Chapter 9:1-16
The eighth chapter marked the close of the doctrinal part of the Epistle, and the Holy Spirit in chapters 9, 10 and 11 gives attention to the past, the present and the future of the Jews. On what footing, or ground, did the sons of Jacob stand before God after Sinai? Has He cast them away forever? Or will they again be His people as a nation, as once they were? These and other questions are answered in the section of the Epistle upon which we now enter.
The Acts, from the beginning of Paul’s preaching (chapter 9:20-30) abounds in evidence of the bitter opposition of the Jews who rejected God’s offer of salvation through Christ for themselves, and would not hear of His favor going out to the Gentiles equally with themselves. Regarding the apostle as an enemy of his nation, they once and again planned to kill him, and repeatedly stirred up persecution against Paul and his fellow laborers in the gospel. Rightly, then, this part of the Epistle, which deals with the Jews, is introduced with an expression of the apostle’s true attitude toward his race.
Verses 1-3. What he says is truth in Christ, not a lie; his conscience bearing witness with him in the Holy Spirit, that he has great grief and continual pain in his heart on account of his brethren, his kinsmen, according to flesh. Paul had even wished (for it is believed that the correct reading of the third verse is “For I have wished, etc.”) to be a curse from Christ for the Jews; in this he was like Moses in Exodus 32:32. What love this was, for kinsmen so unresponsive, so unworthy; yet altogether beneath the measure of the love of Him who endured the cross for His enemies (Rom. 5:7-10)!
In the fourth verse seven privileges, divinely given to Jacob’s children, are named in an order for the most part historical, that is evidently of God.
The first of them goes back to their beginning; they are Israelites—the offspring of the patriarch whose name was changed to Israel, meaning “Prince of God” (Gen. 32:28).
Secondly, theirs is the adoption, as it is said in Exodus 4:22, 23, “Israel is My son, My firstborn”; this was the word Moses was to deliver to the ruler of Egypt who held the Israelites in cruel bondage.
Thirdly, theirs is the glory; to them God made manifestations of His glory constantly during their forty years’ journey from Egypt to Canaan (Ex. 40:34-38, Num. 9:15-23, and other passages referring to particular occasions); afterward the glory was displayed at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chron. 5:13, 14, and 7:1-3): later in the Old Testament it was seen only in visions of the prophets (Isa. 6; Ezek. 1; 8:4; 9:3, 10; 11:22, 23; 43:2, 5, and 44:4; the last two passages referring to the temple to be built at Jerusalem in the Millennium).
Fourth in the list is “the covenants”; these were made with Abraham (Gen. 15:18-21 and 17:10-14), and confirmed to Isaac and Jacob (Ex. 2:24; Lev. 26:42); with the nation at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19 to 24); and with David (2 Sam. 7:8-16, and 23:5; Psa. 89:3; Jer. 33:20-22). The new covenant to be made with Israel in the coming day (Jer. 31:31-34) completes the list.
The giving of the law, and the service, were God’s wise provision for His earthly people. No other nation has ever been able to boast of a code of laws and a system of religious observance which, down to the smallest detail, were given to them by God. “The promises” speak of His faithfulness, as well as His grace. Open your Bible at Genesis 12 and read the promise to Abraham at the beginning of the chapter. Turn to the 22nd chapter, and read verses 15 to 18. Pass on to 2 Samuel 7, and consider the promise therein made to David concerning his throne. These are but three of many precious unconditional promises made by God concerning Israel; every one of them will be carried out in the coming day of that nation’s rebirth.
Verse 5: “Whose are the fathers,” —the men of faith who in Israel’s early history believed God and walked, as the habitual rule of their lives, before Him: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David and others. “And of whom, as according to flesh is the Christ, who is over all God, [or, is God over all] blessed forever.” (N.T.). Father, Son and Holy Ghost, all three Persons are God, one God; so the Scriptures unvaryingly declare, while pointing to the Son’s having become man, and of Israel’s race, through birth of the virgin Mary. Nor did He, in becoming man, partake of man’s sinful nature, or cease to be God.
Verses 6, 7. It is not that the word of God concerning Israel has failed. It might have been said that the Jews owe their present state to the rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, but though this is implied, the direct statement of it is not made, while with gracious forbearance the objections of the Jews are inquired into. Did they claim that all of Israel should be blessed? Not all are Israel which are of Israel, nor because they are seed of Abraham are all children, for Abraham had Ishmael as well as Isaac, and no Jew would admit that the Ishmaelites (Arabs) were within the enclosure of the favored people. The word indeed was, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Gen. 21:12).
Verses 8, 9. Then the favor of God was connected with His promise, not with natural birth; it was God’s sovereignty, to do as He pleased.
Verses 10-13. But it might be said, Ishmael was the child of a bondwoman, a slave; while Isaac was Sarah’s (the wife’s) son.
The twin births of Jacob and Esau are therefore cited, and God’s purpose according to His own sovereignty appears more plainly in the word to Rebecca which is next quoted, “The elder shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:23)—uttered before the children were born. Thus is it shown to be not of works, but of Him that calls. Concluding the reference to Rebecca’s twins, a passage in the last book of the Old Testament (Mal. 1:2-5) is named. There, nearly fourteen centuries after Jacob and Esau had died, God reviews their lives, the one, though with much of the strength of nature about him, that had to be broken down, keeping God before him; and the other, looking not to God at all, a man of the flesh was Esau. “Jacob have I loved.” God could then say, “but Esau have I hated.” Long before this Esau, or Edom, the nation which sprang from Jacob’s brother, had taken their stand in unrelenting hatred of Israel.
Verses 14-16. What then is to be concluded? Is there unrighteousness with God? Far be it. He is sovereign, and will have mercy on whom He chooses, and will have compassion on whom He will. Never does the Word of God say or even imply, what men have said of Him, that He predestinates any man for the lake of fire, for eternal judgment. The words quoted in the fifteenth verse, are taken from Exodus 34:19, uttered after the people had turned (after witnessing God’s power and love for them in delivering them out of Egypt) from Him to idolatry, to worshiping a golden calf. He might well have consumed them all, but in grace, falling back upon His own sovereignty, He declares, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.” So then, as verse 16 concludes, it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
(To Be Continued, D.V.)