The Nations and Israel

Romans 9:24-33

Chapter 34

The starting point of God's acts has been clearly demonstrated He is God and He has the right to act as it pleases Him. God is sovereign even when showing mercy. God is not obliged to restrict His mercy to the Jews. He has the right to call people from the nations or the non-Jews. This can be seen even in the Old Testament. Paul quotes examples from Hosea and Isaiah which show that God let His unrestricted grace go out to the non-Jews as well.

The first quotation occurs in verse 25 and is taken from Hosea 2:23. There the people of Israel are the subject, but since they showed their unfaithfulness to God, God had to call them "not My people." God no longer recognizes the connection with His people. But now, Paul applies this verse to make it mean that God will in the future again speak about them as "His people and Israel as His "beloved." This can only mean there will be those from the people of Israel who will believe on the Lord Jesus. They are the people who are recognized by God as "My people." Maybe it can even be applied to the nations surrounding Israel. They had always been "not My people" and "not beloved" because God hadn't formed a special tie with them. But if from out of these nations, people accept the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord, they may consider themselves as part of "My people."

The next quotation from Hosea 1:10 speaks about the calling of the heathen. The "sons of the living God" are mentioned. This is typically an expression for the relationship the Christian has with respect to God. God could no longer have contact with either Jews or heathen. Of both groups it had been said, "You are not My people." To the Jews, this was true since God had to break His connection with them as a consequence of their unfaithfulness. The captivity 2500 years ago, and the "times of the Gentiles" ever since have been the sad result of this. God had always let the heathen go their way. And now Paul, the apostle to the heathen, quotes this verse as proof that all those who have been called by God from among the Jews and the nations are called "sons of the living God" by Him.

Likewise, Isaiah the prophet is quoted by Paul to support his discourse about God's sovereign grace.(a) However numerous Israel might be, if God's righteousness would follow its course, judgment would have to come over all of it. Nothing would be left of Israel, but God's unlimited grace provides salvation for a remnant. The work that God will finish on the earth(b) is the judgment which will strike the unbelieving people of Israel in righteousness. This will only take place after the rapture of the Church. That there will be a remnant at all will be due to God's sovereign mercy. While it may seem all His plans are failing, He will still be the Lord of a great nation that will develop out of this remnant in the Millennium. It is all due to the fact that, for this remnant, the righteousness of God has been fully exercised upon the Lord Jesus. This will be recognized by the remnant. Other prophets also speak of this.

(a) Isaiah 1:9

(b) Romans 9:28

In verses 30-33 the conclusion comes. The nations have participated in the righteousness on the principle of faith. Earlier in Romans you saw that faith is the only way to be justified before God. Israel failed in obtaining its righteousness before God. Why did they fail? Because they thought God would give His righteousness to them based on keeping the law. But when Christ came they were offended by Him. He revealed their attempts at keeping the law only served themselves by making them feel more important. Their evil state of mind was made evident by His coming "in Zion"(c) - in Israel - and by His appearance among them. This was what they couldn't bear and therefore they rejected Him. When they were offended by Him, they stumbled. This is how they put themselves outside the blessing.

Romans 9 concludes by pointing out one more time that the heart of God goes out to "whoever," without different between Jew and Gentile. The only condition to partake of the blessing is to believe on Him! In doing this, you will never be ashamed!

(c) Romans 9:33; Isaiah 8:14; Isaiah 28:16

Ger de Koning

Now read Romans 9:24-33 again.

Reflection: Why is it important to know the Old as well as the New Testament?

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