ROMANS 9: 19-26-29
THE CREATOR'S PLAN
Before we get started let me state that this is a difficult and controversial passage. If Romans 9 has raised more questions than answers for you, you're not alone. Because of these difficulties many interpretations have been offered. As the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 3:16 when referring to inspired Scripture in recognition that some thoughts written by the Apostle Paul were difficult to comprehend ["…His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."] So as we grapple with the deep truths of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, though we may not always have full understanding, our great need as always is to trust Him and surrender our lives to Him.
Our passage for tonight continues the review of God's sovereign activity by presenting another difficulty. If God is acting unilaterally, fashioning each and all according to His own will and purpose, would He not remove the reason and basis for judging man's response and responsibility? If man cannot determine his own destiny, make his own free-will decisions, but can only follow a predetermine plan, how can he be condemned? If man could do nothing other than what God predetermined for him, how can man be blamed if he has no self determination or free-will?
A person could look at such actions and conclude that it isn't fair. Even God's choice of Abraham out of all the nations, His choice of Isaac over Ishmael, His choice of Jacob over Esau, His choice of Israel over the other ancient nations, and now His choice of the Church over Israel could be construed as over-ruling man's free-will. So is God fair in the way He's working out His plan?
If God is simply having mercy on some and hardening others, who is responsible or who should be blamed? In resisting God's will is one only acting out a role predetermined by God? And if this be the case, how can one be held morally accountable?
[A careful reading of verses 19-23 erects a detour to understanding that the prevailing thought here is a reference to the final salvation or damnation of individuals, for these verses steer away from that issue. Rather, as verse 24 on reveal, the focus is on God's new people not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles. The subject continues to be the purposes of God from the call of Abraham to the establishment of the church, instead of Israel. [Edwards, James. New International Biblical Com. Romans. Hendrickeson. 1992. p. 239]
I. THE CREATOR'S POWER, 19-21
II. THE CREATOR'S POSSIBILITIES, 22-23.
III. THE CREATOR'S PEOPLE, 24-26.
IV. THE CREATOR'S POSTERITY, 27-29.
I. THE CREATOR'S POWER, 9:19-21.
Again here in verse 19 another question or false assumption is anticipated. "You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"
"Then why does God still blame us?" [The word "then" probably goes with the preceding statement rather than this question, though also makes good sense here.] "For who resists" [anti-hist mi, to stand against" is in the perfect tense meaning, "has taken and continues to take a stand against"] His will? [Will is boulmati, "deliberate purpose."]. If God makes the choices, how can He hold man responsible? For who can maintain resistance against what He does?
It would help to remember that this section addresses God's purpose in Israel rejection of the Messiah and not solteriology or the doctrine of salvation. Paul's objective is to deal with the nature of God's dealings with mankind rather the aspects of human response and responsibility involved in such dealings.
Can man hold His Creator accountable for his own outcome? In reply, Paul first points out the inappropriateness of the created talking back to the Creator (v.20) as though he had sufficient wisdom to judge the Almighty. [The illustration of the potter and the clay (v.21) will show how ridiculous this is.]
Verse 20 asserts that man does not dictate terms to God. "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?"
In response Paul reaffirms God's sovereignty and the impertinence of such questions (Isa. 45:9). "Who are you, O man, to talk back to God?" The address, "O man," is more than dramatic flair; it is a reminder of the wide chasm which separates humanity from God. Man, the created one, has no legitimate right to question God, the Creator. There is a "madness in the human mind" which presumes to fathom God's every purpose and which calls Him to account when it cannot.
Remember that God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher are than our minds can comprehend (Isa. 55:). Who can fathom the mind the of the Lord?
Paul then quoted a clause from Isaiah 29:16: "Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, Why did You make me like this?" "The limitedness of human understanding cannot fathom the divine purpose, and errs when it tries to do so." Paul is not attempting to justify the ways of God but is focusing in on God's sovereign purposes.
The point of the potter illustration in verse 21 demonstrates the inappropriateness of the created to judge the Almighty Creator. "Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?"
Drawing an analogy between the sovereign Creator and a potter, Paul asked, "Does not the potter have the right [exousía- authority] to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes ["a vessel unto honor"] "and some for common use? [lit., "unto dishonor"]. Obviously a potter from the same pile takes some clay to form a finely shaped and decorated vase and takes other clay to make a cooking pot (Isa. 29:16; 45:9; Jer. 18:4-6). The clay has no authority to complain! The sovereign Creator has the same charge over His creatures, especially in light of man originally being made from dust of the earth (Gen. 2:7).
A potter makes vessels for various purposes. God likewise ordains times and events and peoples for purposes of His choosing, some for noble purposes and some for common use. Most of us, unlike Isaiah, Paul, Moses and Pharaoh, are common vessels which God wants to use for everyday purposes. Even if those purposes are not apparent, that is no reason to doubt that God's righteousness and holy love are not working in and through them. Might I add, it would be an odd potter indeed who made vessels simply to destroy them.
Let me be clearer on one point right is not right because God does it; rather, God does it because it is right. God's righteous will, as revealed in the Ten Commandments and in the rules of fairness and justice associated with them are not arbitrary, but absolute, and not even God can transcend right. The devil can lie. God cannot lie, and still be holy. [This passage does not depict or defend a cosmic bully. Edwards, 241]
II. THE CREATOR'S POSSIBILITIES, 9:22-23.
Having stated that God is like a potter, Paul now applied this illustration to the Sovereign's purpose for different people. Two alternatives as conditional clauses are presented in verses 22 & 23. They are not principles but conjectures concerning sovereignty. Verse 22 asks us to suppose for a moment. "What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?"
The first alternative presented is natural man. Did God not have the right to create mankind who has fallen into sin and rebelled against Him? These are the vessels with whom God . . . bore with great patience (2 Peter 3:9) in spite of the fact that they are "the objects (lit., "vessels") of His wrath—prepared for destruction" (apleian, "ruin"). [The perfect passive participle "prepared" describes past action with a continuing result or state. "Prepared" may be reflexive (middle voice), "prepared themselves," or it could be taken as passive meaning "were prepared."] The wicked are fitted or made ready for destruction by their sins.
["Wanting" or "desiring" [thél n] is better rendered "willing." God is willing to prepared for eternal judgment not because He delights to do so, but because of their sin and refusal to repent has made themselves responsible before God (1 Thess. 2:15f). In view of their sin, which makes them "ripe" for destruction, God is willing to exhibit His wrath, and He will do so at the proper time.]
The objects of wrath here are simply all people who haven't yet experienced God's saving power through Jesus Christ. The thought is that they have been and are in a state of readiness or ripeness to receive God's wrath. The objects of God's wrath are the unsaved (1:18), who will suffer eternal judgment (John 3:36). God has patiently endured their antagonism toward Him (Acts 14:16; Rom. 3:25), but their judgment is coming. Those who oppose Him and refuse to turn to Him (Mt. 23:37) are awaiting condemnation. They are "storing up [God's] wrath" against themselves (Rom. 2:5). In hell they will experience His wrath, and His power will be made known (9:17). God does not delight in wrath, and He did not choose some people to go to hell. The phrase "prepared for destruction" doesn't mean that God created some people for the predetermined purpose of sending them to hell. For unless we repent we shall all likewise perish (Lk. 13:2-5).
[The crucial problem in verse 22 is to interpret correctly the expression "prepared for destruction." Is Paul teaching a double predestination? This is improbable, because he avoids involving God in this case, whereas God is involved in showing mercy to the objects of His mercy (in v.23). Furthermore, God's patience in bearing with the objects of His wrath suggests a readiness to receive them on condition of repentance (2:3, 4; 2 Peter 3:9). So "prepared for destruction" designates a ripeness of sinfulness that points to judgment unless there is a turning to God, yet God is not made responsible for the sinful condition. The preparation for destruction is the work of man, who allows himself to deteriorate in spite of knowledge and conscience.] [Harrison, Everett. The Expositor's Bible Com. Vol. 10. Zondervan. Grand Rapids. 1976, p. 107]
[In view of what follows, when Paul speaks of "the objects of his [God's] wrath" (v.22), he has in mind those in Israel who have remained obstinate in opposing the gospel, yet are still the objects of the divine longsuffering. In contrast to them are "the objects of his mercy" (v.23) in whom God wills to show the riches of his glory (in contrast to his wrath). These, whom he has prepared for glory, include both Jews and Gentiles (v.24), in line with the previous teaching (1:16; 2:10, 11; 3:22) and with the prophetic announcement.] [Harrison, 107]
During this time of God's patience a person can either repent and experience God's saving power, or that person will continue making him or herself more and more ready for judgment. So even though people who rebel against their Creator are resisting God's love and storing up wrath for themselves, God patiently bears with them, leading them toward repentance. Not all repent, but thank God we can go from being objects of wrath to objects of mercy.
The gist is that although God will demonstrate His wrath against objects prepared for destruction [again the Greek is unclear whether God prepared them or they prepared themselves - is it middle or passive voice?], He restrained Himself with patience in order to show mercy to the objects of His mercy.
The conjecture statement is expanded in verse 23. "And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,"
The other alternative relates to God's dealings with the objects [lit., "vessels"; v. 21] of His mercy. We can trust in God's fairness because God is motivated by mercy, not wrath. God has had patience with the vessel of wrath so that He could show His mercy to those who are being saved. God saved them, these former vessels of wrath in order to make the riches of His glory known and He prepared them in advance for glory (8:29-31; Col. 1:27; 3:4). The verb "He prepared in advance" is protoimasen, could be translated "He made ready beforehand" [or even "predestined"]. God makes them ready beforehand or before His glory by bestowing salvation. [The word "prepared" in v. 22 is katrtismena, "are made or prepared or ripened."] The idea seems to be that once saved God prepares them for glory.
The word glory here evidently refers to the glorious state of existence for which God is preparing His people[, and in hope of which we now rejoice]. Glory is the final destiny of the redeemed. They will experience the splendor of God first when they see His glory then as they are filled and transformed by it into Christ-likeness.
Though verses 22 & 23 are difficult to completely understand both are funneled into verse 24, which clearly celebrates God's calling of Jews and Gentiles in the gospel.
III. THE CREATOR'S PEOPLE, 24-26.
Who are those vessel of mercy prepared for glory? Verse 24 declares that they are those redeemed under the New Covenant, both Jew and Gentile. "even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles."
Now the apostle return to the main subject of discussion. Up to this point Paul had been speaking in suppositions and conditions, but in verse 24 he becomes direct by using "even us." Paul and his readers were some of the vessels of mercy called by God.
God called both Jews and Gentiles. The point is that God's call was manifested not only in the Jews' ancestry (in Isaac and Jacob, vv. 6-13), but also in Paul's generation, and, glory to God, it still today. Like a shaft of light, the call of grace pierces the remotest corners of society, and life after life is being called out of darkness into His glory.
In showing mercy and in judging sin, God makes no distinctions based on race, ethnic background, nationality, intelligence, or even moral or religious merit. God calls men be they Gentiles or Jews indiscriminately. This is the conclusion to which the apostle aims us.
To back up this conclusion and particularly the part about Gentiles, Paul quoted two verses from Hosea (2:23; 1:10) in verses 25 & 26. "As He says also in Hosea, "I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,' And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.' " (26) "And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God."
In these two verses Paul shows that the calling of the Gentiles was not an unforeseen event, but that it was expressly foretold by the Prophets. About seven hundred years before Jesus' birth, Hosea told of God's intention to restore His people. Paul applies Hosea's message to God's intention to bring Gentiles into His forever family after the Jews rejected His plan. Verse 25 is a quotation from Hosea 2:23 and verse 26 is from Hosea 1:10. [The combination of two or more disconnected passages in one quotation, is not unusual in the New Testament.]
God directed Hosea to give his children symbolic names—one son Lo-Ammi (not my people) and the daughter Lo-Ruhamah (not . . . loved). These represented God's abandonment of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrian Captivity and Exile (Hosea 1:2-9).
God was not permanently casting away the people of Israel, however. In the verses quoted by Paul God promised to restore them as His beloved and as His people. [By ethnic heritage the Gentiles were not God's people, so Paul was led by the Spirit of God to apply these verses to Gentiles—and Jews also—who were called by God to be His people in Christ. [The quotation of Hosea 2:23 is rather free with the order of the clauses reversed to fit the application to Gentiles.] Paul was applying these verses from Hosea to the Gentiles, not reinterpreting them. He also was not saying that Israel of the Old Testament is now the church, though there is a remnant of Israel to be found in the church.
Gentiles, or the masses of humanity, were and are called by the grace of God to a distinctive role-that of being the people of God. Paul saw this happening in every city where he preached.
IV. THE CREATOR'S POSTERITY, 9:27-29.
Having dealt with the Gentiles, the second part of the conclusion reached in verse 24 which pertains to the Jews is now addressed. Verses 27-29 are quotations of Old Testament verses to support the fact that God's calling always resulted in a faithful Jewish remnant, though it is a minority. No matter how many Israel would become verse 27 highlights the fact that only a small number would be saved or response to God's call. "Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved;
[Verses 27 and 28 are based on Isaiah 10:22, 23; and 9:29 is from Isaiah 1 :9.] Isaiah prophesied that only a small number -a remnant- of God's original people, the Jews, would be saved. Even though Paul went to the Jews first, relatively few ever accepted the message.
If a godly seed or a remnant had not been saved by God, the true Israel would have been wiped out entirely. But a seed, a remnant, a group has been preserved both historically and spiritually. So there is a remnant of Israel found in the church -along with others who were not His people—Gentiles like you and me. Before God there are three groups of people: the Jew, the Gentile, and the church. The church is made up of a faithful remnant of Jews and Gentiles
God in His sovereignty gave opportunity for Israel to come to Him. But most of Israel passed up the invitation. Paul thus says only a seed, only a remnant responded to the message of grace. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 953]
Verse 28, "for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly."
The second passage quoted by the apostle in verse 29 is from Isaiah 1:9,
29 "And just as Isaiah foretold, "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left to us a posterity, We would have become like Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah."
The passages quoted (Isa. 10:22-23 and 1:9, both from the Septuagint) make it clear that in God's judgment on rebellious Israel He by sovereign choice preserves and saves a remnant. Those promises were fulfilled in the Captivity and Exile of both Israel and Judah and in the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 and will also be fulfilled in the national end-time deliverance of Israel (Rom. 11:26-27). Even today the same principle is true. Jews who become members of the church, the body of Christ, are what Paul later called "a remnant chosen by grace" (11:5), which included himself (11:1). [Walvoord, John. & Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 477.]
If God's judgment bad been unsparing the nation would have become truly wiped out as Sodom and Gomorrah (v.29). But the divine judgment is tempered by unfailing mercy. of which the remnants is the eloquent proof. The dual theme of the kindness and severity of God comes into focus again at 11 .22.
AS WE CLOSE
A man was exploring caves by the Seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of HARDENED CLAY BALLS. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.
As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could. He thought little of it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!
Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!
It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it. We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person. There. is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God, to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth. May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in common clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.
I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have with you. Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.
When we become vessel of God's mercy have the riches of God glory in us. Others may not readily see it because the treasures of God is hidden within us. But if you are a child of God, the first-fruit is there.
If you don't have a personal relationship with God through yielding to Jesus Christ as Lord, you can. Scripture makes it clear that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:32) and has no desire that even one person should perish (2 Pet. 3:9). Without compromising either His holiness or His justice, Jesus assures us that "the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (John 6:37). Will you come, right here, right now, and surrender you life to the Potter's creative hands?
