6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 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. 9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (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), 12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
Commentary
Vs. 6-9 In response to Israel's current rejection of the gospel, and God's promises of their redemption through it, the Apostle Paul now addresses this aspect of God's redemption plans for them, and for us all. And so the Apostle begins by saying that it's not that the Word of God has taken no effect. Rather they are not all Israel who are Israel. That is simply because one is a citizen of the nation of Israel, does not mean they are actually citizens of the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16). Similarly, simply because one is a descendant of Abraham does not make them a child of God (Gal. 6:15). This is made clear with the Apostle Paul quoting from 21:12 where God says to Abraham to listen to Sara in wanting him to put Hagar and Ishmael away, saying to him to do this because, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” And so it was that even though Ishmael was Abraham's firstborn son, God's promise to Abraham was that it would be Sara who would bring forth the promised son, as the Apostle quotes in verse 9 from Genesis 18:10, 14 where God says to him;“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” And so it is just as the Apostle says in verse 8, "...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 that is how all the children of God are known, not by the flesh, but only by believing God's promise to them, and thus who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Gospel of John states: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:13-14 Therefore sonship with God is not by the works of man, but only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whether one is a Jew or a Gentile (see Gal. 3:7, 26, 29; 4:28-31; 6:15; also Rom 4:13-25).
Vs. 10-13 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (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), 12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
The Apostle now further his reasoning on this by looking at Rebecca. That Paul says that she had conceived by one man is emphasizing that though both Rebecca and Isaac were the parents by whom Esau and Jacob were conceived, and the children were conceived at the same time, God's choosing of Isaac was based on nothing other than God's Sovereign Desires to do so. As he states in verse eleven, "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." And so it is God's election of individuals to be His own is not based not on their merits, or lack thereof, but rather according to His own Sovereign Right and Will to do so. For God elects individuals to be His own, and or to fulfill His purposes in the earth (more on that later), that is the Scriptural truth and reality (consider John 6:37; 17:2; Acts 13:48; Rom 8:28-30; 9:22-23; Eph. 1:3-5, 11 etc.). As God said to Rebecca of the children in her womb, “The older shall serve the younger.” (see Gen. 25:23). Thus Esau the firstborn would be subordinate to Jacob. As God would later reiterate to the nation of Israel, through the prophet Malachi, when He said of them, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” (see Malachi 1:2-3). That God hated (gr. miseo, Str 3404) Esau needs no apology from us. For God who creates all things knows the heart of all things, and thus does not and will not explain to us His Sovereign works and reasoning's in His election of some while rejecting others. We simply believe and trust that whatever decisions He makes about anyone or anything are fully in accord with His Perfect understanding and Perfect dealings with all people in all things. And so the Apostle Paul will address peoples inherent objections to this, through their own finite understanding of things, in the next section of Romans.
Scripture Quotation
Vs. 10-13 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (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), 12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
The Apostle now further his reasoning on this by looking at Rebecca. That Paul says that she had conceived by one man is emphasizing that though both Rebecca and Isaac were the parents by whom Esau and Jacob were conceived, and the children were conceived at the same time, God's choosing of Isaac was based on nothing other than God's Sovereign Desires to do so. As he states in verse eleven, "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." And so it is God's election of individuals to be His own is not based not on their merits, or lack thereof, but rather according to His own Sovereign Right and Will to do so. For God elects individuals to be His own, and or to fulfill His purposes in the earth (more on that later), that is the Scriptural truth and reality (consider John 6:37; 17:2; Acts 13:48; Rom 8:28-30; 9:22-23; Eph. 1:3-5, 11 etc.). As God said to Rebecca of the children in her womb, “The older shall serve the younger.” (see Gen. 25:23). Thus Esau the firstborn would be subordinate to Jacob. As God would later reiterate to the nation of Israel, through the prophet Malachi, when He said of them, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” (see Malachi 1:2-3). That God hated (gr. miseo, Str 3404) Esau needs no apology from us. For God who creates all things knows the heart of all things, and thus does not and will not explain to us His Sovereign works and reasoning's in His election of some while rejecting others. We simply believe and trust that whatever decisions He makes about anyone or anything are fully in accord with His Perfect understanding and Perfect dealings with all people in all things. And so the Apostle Paul will address peoples inherent objections to this, through their own finite understanding of things, in the next section of Romans.
Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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