God’s Promise Never Fails
Romans 9:1-13
Imagine that you have just been promised by someone that he is going to give you a new car
which is welcomed news as you have been in need of reliable transportation for some time.
Excited about what has been promised to you, you tell someone else your good news. That
someone you tell informs you that the same person who made a promise to give you a car had
promised several years ago to give him some land, but hadn’t done it yet. Upon hearing this
report, how confident would you be of receiving what had been promised to you? Our
confidence in a promise is based on the reliability and faithfulness of the one making the
promise.
The apostle Paul anticipated that some would question the reliability of God to keep His
promises based on the perceived unreliability of God to keep His covenant promise to Israel.
Paul proves in Romans 9:1-13 that God has in fact been faithful to keep His Word and any
perceptions that God’s Word failed are inaccurate.
Paul concluded Romans chapter 8 with a series of questions followed by a series of responses
which together serve to assure those of us who have trusted Christ for salvation that we are safe
and secure in Him. As believers in Christ, we are promised that nothing can or will come
between us and God’s love to separate us—“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We might have expected that Paul would have moved on to practical applications in chapter 9,
but that doesn’t happen until Romans 12. There is one more significant question that Paul has to
answer before moving on to application. That question in essence is “How does the gospel
message relate to Israel?” How does the redemptive program of God for believers in the church
relate to His covenant promise to the Hebrew Nation? The importance of Paul dealing with this
matter is clear: How could we trust and remain confident that God will complete His redemptive
plan for us if we are left with the impression that the unconditional promise He made to bless and
save Israel has been cancelled? If God had been unfaithful in His dealings with Israel related to
His covenant promise, then how could He be counted on to be faithful in His dealings with the
church? If God doesn’t have plans for fulfilling His covenant promise to Israel, then His
promise of security to us means nothing.
As you can see, Romans 9-11 is not addressing a side issue, nor is it merely a parenthesis in
Paul’s letter as some have suggested. Rather, it is a pivotal, key part of his argument that the
righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel and that His righteousness is received by faith.
The words Paul pens in Romans 9-11 exonerate God of any false charge of failure on His part to
keep His Word or remain just in His dealings with Israel. He substantiates the fact that God has
been and will continue to be fully righteous in His treatment of Israel.
In Romans 9-11, Paul addresses the relationship of Israel to the gospel. In Romans 9, Paul
discusses the relationship of Israel to God’s redemptive plan in the past. In Romans 10, Paul
discusses the relationship of Israel to God’s redemptive plan in the present. In Romans 11, Paul
discusses the relationship of Israel to God’s redemptive plan in the future.
The relationship of Israel to God’s redemptive plan in the past (Romans 9)
In the midst of the difficult theological issues of Romans 9 that have a tendency to perplex us
and cause us some struggle to figure out, don’t miss the—
Main points of the chapter
The majority of Israel relied on religious heritage and religious merit and thereby
missed out on God’s promise
God is faithful to His promises
God mercifully chose a remnant of Israel who trusted in Him and were saved,
thereby sparing the nation
The majority of Israel was not in a good place at the time Paul wrote the book of Romans. They
had rejected their Messiah. They refused to accept their inability to earn their way into God’s
presence by keeping the law. They thought they were shoo ins with God because they were
physical descendants of Abraham. The result is that in spite of their privileged position, they no
longer enjoyed God’s blessings and were left under God’s judgment. They were cursed and cut
off from their Messiah. Paul’s response to what was going on with his countrymen is one of
sorrow.
Paul’s sorrow because of Israel’s rejection (Romans 9:1-5)
The sincerity of his sorrow (9:1)
Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. He was regarded by the Jews as a traitor. Once a champion
of Judaism, Paul rejected it, trusted in Jesus as Messiah, and taught salvation by grace through
faith. This ran completely contrary to the Jewish people who were trying to satisfy the righteous
demands of God through their own self-righteous efforts. Zealous for their beliefs, they inflicted
Paul with much pain and suffering through their persecution of him. In spite of all of this, Paul
loved his people with great passion and both desired and prayed for their salvation. While Paul
loved his people very dearly despite the way they treated him, Paul knew that his readers might
struggle to accept his spiritual concern for Israel. Thus, he affirms the sincerity of his concern by
giving three exclamations for his truthfulness: “I am telling the truth in Christ,” “I am not
lying,” and “my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit.”
Paul was willing to call on Jesus and the Holy Spirit as witnesses to the fact that he was sincerely
grief stricken over the spiritual condition of Israel.
Cranfield offers another helpful suggestion as to why Paul is so careful to affirm the authenticity
of his grief and concern for Israel- “He recognized that the very integrity and authenticity of his
apostleship to the Gentiles would be called in question, were he able to give up on his fellowIsraelites, were he not to suffer grief so long as they continued in unbelief; and that he regarded it
as of vital importance that the Christians to whom he was writing, both Jewish and Gentile,
should know of this grief of his, because for them too such a grief was the only attitude with
regard to the Jews continuing unbelief that would be consistent with the gospel.”
The intensity of his sorrow (9:2)
Paul describes his sorrow as being both great and unceasing. It pained him greatly to see what
was going on with His people.
The charity behind Paul’s sorrow (9:3)
Paul’s love was so intense and earnest for the Jews that if it were permissible and if it would
benefit his lost countrymen, his prayer would be that he be accursed, separated from Christ for
their sake—so that they could be saved. Paul is speaking hypothetically here. It is neither
possible nor permissible that he as a believer in Christ be separated from Christ, thus this prayer
is not actually prayed. Kreloff writes, “His words were the language of passion—not logic. He
was communicating the great yearning he had for his kinsmen’s salvation, a yearning so deep
that he was willing to be lost forever, if that were possible.”
The disparity between Israel’s privileges and the nation’s choice (9:4-5)
Paul had great sorrow as he reflected on the fact that Israel continues to rebel and remain in
unbelief in spite of the great privileges God has given them. God has given Israel so much:
Theirs was the adoption as sons (Exodus 4:22-23; Deut. 7:6; Hosea 11:1) Gromacki writes,
“Adoption is a legal term. God legally put Israel into the privilege of covenant sonship. As the
legal firstborn son among the nations of the earth, Israel was to serve as the theocratic nation
through whom God would administer His royal dominion over all the nations.”
God’s glory was present in their midst to lead, guide, and protect them (Exodus 16:10; 24:17;
40:34-38).
God established covenants with them including the Abrahamic Covenant, the Palestinian
Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant (Genesis 12:2-3; Deut. 30:1-10; 2
Samuel 7:4-17; Jer. 31:31-37; Ezek. 36:22-32).
God gave them the law to govern the moral, civil, and religious life of the nation (Exodus 19:120:26).
They were given the privilege of temple service toward God. Freeman writes, “He seems to be
alluding to the sacrifices, the offerings, the various cleansings, and the other means of
worshipping God that were uniquely Israel’s.”
God gave them promises—His plans are carried out through the fulfillment of His promises to
them. Kreloff writes, “God gave to Israel the promise of the Messiah’s reign, and the promise of
blessings that will flow through that reign. No other nation has ever been given these promises.
All other nations receive their blessings through Israel and Israel’s king.”
They could boast of being the descendants of the Patriarchs of Israel, namely Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob—those through whom God established a covenant relationship between Himself and
Israel.
The greatest privilege of all for Israel is that through them, Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior and
God of the universe, came to this earth.
Even though Israel had everything, even though they were so loved, and even though they were
an integral part of God’s plan, the vast majority responded by rejecting His plan. They rejected
His Messiah. They insisted on trusting themselves and their works of the law. The result was
that the nation as a whole no longer enjoyed the blessing of God and found themselves under His
judgment—cursed and separated from their Messiah. In objection to Paul’s teaching, some
asserted that Paul is saying that God’s Word failed. After all, isn’t the claim that Israel as a
nation is cursed and under judgment rather than being under God’s blessing a violation of His
covenant promise and therefore a basis for calling into question God’s faithfulness to His Word?
The rejection of Israel and God’s promise (9:6-13)
God’s promise hasn’t failed (9:6a)
In defense of the gospel, Paul must defend God’s faithfulness to his promises to Israel. Again, if
God didn’t keep His promises to Israel, then how can we remain confident that all things will
work together for good for us as He promised? Paul clearly asserts- “It is not as though the
Word of God has failed.”
God’s promise didn’t include everyone in Israel (9:6b-13)
Paul had to deal with a misunderstanding that existed as to the intended scope of God’s promise
to Israel. God’s promise was not for all Jews who belong to the larger Israel physically by birth,
but was only for the Jews who belong to the true Israel as a result of God’s choice and through
faith in Him. The fact that the majority of Jews were under a cursed status at the time Paul wrote
Romans does not negate God’s faithfulness to His promise as some were asserting. God has
always and will continue to choose some from within the nation of Israel who will place their
faith in Christ.
If a remnant of Israel (spiritual Israel) within the nation as a whole (physical Israel) trusts in
Christ and receives the blessing of salvation, there is no evidence then that God’s Word has
failed. God’s covenant promise never guaranteed the blessing and salvation of all physical Jews.
It guaranteed the blessing and salvation of chosen Jews, of those who trust in God for salvation
in keeping with God’s choosing of them. The fact that God’s promise didn’t include everyone in
Israel is demonstrated by the election and call of God in the patriarchal era when God was first
forming His covenant people.
Being Abraham’s physical descendant didn’t automatically make someone a
recipient of God’s covenant promise (9:6b-7a)
The recipients of God’s promise are those God has chosen to receive His
promise (9:7b-13)
Illustration #1--Isaac was the chosen heir of the promise, not Ishmael
(9:7b-9)
Isaac and Ishmael were both physical descendants of
Abraham, but only Isaac was chosen to be the heir of promise
Both Isaac and Ishmael were born to Abraham. Ishmael was a child of the flesh. He was the
product of Abraham’s human effort to have an heir born to him. Ishmael wasn’t born through
Abraham’s trusting God to fulfill His promise to him. He was born through his own scheme to
take Sarah’s maid as a wife and have a child through her. Abraham and Sarah pursued this
scheme believing she was too old to have children.
Isaac, on the other hand, was the child of promise who was born through Abraham’s faith in God
to fulfill His promise by giving him a son through his wife, Sarah.
Abraham initially intended that it would be Ishmael who would be the heir of the promises given
to him by God. In that culture, it was the usual practice that the first born son would be the heir.
However, God sovereignly decided that it would be through Isaac that Abraham’s descendants
would be named, not Ishmael. Isaac was chosen instead of Ishmael to be the heir of God’s
promise.
The objection of some is that if what Paul is saying is true, then God’s Word has failed. They
assume that the promise to bless Abraham automatically included all of his physical descendants.
Therefore, if Abraham’s descendants are under God’s judgment and not His blessing as Paul
asserts, then God is not doing as He promised. Paul therefore confronts the false assumption that
all of Abraham’s physical descendants will receive the promise by reminding them that Isaac
was chosen as heir of the promise; whereas, Ishmael wasn’t.
The illustration of Isaac being chosen and not Ishmael serves to remind the reader of the basis by
which the promised blessings of the covenant were received by Abraham in the first place.
Abraham received one of the promised blessings of the covenant, the promised heir, by faith
alone and it was the son of faith who was chosen to be heir of God’s covenant promise, not the
son of the flesh. The heirs of the promise aren’t all those born physically as Abraham’s
children, but only those who trust God’s promises. God’s choice of Isaac, the son born through
faith, serves as a reminder of this principle.
God chose Isaac over Ishmael as his birth demonstrated the
only way the blessings of His promise are received—through
faith
The fulfillment of covenant promise comes only to those who trust God, not to everyone of
Abraham’s descendants. Romans 4:13- “For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that
he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.”
Illustration #2-Jacob was the chosen heir of the promise, not Esau
(9:10-13)
Whereas, in Paul’s first illustration, there was a physical difference in that Isaac and Ishmael
were born to different mothers, in the case of Jacob and Esau, there was no physical difference.
They were both born to the same mother and conceived at the same time. Paul’s illustration of
Jacob and Esau dispels any idea that physical descent plays a role in the receiving of God’s
promise.
God chose Jacob over Esau before the boys were born and thus
before either had done anything (9:11a)
Works have nothing to do with whom God chooses
Paul is clear in pointing out the fact that it was not because of who Jacob was in character or
what he did that resulted in him being chosen over Esau. In fact, the Biblical record makes clear
that Jacob was chosen in spite of who he was. Consider all of the cunning and deception that
Jacob was guilty of in his life. For example, consider the cunning and deception he and his
mom took part in in order to deceive his blind father into giving him the blessing of the firstborn
instead of Esau. This certainly wasn’t the way God intended that Jacob would receive the
blessing of the first born, yet while not condoning his actions, God used Jacob’s sinful actions to
fulfill His purposes. Jacob was not chosen because of who he was or what he had done, but was
chosen by God to receive His covenant promise because he is who God decided to give the
promise. The fact of God’s choosing of Jacob became evident by the faith He demonstrated in
the promises of God (Hebrews 11:21). Jacob was sovereignly chosen by God’s grace and
received the righteousness of God by faith, even as Abraham and Isaac had done.
God sovereignly decides to whom He will give the
promise
God chose Jacob in order that His purpose in election would
stand (9:11b)
God’s purpose in choosing Jacob was to bring glory to Himself (see also Ephesians 1:6, 2:7).
God’s sovereign choice is the basis through which Jacob became heir of the covenant promise.
Jacob’s receiving of what was promised through faith depended on Him who calls, not at all on
Jacob’s works. God chose Jacob because of His decision to choose Jacob, not because of any
merit on Jacob’s part. God’s purpose of bringing glory to Himself by His election of Jacob
stands or remains as it had nothing at all to do with Jacob’s works. If God’s promise and the
receiving of it in any way depended on what Jacob did, it would introduce a contingency as to
whether or not He received glory and His purpose stood. Because God’s giving of His promise
was based on His sovereign choice and depended on Him who calls and not on the works of
Jacob at all, there was no contingency. His purpose of glorifying Himself will stand. He will
receive all the glory through his choice of Jacob.
God declared His choice before Jacob and Esau were born
(9:12; Genesis 25:23)
Paul quotes from Genesis 25:23 in Romans 9:12 which is where God declared His choice of
Jacob- “The older will serve the younger.” This declaration was contrary to expectation and
custom. It was customary that the older would be the heir and that the younger would serve the
older. In the case of Jacob and Esau, the opposite would be true. God’s election is according to
His will
There is no biblical record of Esau ever serving Jacob. However, don’t let this trouble you. As
we consider the entire promise made to Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, the declaration Paul quotes
makes sense— “The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be
separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall
serve the younger.” While there isn’t any record of Esau serving Jacob, there is record in the
Bible of the Edomites, the descendants of Esau having to serve the Israelites, the descendants of
Jacob (2 Samuel 8:14). In this way, the older served the younger as God said He would.
God again declared His choice of Jacob over Esau at the close
of Old Testament History (9:13; Malachi 1:2-3)
Paul quotes from Malachi 1:2-3 in Romans 9:13. Many are troubled by this statement, “Jacob I
loved, but Esau I hated.” Perhaps it will help you to know that God is not speaking of his
emotion towards Jacob and Esau personally. Rather, he is using a Hebrew idiom.
God’s love for Jacob is referring to His choice of Jacob and His hatred of Esau is a reference to
his not being chosen. In other words, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” communicates that God
chose one, that is Jacob, over the other, that is Esau.
That takes care of one hurdle, but I am sure it brings up another for some. It seems unfair that
God would choose one and not the other. If this is a struggle for you, you need to be sure to
come back next week as Paul will handle that objection in the next section of Romans 9.
It appears to me that there is significance in Paul’s quoting from Genesis, the record of the
beginning of Israel’s Old Testament history and from Malachi, the end of Israel’s Old Testament
history in demonstrating God’s choice of Jacob over Esau. I believe that significance is to put an
exclamation mark on the point of Romans 9:6-13—God is faithful to His promises! That there
continued to be a people of God in keeping with God’s covenant promise at the close of Old
Testament history certainly wasn’t because of Israel’s faithfulness as a nation. It wasn’t because
of the nation’s works of the law or merit. Rather, it is because God is faithful to keep His
promise. In faithfulness to His promise, He graciously continued to choose a remnant
throughout the Old Testament who in keeping with His sovereign choice put their trust in Him.
Summary of what we have learned today: The majority of Israel was relying on religious
heritage and religious merit to get to God and thereby missed out on God’s promise. Insisting on
doing it themselves, the Israelites rejected Messiah and thereby rejected God. Israel as a nation
stood cut off from her Messiah and under judgment. How does Israel’s rejection of the gospel
and the resulting judgment relate to God’s covenant promise to Israel? Has God’s Word failed
as some have objected in response to Paul’s teaching? Paul answers this objection in Romans
9:6-13. The underlying assumption of the objection being made is that everyone who is a
physical descendant of Abraham is a recipient of God’s promise. The Israelites assumed they
were all shoo-ins with God because they were physically related to Abraham. Paul corrects this
assumption, showing us from Israel’s history that the covenant promise was given to those
Israelites whom God chose, not to all of Israel. God’s promise was for Isaac, not Ishmael. It
was for Jacob, not Esau. God’s promise doesn’t include everyone in Israel and those it does
include have seen God’s Word come to pass. God’s promises are always kept. Even though the
majority rejected Messiah and were under judgment, there continued to be a chosen remnant
through whom God continues to fulfill His covenant promise. God’s promise is given to those
who believe the promise of God and receive the righteousness of God by faith as Abraham did.
God’s promise is missed out on by those who were not chosen to receive God’s promise, who
manifest a lack of faith by their persecution of those God has chosen.
Application:
Let’s emulate the love for the lost Paul had
Paul expressed a willingness to give up his personal blessing of salvation if it would help his
fellow countrymen. Paul was more concerned about Israel’s condition than personal benefit.
He wasn’t content with his privileged position as long as he knew Israel continued to remain
separated from Messiah, cursed, and headed for judgment. Consider for a moment how we show
concern for the lost around us. Are we quick to condemn and slow to reach out or are we
grieving over the condemnation of the lost and reaching out with love and compassion?
God’s promises haven’t failed for the Jews and they won’t fail for us either
We can trust God to keep His promises. We can remain fully confident that He will do all that
He said He will do.
Salvation comes by grace through faith and apart from works
As we consider the relationship of Israel to the gospel in the past in Romans 9, we are warned of
the danger the Israelites fell prey to. They thought they had it made because of their religious
heritage and because of their religious merit achieved by their efforts to keep the law. The
majority thereby missed out on God’s promise. They missed out on salvation.
Salvation depends on God’s grace. He is the one who calls. Salvation comes through faith in
Christ alone. If we try to make it to God by our own works or efforts, we will miss out on
salvation. As long as we think we are able to get to God by what we do, we will never turn to
Jesus and trust in Him, the One and only way to God.
Salvation doesn’t depend on our religious heritage
A Jew wasn’t a true, spiritual Jew just because of his physical heritage, but rather through faith
in God, the same faith that Abraham had. Likewise, just because we are born into a Christian
family and have a religious heritage doesn’t make us a Christian. We are Christians through
faith or trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.