Sunday, September 16, 2018

Israel’s Selection As God’s Nation

Temple Baptist Church - 9-16-2018
Romans 9:6-13


Introduction:

A.  Tonight, we will look at Calvinism’s “stronghold” for their damnable doctrine.  When speaking of the Nation of Israel, there are three “Fathers” of the nation.  The Fathers of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

B.  Verse 6 – Paul is explaining that Israel’s (National) lost condition is not because of a failure with the Word of God.  Israel was lost by choice, not by a failure of the Word of God.  Just because they were a part of God’s Elect Nation, that does not mean that they are saved.

Romans 3:1-3  What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?  (2)  Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.  (3)  For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

John 19:14-15  And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!  (15)  But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

C.  In our text, we will find these three men mentioned:  Abraham in verse 7,Isaac in verse 9, and Jacob (Israel) in verse 13.  The reason for mentioning all three of the Fathers of the Nation of Israel is to show how the nation began.  The context is not about the individual but how God elected one nation to be His peculiar people.

Acts 3:13  The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Deuteronomy 29:13  That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself  (The Nation of Israel), and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Acts 7:8  And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

Luke 13:28-29  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.  (29)  And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.  (The regathering of the Nation of Israel.)

D.  Twice in verses 7-13, we find God setting aside the firstborn son twice and elevating the second born.  Let us look at the reasons why.

1.  Verse 7-9 – Abraham had two notable sons: Ishmael and Isaac.  Ishmael, the child of Abraham’s flesh and Isaac, the child of promise.

a)  Ishmael was the son of Hagar the Egyptian.  The son of the flesh, not the son of faith.

b)  The faithlessness of Sarai.  Genesis 16:1-2  Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.  (2)  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

c)  The birth of Ishmael, the son of Abraham’s flesh.  Genesis 16:15-16  And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.  (16)  And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

d)  The blessing of Ishmael.  Genesis 17:20  And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

2.  Verse 9, we see the setting aside of Ishmael and the acceptance of Isaac as the promised seed through which the Nation of Israel and the Messiah, Jesus Christ would come.

a)  The Messianic rejection of Israel.  Genesis 21:10  Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.  (He was rejected because he was not the son of faith.  

b)  Isaac was the son of Sarah, the promised seed, the seed of faith. Genesis 17:19  And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

3.  Verses 10-13 – Now, we come to Jacob and Esau.  The context has not changed from the Nation of Israel to individuals. 

a)  Jacob was Israel - Genesis 32:28  And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Genesis 46:2-4  And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.  (3)  And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:  (4)  I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.  (God promised to bring Jacob, Israel, back out of Egypt.  He could not have been speaking of the man, Israel, because he died long before Israel’s deliverance.  They were in Egypt 430 years!  God was speaking of the Nation of Israel.)

b)  Esau was Edom - Genesis 25:30  And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

Malachi 1:1-4  The burden of the word of the LORD to Israelby Malachi.  (2)  I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,  (3)  And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.  (4)  Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

E.  Before we look at the selection of the Nation of Israel in these verses, I need to deal with “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

1.  Hated is a comparative word.  The classic example is found inLuke 14:26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”  (Our Lord is not commanding that we “hate” our mother and father, wife and children.  To the contrary, we are commanded to love, respect, and honor our loved ones.  “Hate” is a comparative word.  Our love for Christ should be so great that our love for family grows dim in comparison.)

2.  The word “hate” in any form is used 190x in 179 verses in the Bible.  Only two instances are linked with a specific name of a person and that person is Esau!  In both instances, Esau is Edom or a nation!

Malachi 1:3  And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

Romans 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

3.  Nowhere does the Bible say that God ever hated anyone.  He hates their deeds but not their persons, much less hating unborn children!  God did not hate Esau personally.

4.  Throughout the Bible, the love of God for the world and sinners is consistent.  “For God so loved the world” and “Who will have all men to be saved” is enough to undermine Calvinism.  To interpret verse 13 as hating Esau before he was born and in an innocent condition is ludicrous!

F.  Now, what is the right interpretation, considering the context? Foreknowledge!

1.  Both Jacob, Supplanter, and Esau, Fornicator, were not the greatest men I have ever read about.  Jacob stole the blessing and Esau, through spiritual fornication, would sold it.

2.  Why did God choose Jacob over Esau?  Because, in the foreknowledge of God, He knew that:

a)  Jacob would Prize the Blessing.  Though the “Supplanter” would receive the blessing through deceit, he was willing to suffer the consequences of exposure to obtain it.  If Isaac had discovered Jacob’s deceit, the chastisement would have been horrendous!  In God’s foreknowledge, He knew that Jacob would marry right, turn from his ways, and wrestle with God until the blessing came.  Jacob became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel!

b)  Esau would Despise the Blessing.  Esau was just an “old country boy” who loved to hunt and fish!  But Esau would sell the blessing for a pot of pottage.  In His foreknowledge, God knew that Esau would not only despise the blessing without repentance and but would also eventually marry the daughters of Ishmael.  Esau became the father of Edom

Conclusion:  Selection or Election and predestination are always found in the context of foreknowledge.

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