Irrevocable Blessings of the Jews

Transcript

GR 1448
10/31/10
Irrevocable Blessings of the Jews
Romans 9:1-5
Gil Rugh

I invite your attention this morning to Romans 9. Through the first eight chapters of the book of Romans, Paul has unfolded in detail the content of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. We noted there were three major sections. The first section dealt with our condemnation, chapter 1:18 through chapter 3:20. Paul focused on the fact that we are all sinners, Jew and Gentile alike are sinners, and under the condemnation of a holy God. He moved on from that to show that God had provided righteousness for sinful human beings through the death of His Son on the cross. So the righteousness of God was the emphasis in chapter 3:21 through chapter 5:21, justification. The third major section was the section on sanctification that covered chapters 6-8, and that deals with how we are to live in light of our new life in Christ. We who were sinners under condemnation have now experienced the work of justification. What does that mean? How do I now live? And he unfolded the new life we have in Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit as the enabling, indwelling power for all those who believe in Jesus Christ.

When he began his discussion in Romans 1:1, Paul said he was “a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” And he said this gospel was first, (v. 2), “promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy scriptures.” So this gospel is not something new, unheard of before. It had been anticipated in the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets. And secondly, (v. 3) he said this gospel “concerning His Son [the One], who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh.” Physically Jesus Christ was a Jew, and not just a Jew, but a descendant of David, physically speaking. Which is crucial because to fulfill the promises given to David in the Davidic Covenant, 2 Samuel 7, the Messiah of Israel had to be a descendant of David. So in these two parts that he mentions concerning the gospel, that it was promised beforehand in the Old Testament scriptures and that it concerns Christ who was a descendant of David, he ties the gospel to the Jews, to Israel, God's work with Israel. This is important and the whole work of God with Israel lies behind this letter to the Romans. Romans is written to a Gentile church in the city of Rome, but there is a strong Jewish influence there, perhaps a number of Jewish believers in the church, perhaps a Jewish population that was actively opposed to the gospel. Paul is concerned in the letter to the Romans to clarify God's plan for the Jews.

Down in chapter 1:16 Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, the non-Jew.”

In chapter 2 he dealt with the condemnation to the Jews. The last part of chapter 1 dealt with the sin primarily of the Gentiles. For example, homosexuality, sexual immorality get strong attention in chapter 1. The Jews thought that was sinful and abhorred it. When you come to chapter 2, he deals more with sins that would have characterized the Jews—a sense of moral superiority, their arrogance in thinking they did not need salvation the way dirty Gentiles did. Of course, Gentiles are polluted and sinful, defiled, they need salvation but we Jews are the people of God, we are morally upright, we are those who teach others, we don't need to be taught. So he talked about the condition of the Jews, the fact in verse 11 of chapter 2, that “there is no partiality with God.” And it's not enough to have heard the Law, to possess the Law. Only true righteousness manifested in obedience would bring salvation. So he said in verse 17 of chapter 2, “If you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God,” and he goes on to talk about how they thought of themselves. Then he came to verses 21-22, do you think you will escape the judgment of God because you can talk about the word of God? Because you have certain benefits? No. God is not a partial judge. So it's not enough, he concluded that chapter, to just be a physical Jew. You must have experienced the cleansing of God, the radical transformation of your heart, the circumcision of the heart to be a Jew who will inherit the promised blessings that God has given through His prophets.

He opened chapter 3 by asking, “What advantage has the Jew then?” If they are under condemnation like the Gentiles, what's the advantage of being a Jew? Well there are many advantages to being a Jew. Number one is they were the recipients of the word of God. (v. 2). You think of the honor given to Israel. Where would you go throughout Old Testament history, up to the days of Christ in the days of the apostles, where would you go if you wanted to know what God had to say? You didn't go to Babylon, didn't go to Assyria, didn't go to Rome, didn't go to Egypt. There was only one nation on the earth that had been entrusted with the word of God, and that was the Jews. So first of all, they had been entrusted with the oracles of God.

Then the question that is a nagging question, verse 3, “What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? Then that strong answer, “May it never be! Such a thought is inconceivable. “Rather let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.” That question, verse 3 of chapter 3, concerning the Jews, “If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?” That is the question that will be answered in chapters 9-11. What about Israel? God has made many and abundant promises to the nation, but they have been in unbelief. They have crucified their Messiah, they continue to be opposed to the gospel that Paul and others are preaching concerning salvation in the Jewish Messiah. What will God do? Will the unbelief and unfaithfulness of Israel nullify the promises of God? Will He no longer be faithful to Israel?

You know many who profess to be believers today think the answer to that question is, “Yes,” that because of Israel's unbelief and unfaithfulness they have been replaced by the church. So we call it replacement theology, or superseded by the church, so we call it supersessionism. Has the church replaced Israel?

Well he has already answered the question, verse 4, “May it never be!” God will be found true. In other words, God will honor His promises, be faithful to Himself no matter what man does. Man's unfaithfulness cannot nullify the faithfulness of God. But it waits until we get to chapters 9-11for Paul to unfold in detail how God will deal with Israel in fulfilling His promises. And in that context, explain to the Gentiles how they fit in the plan of God, and the privilege that has been given them to be the recipients of the gospel during these days when Israel, as a nation, is experiencing the judgment of God on them for their unbelief. But as he will make clear in Romans 11, the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, God's promises to Israel cannot be canceled because God will be found true, even if every man is found to be a liar. Man's actions cannot cancel the faithfulness of God to what He has promised.

Come over to chapter 9. We concluded chapter 8 on a high point, and we noted you could really go from the end of chapter 8 to chapter 12:1, and you wouldn't miss a beat. But there is something that has to be explained—the unfaithfulness of Israel and the faithfulness of God and how does that all fit in the plan of God.

So chapter 8 concluded on this excited high point of verse 31, “What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? Who is the one who condemns? Who will separate us from the love of Christ? In all these things [v. 37] we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.” What more could we want? We have a full and complete salvation in Christ and we are secure in Him for time and eternity. And remember this was written as a letter, there were no verse divisions, no chapter divisions.

So you have the next statement, chapter 9:1, “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.” What happened? I mean, I thought we were just thrilled to know that verse 28 of chapter 8, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him,” that we belong to Him, and in Christ we have received everything, and nothing will ever separate us from that love.” Then the next statement is, “I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart” (v. 2). That's why some commentators have said that Romans 9-11 are another section that has been added to the book of Romans, basically, because it just doesn't fit. We should just read from the end of chapter 8 to the start of chapter 12. But chapters 9-11 are crucial for understanding the sovereign plan of God in salvation for the nation Israel, and for non-Jews alike. And non-Jews need to understand it lest they be arrogant and not appreciate the blessings that would come to them through God's work through His people Israel.

What chapters 9-11 do is show that God's promises to the nation will be fulfilled just as He gave them, just as He gave them. Now, we saw in the first eight chapters there were promises given regarding the coming of the Messiah, His suffering and death, and His providing salvation. They were fulfilled exactly as they were given. What chapters 9-11 demonstrate, that every single promise given to the nation Israel will be fulfilled in the nation Israel, just as God has promised. What guarantees that is not the faithfulness or unfaithfulness of Israel. Israel has been unfaithful, that is a given, that has been proven already in Romans. What guarantees this is the total sovereignty of God. Nothing can thwart His plan. His promises are a revelation of His plan. So His promises to Israel will be fulfilled.

The chapters go together, 9-11, they are a unit, they are built around the promises of God to Israel. You start out by talking about the blessings God has brought to Israel, and we'll note about nine of them in these opening five verses. And then you come to chapter 11 and just pick up with verse 33, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, unfathomable His ways!” Who could have given God advice? His wisdom is beyond understanding. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever” (v. 33). So you take those opening verses of chapter 9 and the closing verses of chapter 11, they are like the bookends for God's program for Israel. And we end with glory, we end with victory, we end with every promise given to the nation fulfilled in the physical nation.

For this to happen it will take mercy. So you might expect mercy is a key theme in chapters 9-11. The word “mercy” will be used seven times in these chapters, because we've already demonstrated everybody is a sinner, Jew and Gentile alike. So we don't want what we deserve, it's already been revealed what we deserve, we deserve condemnation. We want mercy. Mercy is by definition something unearned, undeserved, unmerited. For me to say, “Well I deserve mercy.” How can you deserve mercy? Mercy is something that is undeserved, unearned. So as we move through this the understanding of God's sovereign plan of salvation as regards the nation Israel, and by the way also His program for Gentiles, is it takes mercy. His sovereign determination to bestow mercy on those that He chooses to bestow mercy upon. But we'll get to that as we move into the section.

What this section will do is give us insight into the absolute sovereignty of God. This is not a new subject in the word, but here we bring together in a concentrated way a clarity of emphasis on God's absolute sovereignty, the One who works all things after the counsel of His will. Not our will, His will.

We start out in Romans 9:1 by Paul expressing his deep love, his passionate desire for the salvation of the nation Israel. He starts out with this sincere, earnest statement. “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit.” He views what he is saying here as very serious. This is just not a political move, just not something to soften what he has said about the condemnation of the Jews. I want to tell you, “I am telling the truth in Christ,” as one who is in Christ I am speaking the truth. The negative side of that, “I am not lying, [and further] my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit [the Holy Spirit working in my life and with my conscience].” My conscience is a good conscience on this. There are no ulterior motives here, this is not just playing up to the Jews.

You know the conscience by itself is not a reliable guide. The conscience acts on the standard which it has been given. So people giving a corrupt standard of right and wrong do wrong and say, “my conscience doesn't bother me.” We have people promoting all kinds of sinful activity today, and they say, “my conscience doesn't bother me.” That's not surprising. We have people blowing up people in parts of the world, they think they are doing a good thing. Their conscience doesn't bother them. Why? Their conscience is operating on a corrupted standard, and it is a conscience that has been impacted by sin. So even as believers, we have to be careful. You know what happens when you persist in sin over time? Your conscience bothers you the first time, it bothers you a little less the second time. And the hundredth time you commit that sin your conscience can't even be heard anymore. We have altered the standard by which our conscience is operating, because we have continued to do this enough that that has become acceptable, so the conscience no longer carries out its function. But Paul says, “My conscience testifies to this in the Holy Spirit.” As the new person I am in Christ as a result of the Spirit's work and His dwelling in me, I have a clear conscience that what I am saying is the truth.

“I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.” I am overwhelmed with sorrow. We say, “Paul, that's not good. Didn't you just talk about the wonderful salvation we have in Christ?” But we can understand it. We can sit and talk as believers about all that we have in Christ, what He has done for us, and the glory of our future and we are thrilled. But at the same time, we can immediately talk about our broken heart over a loved one who is lost—a spouse, a parent, a child, and we do. We have the overwhelming joy and peace and hope that God has given a believer, but we have the overwhelming sorrow, sadness, grief that this loved one so dear to us is lost, outside the salvation in Christ.

What can I do about it? This is Paul's position. “I have great sorrow, unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish, pray that I myself were accursed from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites.” Paul is clear. The Jews are guilty before God as the Gentiles are, and tragically even at this stage it is clear. You know in the early chapters of the book of Acts, it seems like there is a great response from Israel to the gospel. When Peter is done preaching on the Day of Pentecost, 3000 Jews get saved. A little later we find 5000 numbered. We think maybe the nation is turning to Christ. But that's not it, and by this time it is clear more Gentiles are being saved and fewer Jews. The Jews are hardened toward the gospel, they are unresponsive to the truth. And worse than that, they are hostile toward the truth. Paul is brokenhearted for Israel. He is the apostle to the Gentiles, but these are my physical family and I love them. I carry the gospel to the Gentiles primarily, but I am burdened for the salvation of the nation Israel.

“I could wish myself accursed,” anathema, condemned to hell. What Paul is saying is, if possible I would bear their penalty. I could wish that I could suffer eternity in hell so they could be saved. We say, that's a little dramatic. No, it shows the depth of his heart. I mean, he started out, “I am telling the truth in Christ, my conscience testifies with me.” That's how deep his love is for them.

Come back to Exodus 32. Here Moses is going before God on behalf of the nation Israel. While Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving commandments from God, Israel is down making a golden calf, an object of worship. It's a great sin. Perhaps God will destroy the nation for such activity. Verse 30: “On the next day Moses said to the people, 'You yourselves have committed a great sin; and now I am going up to the Lord, perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.' Then Moses returned to the Lord, and said, 'Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!'” You see what Moses is saying, I am willing to take their place. If it takes that, blot me out. Can't happen. Moses can't be the substitute for the nation. “The Lord said to Moses, 'Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.'”

That's what Paul is saying here, “I would take Israel's place if it were possible, I'd ask God to take me and spare Israel.” The depth of his love! Why was Paul effective in his ministry? He had that kind of deep passion for the lost. He is going to give the fullest discussion of election, we learn from him. It didn't alter his passion for the lost one bit. He can explain why Israel is lost, why they are under condemnation, why they deserve an eternal hell. Doesn't change, doesn't change his passion, doesn't change the burden. I'm going to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, but along with the Gentiles I have such a passion for my people Israel, that they would be saved.

You know these are the people that caused him so much trouble. They were his constant persecutors. In 2 Corinthians 11 he had repeatedly been beaten by the Jews. But that didn't change his love for them. They are lost, they deserve hell, but my desire is that they be spared hell. They are “my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Now he is going to enumerate nine blessings in verses 4-5 associated with being Jews. They are a special people. There is nothing more contradictory than anti-Semitism among those who profess to be believers. I mean, if you understand anything about the scriptures you understand Israel has a special place in the heart of God. They are the objects of His love and attention in a way that no other nation in the earth ever has been, or ever will be. They are unique and special in the sight of God. And their sin doesn't change the fact that they are unique and special in the sight of God, in the plan and program of God.

Let's look at what he says about his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh. He starts out in verse 4, “Who are Israelites,” and that really not only identifies who his brethren, who his kinsmen are, but it identifies one of their great blessings, a foundational blessing. They are Israelites. Formerly in Romans he has been talking about them as Jews, and that's a valid name for them. Evidently, came out of the time when the northern ten tribes were carried into captivity and the nation as it existed was identified with Judah, so they developed the name Jew. But the foundational name for them is the Israelites. That goes back all the way to the Old Testament.

Come back to Genesis 32. We're going to talk about the “fathers” in a moment, but Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. God first called Abraham and entered into covenant with him, then to Isaac it's passed on, then to Jacob. And Jacob is about to return home from exile, if you will, and will soon be confronting his brother Esau. Verse 24, “Jacob was left alone [His family and entourage has gone on before him], and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he [the man] saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, 'Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.' [That's what the man said.] But he [Jacob] said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'” So in this we realize, Jacob is not here thinking he is in a fight for his life, he's not battling this man hoping to escape. He realizes something more serious, more spiritually significant is going on. He is unwilling to let go of this man until this man blesses him. And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater.

“So he said to him [v. 27], 'What is your name?' And he said, 'Jacob.' He said, 'Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; [there is the beginning of the name Israel that is carried down to today. Why?] for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.'” Verse 30, “So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, 'I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.'” Jacob realized he was in a wrestling match, if you will, with God. I think the significance of it is that Jacob realizes and what is being driven home is the most important thing in all the world, is the blessing of God for me. Remember what happened when Esau sold him his birthright? Esau said, “I'm hungry. I'll trade it for a bowl of soup,” the blessing of God. What an opportunity is given to Jacob here to demonstrate and manifest that the blessing of God is more important to him than his life. And he's going to hold on until God blesses him, that's what happens here. So the name “Israel,” the one who strives with God. The Israelites would be the people, that the blessing of God was the most important thing to them in all the world.

So when he says they are Israelites, he didn't just say they are Jews, but he wants to tie it back. They are Israelites, the recipients of the blessing of God. They are special. Come back to Romans 9. The second blessing—they are Israelites, they are the ones to whom belongs the adoption as sons. Now we talked earlier, Paul talked in Romans about the fact that we become sons of God through faith in Christ. And Romans 8 (v. 14) talked about “all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” But Israel occupies a special, unique place as a nation. They are God's sons.

Come back to Exodus 4, and this is God preparing Moses for his role in leading Israel out of bondage in Israel. So He is telling Moses what he has to do when he goes to Pharaoh. And there will be a series of miracles, climaxing with the death of the firstborn in Egypt. Verse 21: “The Lord said to Moses, 'When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart [we'll be talking about this as we move further in Romans 9] so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, 'Israel is My son, My firstborn.' So I said to you, 'Let My son go that he may serve Me'; but you have refused to let him go. Behold I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ' ” You see here the special position Israel holds in the plan and program of God. Egypt was a more powerful nation, a greater nation, more worldwide influence. But Israel is My son. You see, we understand that statement. We talk about our children, how precious. My firstborn, not just My son, but My firstborn, the place of honor. In the Old Testament system, the place of great blessing, greatest privilege. This is the most important, “this is 'Israel', My son.”

So when he says these are the ones “to whom belongs the adoption as sons,” (Romans 9:4), that is no other nation on the face of the earth, ever. Ever! Not in the past, not in the present, not in the future. The United States is not God's nation, Israel is God's nation. In the future there will be no other, Israel will be God's nation. That's what He says, “Israel is My son.” You think they are slaves, you think they are nothing but to be used for your service. “That's My son. When you refuse to free My son to serve Me, now you have My son in bondage and you'll pay the price, you'll know what it is like to lose your son. I'll kill your firstborn son.” Now what? You see how precious Israel is to God? “This is My son.”

So they have “the adoption as sons” and all that comes with that. The firstborn receives the inheritance, it comes to him. “Israel is My son.” Other nations will receive blessing when Christ establishes His kingdom. Israel is the firstborn among the nations.

Back to Romans 9:4. “To whom belongs the glory.” What are we talking about, the glory? The glory in the Old Testament, we sometimes refer to the shekinah glory, shekinah referring to the presence, the glory of God's presence, that's what we are talking about. The only nation on the face of the earth that had the dwelling presence of God in their midst was the nation Israel.

Back in Exodus 16. Israel is grumbling—grumble, grumble, grumble. Some things don't change. Verse 10: “It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, [note this] the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.” So what happens here? We don't have time to look at the other references, but often when Moses went to the tent of meeting to meet with the Lord the cloud would come. It was the cloud of His presence, “the glory.” Think about it—God visibly manifesting His presence in the nation. It didn't happen in any other nation on the face of the earth, it happened in Israel. To them belonged the glory, and the judgment of God. Ezekiel, the prophet, saw the glory departing from the nation, Ezekiel 10. But God is not done with the nation because His promises are secure, but His dwelling presence is not manifest there. But they are the ones who received the glory, they are the ones who had the special presence of God in their midst.

Back in Romans 9:4, “The covenants.” We don't have time to look at all the covenants. The covenants are contracts that God established with the nation Israel, just like we enter into a contract, a binding obligation, really. God has entered into covenants, contracts with the nation Israel. You understand, that all the covenants of scripture are given to Israel. Remarkable. Israel is not the greatest nation, humanly speaking. I mean, they never did rival the power of Assyria or Babylon or Rome or Egypt. They had times of greater power and glory, usually when the greater powers were in a vacuum, were occupied with something else. World empire, not like these other nations. But the covenants God made with the nation Israel. That's what marks them off from everybody else. God didn't establish covenants with the United States of America, He established His covenants with Israel. He says they are the ones “to whom belong the covenants.” They contain His special promises, the blessings that He assures them they will have which will become a central part of understanding how He will be faithful to what He promised. It starts with the Abrahamic Covenant, Genesis 12, the opening verses there. It will be repeated in chapter 13 to Abraham, it will be repeated in Genesis 15, it will be repeated in Genesis 17. This is the foundational covenant with the nation Israel, all of the other covenants come out of the Abrahamic Covenant. The covenant with Abraham is made with Abraham and his physical descendants. Included in the Abrahamic Covenant is the land. When Abraham separated from Lot his nephew, God said now go walk through the land, look it over, everywhere your eye sees, it belongs to you and your seed, your descendants. That's elaborated in what we call the Palestinian Covenant, the land promise. That's found in Deuteronomy 29-30.

You have the Davidic Covenant, which we have opportunity and occasion to refer to often in 2 Samuel 7, the covenant with David and his descendants. Now we are still in the line from Abraham, because David is a descendant of Abraham. But now you have a line of descendants from Abraham through David, and God promises to David that it is his descendant that will sit on the throne eternally. We have the Davidic Covenant made with Israel. It is an Israelite, a descendant of David, who will rule the world, the kingdom. That's why we have the genealogy of Christ as you start the gospel of Matthew, taking him from Abraham through David, down to the birth of Christ. Then you have genealogy also recorded by Luke, because it's important. We'll see that in a moment.

So the covenants, the new covenant in Jeremiah 31 made with whom? I make a new covenant with Israel and Judah. The new covenant is a covenant for Israel and Judah. Now we benefit from a provision in the new covenant with Jesus Christ's death on the cross, the salvation provision, but the new covenant in all its fullness, you read it in Jeremiah 31, it requires that it be fulfilled in the nation Israel.

So all the covenants of scripture are made with Israel. Does that tell you how important Israel is to God? I mean, this is His son, His firstborn, and He has entered into covenant relationship with them. And specifically, he has unfolded that relationship in various covenants that guarantee His promise. You have the promise of the land repeated, yet there are those who profess to be Bible students, Christians, who say the promise of the land is not repeated in the New Testament, therefore it is nullified. You understand the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable? That God will be faithful even when man is not faithful? How can you say because God doesn't repeat that promise, it's null and void. I mean, God promised it. We're going to find out how He can fulfill it. He will. He can't say it's done. Israel was unfaithful so He doesn't repeat the promise of the land. God doesn't have to repeat it, He repeated it again, again, and again in the Old Testament. And then you have some supposed scholar come to the New Testament and say, He didn't repeat it in the New Testament so it doesn't count. You don't know the God of the scripture. All His promises count, even those only given once are just as much in force as if He repeated them ten thousand times, because He is God. He doesn't have to repeat Himself. Sometimes He does as a concession to our humanity and frailness, but you understand, one promise of God is an eternal promise, settled and set.

So the covenants belong to Israel and Paul is going to remind the Gentiles in Rome of that when we get to chapter 11. You were grafted in. Don't be arrogant against the nation Israel. God can give you the boot.

A further promise, the fifth one in my list, “The giving of the Law.” Now that's a covenant, the Mosaic covenant, the Old Testament Law. But it stands apart from the other covenants mentioned. This is a temporary covenant, not specifically an elaboration of the Abrahamic Covenant. It was added afterwards to guide and guard Israel's conduct as a nation until the Messiah would come. Galatians indicates, the Law was like a school master until the Messiah came (Galatians 3:24). Then its purpose was fulfilled. But who was given the Law with all of its instructions and commands and how to live, how to conduct yourselves? Israel. Do you get the point that Paul is building the case of how special Israel is in the sight of God? If it is that special in the sight of God, it ought to be that special in the hearts of the people of God. Paul is making that clear.

“The temple service.” (Romans 9:4). Now we don't have time to go back to the Old Testament scripture on all these, but the provision for worshiping God. Where was the temple? Where were the instructions for the temple? It was in Israel, and all the instructions for worshiping God at the temple. If I'm in Babylon, how do I worship God? Pack up and go to Israel. I mean, where is the center of worship that God established in Babylon? It isn't there. You understand, “the temple service,” the worship of the living God on earth centered in Israel, and in the tabernacle, and then the temple that God established there. The priestly order that God established there. You didn't have that in any other nation. Israel is unique, special.

“The promises,” a seventh benefit for the Jews. All the promises of the Old Testament are given to the nation Israel. We're going to see how they are unfolded and can be brought to realization through the finished work of Christ. Some people say, “Well then, they are all realized in Christ, so the nation Israel no longer has any promises, because Christ has become the true Israel.” What kind of silliness is that? God saying, I tricked you? For hundreds of years you thought these promises pertained to the physical descendants of Abraham. Caught you. Jesus is the true Israel and so the promises to physical descendants and the land and all that, we just can spiritualize those and make them all in Christ. No, all the promises are given to Israel. Even the benefits we have, Gentiles, we're here saved. What did God say to Abraham? In you all the nations of the earth will be blessed. We'll get to this in chapter 11, we got grafted in. We should be arrogant against the Jews? Anti-Semitic? Look down on the Jews? They're guilty, they are sinners, they're guilty of the crucifixion of their Messiah. They are guilty of hardened hearts, ongoing rebellion against God. We'll see that further. But we ought to have a passion for their salvation. They are a special people, under judgment today, but they will come out of judgment some day. We will see that, the promises.

“The fathers,” an eighth benefit. “Whose are the fathers.” (v. 5). I mean, who do you go back to? We talk about the fathers of our country, they are nobody's. You know who counts? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve sons of Jacob, those are the ones who count. God didn't establish a covenant relationship with George Washington and his descendants, He established it with Abraham and his descendants, Isaac and his descendants, Jacob and his descendants. The line coming down there. Now you have the fathers. That means the blessings belong to their descendants.

And lastly, “From whom is the Christ according to the flesh.” I mean, is that not precious to everyone of us? You understand our Savior is an Israelite, He's a Jew, He's a descendant of Abraham through David, He is the Jewish Messiah. How in the world can a person claim to be a Christian and be anti-Semitic? You really have some confusion on the understanding of scripture. Christ is a descendant of Abraham through David. “From whom is the Christ according to the flesh.” That is His physical lineage. He is a Jewish Messiah, He is the One in whom the enablement for all the promises to be fulfilled is found. Of course, the Old Testament is clear on that. Not that He replaces all the promises, but He is the One who will enable all the promises to Israel to be fulfilled, because they will be able to be forgiven their sins in Him. He's a Jewish Messiah.

But you understand that's not all He is. “From whom is the Christ.” The word Christ means anointed one, it's another term for the Messiah. The anointed one, the one God has anointed to be the king of Israel, the ruler. He is the One “who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.” He according to His fleshly heritage is an Israelite, a Jew, descendant of Abraham, descendant of David. But you understand that is not all He is. He is over all. He's not just the anointed one as the descendant of David who will rule over Israel, He is the One who is over all because He is God, the One to be praised forever. Amen. That's true. One of the clearest statements of Christ's deity that you have in the Bible. Not the only one, but one of the most clear. He is God blessed forever, He's the One over all. That remarkable theanthropic union, the God/man, the One who was a descendant of Abraham, the descendant of David in fulfillment of all the promises is the One who is over all. He is the One who is God blessed, praised, honored forever. Amen.

Do we have any doubt about the special unique privileges given to Israel? When God was born into the human race, it was as an Israelite, a Jew. I mean, our Savior, the eternal God, born at Bethlehem. He as a Jew, but He is more than just a Jew. He is God incarnate. He is the One, as Colossians (2:9) says, “in whom all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.” That's a fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6, “Unto us a son is born, a son is given; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called the mighty God.” A son will be born, a child will be given, His name will be the mighty God. How can that be? But it is.

John's gospel begins, John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word [referring to Jesus Christ, the very expression and manifestation of God], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Look over in Titus 2, two verses. There are a number of others, but these two. Verse 11: “For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works.” We are looking for the coming again, the appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. He is the One who gave Himself for us.

Any wonder Paul had such a burden for the Jews? We won't go to 2 Peter 1:1, there is a statement on the deity of Christ again. Any wonder he had such a burden for the Jews? How special a people are they in the plan of God and the purpose and work of God. So we must be able to understand how God will fulfill all He has promised for this special people, to be sure they are under the judgment of God, they are experiencing the wrath of God. How sad it is that multitudes of Jews will spend eternity in hell, along with multitudes of Gentiles. But we never lose sight of the fact that they are a special people. It is special to us as believing Gentiles, because the Messiah of Israel is the Savior of the world, and it is in Him that we have salvation. That salvation offered freely today to Jews who will acknowledge their sin and guilt before God, and place their faith in Christ, and us Gentiles. And this is a day, as we will see, of great Gentile salvation. We would not want to miss that opportunity. God says this is a day when I am giving Gentiles a special, unique privilege and opportunity to believe in the Jewish Savior and experience salvation through faith in Him. How tragic the Gentiles would miss that. How sad that we would have hard hearts that would close ourselves off from the salvation that the Messiah of Israel has provided.

Let's pray together. Thank You, Lord, for the greatness of Your salvation. Thank You, Lord, even as we begin to look into these special chapters in Romans that Your mercy permeates all that is said. It is because of Your mercy that salvation has been offered, not only to Jews but to us undeserving Gentiles. Lord, in Your perfect plan You have provided that even the rebellion of Your people and their rejection of their Messiah and Savior should be used of You to provide opportunity for us Gentiles to enter the salvation that You have so graciously and freely provided. I pray for any who are here who do not know the Savior, that this might be a day of salvation for them. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.