Rom 9:1-3 | KingComments | STEP | Romans 9 begins a new subject. This new subject is about Israel. God made all kinds of promises to Israel. Now, after all the things you have discovered in this letter, it looks like these promises could never be fulfilled. You have seen how, to God, there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles. They are all equally guilty before God. Their only way to salvation is faith in Christ. But then there is an unavoidable question. What about all the promises God made to Israel? Will they come to pass? Does Israel still have a special place in God’s thoughts? Perhaps you still don’t know much about the prophecies concerning Israel in the Old Testament. If so, then Romans 9-11 is a wonderful section to help you. In these three chapters Paul treats Israel’s past, present and future. Romans 9 covers the past, Romans 10 the present and Romans 11 the future. If you are aware of the current events in and around Israel, you will realize the present significance of these chapters for our time. The contents of these chapters are happening before your eyes, as it were. But let’s first have a closer look at the first five verses of Romans 9. . What stands out is the tender love Paul has for his people. So it is completely out of place to claim, as some do, that the people of Israel no longer mattered to Paul. It was his heart’s desire for them to become partakers of the righteousness of God. The plain language of clearly shows his attitude toward Israel. . Here you get a look into his heart’s feelings. With these words, his feelings are expressed because he had a great love for this people even while the people continued to reject Christ. . In this verse he had wished to be separated from Christ by a curse if that would lead to Israel’s salvation. This is an example of the Divine love he had in his heart for these people. Moses said something similar in demonstrating his love for his people ( ). But both Paul and Moses were in themselves sinful and for this reason God could never fulfill their wishes. However, we learn from these men of God that their burning love for the people of God was not a matter of words alone. They would sacrifice themselves for them. . Paul was linked to this people with natural ties; after the flesh, physically, they were his brothers. He calls them Israelites, the name God gave to Jacob in Genesis 32 ( ). Paul then summarized a list of eight privileges God gave to them. 1. “The adoption as sons.” God had adopted these people as a son. There is an adage that says, that ‘a good son is like his father’. God wanted these people to be like Him. This would have been joy to His heart. 2. “The glory.” God’s glory dwelled in the pillar of cloud with His people. With it, He protected them and led them through the wilderness. 3. “The covenants.” Here I will only mention two of them. God’s covenant with Abraham implied that God obligated Himself to bless Abraham. This was a covenant without conditions on Abraham’s side. You can read about this covenant in Genesis 15 ( ). Then there is God’s covenant with the people of Israel made at Mount Sinai. With this covenant, the people obligated themselves to meet certain conditions. If they obeyed, they would reap God’s blessing. You can read about this covenant in Deuteronomy 27-28. 4. “The giving of the Law.” With this, God gave righteous laws to the people to make their life as comfortable as possible. 5. “The [temple] service.” God gave instructions for a whole worship service to let them know which sacrifices He wanted to receive and on which occasion He wanted to receive them. 6. “The promises.” God made promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob about the blessings He was going to give them. 7. “The fathers.” In the first place, these are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom God made Himself known in a special and personal way. In addition you may think of great men like Moses, David, etc. 8. “The Christ.” This is the absolute pinnacle in this list of privileges. The Lord Jesus was born of this people. But to guard His honor Paul adds: “Who is over all, God.” This is an important witness concerning the Manhood and Deity of the Lord Jesus. Both of these were perfectly and completely present in His Person. In the end, He is the center of everything, forever. He is “blessed forever”. Now read Romans 9:1-5 again. Reflection: Is there anyone you know who you would give everything if he or she would thereby be saved? Something to pray about once more!

‏ Romans 9:1-3

Paul’s Love for Israel and Israel’s Privileges

Romans 9 begins a new subject. This new subject is about Israel. God made all kinds of promises to Israel. Now, after all the things you have discovered in this letter, it looks like these promises could never be fulfilled. You have seen how, to God, there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles. They are all equally guilty before God. Their only way to salvation is faith in Christ. But then there is an unavoidable question. What about all the promises God made to Israel? Will they come to pass? Does Israel still have a special place in God’s thoughts?

Perhaps you still don’t know much about the prophecies concerning Israel in the Old Testament. If so, then Romans 9-11 is a wonderful section to help you. In these three chapters Paul treats Israel’s past, present and future. Romans 9 covers the past, Romans 10 the present and Romans 11 the future. If you are aware of the current events in and around Israel, you will realize the present significance of these chapters for our time. The contents of these chapters are happening before your eyes, as it were. But let’s first have a closer look at the first five verses of Romans 9.

Rom 9:1. What stands out is the tender love Paul has for his people. So it is completely out of place to claim, as some do, that the people of Israel no longer mattered to Paul. It was his heart’s desire for them to become partakers of the righteousness of God. The plain language of Rom 9:1 clearly shows his attitude toward Israel.

Rom 9:2. Here you get a look into his heart’s feelings. With these words, his feelings are expressed because he had a great love for this people even while the people continued to reject Christ.

Rom 9:3. In this verse he had wished to be separated from Christ by a curse if that would lead to Israel’s salvation. This is an example of the Divine love he had in his heart for these people. Moses said something similar in demonstrating his love for his people (Exo 32:32). But both Paul and Moses were in themselves sinful and for this reason God could never fulfill their wishes. However, we learn from these men of God that their burning love for the people of God was not a matter of words alone. They would sacrifice themselves for them.

Rom 9:4-5. Paul was linked to this people with natural ties; after the flesh, physically, they were his brothers. He calls them Israelites, the name God gave to Jacob in Genesis 32 (Gen 32:28). Paul then summarized a list of eight privileges God gave to them.

1. “The adoption as sons.” God had adopted these people as a son. There is an adage that says, that ‘a good son is like his father’. God wanted these people to be like Him. This would have been joy to His heart.

2. “The glory.” God’s glory dwelled in the pillar of cloud with His people. With it, He protected them and led them through the wilderness.

3. “The covenants.” Here I will only mention two of them. God’s covenant with Abraham implied that God obligated Himself to bless Abraham. This was a covenant without conditions on Abraham’s side. You can read about this covenant in Genesis 15 (Gen 15:4-6). Then there is God’s covenant with the people of Israel made at Mount Sinai. With this covenant, the people obligated themselves to meet certain conditions. If they obeyed, they would reap God’s blessing. You can read about this covenant in Deuteronomy 27-28.

4. “The giving of the Law.” With this, God gave righteous laws to the people to make their life as comfortable as possible.

5. “The [temple] service.” God gave instructions for a whole worship service to let them know which sacrifices He wanted to receive and on which occasion He wanted to receive them.

6. “The promises.” God made promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob about the blessings He was going to give them.

7. “The fathers.” In the first place, these are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom God made Himself known in a special and personal way. In addition you may think of great men like Moses, David, etc.

8. “The Christ.” This is the absolute pinnacle in this list of privileges. The Lord Jesus was born of this people. But to guard His honor Paul adds: “Who is over all, God.” This is an important witness concerning the Manhood and Deity of the Lord Jesus. Both of these were perfectly and completely present in His Person. In the end, He is the center of everything, forever. He is “blessed forever”.

Now read Romans 9:1-5 again.

Reflection: Is there anyone you know who you would give everything if he or she would thereby be saved? Something to pray about once more!