1. What was the main point Paul finished with in Chapter 8?

2. How might the Jews' question have been seen to be contrary to this?

3. What point is Paul therefore making in Chapter 9?

C. Comment :

Paul apparently turns away to a new subject, his anguish for his fellow Jews who don't believe, but soon we see it is really a continuation of his argument in Chapter 8. There he had declared that God is sovereign in control and nothing can separate us from His love. In case anyone should say, "Well the Jews contradict that because God called them into being, but most of them disregard Him now", Paul shows that throughout their history the sovereign call of God was relentlessly working out God's purposes in them.

God's purpose, he says, wasn't with every person descended from Abraham. The first point to note is that it was with those descended by promise or by faith who are the ones He is really concerned with. Second, within that God chose particular parts of the family of faith, e.g. Jacob instead of Esau. Oh no, he says, God's sovereign purposes were clearly being worked out in them. The fact that many of them didn't believe is irrelevant to this. Throughout the whole history of Israel, God was sovereignly working, choosing men who would respond to Him, men who would be men of faith. God chooses who He will, not just accepting men because they had the name Jew, but because they would be His sons in reality, sons by faith.

D. Application?

1. God looks for people of faith, not people of natural descent.

2. God never fails or makes mistakes!

Chapter: Rom 9

Passage: Rom 9:14-21

A. Find Out:

1. What question was Paul raising? v.14

2. What had God said to Moses? v.15

3. What does life depend upon? v.16

4. What does Pharaoh's case reveal? v.17,18

5. What 2nd question does Paul foresee coming? v.19

6. What is his answer to that? v.20,21

B. Think :

1. What key word keeps cropping up in this passage?

2. What does it indicate?

3. How would you summarise this passage?

C. Comment :

Remember Paul has just been talking about the way God chose particular people in the early history of Israel. But, he says, someone might claim that God is unjust, rejecting some and choosing others. No, he replies, God says He has the right to choose who He will save. Note it is that way round, not who He will judge, for ALL have sinned, ALL deserve punishment, but God chooses who will receive His MERCY. Mercy is undeserved relief from what we do deserve. God chooses people from the great masses of the entire world that deserve His punishment, instead to receive His grace and become a holy people.

But, comes Paul's next question, isn't that unfair, why does God still blame us when He has the power to do this? Paul's answer to his own question is not to explain in great detail why God chooses those He knows will respond, but simply to say, "Don't be silly, He is God!" The Lord is so great and mighty in power, knowledge and wisdom that we, who lack all these things, just aren't in the same league! We have no right to question Almighty God, indeed it is foolishness to do so, just as Job found out. (see Job 42:3). We would do well sometimes to harness our foolish thoughts and words that follow.

D. Application?

1. We ALL deserve God's judgement. The wonder is that He doesn't

destroy us but instead saves us.

2. There is NEVER room to criticise God!

Chapter: Rom 9

Passage: Rom 9:22-29

A. Find Out:

1. How did God deal with those who were to be destroyed? v.22

2. Why did he do this? v.23,24

3. Who, through Hosea, did God say He was calling? v.25

4. What would they become? v.26

5. Who in Israel did He say He would save? v.27

6. Who had they deserved to be like? v.29

B. Think :

1. What appears to be God's point in not destroying straight away those

who deserve to be destroyed?

2. How is God's purpose far bigger than just Israel?

3. How was it limited in respect of Israel?

C. Comment :

Pursuing the subject of God's sovereignty in choosing who He will, Paul makes the suggestion that God doesn't instantly destroy everyone who deserves that, so that those who are saved can see even more clearly how wonderful His mercy is. How? Well, the longer we have to observe the lives of the godless of this world the more we realise we ALL deserve death. And as we realise that and observe what God has done through Jesus for us, we realise more and more how wonderful that is.

Isn't it wonderful, says Paul, that God called people to Himself from the Gentiles, from those who had known nothing of Him. He took them and made them His sons. Then, he says, look at Israel; merely because they are Israel that doesn't mean they are safe, indeed it is exactly the opposite, they all deserve to die, but even from them God calls a remnant who will respond to Him.

The message comes again and again, ALL (including Jews) deserve to die, but the wonder is that God in His mercy DOES save some, those who respond to His Son, Jesus.

D. Application?

1. Look at people, understand, and worship God.

2. From Gentile AND Jew God saves a remnant.

RECAP: "The Sovereignty of God" - Rom 9

SUMMARY :

In these 3 studies we have seen:

- Paul anguishing for his fellow Jews

- real Israel are children of the promises, children of faith

- all deserved to die but God in His sovereign will chose specific people

- what is amazing is not that God condemns some but that He doesn't

condemn all

- God has called a remnant from both Israel and the Gentiles

COMMENT :

Isn't it amazing, that God brought a special people into being, Israel, and despite all their privileges the majority of them despised their inheritance.

The incredible thing is that some were saved, and even more incredible, some from the Gentiles who had never had this relationship with God, were also saved. Such is the mercy and grace of God!

LESSONS :

1. God's true children are children of faith

2. God chose particular people according to His wisdom

3. It was God's mercy that stopped Him destroying everyone, even though

we deserved it

4. God has chosen a remnant from both Jew and Gentile.

PRAY :

Thank God that you are a chosen vessel, that you are an object of His mercy, a receiver of His grace.

PART 3 : The Position of Israel

Having just spoken about Israel, Paul now further comments on their position: they have a self-righteousness that ignores God's provision of righteousness, they had heard the message of salvation but most of them had refused it. Does that mean that God has rejected Israel, he then asks. By no means, God still receives those who will turn to Him, just the same as He receives Gentiles