Rom 9:7, Heb 11:18 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 7. Are they all children . Adopted into the true family of God. Many of the descendants of Abraham were rejected. But in Isaac . This was the promise, . Shall thy seed , etc. Thy true people. This implied a selection, or choice; and, therefore, the doctrine of election was illustrated in the very commencement of the history of the nation; and as God had then made such a distinction, he might still do it. As he had then rejected a part of the natural descendants of Abraham, so he might, still do it. This is the argument which the apostle is pursuing. (i) "In Isaac"

Romans 9:7

Verse 7. Are they all children. Adopted into the true family of God. Many of the descendants of Abraham were rejected.

But in Isaac. This was the promise, Gen 21:12.

Shall thy seed, etc. Thy true people. This implied a selection, or choice; and, therefore, the doctrine of election was illustrated in the very commencement of the history of the nation; and as God had then made such a distinction, he might still do it. As he had then rejected a part of the natural descendants of Abraham, so he might, still do it. This is the argument which the apostle is pursuing.

(i) "In Isaac" Isa 55:11

Hebrews 11:18

Verse 18. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Gen 21:12. A numerous posterity had been promised to him. It was there said expressly that this promise was not to be fulfilled through the son of Abraham by the bond-woman Hagar, but through Isaac. Of course, it was implied that Isaac was to reach manhood; and yet, notwithstanding this, and notwithstanding Abraham fully believed it, he prepared deliberately, in obedience to the Divine command, to put him to death. The phrase, "thy seed be called," means, that his posterity was to be named after Isaac, or was to descend only from him. The word "called," in the Scriptures, is often equivalent to the verb to be. See Isa 56:7. To name or call a thing, was the same as to say that it was, or that it existed. It does not mean here that his spiritual children were to be called or selected from among the posterity of Isaac, but that the posterity promised to Abraham would descend neither from Ishmael nor the sons of Keturah, but in the line of Isaac. This is a strong circumstance insisted on by the apostle, to show the strength of Abraham's faith. It was shown not only by his willingness to offer up the child of his old age--his only son by his beloved wife, but by his readiness, at the command of God, to sacrifice even him on whom the fulfilment of the promises depended.

(1) "Of whom" "To" (d) "That in Isaac" Gen 21:12