Has God Really Forsaken His First Love, Israel His Chosen Nation? ⋆ Effie Darlene Barba %

Whenever we search around us, we see that all the perfections of this world are fading away. But we know that God’s word is true and stands forever. All that He has planned will be accomplished. Now as we turn to chapter 9, Paul returns to speaking primarily to the nation of Israel. Whereas, he had been speaking to both Jew and Gentile up until now. He without hearing knows of the multiplicity of questions the nation of Israel had. After all he is an Israelite. His heart bleeds for them. One question is “Has God Really Forsaken His First Love, Israel His Chosen Nation?”

The more I study of scripture, the more ferocious my appetite becomes to remain in His word. As a recap before we move deeply into Chapter 9, let us remember what we have already studied. We have been studying Romans for a while. The first 3 chapters outlined clearly the human state of sin. We are depraved, enslaved to sin, dead spiritually with no hope apart from a Savior. Chapters 4-5 outlined salvation by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Then, sanctification was addressed in chapters 6-8.

Moving from Chapter 8 to 9 is a hard turn

A part of me wants to linger in chapter 8. There it begins with “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. It then tells us of the Holy Spirit praying for us when we don’t even know how to pray. “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Why? Because whom He calls, He justifies. Whom He justifies, He sanctifies. And whom He sanctifies, glorifies.” Amazing that one day, I will look like Christ when I stand before Him. Ah, and how does chapter 8 end? Nothing, absolutely nothing, not even I can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. No wonder I want to stay there. Just bathe in the truths packed into those verses. Chapter 9 takes a sudden turn, as Paul remembers many of His fellow Israelite deny Christ.

Did God Reject Israel, His Chosen Nation?

Paul does recognize that for a time, the nation of Israel has been blinded to the truth. Why? So the gentiles could be offered salvation. It was not the first time God saved Gentiles. There of course was Nineveh in the days of Jonah. There was Ruth and Rahab. Then there was Nebuchadnezzar. He had even used Nebuchadnezzar punish Israel for her idolatry and “harlotry” against Him. Then, He saw fit to save King Nebuchadnezzar. The Jewish nation was to always have been a light to the world bringing others to God. Instead, they chased the world. But Paul is heartbroken for his people, just as Jesus had wept over them as well.

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. Romans 9:1-5 NKJV

Note how Paul lists all the blessings bestowed upon them from the beginning. They were adopted by God as His nation. He boundlessly provided for them. He shed His glory upon them. They were given the covenants, the law, the promises, as well as His abounding protection through the ages. It was through the Israelite nation that Jesus was born in the flesh. So, what happened? And what now?

Were They Blessed Because They Are More Righteous?

No. He had called Abraham out of a land of idol worship. God told Abraham to get away from his father’s household, but Abraham took Lot with him. That became a problem. Not only a problem with infighting among their servants, but Abraham was pulled into a war to save Lot. And the descendants of Lot were the Moabites and the Ammonites who fought against the Israelites. Furthermore, there was the problem that Abraham lied twice about Sarah being his sister instead of his wife. Well, and there was Ishmael born of the handmaid. He did become a great nation, having 12 sons. Muhammed in the Karan does report himself as a direct descendant of Ishmael.

Yes, Abraham had faith in God which was counted to him for righteousness. But even that faith was given to Him by God and taught to Him throughout His life. So, would God forsake Israel, His chosen nation?

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” Romans 9:6-9 NKJV

Paul begins an argument which is considered one of the strongest for God’s Sovereignty in choosing whom He will. Not that they were any more worthy of choosing, but that He chose them. This becomes more evident in the next verse.

So, Is Israel Still His Chosen Nation? And what about Sovereign Election?

And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” Romans 9:10-13.

Now, did God see through the corridors of time and believe Jacob was more righteous? The heel-grabber who lied to his father and tricked his brother out of his birthright? Jacob did not walk unto the Lord until God put his hip out of socket making him lame.

Then there was Judah who slept with his daughter-in-law believing her to be a prostitute. Yet, Jesus is the Lion from the tribe of Judah. Or Moses was chosen before he was born. Yet, he killed a man, and ran in fear. He did not even consider circumcising his own sons while in the wilderness. That is until God called to him from a burning bush. Even then, he ran from the snake, explained his speech impediment to God, making every excuse. But after God transformed him through grace, he led the children of Israel. Indeed, he offered to take their punishment instead to save them. A transformation only God could perform.

So, now, for a time, Israel is not the forefront of the story. We, the church, are. But our time will be soon winding down, and Israel will be the focus once again. God will complete all that He has planned for Israel, and they will come to bow down before Him in worship. Paul understood this. And he understood God always kept a remnant as His chosen people.

So, if God chooses whom He will, is He unjust?

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. Romans 9:14-18 NKJV

I have spent this whole week reading from Jonathan Edwards, the strongest defender of Calvinism. At the same time, I read from Charles Wesley who was a staunch believer in Armenianism. Both with blessed ministries at the same time in history. What I found is both were very intelligent highly blessed men of God. There were more similarities in their ministries than differences.

Bringing me back to believing that God is beyond anything I can comprehend. In my case, I know He chose me before the earth was created. This despite all the times I would disappoint him. Chosen before the beginning of time, redeemed, called to be His child. Yet, He has chosen the foolishness of preaching to reach the lost and to do the calling. In my case, it was Dr. M. R. Dehaan’s sermon on the radio that I was listening to.

Now Israel, His chosen Nation He has restored in their land. Phase 1 of completing all He promised. This after a time period of God’s voice being silent toward them. We the church did not replace them. We are the bride of Christ. They the “unfaithful wife” of the Father.

The truth is that none, no not one, of us deserve salvation. But He chose to save some. That does not make me desire to sin more, as some would think. The truth that He saved me and secures me. Well that only makes me more dedicated to serving Him with all my heart, mind, strength, and soul.

Do We Think Too Little of God? As though He was not the Creator?

You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? Romans 9:19-21 NKJV

So, do I truly have any right to judge God? Or to question Him? He who has been my rock and high tower throughout my life? Nor does Israel have any right to question all He has done this. They currently for the most part do not even consider being true to God. That is all but a remnant. So, if many are for the moment not called, does that make God any less? He still will keep all His promises.

God will call out those whom He will, until that day when the church age ends. Then through the tribulation He will purify Israel, His chosen nation. They will rejoice. When? At the end of the tribulation. When they behold their King on a white horse to set up His Kingdom on earth. They will recognize He whom they have pierced and bow before Him. King David will be His prince on the throne in Jerusalem during the millennial reign of Christ. So, as Paul continues

What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Romans 9:22-24 NKJV

Therefore, we can trust He has a perfect plan. Even if we do not fully understand. I do not fully understand how He holds the universe together. Nor how He hears all our prayers at the same time. But I know He does.

Israel, His Chosen Nation Set Aside Until The Bride of Christ is Called

As He says also in Hosea:

“I will call them My people, who were not My people,

And her beloved, who was not beloved.”

“And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,

‘You are not My people,’

There they shall be called sons of the living God.” Romans 9:25-26 NKJV

But He keeps a remnant Among Israel His Chosen Nation

Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:

“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,

The remnant will be saved.

For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,

Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”

And as Isaiah said before:

“Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed,

We would have become like Sodom,

And we would have been made like Gomorrah. Romans 9: 27-29 NKJV

All that is Not of Faith benefits Nothing

Israel still thought they could keep the law and did not want to accept a Messiah when He came. But that is the wonderful mystery of God. Though alluded to in the Old Testament, no one wanted to see the truth.

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,

And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 9:30 NKJV

Conclusion:

Next in Chapter 20 we return to Paul discussing salvation where all that salvation is near to all. That if we confess with our mouth and believe with our hearts we will be saved. He says this is through preaching and calls us to be witnesses. So, yes I believe in predestination and yes I believe that salvation is through accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. I do not need to know every detail of how both are true. All I need is to trust my Lord and Savior. I know He is good, wise, gracious, and just. That is all I need to really know.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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