Jan 5, 2020
Originally Presented: February 17, 2008
Scripture Reading: Romans 9:22-29
Having said that not all the people of Israel are true Israelites (Rom 9:6), and that God's choice of Jacob and not Esau was an example of God's sovereign purpose (Rom 9:11), and that God has mercy on some, while He hardens others (Rom 9:18) . . . the question might arise as to why God did not have mercy on the entire nation of Israel. After all, were not the people of Israel God's chosen people of all the nations on the earth?
One answer, which we looked at last week, is in Romans 9:22,23. God desires to demonstrate both His wrath and His mercy. So He leaves some people, including some Israelites, to their own sinful hearts that His justice and power might be demonstrated in them (Rom 9:17,22). On the other hand, God chooses some people, including some Israelites (e.g. Isaac, Jacob) to be displays of His mercy (Rom 9:16,18,23).
A second answer as to why God left some Israelites to their own sins is that God desires a larger display of His mercy than is seen in only one people. Romans 9:24-26 is a missionary text. God hardens the hearts (leaves them to their sins) of some Jews so that the truth of Christ might go to the Gentiles and people from "every nation and tribe and tongue" might glorify God forever. Gentiles, like me and you, have the privilege and pleasure of being "sons of the living God" (Rom 9:26).
This does not mean God is finished with the people of Israel. He has made sure that a 'remnant' of Israelites are still demonstrations of His covenant with Abraham (Rom 9:27-29) and one day He will so pour out His mercy on Israelites so that they will, as a whole, trust in Christ and be saved (Rom 11;25,26).