In Chapter 8 of this great epistle, Paul identified the many blessings that come to God’s chosen people. It greatly grieved Paul’s heart that his people, the Israelites, would reject the only source of these blessings. Israel misinterpreted Paul’s message, thinking Paul was saying that God had changed His mind regarding His election of Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham. They questioned if God would reject His chosen people, how could they be assured of their personal salvation. They also thought that Paul, too, had rejected his own kinsmen, that he was an enemy of Israel. But the opposite was true. In the first five verses of Chapter 9, Paul states his passion for Israel in a most compelling way; he would be willing to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his brother Israelites!

In the eleventh chapter, Paul makes his case that Israel’s stumbling was so that salvation might come to the Gentiles, thereby making Israel temporarily jealous. If their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! (vv. 11-12) Then in verse 25, he explains that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of Gentiles has come in. In verses 33-35, Paul praises God for His mysterious, hidden plans for Israel that have existed from all eternity.

Last week we examined…

I. The Evidence of Passion (v. 1)

II. The Extent of Passion (vv. 2-3)

Today we consider…

III. The Esteem of Passion (vv. 4-5)

• Their name

Paul refers to the Jews as Israelites rather than Jews, a name not used until after the Babylon captivity. In Genesis 12 we read that God chose Abraham and told him to leave his country and family and go to a country that God would show him.  God promised to make Abraham great, to give him more descendants than could be counted, and to bless all families of the earth through him. Abraham was the great patriarch of Israel because he listened to God and obeyed Him Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Though delayed by 25 years, God began fulfilling His promise by giving him a son, Isaac, meaning the son of promise. God gave Isaac a son, Jacob, meaning the supplanter. Jacob was a conniver who stole his older brother Esau’s birthright and blessing. Since Jacob was the son through whom God had chosen to build the Messiah’s lineage, God had to first humble him. After wrestling with God, God changed his name to Israel, meaning he strives with God or to rule as God rules. Jacob was a changed man and he had to leave behind all that he had trusted in and now fully trust God. Jacob had twelve sons who fathered the twelve tribes of Israel. Because Israel was chosen by God to represent Him, they are a blessed people; the Israelites have always been prominent in the areas of science, arts, music, education, and political leadership, etc.

• Their adoption (v. 4)

In context, Paul is speaking about their adoption as a nation, not individually as in Chapter 8.  The Israelites were often referred to as the sons of God. When God sent Moses to Pharaoh to demand that he free Israel from slavery, God gave Moses the ability to perform various signs used to warn Pharaoh that God was determined to free His people. Each time, Pharaoh's heart was hardened. When God killed the first-born sons of Egypt, Pharaoh's heart was softened, though only temporarily. God had told Moses to say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, "Let my son go that he may serve me." If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.'" God was commanding Pharoah to let His people go, because Israel was His preeminent, chosen race. Hoshea 11:1 says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Hoshea goes on to show how God cared for His son even though they continually rejected Him. God loved Israel and He adopted them as a nation.

God chose Israel for a specific purpose: to be His ambassadors to the world. Isaiah 60:1-3 explains this purpose, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” This promise given to Abraham, is yet to be fulfilled. Christians, too, are to be ambassadors for God and living in such a way that our light shines in the darkness. People will then come to us asking for the reason for the hope we have. (See 1 Peter 3:15-16) Paul is grieving over the fact that his kinsmen are rejecting God, rather than being the ambassadors God called them to be. His heart-cry is: Don’t you understand – you have the adoption! You are the sons of God. You are God’s ambassadors.

Similarly, Jesus sorrowed greatly over the lack of faith in His people. When the Centurion demonstrated faith that Jesus could heal his servant just by speaking the word, Jesus commented, “I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 8:11-12) In eternity past, God chose Israel as a nation, but Paul is trying to make them understand that, even though God adopted their nation, each person must be adopted individually. Many people attend church, fellowship with believers, and think they are saved, but they have never repented of their sin and placed their faith in Jesus.  Personal adoption implies a personal surrender to the lordship of Christ. “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’" (Romans 4:3)

• Their glory (v. 4)

When we think about the glory of God, we quickly come to the idea of God’s Shekinah glory, the physical manifestation of God, often pictured as a cloud or a pillar of fire. God manifested His Shekinah glory in various ways and at various times:

• In the wilderness in a cloud (Exodus 16:10)

• On Mount Sinai as a devouring fire (Exodus 24:16-17)

• Over the Tabernacle as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 40:34)

• In the Temple as a cloud (2 Chronicles 7:2-3)

Israel as a nation had personally witnessed the glory of God for many generations. They understood that they had received a special blessing from God. This is why Paul is so passionate, for it was obvious that the Shekinah glory of God had stood before his generation face-to-face, and yet they rejected Him. As Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” We experience the glory of God in our conversion, in our baptism, and as we read the Word of God; the Spirit of God testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. God’s Spirit invigorates us and gives us passion and a love for God. Thus, we experience the glory of God in a special way. When we see God working in the world and in the church, it should grieve us that so many people are numb to obedience. The evidence is overwhelming.

• Their covenants (v. 4)

God made special covenants with the nation of Israel. When Adam sinned, God made a promise to mankind, a promised Seed who would crush Satan’s head but who would suffer in the victory. The promise of this Seed, Messiah Jesus, was given to Israel, a small, weak nation, so that He would receive all the glory. A covenant is a sovereign act of God whereby He pledges Himself to do something.

- The Abrahamic Covenant

Paul had foremost in mind God’s promise to Abraham. This promise included: the Seed who would crush Satan, land, a nation and blessings. Abraham was promised descendants too numerous to count (Genesis 15:5-6) and to be the spiritual father of all who believe in God (Romans 4:11). The Abrahamic Covenant was passed to Isaac and then to Jacob. When God made these promises to Abraham, He swore by His own name, for there was no one greater by whom He could swear (Hebrews 6:13-18). Believers can be assured of heaven because God backs the promise by His own name (See John 14:1-3). 

- The Mosaic Covenant

God continued to show His favor to Israel by giving them the Law at Mount Sinai. The Law was an extension of the Abrahamic Covenant in that it codified God’s requirements. God said to Moses that obedience to His Law would set them apart as a nation, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all people…” (Exodus 19:5) Paul explains that the Law, given 430 years after God’s promise to Abraham, does not annul the promise (Galatians 3:15-18). Paul made clear in Romans 3:20 that obedience to the law does not save; we need the Law to make us aware of our sin and the need for God’s grace.

- The Davidic Covenant

The promise of an eternal kingdom was given to David, to the Messiah who would come through him. David desired to build a house (temple) for God to dwell on earth, but, instead, God said that He would build David an everlasting house (2 Samuel 7:11). This house is the invisible church, believers of all times, with Christ as head. The promise of a Seed (Genesis 3:15) passed through covenants made to Abraham, Moses and David, and came to fruition in the birth of Messiah Jesus (Luke 1:31-33). Starting in Luke 1:67, Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, restated all the covenants made to Israel. When Simeon saw the Christ Child, he remembered the covenants and was overjoyed; he could depart in peace because he had seen the consolation of Israel, the promised Seed.

Paul’s frustration came from His understanding that Israel is a special people. They had seen many of God’s promises fulfilled, and yet they rejected their Messiah, even with such overwhelming evidence. Paul is calling them to repent and receive Christ as their Messiah. Israel had received blessing upon blessing, yet they refused to obey. God sees us the same way. He has blessed us abundantly, and yet we refuse to obey Him when we know we should. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:11-13 that at one time we Gentiles were strangers to the covenants, we had no hope, and we were without God. But we have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. Israel is the root of the blessings, and we are branches. Paul was very passionate in his love for lost Israel; we should be passionate for Israel as well as for all the lost around us. With this passion, we will be driven to share the gospel whenever possible.

Selah:

1. What are you most passionate about?

2. What are your feelings about Jews?

3. What keeps you from being more bold to share the gospel?