God’s Purpose in Election 2

“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” —Romans 9:6 

Our last lesson in Part One ended with this paragraph: 

Okay, then: if God’s Word has not failed, how is it that so many Jews are not saved? The answer to that is what the apostle will explain in the next sentence and in the verses following. Simply stated, it is because of God’s eternal purpose according to election. That is what we hope to examine in the next several lessons. Fasten your spiritual seat belts; we may be in for a bumpy ride. 

The last sentence mentioned in the quote above is from the second part of Romans 9:6, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” What is Paul saying in here? He is saying that not everyone who is a physical descendent of Jacob is a part of the eternal plan of God. The apostle first explains this by making a distinction between Abraham’s physical seed and Abraham’s true spiritual seed in Romans 9:7-9, 

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 

Paul amplifies this further by teaching the very heart of sovereign election in Romans 9:10-13, 

And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 

Now, with regard to “the seed of Abraham” (Romans 9:7), we should realize that this seed, depending upon the context of the passage in which it is used, can have several meanings. 

First it can refer to the physical descendents of Abraham, as it does in Romans 9:7-8, because the “children of the flesh” can be none other than those who are direct descendents of Abraham and Isaac. We read this of Abraham’s physical descendents in Romans 4:18 as Abraham will be the father of many nations because, not only was he the father to Isaac by Sarah, but he was also the father to Ishmael by Hagar (Genesis 16:15), as well as the father to Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shua by Keturah, after Sarah died (Genesis 25:1-2). This is what it says in Romans 4:18, 

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 

Second, Abraham’s “seed” may refer to national Israel through Jacob, as it is written in Acts 7:6, 

And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 

Third, Abraham’s “seed” may refer to the physical descendents of Abraham that are spiritual children through the lineage of Isaac, as Romans 9:7 again reminds us that, though Abraham had eight children as mentioned above, “In Isaac shall thy seed by called” (quoting Genesis 21:12). 

Fourth, Abraham’s “seed” may refer to the spiritual children of faith, being both saved Jews and Gentiles, as it is written in Galatians 3:29, 

And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

Finally, Abraham’s “seed” is a term that also refers to the Christ of God, Himself, as it is written in Galatians 3:16, 

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 

As the “seed” of Abraham speaks of many things, we must, by the Spirit’s guidance and teaching, dig, examine, and prayerfully explore the context to find our meaning. 

So what does the apostle mean when he says that “they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” in Romans 9:6-9? He is telling us that not all the physical descendents of Abraham are Israel, because the promise came through Isaac (Romans 9:7). Further, Paul tells us that this “seed,” these children, are children of promise (Romans 9:8); that is, that these are children of faith, just as Isaac came by faith. 

Isaac was born of Abraham through Sarah by God’s promise (Romans 9:9). The promise not only came as a decree of God as something He would do and fulfill, it could only be fulfilled by God. Why? The reason for this is simple: no matter what they did, apart from the miraculous intervention of God, they could not have a child. Abraham’s loins were “dead” (Romans 4:19) and Sarah had reached menopause (Genesis 18:11). 

SIDENOTE: This brings us an interesting dynamic and practical application with regard to faith. Though Abraham and Sarah received the promise declared by God unto them, they didn’t just sit around hoping that a baby would somehow jump into Sarah’s womb. Romans 4:19 tells us that Abraham was strong in faith according to God’s promise: “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb.” They acted upon the promise of God faithfully and without wavering. 

The faithfulness of God’s Word according to His promise is the foundation of God’s sovereign election. 

Having laid the foundation for sovereign election, we’ll see the particulars of sovereign election in our next lesson from Romans 9:10-14.

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on June 8, 2010.