Romans 9:1-11

 

Rom 9:1 (KJV)
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

Here Paul is affirming the fact that what he is conveying in these chapters is the absolute truth. By using the term “in Christ,” he seems to be using this as sort of an oath but also he is identifying himself that he is a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth that he is bringing is also in concert with the testimony of the Holy Spirit. What is being taught here is not a private belief but is truth given to Paul by the Holy Spirit and since the Holy Spirit indwells Paul, as He does every believer, then the truth that He gives Paul to write will definitely bear witness with his conscience. Now as Christians today, the Scriptures will bear witness to our consciences because the Holy Spirit is the author of the Scriptures and we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, therefore, there is a divine witness between the two.

Rom 9:2 (KJV)
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

Paul is now stating that he has much sustained grief and sorrow in his heart. The word “sorrow” in the Greek conveys the idea of “pain of mind or distress.” Paul then goes on to explain in the following verses what is causing his distress.

Rom 9:3 (KJV)
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Paul was very heavy hearted in that his desire to see the nation of Israel come to know their Messiah, that if he could somehow accomplish this, he is willing himself to be accursed from Christ, that is, he is willing to go to Hell for all eternity. Notice here that Paul is speaking of the people of Israel according to the flesh. This means those Israelites who were alive at Paul’s time were whom he desired that they would come to know Christ as their Messiah. It takes a big heart to be willing to sacrifice your salvation for others to know Christ as Savior. However, this cannot happen and no one can exchange their salvation for even the noblest and most honest desires in the Lord.

Rom 9:4 (KJV)
Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Paul continues from verse three that his kinsmen according to the flesh are the true Israelites and not the talmudic Jews who are really imposter Israelites. The true Israelite is the one who is truly descended through Jacob’s twelve sons. They were to be adopted as God’s family. (Deu 7:6 KJV) For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. They also received of the glory of God as they traveled through the wilderness, the “shekinah” glory of God had preceded and followed them for the full forty years. The covenants of God were also given through them, such as the Davidic covenant, the covenant of Mt. Sinai, the Abrahamic covenants. God also gave the nation of Israel the Law of God at Mount Sinai through Moses and for one thousand years following until the book of Malachi was penned as the last book of the Hebrew Scriptures. Within the law of God, they also received the instructions on how to do serve God in the Tabernacle and then later in the Temples which were built. Israel was also given the great promises of God which we find in Scripture. God would give them a condition or promise and if they kept their side of it, then God would keep His side with the blessing.

Rom 9:5 (KJV)
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

The fathers of the faith came out of Israel. Abraham, who was not an Israelite but a Chaldean whom God saved, brought the eternal covenants that we find in Genesis 13-17. Isaac was the promised son of Abraham that brought the covenant to Israel. (Gen 17:21 KJV) But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. (Gen 21:12 KJV) And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Then Jacob and Esau were born to Isaac but it was through Jacob who eventually became named Israel that the nation Israel really began. It was through his twelve sons that the tribes of Israel came into existence and it was through the tribe of Judah that the Lord Jesus Christ would eventually come on the scene. The Lord Jesus Christ coming through the tribe of Judah was eternal God Himself who came to Earth to pay for all the sins of the Elect. “Who is over all” is a direct statement which belongs only to the supreme God Himself as being the absolute ruler of the entire universe, earth, and Heaven. “Amen” implies finality in that it is so.

Rom 9:6 (KJV)
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Here Paul reveals that there are two Israels. If you notice in the past few verses, Paul was speaking of his kinsman according to the flesh and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh. The Bible is now revealing that there are two different Israels. There is Israel according to the flesh and Israel according to the Spirit. This is a very important verse as Paul begins by stating that the Word of God was effective in doing what it was supposed to do. When we look back at the history of the nation of Israel from the time they came out of Egypt, we will see two distinct populations. One of them was the people who built the Golden Calf and were the ones who disobeyed God right down through their entire history. Men such as Korah, King Saul, Baalam, etc. Then you also have the history of the men who obeyed God during their history. Men such as Moses, Joshua, David, Nehemiah, etc. What Paul is saying here is that God’s Word reached His Elect among the ancient nation of Israel, even though it looked more like it failed in keeping the nation of Israel as a holy people. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The word of God, made a distinction between the Israel in the flesh which was disobedient and the Israel of God which was in the Spirit who were the obedient of God. Thus, we see that Paul speaks of two Israels, one according to the flesh and one according to the Spirit. Those who are born again are of Spiritual Israel, which is the eternal Israel. Paul is saying that just because a person was born in national Israel, does not mean they are part of the eternal Israel. One enters the eternal Israel through redemption through the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The true chosen people of God are those chosen for salvation and that is the only chosen people God has. The idea that the modern talmudic Jews are God’s chosen people is nothing more than political heresy which is embraced by many preachers simply because they will not approach these verses in Romans in truth, instead they approach them through the eyes and writings of well-paid false prophecy pundits who receive much money from the Zionists to make sure Christians keep thinking that the modern talmudic Jews are God’s chosen people. (1 Pet 2:10 KJV) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Notice in this verse it states “the people of God.” The direct article means there is no other people of God.

Rom 9:7 (KJV)
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Here Paul speaks of the fact that just because someone is a physical descendant of Abraham, whether Israelite or Arab, does not make them chosen people. The line of the Arabs came through Ishmael and the line of Israel came through Isaac. It must be remembered that this is a family line. (Gen 21:12 KJV) And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Those who are the redeemed of God are placed in the spiritual line of Isaac. The true spiritual seed of Abraham will come through the line of Isaac. Notice that the seed is called and it is not automatic because of birth. This is a great insight because it is teaching us that birth does not mean you are born into the family of God. Those who are called and saved are the true spiritual seed of Abraham. (Gal 3:29 KJV) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Rom 9:8 (KJV)
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Here is a direct statement that those who are born of the flesh are not the children of God. We read in Genesis 21:12 that the spiritual seed of Abraham is called and not born. (Gal 3:16 KJV) Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Gal 3:29 KJV) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Those who are in the Abrahamic covenant which speaks of eternity, those are the true children of God. (Gen 17:8 KJV) And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Notice in Genesis 17:8, we read that God is going to give Abraham the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. This is language which is teaching us that the land that God is going to give Abraham is of an eternal nature. We know by the Scriptures that God is going to destroy this present world and He is going to remake the New Heavens and the New Earth. It is the New Earth which is going to last forever and not the present Earth. The present Earth is degenerating because of the effects of sin as we have previously read but the New Earth will suffer no such fate since sin will not be allowed in that place. The Bible speaks in the principle of two. There are only two kingdoms on Earth, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. There are only two ages, the present evil age and the one to come. There are two Israels, the one according to the flesh and the eternal Israel according to the Spirit. This is why when we read the above statement we can safely conclude that the modern physical Jews are not the children of God but only those who are truly born again by the Spirit of God who enter the Spiritual or eternal Israel through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 9:9 (KJV)
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

The promise of God for the eternal covenant began with the promise that Sarah was going to have a son and not the son which came through Hagar. (Gen 17:19 KJV) And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. (Gen 17:21 KJV) But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Notice that this covenant is called an everlasting covenant which means that this is speaking of the promise of Grace and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who effected that eternal covenant by His sacrifice on Calvary for His Elect.

Rom 9:10 (KJV)
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

Here God is telling us that the line continues through Isaac and Rebecca, that the promise of Genesis 21:12 is now coming to fruition that the true spiritual descendants of Abraham are going to be named through Isaac.

Rom 9:11 (KJV)
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Two sons were born to Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Esau. Esau was the oldest and therefore entitled to the privileges of being first born. Now in this passage we are told that the two children were not yet born and neither of them had done any good or evil. However, Jacob was the one who received the blessing which should have gone to Esau but this was God’s plan. God’s plan was for Jacob to receive the blessing and it was not that Jacob was any better than Esau but it was done according to election by God Himself. This election has nothing whatsoever to do with any type of works. God chooses His people based upon election and not upon their works or their will. (John 1:12-13 KJV) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. God had already named those He planned to save before the foundation of the world and when the world was created, God began His election program, choosing a people for Himself based on the names He wrote in the lamb’s Book of Life. Here we read that Jacob’s name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life while Esau’s name was not and this is why Jacob was the one who was to receive the special blessing. God’s purpose was to have Jacob receive the blessing and as we read about the unfolding of this, we know why, because it was through Jacob, who eventually became known as Israel, that the twelve tribes would be formed and the Lord Jesus Christ would come through the line of the tribe of Judah.