The vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy.

Let’s put Paul’s text in context and walk through it to understand his argument in Romans 9:6-9 (NKJV) 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.”

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By Joe Daniels and Terry Cropper

Let’s put Paul’s text in context and walk through it to understand his argument in Romans 9:6-9 (NKJV) 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.”

Paul tells us the word of God’s promise has not failed. Why? Because not all Israel are of Israel nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” Paul argues this from the Old Testament itself. He concludes in verse 8: "This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed." It seems clear in these verses Paul cannot be including “all the see of Abraham.” Or Israelites.

In other words, God is not bound by physical descents or flesh, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. In between are (verse 10-21), is an argument for God’s justice in acting the way he does in his freedom. Paul argued that we have no right to challenge or question God. God will have mercy on whomever He will have mercy, and He will have compassion on whomever He will have compassion. He is God and we are his creatures. Paul used the illustration of the potter which appears so frequently in the Old Testament.

However let’s pick up at verse 22 where Paul left off at verses 10-21.22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Paul talks about “vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy.” Who are the vessels of wrath? Paul tells us about “the wrath of God” on the Jews who are hard-hearted and unrepentant are storing up wrath for themselves—a wrath they will receive on the day of God’s righteous judgment (Romans 2:5). The Jews are without excuse when they judge Gentiles because they practice the same sins (2:1). Jesus also uses the word ‘wrath. ’He says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John. 3:36).

These are the individuals that have rejected the salvation message and the payment for their sin. These individuals are destined for destruction of their own volition because they have chosen this path for their life and have rejected Jesus. God's wrath is a holy and righteous and a just wrath but He is longsuffering not willing any should perish.

The amazing thing about a passage such as this, is that it shows an incredible facet of God's nature when you fully understand it. God is not dealing unfairly with the Israelites, the opposite is actually true, He is showing incredible mercy and grace in tolerating their rejection of Jesus. He does this to demonstrate to believers His incredible wealth of mercy. It shows us the depth of his love and grace that has no bounds. It is important to get revelation of this truth because this will change the way the saints look at life. If we can understand how patient and loving God is towards even those who reject him we will know how accepted and loved we are in Christ Jesus. God even uses his enemies to show his incredible love towards His people. The fact is the potter God endures with much patience the vessels that are being prepared for destruction.

Now let’s make sure we see the connection between the "vessels of mercy" and what Paul said earlier in verse 6. Now notice how Paul takes the crucial understanding in verse 6 farther. Romans 9:23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Notice here that Paul says God called, not of the Jews Israelitesonly, but also of the Gentiles. Gk. ἐθνῶν heathen world, usually referring to unbelieving Gentiles (non-Jews).

"The Israel Only cult” failure. Israel was never called in scripture Gentiles or heathen or alien or foreigners. Hebrew “ger”= (Gare) = toshav (Hebrew : גר תושב ger "foreigner" or "alien" + toshav "resident", lit. "resident alien") is a term in Judaism for a gentile (non-Jew). The LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, this is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no "Nekar" stranger eat thereof. (Exodus 12:43) Nekar "Stranger" is used in the description of interaction between Israelites and non Israelites in the law.. Pay close attention to the words in 1 kings 8:41 were an emphasis is placed on the fact that a foreigner, “ger”= (Gare) are not of the people of Israel Yisrael יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Adonai promised to bless the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.” 4 For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, 5 Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. 6 “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant— 7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:3-7 (NKJV)

Who are the "vessels of mercy"? Paul answers this question some Jews (not all) and a great many Gentiles. This is a clear cut distinction from the unbiblical Israel ONLY Salvation's nonsense. The vessels of mercy include some Jews, though not all, as they thought, but also many Gentiles, which was a surprise to many.

These "vessels of mercy” were a part of the true Israel of God in Christ. Galatians 6:15-16 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

It seems clear that in this verse Paul cannot be pronouncing a benediction upon persons who are not included in the phrase "as many as shall walk by this rule." The entire argument of the epistle prevents any idea that here in 6:16 he would give a blessing to those who are not included in this group.

Gentiles along with some Jews (Not All) were prepared beforehand for glory. The Greek word translated “prepared beforehand” Greek is προητοίμασεν “prepare beforehand, make ready ahead of time,” and it is only used here and in (Ephesians 2:10) The idea is to prepare in advance. The one Greek word for “prepared beforehand” comes from two words: before and to make ready. God in the past has made ready the revelation of His system of salvation to the Jews and gentiles. God in a single act brought forth the process and arranged it in such a way as to receive a reciprocal response.

The reason Paul broadens his scope now to include the Gentiles in Romans 9: 23-24 is so that in the rest of this chapter and in chapter 10 he could show why Israel stumbled over Christ by showing how the Gentiles are included in salvation. Thus Romans 9 is heavily weighted towards God’s sovereignty in salvation.

Paul then quotes Hosea 2:23 “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” 26 and, “In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’

Paul takes the rejection of Israel so seriously. They were not His people. But now God has sent his effective call and many of them are saved. Romans 9: 27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. 28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: ‘Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved. (Isaiah 10:22) [notice the point: only some from Israel are saved]. This is an amazing truth, because Paul has been teaching that not all of Israel is truly of the promise spoken to Abraham, only those who are born out of faith belong to it ( Romans 9:8 ). Although they number as great as the sands of the sea only a small number will be saved. This is a sobering realization. Out of the great multitude of the Israelites, there will be so few left as to make it proper to say that it was a mere remnant.

Isaiah then predicted, “Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9) [note the point again: God is the one who sovereignly "calls" or "leaves" a remnant]. The nation of Israel would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.’ Isaiah spoke that unless God left them a remnant they would have faired like Sodom and Gomorrah and be completely destroy by that corruption. Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

From Romans 9:30-10:21 Paul shows why the Jews for the most part were rejecting Christ: They were trying to be saved by their own good works so that they stumbled over Christ. They missed God’s way of righteousness through faith in Christ. So the emphasis is on human works. To approach God through works of the law is built on faith in themselves and would cause them, to stumble over Christ and be lost.

Israel rejected Christ because they were disobedient and obstinate (10:21). And yet God’s sovereignty was still present. It is He who put the stone of stumbling and rock of offense in Zion (9:33). It was God’s sovereign plan to use the salvation of the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy, so that eventually they would turn to Christ (10:19; 11:11, 14). And, God’s sovereignty is seen by the fact that all of this was predicted in the Old Testament, as the frequent citations show.

So the point is that God creates his people by calling "not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles." In both cases it was a surprise. The Jews thought they were all included because they were Jews, and the Gentiles thought they were not included because they were Gentiles. God gathered a redeemed people in a way that has stop the mouth of all presumption and will give hope to the most despairing.

Being a peace keeper is going along with everyone else to keep the peace. To avoid drama. To avoid being left out, to avoid being persecuted, falsely accused. It’s not about challenging what others say or believe to be the truth.

Being a peacemaker is someone who questions what has been taught as truth and slowly learns to discern right from wrong. A peacemaker often starts out by causing division because they will fight and stand up for truth going against the grain. But it is because they understand that only truth can really set you free and bring that desired peace. Thus, a peacemaker. Contrary to what people teach or believe, this is a loving thing to be and do.