Israel, the Church, and the Nations – Part 2

The Messiah came to His people. Israel rejected the Messiah. But that doesn’t mean that God failed or needed to initiate a backup plan. Rather, we should recognize that everything was already a part of His sovereign plan to reach the nations also. A redemptive-historical and prophetic interpretation of Romans 9—11.

THE ALL-POWERFUL SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” (Rom 9:14-24).

These lines from the Apostle Paul are ones that people scarcely dare to tackle, and can generate a great deal of discussion. But any discussion must be based on the fact that this passage concerns Israel. It shows us that God reaches His goal through all circumstances, and that everything is subject to His sovereign plan. It answers two questions: 1. Is there injustice with God? (v. 14); and 2. Why is He still finding fault? For who has resisted His will? (v. 19).

“God forbid!” is the answer to the first. That statement alone suffices. God isn’t accountable to anyone. He doesn’t have to explain His behavior and His actions throughout redemptive history. He is Almighty God, the Creator of all. Even if we question Him, He’s still the righteous God. Jesus Himself testifies to this: in John 17:25, He calls God “righteous Father.”

This text showcases the absolute fact that no one can come to God of their own accord. Both election to salvation and to a calling proceed from a merciful God alone (Rom 9:16). Only the one who is drawn by the Father can come to Jesus, and as a result, salvation (John 6:44). And no one can say “Lord Jesus” except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3). So, it is all the result of the Spirit’s work.

If God lets us perish instead of saving us, He would still be absolutely righteous. That should instill awe, humility, and gratitude in us. Paul uses Pharaoh as an example. This Egyptian ruler’s heart was hardened by God, so that He would be glorified and His plan of salvation for Israel would be fulfilled—resulting in the Lord’s name being proclaimed throughout the earth. The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart served God’s plan; that alone is crucial. “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth” (Rom 9:18).

With this argument, Paul is putting God’s sovereignty on a pedestal, far above our way of thinking. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that God doesn’t manifest grace to all people unto eternal life. It says elsewhere that God doesn’t want anyone to perish (2 Pet 3:9), and that He wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4). But the Apostle makes it clear that this is only achieved through the principle of God’s grace, and that no work on man’s part is taken into consideration.

As to the second question (Why is He still finding fault? For who has resisted His will?), Paul gives no arguments at all. Instead, he rebukes the asker with a question of his own. “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (vv. 20-21).

God can do and permit what He wants, without it meaning He is unrighteous or unloving. He always remains God. Even if He seems unfair in our eyes, His actions correspond to His loving intentions. Since He is love personified, He cannot do harm. The Lord is too great for us to understand, and this shows us the clear balance of power.

What is man? Just a fragile vessel that wears out and cracks over time. Who is God? The Creator of the vessel, “Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen” (1 Tim 6:15-16).

The potter can do as he wishes with the vessel. He can shape it for whichever purpose suits him. Everything serves the perfect purposes of God. If He creates a vessel to be a chamber pot, then it serves a purpose. If He creates a vessel to be a saucepan, it serves a different purpose. He won’t cook rice in the chamber pot. If He creates a vessel as a precious bowl, it serves a purpose. The metaphor of the potter shows us that all things serve God, even the negative ones. Even dishonorable vessels serve Him, and that’s all that matters.

In God’s plan of salvation, there are vessels for honor and dishonor within the house of Israel (that is, believers and unbelievers). Some were vessels of wrath, which God endured with long-suffering but were prepared for ruin. The others were vessels of mercy, in which the riches of God’s glory could be seen. So, even those who rejected and crucified Jesus had to be in service of God’s concerns, just as the Apostles served according to their calling: some as vessels of dishonor, others as vessels of honor.

There are three types of vessels: 1. Vessels of dishonor or wrath (the unbelieving part of Israel). 2. Vessels of honor or mercy (the believing part of Israel that was already a remnant in Paul’s day). 3. Vessels from the nations which, together with the believing part of Israel, form something new. The Apostle writes about this, “Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles” (Rom 9:24).

In summary, in light of God’s redemptive history for Israel, these passages explain: The Messiah came to His people. Israel rejected the Messiah. Calls for sustained repentance were not heeded by the crowd. But that doesn’t mean that God failed or needed to initiate a backup plan. Rather, we should recognize that everything was already a part of His sovereign plan to reach the nations also.

Israel was responsible for its own behavior, but God made it a part of His plan. There was no time in human history that things were left to chance. Nothing that happened was unforeseen or arbitrary, but everything was according to God’s eternal purpose (2 Tim 1:9). The holy Creator of all things also thought through the divine plan of salvation from eternity past, like a wise master builder. He then planned it and carried it out in the fullness of time.

There are also various vessels in the Church at large: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim 2:20-21).

In this context, the various types of vessels relate to pure and impure teachings and their advocates. As a representative of Paul’s teaching, Timothy is a silver or golden vessel of honor. False teachers like Hymenaeus and Philetus are wooden or earthen vessels: devoid of the Spirit and which only mislead others (2 Tim 2:16-18). We should purify ourselves from seductive false teaching, so that we may be vessels of honor.

WHAT WAS PROPHESIED HAS ARRIVED
“As he saith also in Osee [Hosea], I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (Rom 9:25-33).

Paul takes two quotations from Hosea that had originally applied to Israel, and applies them here to the nations that have believed (Hos 2:23; 1:10). Then he uses two quotations from Isaiah that apply to Israel (Isa 10:22; 1:9). In doing so, he is asserting that grace toward the Jews has been restricted due to their unbelief. Grace toward the Gentiles, however, has expanded. So, something new came about: a new unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ—a new people! (Rom 9:24).

Israel’s rejection of the Gospel, therefore, was part of God’s plan that had already been foretold prophetically. The complete redemption of Israel remains unchanged, but has been postponed to the time after the Church, which today consists of Jews and Gentiles (Rom 11:15, 26). In this coming latter time, everything will be completed: “For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha” (Rom 9:28-29).

God’s dealings with Israel have the goal of salvation: The Lord will bring Israel’s judgment toward completion (in my opinion, a reference to the Great Tribulation and the last days of Revelation). At this time of completion, the Lord will shorten the days to 3 ½ years, so that His people will be saved. This is in complete agreement with Matthew 24:22: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”

Revelation begins with these words: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John” (Rev 1:1).

After two thousand years of grace, the Lord will bring judgment and the restoration of Israel and the nations to an end in quick succession. The closing verses in Romans 9:30-33, make it clear that God seems to have turned everything upside down. But in their full depth, the words mean that salvation can only be accomplished by faith, and not through the works of the Law.

Israel, who possessed the Law of Moses and proudly referred to this fact, did not achieve salvation. The lawless Gentiles, on the other hand—who did not ask about the Law and did not know it—obtained salvation. The parable of the Prodigal Son and his brother could serve as a comparison.

The reason is faith (or lack thereof). Israel did not rely on faith; the people wanted to achieve the blessedness of salvation through works, and failed. They tripped over the stumbling block, Jesus, and broke. The nations, on the other hand, believed and were not put to shame. Instead, they helped to build up.

The Apostle Peter says something comparable: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby…Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 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…For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Pet 2:2, 6-10, 25).

These verses show us seven things that confirm what Paul says in Romans 9:

1. It concerns the born-again portion of Israel (1 Pet 2:2). 2. For the believing Jews, Jesus became the precious stone (vv. 6-7). 3. For unbelieving Jews, by contrast, He became a stumbling block that was rejected (vv. 7-8). 4. The believing Jews are the chosen generation and royal priesthood within the Church (v. 9). 5. They are a new, holy nation and a unique people (v. 9; cf. Matt 21:43). 6. They are the true Jewish people of God in the present age (v. 10). 7. It is they who have returned to the Good Shepherd as the lost sheep of Israel (v. 25).

News from Israel - 02/2022