
God has given opportunity to all Egyptians to believe in Him and also showed that those who believe His will follow/obey/apply:
Exodus 9:20,21 - 18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. 19 Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die." ' " 20 He who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. 21 But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field.
God shows that Pharaoh and his servant didn't fear the Lord God because fear of God is beginning of wisdom:
Exodus 9:30 - 27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. 28 Entreat the Lord, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer." 29 So Moses said to him, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the Lord's. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the Lord God."
God graciously left late crops which will ripen later and used for their food:
Exodus 9:32 - 31 Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops. 33 So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the Lord; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses.
God showed Pharaoh didn't humble himself before Him but still God patiently dealt with him:
Exodus 10:3 - 1 Now the Lord said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord." 3 So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
(Warren Wiersbe) God gave Pharaoh opportunity to repent; but instead, Pharaoh resisted God and hardened his heart. The fault lay not with God but Pharaoh. The same sunlight that melts the ice also hardens the clay. God was not unrighteous in the dealings with Pharaoh because He gave him many opportunities to repent and believe.
Same way God shows His power in Jericho and shows mercy to Rehab saved her because she believes in our sovereign and righteous God.
Hebrews 11:31 -By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
(David Guzik) God is never less than fair with anyone, but fully reserves the right to be more than fair with individuals as He chooses.
Do you think Israelites could have left Egypt if God would have not did these miracle?
No, because through these miracle and plagues of God Israel will know the almighty sovereign power of God.
Application:
Never give up asking/knocking/seeking God because God will listen to our cry/needs and take action in due time as He did to Israelites here.
Like Pharaoh if your boss is too bossy and stubborn, do micro manage, ill treat, put you down,.... do not fight with him.
Instead go to God. His thrown of Grace is always available.
Heb 4:16 - Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Matt 7:7 - 7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Never be so stubborn like Pharaoh against God and do as per your dictates of your heart:
Jer 18:12 - And they said, "That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart."
NLT: Eph 2:1-3 - 1 Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. 2 You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God's anger just like everyone else.
Instead trust God and follow His leading:
Proverbs 3:5-6 - 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Never turn your back to God but be loyal to God.
What one more important thing Pharaoh doing like most of us do?
If you notice closely in
Exodus 8:15 - [After frog plague] 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said., ....
Exodus 9:34 - [After heavy hail plague] 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses.
Pharaoh was responding to God's request during his difficult time and once God stopped the plague then he harden his heart.
When we go through the difficult time such as trials/tribulation, financial crisis, health issues, marital issue,... we pledge/promise God that:
I will serve You, or seek your kingdom and Your righteousness first,
I will tithe regularly, or tithe more than 10%,
I will pray regularly, read Bible and meditate regularly,
Help the poor and needy,
...
But once the once God restored/delivered you from that situation and blessed you then we will forget all the pledges/promises offered to God and we will be busy in God's blessing and caught up into regular routine.
Let us learn and Praise God for what Hanna has done with Samuel. Samuel is the only son to her but she give him back to God whole heartedly as she pledged/promised to God.
This shows Hanna's integrity and how great her relationship with God is.
Why no one has rights to question our God? or Why no one can question God?
19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
We do not have rights to question God because God is sovereign. By His sovereign power He does everything as per His will without compromising His righteous through His foreknowledge.
We have gone through this in detail in Romans 9:6-19.
Romans 9:18 - Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Romans 9:14 - What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
We do not have rights to question God because we are created by God and He created everything for Him. We need to accept the reality that "He is God we are not".
Col 1:16-17 - 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
This is exactly Paul is saying here to all the believers in Christ:
Romans 9:20b,21 - Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
We may not understand why God does certain things in an certain way because His ways are higher than our ways and His plans are way higher than our plans.
Is 55:8-9 - 8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
We do not have authority to question our God because He is not only loving God but also the King of kings, and the Lord of lords who rules and reigns the earth from heaven:
Who is ruling the earth now?
Answer the following basic questions to answer this question. This is taken from my article The Kingdom of this world Vs The Kingdom of God:
To Whom God delivered this world?
God gave this world to Adam & Eve (Mankind) and asked them to populate, rule and reign the world:
Gen 1:28 - 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
When and Who delivered this world to Satan?
We all know that Adam and Eve disobeyed God and obeyed Satan.
Gen 2:16-17 - 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Gen 3:12-15 - 12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." 13 And the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." 14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
Does that mean that Adam & Eve gave this world to Satan?
Yes, God gave this world to them but they gave the world to Satan.
How Adam's disobedience to God made him to give this world to Satan?
Is there any verse in the Bible shows that provides clear evidence about this transaction?
No, there is no any explicit verse that explains this in detail.
Adam and Eve didn't gave this world explicitly by signing any agreement or giving the title dead.
But there is only one verse that provides Godly principal that clearly explains this....
NLT: Rom 6:16a - Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master?
Rom 6:16 - Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
But they choose to obey Satan and because of this one simple sin...
they gave this world to Satan.
they become slave to Satan
they made Satan as their master instead of God.
NLT: Eph 2:2 - 1 Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. 2 You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
Application: This is how if you choose to obey even the simple sin (such as envy, pride, prestige, lie, gossip, busybody, eavesdropping , lust, ...) that make us to slave to it.
So, as a believers in Christ we need deliberately put all your efforts, energy to choose to obey God otherwise we will choose to obey sin, Satan or the course of this world.
NLT: Rom 6:16 - Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.
NIV: John 8:34 - Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
John 8:34 - Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
One way or another, we will serve somebody so, with all your heart, mind and soul choose to obey God.
Adam sinned and gave the world to Satan from that point Satan is the ruling the world
Satan is ruling the world:
Luke 4:5-7 - 5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "
NIV: Eph 2:2 - 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath
John 14:30 - I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.
What God is doing now?
Do not forget that God is greater than Satan and He is still in the throne ruling and reigning the earth from heaven and Satan is under His control:
(Warren Wiersbe) However, we must not incorrectly assume that our Lord is not reigning today, because He is...
According to Hebrews 7:1-2, Jesus Christ is "King of Righteousness" and "King of Peace."
He is enthroned with the Father (Rev 3:21)
Rev 1:5 - and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Ps 103:19 - The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
Heb 7:1-2 - 1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace,"
Rev 19:16 - And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rev 3:21 - To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Rev 19:6 - And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
Daniel 2:21 - And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
Will God rule the world physically from the earth?
Yes, God is going to come back soon and going to rule and reign the earth physically for 1000 years and then He will create new heaven and earth and all believers will live with Him forever and ever:
(Warren Wiersbe) Today, He rules over a spiritual kingdom; but in that future day, He will reign over the nations of the world and rule with a rod of iron.
Rev 11:15 - Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
Rev 20:4 - 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Rev 21:1 - Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Application:
So, never question God when He does something in your life which seems not fair or didn't understand because God is always righteous and He will not compromise that even though He has sovereign power to accomplish.
Instead ask God to enable your understanding. He will come to our level and explain us.
Doesn't God has authority over His created people to show His power and glory?
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
Yes, God has full authority over us.
We can see this God demonstrated through Nebuchadnezzar:
Jer 27:5-8 - 5 'I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me. 6 And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. 7 So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son's son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them. 8 And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,' says the Lord, 'with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
God fulfilled the prophesy
Daniel 5:18-21 - 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed [removed] from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
Daniel 4:17 - 'This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.'
Daniel 4:25 - They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
Daniel 4:32 - And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."
We can read how Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God through his mouth in
Daniel 4:34,35 - 34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
Application:
Doesn't God has authority over His disciple who submit themselves as bond slaves to mold them to conform to His image?
Jer 18:1-6 -1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: 2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words." 3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
1 Cor 12:12-27 - 12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism[division] in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
2 Tim 2:20-21 - 14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection [of dead or rapture of believers] is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Do you believe and experience the God's hedge of protection upon you? or Do you know God is in control?
Jesus demonstrated this when He replies to Pilate:
John 19:11 - 5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!" 6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him." 7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God." 8 Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, 9 and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?" 11 Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." 12 From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."
Same way no one can touch you unless God allows that to happen:
Ps 76:6,7 - 6 For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. 7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.
No one can stop your promotion because promotion comes from God.
No one can fire you or lay you off from your job unless God allows thatl to you.
No one can persecute you unless God almighty allows that to happen.
So, do not panic God will either deliver you from these trial or walk you through the trials.
Let us claim following promises:
Is 54:17 - No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the Lord.
Gen 12:3 - I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
How many types of vessels listed in Romans 9:21-23? and What are those?
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
Vessels of honor - V21
Vessels of mercy prepared for glory - V23.
Vessels of dishonor - V21
Vessels of wrath prepared for destruction - V22
Why these two vessels are prepared?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
The vessels of honor/mercy prepared for glory - V23.
Romans 9:23 clearly says that God had prepared beforehand for glory.
The vessels of dishonor/wrath prepared for destruction - V22
Romans 9:22 doesn't say God had prepared beforehand for destruction. It really means...
(Warren Wiersbe) The word "fitted" in Romans 9:22 does not suggest that God made Pharoah a "vessel of wrath." The verb is in what the Greek grammarians call the middle voice, making it a reflexive action verb. So, it should read: "fitted himself for destruction."
KJV: Romans 9:22 -Â 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:
Who are these vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy actually refers to?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
We have already gone through this in
Romans 9:15-18 - 15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Here the vessel of wrath is hard hearted Pharaoh who suffered wrath of God and through him God made His power known to all the earth. Pharaoh represent a stubborn non-believer of God who suppress the truth out of their unrighteousness as referred in Romans 1:18.
So, the vessels of wrath are non-believers ie those who will not believe in Jesus Christ or potential believers who may believe in Jesus after they go through the wrath of God on the earth. God will pour out His wrath and they will suffer in hell forever.
Romans 1:18-19 - 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them [but still reject Him out of their unrighteousness].
Here the vessels of mercy are the remnant people who sinned against God by following those who made the golden calf. God showed mercy to these remnant and gave them opportunity to repent and follow Him.
So, the vessels of mercy are believers in Jesus Christ. Once they believe in Jesus Christ they will escape the wrath of God, share the glory of God and live with God forever and ever.
(Warren Wiersbe) Believers today are, by God's grace, "vessels of mercy" which He is preparing for glory, a truth that reminds us of Romans 8:29-30.
Why does loving God create those people who goes to hell even though He knew that beforehand?
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
Does God has power to shut the womb?
Yes, God has power to shut the womb.
God did that to Sarah, Abimelech's wife & servants, Hannah and Elizabeth for a while until He miraculously open the womb to bear a child.
Gen 20:18 - 17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed , his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
1 Sam 1:5,6 - 5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb.
According to whose will childbirth happens?
We all know that God is in control so, in general we think/believe everything happens according to God's will but if that happens already without fail then we would not ask in Lord's prayer that "God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven".
Matt 6:10 - 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
In the beginning God has created heavens and earth and asked Adam and Eve to populate the earth:
Gen 1:28 - 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
This is not limited to Adam and Eve but also applicable to all his descendants ie to all of us.
Basically God has given freewill to people to have baby as they want.
Even though God has promised a child for Abraham and Sarah according to His will but they tried to fulfill God's promise through Hagar according to their own plan/will. So, Abraham and Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, who was not according to God's will but according to their own will and especially Sarah's will (Gen 16:1-6).
Gal 4:23 But he [Ishmael] who was of the bondwoman [Hagar] was born according to the flesh, and he [Isaac] of the freewoman [Sarah] through promise,
Did God controls all childbirth?
No, God didn't control all childbirth.
If He does then there will not be any abortion, no orphans, no terrorist, ...
As we saw earlier yes God has power to shut the womb if needed.
In general God designed and blessed in such a way that by union of any man with any woman can give birth to babies.
Since, God didn't created us as robots and God ordained this blessing only to husband and wife through holy matrimony. But people due to lustful desires disobey God and having babies outside the wedlock.
God in general never interfered with people's freewill.
So, people misused their freewill/freedom/liberty given to them and even they murder the babies in the womb through abortion.
Is it not the Bible says "children are blessings from God"?
Yes, each and every children are blessings from God no matter how these children born.
Children are a gift from God (Genesis 4:1; Genesis 33:5).
Children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5).
Children are a blessing from God (Luke 1:42).
God loves them so much from the time the child formed in the mother's womb no matter whether they formed
out of wed lock or not,
as per God's will or not.
Now you say:
Did God really create some people to suffer in hell and some to enjoy in heaven?
No, because God in general never interfere with people's freewill/choice.
(Warren Wiersbe) The word "fitted" in Romans 9:22 does not suggest that God made Pharoah a "vessel of wrath." The verb is in what the Greek grammarians call the middle voice, making it a reflexive action verb. So, it should read: "fitted himself for destruction."
KJV: Romans 9:22 -Â 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:
Why then some people go to hell and some to heaven?
To answer this we need to understand the holy/sinful state of a child.
Is the new born child is holy or sinner? or What is the holy/sinful state of a child at the time of birth?
No matter how these children born every child born as a sinner because they inherit their parent's sin by birth. Because Adam's sin affected all their descendents.
Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned--
We all are in condemned state from birth and destined to hell because we born as sinners.
John 3:18-20 - 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
So, all are born sinners and all are destined to suffer in hell and no one goes to heaven by natural sinful birth.
Did God left/abandon them in this condemned state or destined to hell due to their sin?
No, by God's amazing grace He opens a way out by believing in Jesus Christ.
John 3:16,17 - 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Romans 5:15-16 - 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.
God has given every opportunity to everyone to escape from His wrath by believing in Jesus Christ:
1 Thes 5:9 - For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
But there are some even though they knew God (because God reveal Himself through creation, reachout them through His Holy Spirit and God created them with the instinct knowledge to know Him) but they do not want to believe in Jesus and escape the wrath of God as said in
Romans 1:18-32 - 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them[but still reject Him out of their unrighteousness]. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Because God didn't created us robots so He never interfere with people's freewill
in choosing to give birth to a child or
in choosing to go to heaven or hell.
But God did every effort to reach out to everyone by revealing Himself to them. Following question answers this point in detail.
What are those things God is showing to those vessels of wrath or those who choose to go to hell?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
To those vessels of wrath God wanting
to show His wrath
to make His power known
endured with much longsuffering
God showed His grace by dealing them patiently.
We have seen that God showed these three things when He deals with Pharaoh. For more details please go through the notes of Romans 9:17.under the topic Is God unrighteous because He hardened Pharaoh's heart and declared His name to all the earth? Why?
Why God endured with them with much longsuffering even though God knew that they will not believe in him and go to hell?
Because God loves them so much. Even though God knows them they will not repent but he tries His level best to reach out and touch them.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Think for a moment: If you have rebellious adult child who is too stubborn and you know that he will do whatever he says. One day out of great frustration he is running to a room with a gun saying that he is going to kill himself.
Do you as a parent just cry and do nothing because you know that he will do if he says so?
No/Never. We will try our level best to stop him killing.
Even we as a human parent do our level best to rescue our son who going to kill himself, don't you think that our holy father do His level best to rescue someone is going to suffer in hell forever and ever?
What are those things God is showing to the vessels of mercy or those who choose to follow God?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
To those vessels of mercy God wanting
to make known the riches of His glory
How did God make known the riches of His glory to the vessels of mercy?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
You can notice the verse 23 starts with "and that" which means it ties up with previous verse/passage. Here it means that God demonstrate His riches of glory through the list of things God showed to the vessels of wrath.
How the list of things God showed to the vessels of wrath helps the vessels of mercy?
To those vessels of wrath God wanting
to show His wrath
to make His power known
endured with much longsuffering
God showed His grace by dealing them patiently.
Israelites watched
All the miracles and power of God when God pours out His wrath on Pharaoh.
How God patiently deal with non-believers instead of wiping them off and He gave every opportunity to repent. This would have enlighten that how much more God will show mercy to those who believe in God. Also they might have understand that God will not allow anyone to snatch them away from Him
John 10:28 - And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
You might have noticed these while we go through Romans 9:17 under Did God showed grace to Pharaoh and dealt patiently?
Application:
Do we have this assurance? Or Do you still question your salvation?
John writes his first letter to give assurance that we have the eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ:
1 John 5:13 - 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
What is the real important point Paul is making from this passage Romans 9:2-23?
What is Paul so concerned about at the beginning of this chapter?
Paul so concerned about Israelites
Romans 9:2-5 - 1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
What did God do to humanity through His sovereign power?
Children of Promise is children of God who are Israelites (Eg: Isaac) - Verse 8
Children of God is choose/elected before they were born through His foreknowledge (Eg: Jacob) - Verse 11
God has every right and authority to show mercy to whomever He wishes (Eg: Israelites from Egypt who worshiped golden calf) - Verses 15,18
God has every right and authority to harden whomever He wishes - Verses 17,18
Did God deal any of these (listed in Romans 9:6-17) un-righteously?
No
Romans 9:14 - What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
We have seen this in detail in above sections.
Same way ...
Doesn't God has right and authority to choose/call gentiles like how He called Abraham & Jacob/Israel/Jews?
24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Yes, God has every right and authority to choose/call gentiles like how He called Abraham.
Romans 9:18 - Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
No one can question God for showing His mercy, grace and love anyone He wishes. He is God we are not.
In other words....
Did God call only Jews to be the vessel of mercy?
24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
No, God called Jews as well as gentiles.
Both are sinners and they need mercy.
God has not only plan for Israel/Jews but also God has plan for gentiles to draw them to His kingdom.
No one can change God's plan.
At the same time God accomplishes His plan righteously.
Summary:
So, we believers need to accept the truth i.e. the word of God whether we understand that or not.
God has every right to chose/love anyone and reject/hate anyone before they were born because He is the Sovereign God. At the same time He never compromise His righteousness because He does these by His foreknowledge.
(Warren Wiersbe) We must never think that God enjoyed watching a tyrant like Pharoah. He endured it. God said to Moses, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people ... and have heard their cry ... for I know their sorrows" (Ex 3:7). The fact that God was long-suffering indicates that He gave Pharaoh opportunities to be saved (see 2 Peter 3:9).
God prepared men for glory (Rom 9:23), but sinners prepare themselves for judgment.
In Moses and Israel God revealed the riches of His mercy; in Pharaoh and Egypt He reveled His power and wrath [and longsuffering]. Since neither deserved any mercy, God cannot be charged with injustice.
25 As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved." 26 "And it shall come to pass 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 also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. 28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth." 29 And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah."
Is this call to gentiles is new plan of God? Why?
25 As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved." 26 "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God."
No, it is not a new plan because God prophesied this through prophets long time before.
God prophesied through prophet Hosea in two places:
(Warren Wiersbe) First Paul quoted Hosea 2:23, a statement declaring that God would turn from the Jews and call the Gentiles.
25 As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved."
(Warren Wiersbe) Then he cited Hosea 1:10 to prove that this new people being called would be God's people and "children of the living God."
26 "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God."
Is this call to gentiles is that important? Why?
Yes, because God's ultimate goal is to form His church from both Israelites and Gentiles.
(Warren Wiersbe) Ultimately, of course, God's purpose was to form His church from both Jews and Gentiles (Rom 2:24).
This is long waited mystery has been revealed:
NLT: 1 Cor 2:7 - No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God —his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.
This long waited mystery has been explained clearly in:
Eph 2:11-22 - 11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. 19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
Application:
How this unity in Christ affect your life?
Are you more welcoming non-believers to the kingdom of God?
Are you reaching out non-believers not based on race, status, society, ...? Or Are you reaching out non-believers only those who are your race, status, society, ...?
Do you show God's love to a new believer who come to your church who is way below to your financial status, society, cast ...?
Why did God fulfill this call to gentiles after Jesus Christ death and resurrection?
Never forget ...
God execute His plan righteously.
To execute His plan He never make anyone to sin or make anyone to follow wicked way.
To whom did God promised that He will make father of many nation?
God promised Abraham that He will make father of many nation:
Genesis 17:1-6 - 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
Did God promised this to fulfill through his son or through one of his descendents? or Through whom God has promised to fulfill this promise?
To Abraham:
Gen 12:2,3b - 1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Gen 15:4-5 - 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This one [heir of Abraham's house Eliezer] shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." 5 Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
After Isaac's birth and as a blessing to Abraham's obedience to God, He reiterate the promise again:
Gen 22:18 - 15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son-- 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
To Isaac:
Gen 26:4 - 1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. 2 Then the Lord appeared to him and said: "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."
To Jacob:
Gene28:14 - 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: "I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."
To David:
2 Sam 7:12-13 - 12 "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Who is this seed?
This seed is Jesus Christ:
Gal 3:16 - Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ.
God's plan is to fulfill Abraham's promise by sending Jesus Christ and through Him God makes Abraham the father of many nation.
Gene28:15 - Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."
What did God do to Israel till this point?
Till this point He waited and out stretched His arms to Israelites till they rejects Jesus as Christ/Messiah.
Romans 10:21 But to Israel he[God] says: "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people."
Romans 10:16 But they [Israelites/Jews] have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"
Once Israelites rejected God out stretched His arms to gentiles. That is the reason Paul said at the beginning that gospel/good news came to Israelites first then to gentiles:
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
First gentile God reached out is Cornelius through Peter in Acts 10.
By believing in Abraham's Seed Jesus Christ many nations become sons/heirs of Abraham.
Gal 3:29 -26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
By this way Abraham become father of many nations.
We will see this in detail in Romans 11.
Application:
God fulfilled Abraham's promise after his death and after many generation.
Do you recall anything similar to this happens in your parents or ancestors life?
God is faithful and just to fulfill the promise or dream or vision that He give.
Do not try to fulfill God's promise. God will fulfill His promise in His own timing.
Did God utterly rejected Israelites because they rejected Jesus Christ/Messiah?
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.
No, God didn't utterly rejected them but prophesized to save the remnant or very few Israelites those who believing in Jesus Christ.
Paul is telling that this is not new thing but it is long term plan of God because God knows this is what exactly happen. So, Paul is quoting Isaiah 10:22 prophecy:
Romans 9:27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.
When this remnant Israelites will be saved?
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth."
Now God is saving remnant Israelites while He reaching out Gentiles:
(John Courson) A small group of the Jews will be saved. They’ll see the light and become part of the church.
(Morris) God has always dealt with a remnant. "It was stupid to think that, since the whole nation had not entered the blessing, the promise of God had failed. The promise had not been made to the whole nation and had never been intended to apply to the whole nation."
ESV: Romans 9:27,28 - 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay."
Romans 11:5 - 1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 "Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
In fact God is using gentile believers to reach out Israelites:
Romans 11:11 - I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
In future or at the End God will turn from Gentiles to Israelites again and pour out His wrath on non-believing Jews/Israelites and save all Israelites. This period is called called Great Tribulation or Jacob's Trouble. During this time...
This future work of God or end will start once the grace period for gentiles over and God will rapture all the believer ie the church to heaven:
Romans 11:25 - For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Matt 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
1 Thes 4:16-17 - 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Then God pours out His wrath on the earth before the second coming of Jesus Christ and especially deals with Israel:
Romans 9:28 - For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth."
Matt 24:15-22 - 15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
This is explained clearly on Revelation 12 and 13.
God will save all Israel:
Jeremiah 30:7 - Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.
Romans 11:26 - 25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
(Warren Wiersbe) He then quoted Isaiah 10:22-23 to show that only a remnant of Israel would be saved, while the greater part of the nation refers to God's work of judgment during the Tribulation, when the nation of Israel will be persecuted and judged and only a small remnant left to enter into the kingdom when Jesus Christ returns to earth. But the application for today is clear only a remnant of Jews is believing; and they together with the Gentiles, are the "called of God" (Rom 9:24).
What makes God to continue pursuing Israelites even after their rejecting Him?
God's love towards them makes God to show His tender mercy and grace to these Israelites and spared or saved them. Paul is making sure by quoting Isaiah 1:9. Unless the Lord of mercy spares the believing remnant then all would have wiped out like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Romans 9:29 And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah."
NLT: Isaiah 1:9 - If the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah.
Isaiah 1:9 - Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.
(Warren Wiersbe) The final quotation from Isaiah 1:9 emphasize the grace of God in sparing the believing remnant.
(David Guzik) Sodom and Gomorrah were completely destroyed in judgment. This quotation from Isaiah 1:9 shows that as bad as Judah's state was because of their sin, it could have been worse. It was only by the mercy of God that they survived at all. Sodom and Gomorrah were both totally destroyed, with not even a very small remnant to carry on. Even in the midst of judgment, God showed His mercy to Judah.
(Warren Wiersbe) Now, what does all of this prove?
That God was not unjust in saving some and judging others.
But even more than that, these prophecies show that God's election has made possible the salvation of the Gentiles. This is the grace of God.
At the Exodus, God rejected the Gentiles and chose the Jews, so that, through the Jews, He might save the Gentiles. The nation of Israel rejected His will, but this did not defeat His purposes. A remnant of Jews does believe and God's word has been fulfilled.
So far, Paul had defended the character of God by showing His faithfulness, His righteousness, and His justice. Israel's rejection had not canceled God's election; it had only proved that He was true to His character and His purposes.
Application: What way it affects you personally?
Our God is awesome God.
His love towards humanity is great.
His plans are way higher than our plans.
No one can stop Him what He is doing overall.
By His sovereign power He say/prophesy and fulfill without compromising His righteousness.
No one can stop Him what He is doing in your life:
Think of one think in your mind that bothers you or challenges you.
Do you think God cannot fulfill that by His awesome power?
No, Never, this is nothing compare to His overall plan of Salvation.
Without doubt hand this matter to God. Let Him fulfill if this is best for us or let Him provide greater things than what you are asking.
The work that He started in us He is faithful and just to complete it.
Our God is great God.
He will lead us near still water
He make us to settle down in green pastures
We may walk through the valley of the shadow of death but He is always with us
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
How did Gentiles accept the God's call? or How did Gentiles accept Jesus as Lord and Savior?
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
Did Gentiles pursue righteousness?
No, Gentiles did not purse righteousness.
Did Gentiles attain/obtain righteousness?
Yes, Gentiles attained righteousness.
How did Gentiles attain/obtain/receive the righteousness?
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
Romans 3:21-22 - 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
Whose righteousness did Gentiles receive?
Gentiles received the God's righteousness i.e. righteousness that required to have fellowship with God.
Is receiving God's righteousness is new concept introduced after Jesus Christ?
No, it is being witnessed by law and prophesized by prophets:
Romans 3:21-22 - 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
God's righteousness are given in moral laws in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
God gave Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3-17
Lev 11:45 - For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 45 For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
Jesus teaches moral laws in the Gospels especially in Matt 5 - 7, 19, John 15.
Gen 15:6 - 5 Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Is 12:2 - Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.' "
Is 61:10 - I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Zac 3:4-5 -1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. 4 Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes." 5 And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.
Ps 71:16 - I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
Ps 103:17 - 17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
Ps 7:17 - I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to he name of the Lord Most High.
Do we need to receive God's righteousness once by faith or continue to receive by faith?
We need to receive God's righteousness by faith and continue to live by faith or approach God by faith:
Habakkuk 2:4 - "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
Romans 1:17 - 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
NLT: Romans 1:17 - This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
Why did Israel reject the call of God? or Why did Israel reject Jesus Christ?
31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32a Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law.
What is Israel pursuing?
31a but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness
Israel is pursuing the law of righteousness.
What is law of righteousness?
The law of righteousness is the law itself and that should give them righteousness when they keep them perfectly as God expected.
The law of righteousness is the rules and regulation or the commandments that leads to righteousness if we keep those perfectly as God expected.
Romans 10:5 - For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."
Did Israel attain/obtain/receive the righteousness?
31b has not attained to the law of righteousness.
No, Israel did not attain the righteousness.
Why Israel didn't attain/obtain/receive the righteousness?
32a Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law.
Israel did not attain the righteousness because they did not seek righteousness by faith
Romans 10:3 - For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
How then Israel seek the righteousness?
32a Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law.
Israel seek righteousness by the works/deeds of the law or by keeping the precepts (rules and regulations, commandments, guidelines) of the law of righteousness.
Why Israel could not attain righteousness by keeping the law?
Israel didn't seek righteousness:
Are they really pursuing righteousness?
No, they are not pursuing righteousness but the law of righteousness.
(William R. Newell) Notice that we are not told that even the Jews where pursuing after righteousness.
Israel has to pursue righteousness by keeping the law but they were obsessed by the law itself not the righteousness that come out of it.
They will not attain righteousness because it is impossible to observe the law perfectly as God expected:
Can anyone receive/reach righteousness by keeping the law/commandment?
Lev. 18:5 - You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.
Romans 10:5 - For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."
Is there anyone received/reached God expected righteousness by keeping the law/commandment?
No, no one received/reached God expected righteousness by keeping the law/commandment.
Romans 3:10 - "There is none righteous, no, not one;
Ecc 7:20 - For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin
Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Romans 3:19 - Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Why no one can reach righteousness by keeping the law/commandment?
James 2:10 - 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
NLT: Gal 3:21 - 19 Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. 20 Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. 21 Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. 22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
Gal 3:21 - 19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Gal 2:21 - I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."
That is why Paul said
Phil 3:9 - 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
Application:
Did you receive or attain righteousness of God?
How did you receive righteousness of God?
Are you trying to attain/earn righteousness of God by keeping the law/commandments?
Have you received/attained righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ?
Are you approaching God by your works?
Are you approaching God by faith?
Are you so obsessed by God's law, rules and regulations, traditons,...?
Col 2:20- 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- 21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Are you pleasing God by your works or by your faith?
Romans 8:8 - So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Heb 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
How believers in Christ needs to live?
Romans 7:6 - But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
What did God do to Israel even though they reject God?
32b For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
God put Jesus as their stumbling stone and rock of offense in Zion/Israel.
Paul is quoting this from
Isaiah 28:16 - Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.
Why God put Jesus as their stumbling stone and rock of offense in Zion/Israel? or
How this helps Israel to turn to Jesus?
32b For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
Jesus didn't gone or disappear as Israelites thought after his death. He resurrected and revived His followers and keep reviving those who follow Him. He is alive and working in drawing people to God:
Matt 21:42 - 42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'? 43 "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." 45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me
Through out the book of Acts we can see amazing work good started from Peter and Paul tried to wipe Christians off but he accepted Jesus and he started to reach out Gentiles.
Israel wiped off from the map on AD 70 and formed again on May 14th 1947 but still Jesus and their followers are there and supporting Israelites.
Romans 11:11 - I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
(David Guzik) Paul shows that Israel is responsible for their present condition. Has he contradicted everything he has previously said, which emphasized God's sovereign plan? Of course not, he simply presents the problem from the other side of the coin - the side of human responsibility, instead of the side of God's sovereign choice.
Application: How this helps us?
On whom God build the Church?
Matt 16:18 - And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Who is that rock?
1 Cor 10:4 - 1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
1 Cor 3:11 - For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The church built on the Rock Jesus Christ.
Eph 2:20-22 - 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
What is our responsibility?
1 Cor 3:4-15 - 4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
(Warren Wiersbe) But see the grace of God: Israel's rejection means the Gentiles' slavation! Paul's final quotation was from Isaiah 28:16. It referred to Christ, God's Stone of salvation (see Ps. 118:22), God gave Christ to be a Foundation Stone, but Isreal rejected Him and He became a stumbling stone. Instead of "rising" on this Stone, Israel fell (Rom. 11:11); but, as we shall see, their fall made possible the salvation of the Gentiles by the grace of God.
1 Cor 1:21-24 - 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Summary:
What righteousness we all need to enter into heave or to get saved?
We all need God's righteousness.
How do we receive that God's righteousness?
Just by believing in Jesus.
(Warren Wiersbe) Paul moved next from divine sovereignty to human responsibility. Note that Paul did not say "elect" and "nonelect", but rather emphasized faith.
The Jews thought gentiles had to come up to b Israel's level to be saved; when actually the Jews had to go down to the level of the Gentiles to be saved.
" For there is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:22-23). Instead of permitting their religious privileges (Rom. 9:1-5) to lead them to Christ they used these privileges as a substitute for Christ.
We need to decide what kind of righteousness we are seeking, whether we are depending on good works and character, or trusting Christ alone for salvation. God does not save people on the basis of birth or behavior. He saves them "by grace, through faith" (Eph. 2:8-9).