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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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GOD’S SOVEREIGN
ELECTION OF GENTILES AND A REMNANT (Rom 9:24-33) 6/22/08 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor I.
GOD’S SOVEREIGN
ELECTION OF THE GENTILES (9:24-26) A.
The Gentiles
were Sovereignly Called (9:24) 1. Verse 24 is concludes verse 23 and it is the
explanation of who are the “vessels of mercy.” 2. The “vessels of mercy” according to God’s sovereign
election include 3. Since Ch. 9-11 deal with Israel, vs. 24 reveals that
the Gentiles were also sovereignly elected. Therefore, God’s sovereign
election deals not only with the nation of Israel, but also with other
nations. Furthermore, God’s sovereign election is not just for nations, but
also for the individuals that make up those nations. B.
Those Who Were
Not a People Became a People (9:25; Ho 2:23) 1. In order to confirm the assertion that Gentiles have
been sovereignly elected, Paul quotes from Hosea 2:23. 2. The context of Hosea is the prophecy of God’s
judgment against the Northern Kingdom’s moral waywardness as well as their future
restoration. 3. Hosea named three children with names that declared
God’s denouncement upon Israel (Ho 1:4-5; 1:6; 1:9). 4. Consequently, the Northern Kingdom was overthrown by
the Assyrians and approximately 20,000 Jews were deported to Assyria (B.C.
721). 5. Nevertheless, true to His
faithfulness, God promised restoration to Israel and a remnant from Israel
(Ho 2:1, 23). 6. Even though Hosea is referring to Israel in Hosea
2:23, Paul applies it to the Gentiles in the sense that God sovereignly elects
those who were not His people. 7. The Gentiles were not a people of God since they
were, “excluded
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to
the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ep 2:12). 8. But now, according
to God’s sovereign election and timeline, Gentiles are brought into a
relationship with God through Christ (Ep 2:13 cp. Ro 1:16-17; 9:24; 10:13). C.
Those Who Were
Not a People Became Sons (9:26; Ho 1:10) 1. Paul reiterates the sovereign election of the
Gentiles by quoting Hosea 1:10. Again the verse specifically refers to
Israel, but it is applied to the Gentiles. 2. Those who were not a people, shall now be called,
the “sons of the living God.” 3. All who trust Christ become sons of God (Jn 1:12; Ro
8:14; Ga 3:26), including Gentiles as well as Jews.
4. According to the context of Ro 9:11-29, all those
who come to Christ are those who have been sovereignly elected (Ep 1:4; Jn
6:44). II.
GOD’S SOVEREIGN
ELECTION OF A REMNANT (ISRAEL) (9:27-29) A.
A Remnant from
Israel was Sovereignly Called (9:27; Is 10:22) 1. Paul quotes Isa 10:22 to support the idea that a
remnant of Israel has been sovereignly elected. 2. Isa 10:22 declares that though the number of
national Israel will be like the “sand of the sea,” only a remnant (Heb. shear - residue or remainder; Grk. hupóleimma - what is
left over, survivors) will return. 3. God has prophesied
about the remnant of Israel through many of his prophets (cp. Isa 37:32; Jer 23:3, 50:20; Mic 2:12; 4:7;
5:7,8; 7:18; Zep 2:7; Zec 8:12) . B.
Judgment Comes
Upon All (9:28; Is 10:23) 1. Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will execute
destruction by His word “thoroughly and quickly,” which was fulfilled in the
Captivity and Exile of both Israel and Judah as well as the destruction of
the Temple in A.D. 70. 2. In spite of this destruction, God will preserve a
remnant, which will ultimately be fulfilled in the national end-time
deliverance of Israel (Ro 11:26-27). 3. Jews who trust Christ now, become part of the church
and are called a “remnant according to God’s gracious choice” (Ro 11:5) of
which Paul is a part (Ro 11:1). C.
Israel’s
Posterity was Spared (9:29; Is 1:9) 1. The overlying principle is that if God had not
intervened on Israel’s behalf, they would all have been destroyed. Paul
refers to Is 1:9 to affirm this point. 2. Sodom and Gomorrah were totally destroyed leaving no
remnants and little evidence of its existence (Mt 10:15; 11:24; 2Pe 2:6; Jude 1:7). 3.
Isaiah calls
God by the name, “Lord of Sabaoth” or Lord of
Hosts.” The Hebrew word, sabaoth, does not mean Sabbath as in the day set aside for worship. Rather, sabaoth
means, army, war, and warfare. 4.
It literally means, “LORD of Armies” and reveals God’s
sovereign omnipotence, which will preserve a remnant for the future
Millennial Kingdom (cp. Is 9:7) and spare Israel’s posterity. III.
GOD’S SOVEREIGN
PLAN OF SALVATION BY FAITH (9:30-33) A.
The Gentiles Attained
Righteousness by Faith in Christ (9:30) 1. The sovereignty of God is now combined with the
responsibility of man. The elect from the Gentiles and the elect from Israel
are according to God’s sovereign election. But why did the Gentiles attain
righteousness while the Israel did not. The answer involves the
responsibility of man. 2. The Gentiles did not pursue God, but God pursued the
Gentiles. In addition, the Gentiles attained righteousness (dikaiosúnê) because they attained it through God’s prescribed
method of receiving righteousness, namely justification “by faith” (ek písteōs
- Ro 1:16-17; 3:22-23). The sinner is credited with Christ’s
righteousness the moment he relies upon Christ as Savior (Ro 4:23-25). B.
Israel Could
Not Attain Righteousness Though the Law (9:31-32) 1. However, the question remains, “Why did the majority
of Israel reject her Messiah?” The answer again involves the responsibility
of man. 2. Israel did not attain the righteousness of Christ
because they attempted to attain it through the Law, which is by “works” and
not by faith (Ro 9:19-22). 3. Paul has returned to the theme of the book of
Romans, “The Gospel of God and Righteousness.” C.
Israel Stumbled
on Zion’s Stone (9:33; Is 28:16) 1. The Law was to lead Israel to the Messiah and then
Israel was to lead the Gentiles to the Messiah. Instead, Israel rejected and
stumbled over the Messiah. 2. Paul quotes Is 28:16 to show that Israel (Zion - denotes Jerusalem and God’s chosen)
would stumble over a stone, and that stone would be Christ. 3. Christ is depicted as the cornerstone or foundation
stone upon which God has built salvation, His church, and His people (Ep 2:20). 4. God has not gone back on His promises since Israel
has rejected the Messiah. Rather God had prophesied Israel’s stumbling and
promised a remnant out of Israel. In addition, God’s sovereign plan is
revealed, in which He also included the Gentiles. IV.
APPLICATIONS A.
God is faithful
B.
God’s promises
and judgments are faithful C.
God’s principles
are faithful. |
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