Today, we transition into Romans 9. After explaining the fact that all mankind is guilty and deserving of hell in Romans 1-3, and the believer's justification in Romans 4-5 and his sanctification in Romans 6-8, Paul turns to the plight of the Jews who have largely resisted God's love. It is clear throughout the Bible that God is not finished with Israel, even though they rejected Him. In fact, according to Daniel 9:24-27, it is evident that He has a future plan for this group of people.
Romans 9-11 focuses on the nation of Israel. In these three chapters, the Apostle Paul uses Israel to illustrate the themes that he has developed in Romans 1-8. Romans 9 highlights Israel’s past, Romans 10 zeros in on Israel’s present, and Romans 11 delineates Israel’s future.
In v.1-3 of today's passage we read, "1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel."
We begin this chapter with the recognition of the depth of the anguish of Paul's heart for his fellow Israelites. His sorrow at his countrymen's dismissal of the Lord Jesus was unbearable to him. I am convinced that it was unbearable because he maintained a close and intimate walk with the Lord. Knowing God so well and the depth of His love for him, the Apostle was broken hearted by those who wanted to remain under the law wrapped up in religion, instead of having a personal relationship with God.
It is only when we begin to understand the intensity of God's love that we can begin to get to the point that the Apostle was as described here. This is intense, and, Paul couldn't bear for his people not to experience the love of God as he. What a lesson this is on how to approach someone who isn't very eager to receive the truth. We must never come to those who are lost with accusations, or with bitter words, or denunciations, or even with the issues that separate us. Paul first dove deep into his personal relationship with the Lord and then he identified with the deep seated confusion of the lost.
To the Jews of Paul's day, I am positive he sounded like he was their enemy. Had a Jew read the letter of Romans, he would have regarded it as a gigantic put-down to the whole nation. Paul's ministry made his countrymen angry and upset, even violent in their rage against him. And yet, he was not their enemy, as he himself makes clear here in today's passage. The spiritual condition of his countrymen broke his heart. His anguish was so deep that he declared that if it were possible, he would be willing to take their place in hell to make it possible for them to believe in the Lord Jesus as their Messiah.
In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen."
The Jews had every reason to recognize the Lord Jesus for who He is, because they had been given by God the where with all to arrive in that place. But, Israel’s downfall was its arrogance which led to God’s rejection of them. If we find fault with God for saving some but not all, we are really asserting that mankind has a right to be saved. And, we all know this is absurd. For Israel, God advanced his purposes by choosing to give Israel the stage for Christ, through whom salvation would open to all of mankind.
Now, it appeared to many in Paul's day that the word of God failed to lead the Jews to faith in the Lord Jesus. That is until we factor in the fact that they had a choice to believe in the Lord Jesus or not. Notice the many reasons why Israel, as a whole, should have recognized the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. There are eight unique things that God granted the Israelites that should have so greatly influenced them that they should have believed in the Lord Jesus.
The Apostle Paul didn’t tell us the story of Israel simply that we might appreciate it. He did so that we might find our place in it. We like Israel find ourselves thinking that "Mercy is only for the deserving." We get to this place when we forsake abandoning ourselves to God. If the purpose of Israel was to set the stage for Christ, our purpose is to give Christ the stage. And, the stage is our very lives. Israel set the stage for Christ so that God’s salvation could be extended to all of mankind. It is through the stage of our broken lives that God shines most authentically to our friends and acquaintances.
By and large, we are reluctant to give Christ the stage, because we are more narcissistic than we think. Once we overcome our reluctance to go belly-up with God, it is then that the real adventure begins. This adventure is the most rewarding and the most taxing. It is most taxing because now that we have been found, we are now expected to be lost in the will of God. And, that is dangerous to our comfort laden world. It is most rewarding because of the inexhaustible nature of our God of grace and mercy. And, nothing can make injustice just but His grace and His mercy.
