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Well that's the I would say that's the common relationship and that's the the one common factor between them. Is there something you're trying to bring out a.
Nuance. I don't see him. No no it's just I think that he is. Whether it's viewed natural my brethren or national kinsmen according to the flesh it's got to be what's fundamental that's what he's going to.
He's good. Oh that's good that's.
Good yes you get close in Ephesians then you get for us. It's of we were changed but now we fellow citizens of the Saints and of the household of God family a.
Nation. So it's a it's a wish here really that is is impossible in its accomplishment but he's really telling us that had it been possible it would avail it wouldn't avail to secure the desired end. That's good.
Yeah. And there.
Is a distinction with chapter 10 verse 1 to brethren my heart's desire and prayer to God where that's a spiritual relationship. That's right. This is the.
Earthly relationship. That's good. John. Yes that's right. And that's the claim they were holding on to. That's right. Yeah. We're on earthly ground at the moment. And that is the problem that they were they were merely thinking on a natural level.
They hadn't risen up and seen the purposes of God and the dealings of God. Now we must move on please. We're even the title the Israelites immediately introduces covenant doesn't that. And that's one of the strong points that would hold them relative to what they had should be sufficient.
Right. That's it. That's what he's going to deal with here. Yeah. Yeah. Israel rejected their Messiah but his deity is is absolutely stated here. Who is overall God blessed forever. Exactly right. And you'll see now this is where modern translations often go awry.
There might be variations. The only allowable one I can see is Christ who is God over all blessed forever. I mean you might understand that but outside that you're you're transgressing you're going beyond and and some people put full stops in to to cut off Christ from God.
But it's not most is a comma taking on and Moses make a small rearrangement of the words. But don't move away please from the fact that Christ is God about simply that Christ is God he's over all. One of the great outstanding words of Romans is the word all.
Paul's gospel all's. You could look at lovely thought going through Romans Paul's gospel all's and he's blessed forever. He's indeed to be well spoken of forever. Another characteristic word is the amen.
Isn't it that's tracing the amens through John through Romans. Yeah this is one of the creation chapter 1 yeah deity chapter 8 and so on these little at.
Least either look like doxologies or our doxologies that end in this one. Wonderful full stop. Amen amen. Now we're ready to move on please because we've got a lot to go yet. And some some things hard to be understood.
There are many believers who would just put it there and move on. They are hard to be understood. Peter said that about Paul's writings some of them but they're not to be passed over. And this is important in verse 6.
Not as though and in mr. Newbery puts in but to contrast behind all this are thoughts in people's minds maybe expressed maybe unexpressed about doubting what Paul was saying. And he answers no. But not as though the Word of God had come to nothing.
The Bible promises the things that God said would happen future blessings for Israel. Is it all gone. Where's he gone. Is the Bible reliable now. That's what he's going to address in a moment. And yeah because he answers yes but you have to understand how to look at your Bible and look at the promises of God and look at those relationships that he'll talk about in a moment which are not not based on natural things but on on divine choice promise election etc.
So so would you say.
Brother that in the foregoing part of the epistle his brother skits has told us that he has dealt with the justification of man in a sense here in verse 6 he's now going to justify God God's promises will be brought to fruition and God's Word will stand.
Thank you John. And the big question is there a.
Righteousness of God. It's a very very important question would you think brother. Barnes. This verse is the first hint of election that we have for the remnant. They are not all Israel which are Israel.
In other words both Ishmael and Esau. They were set aside and God had purposes for other family members. Absolutely. And of course if you if you work this all the way through the Jews would have been appalled if you'd said to them.
And God's blessings come to Ishmaelites and Edomites. Yeah we would appalled by that. But Paul says that's what you're saying. That's exactly what you're saying here if it's merely.
According to the flesh. So he's telling us really that the number of those that are of Israel is not determined by natural descent because that's why I.
Links it with Abraham. Right. Right. Faith. That's right. And the words as our brother Eric is saying that the thought comes in now and it's there in Isaac shall I see be called. It's calling. It's their vocation.
Election vocation and all these other things that come along. And it was God that did the calling. Yes. He determined that the seed would come through Isaac. That's right. By supernatural means. And he called one.
I didn't call the other one. Now this is election. God election again. It's this emotive term. It's it means selection. Means choice. Yeah. God chose. God's allowed to choose. That's all point. What he's saying here God can choose.
He's God. Someone has said if you try to try to reason it out you'll lose your mind. Yeah. But if you accept it you keep happy. That's good. I like. Could he say that again. Eric for everybody. Yes. Very helpful.
If you try to reason out election you can lose your mind. But if you accept it as God says you keep happy. Thank you. I think it's important. Isn't it brother. Speaking now for the younger ones because this question arises a lot and connection with election.
Our wisdom is in dealing with election is always begin with God. Right. Don't try to bring it into the natural realm. Always begin with God. Yes. And he is always going to point us to Christ. Mm-hmm.
Once we get that connection there in election that settles. Yeah. And the only step you need to take then it says God chose to make man responsible. Yeah. God chose to do that. And we live within those parameters now.
It's always helpful to me. And I've never moved from this as a young believer to be taught that here it's like the railway track. Two parallel lines. They don't join and they never can. Now then it pursued a career in mathematics.
And people who tell me they joined in infinity. Well they don't never join. The whole parallel line. That's if they properly parallel and it just goes on and on. And you will never make them touch and join or cross.
There isn't a meeting point. And so these are two things that just coexist for us in the mind of God. All is clear in our minds we see two things and they go on and on and that we live with them and enjoy them.
Man in the Barnes I I think of one passage that to me is marvelous in that it is an illustration of this very thing. The shipwreck in Acts 27. Yes. You've thought about it. I can tell yourself Paul says that God had given him all those that were on the ship.
So no life would be lost now that was a divine promise. So we ask ourselves could that be violated. And the answer is no. But later on in chapter 27 when some are about to get out of the ship Paul says except you abide in the ship you cannot be saved now which one of those were true.
Yeah. Both were true. And I would say chat in the earlier statement links with chapter 9 and the next statement links with chapter 10. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And we cannot bring those two statements in Acts 27 together.
But we can keep happy by believing both. Amen. That's very helpful. Thank you brother. Yes. I think that's something to be.
Enjoyed. So. So are we learning in this section brother. First number eight. It tells us about children of the flesh and the Jew could object to Paul. But I am Abraham seed. I have the fleshly link. How can you tell me that I am not now linked.
And he goes back. This is no new thing. This took place at the very beginning. Yes in the very inception Isaac and Ishmael there was a division through the children of the flesh. One had a spiritual link.
Right. And that's exactly.
Right and irrespective what happened the next thing irrespective what happened afterwards that didn't determine it. It was God's choice. Because they said sorry. Just to say they'd say they'd said the same to the Lord Jesus.
We're Abraham's. It's common thing. Paul didn't. It's no new thing. Paul just experienced what the Lord Jesus had experienced. Well you see first John John 1 and 13 almost as a commentary upon what he's dealing with here which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God born of God.
And by the way it's interesting there as well. Born of God but at the same place it's believing. There's a nice balance as well. Sure. Receiving believing born of God.
He's going to tell us not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth. Right. So there was Isaac who willed yes and there was Esau who ran good but yet they didn't get it still came in God's purposes.
That's right. Good. Yes it's.
Interesting. You brought up John 8 because as you pointed out we're dealing here with groups but the Lord Jesus is dealing with individuals. In John 8 because not all the Jews not all Israel were off their father the devil they claimed the relationship with Abraham Abraham our father.
So as individuals there's a spiritual side of it as far as the Lord is concerned. Yes you're off your father the devil. Yes. But here it's it's a nation that's really in view. And so it's an Isaac that the blessing is going to come right now.
We say we're up to verse 11. It's not clear. Perhaps say we're up to verse 11 children being not yet born. So it's not determined. That says neither having done good or evil so good having a bit lived a good life or a worthless.
I think that's the idea. It's not evil in that sense but worthless here was one who spiritually lived generally speaking a good life. The other one a worthless life. God didn't choose on that basis. And that's important as well because God's choice is not based God's not forced to choose according to his foreknowledge.
No another thing. That's right. That's people get around things by saying that sometimes that's not true. I know these these again they exist and coexist. But God knew who'd live a good and a worthless life but he didn't choose on that basis.
So the sovereign counsel the sovereign choice of God is conducted an absolute righteousness. Yes there is no unrighteousness with God. And as they as the clay we have no complaint against the potter. He's doing things perfectly.
So as you said already we could never understand election because that's the sovereign counsel of God. Yes. What we have to do is in faith accept it. So are.
We right in thinking that God's choice here is a matter of the line through which the Messiah is coming. Is that what's in view here in this section. The Messiah came through the Isaac line not the Ishmael line.
And the Messiah came through Jacob and not through Esau. That's one and I would say I'd add to.
That the promises so anything in that list that they had. Paul uses the thing to move through and of course it's the it's it's God in Pharaoh comes into this picture as well. So it's God's purposes worked out through Pharaoh with regard to Israel as well.
And back of it all the validity of the purpose of God it is absolutely solid. It will take place. Just like he said his word is truth. Brother would you allow me to bring in just to suggest predestination here over against choice.
Election that has to do with purposes. Yes. But predestination has to do with this purposes. Persons and purposes. Yes. The election is choosing a choice of people. Yeah. And predestination is for a purpose or a place.
Yeah. Yeah. I take it as well. A pre. God predetermines a place. Exactly the purpose Romans 8.
Yeah you've mentioned for us the quotation of Old Testament scriptures so give us some help now. Verse 13 lest any should think that God hated Esau before he was born. Yes when was this scripture actually quoted.
Yes this comes from.
Malachi. Of course right at the end of the Old Testament and it comes with respect to the fact that it was there it is not. It's now a commentary after his after a lot of history. So here is God now saying look I made my choice and here is the one who I loved the other I hated you can view it.
I take it some people sort of get around this by saying it's all relative but it's not that but I think God God has looked back at the nation then it not the person that's the nation and God has said this is what they turned out to be worthless.
He restored Jacob. Yes but Edom had rejected everything and he said eat him. So it's not a personal hatred of God against Esau before he was born. This is a commentary on the nation. Absolutely right.
Later. Isn't it not individual. The.
Result though of God's determination relative to the individual so that there were nations that came from those individuals to which this applies. Yes.
But I think that salvation was still open to every eater might do and link.
Himself with the nation of Israel. Yeah we're not talking about individual salvation. Yes we've moved and that's the purpose to begin with it was God's choice of a person. The commentary in verse 13 as we've said is about here about a nation.
And by the way it's very interesting when you do some statistics on Old Testament quotations in Romans you find the first eight chapters the average is one and a half verses from the Old Testament quoted per chapter you come to 9 10 and 11 and it's 10 and for the rest it's 2.
So here it's Paul citing these because he's talking to people who would take them as evidence and as an authoritative argument. He's talked to Gentiles before they don't know the Old Testament so much he'll quote them.
But here they're dominant and reading through time and again. He particularly seems to favor Isaiah but nevertheless here indeed the great evangelical prophet. But here is consistent use of Old Testament for people who would understand and appreciate and demand it and demand it.
So God speaking about Jacob he said he loves him. He said he's a prince with God. Bible said he's a plain man or a perfect man. And he's speaking about Esau God says I hated I hated him for his works and he's called a profane person.
Yes who despised his birthright. Brethren be careful speaking against the man that God loves. That's right. Now again in the context in Malachi of course God had said many times over this is what I've never heard.
And they says here wherein wherein hast thou loved us. And that's a sad situation when God indeed quote is quoting this here. Jacob have I loved. Not Israel have I loved. But Jacob the twister. God loved the twister and kept on loving him.
Right to the end right to Malachi. Right to Malachi. That's the what brother Higgins suggested. If you looked at Malachi chapter 1 I looked at it last night. He's saying not only Esau have I hated but his heritage.
Yes the whole heritage. Absolutely the Edomites. Yes. Of course the sense really that we have to remember remind ourself again is this is justifying God. Yes is not so much looking at the individuals that God is using that in this passage to confirm for us the statement that's on at the end of verse 14 is there unrighteousness with God.
God forbid. That's right. So God is being justified in all his choices as he's in relation to the nationness of Israel wasn't because of the faithfulness of Israel in Malachi's day even that God used that to introduce Christ that's right.
The remnant was failing in Malachi and in spite of it God still introduced the Lord Jesus. So are those things born out.
At the end of verse number 12 also because he says the elders shall serve the younger did that ever happen in the life of Jacob and Esau. No that's right.
So it's a national link. Yes yes but there was a subservience in the things.
Of God there was but it was the other way around in the book of Genesis the younger did serve the the older. Yes that's that's the natural that's right.
That's not your day. In a future day Israel will have the supremacy among the nations. On. Yeah absolutely. The kings of the air relation to Jerusalem will bring their glory into it. That's right. Absolutely now.
Then verse 14 brethren what should we say. Then what shall we say. So what we have to say is the question is answered. And it will yet be answered. Is there. And righteousness of God. Will the God of all the judge of all the earth do right.
That's a great important question. God was going to judge. And then the city and Abraham that that's when it comes up question of judgment. Is God righteous. And then God forbid. Or perhaps the better is because the phrase God forbid is not actually the translation.
It's by no means no way impossible. I'd say in your palace. No way. It's certainly not true. It's it's. It's a strong negative. No no says Paul God is not unrighteous. And verse 15 because the most one of the most important words in the New Testament is the word for it introduces the justification for statements just made.
John 3 16 begins with. For you must understand why it's there. What is there for. And it goes back to verse 15 which ends with the same thing. And it says the believers will have an eternal life. And then it says why.
Because God so loved the world. So that's the justification. And here what's the justification given. This is because he says to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy of compassion on will I have compassion.
Here are people in need of compassion. Everybody every person everybody's failed. Whether you go down this list Jacob failed etc and everybody failed. And everybody's in need of mercy. That is God looking down and taking appropriate action for the people in need.
He comes along in his love sees the desperate state we're in. That's the idea of mercy. And then and compassion doesn't look to God's action so much in mercy. But compassion looks to his heart. Compassion in itself does nothing.
It just feels mercy does things. So it's mercy and compassion. We might have compassion and do nothing. We really feel for something. So it's the heart of God and the actions of God. So in Deuteronomy 14 God looked upon the earth.
And he saw all the nations. And he says I chose you Israel to be a peculiar people unto me from all the nations of the earth. That was divine choice his will and his.
Righteousness was maintained. Yes. But again it's against the background yeah of total failure of all the nations at the tower. That's right. God decides to pick one nation to use as a channel to show his glory to the other nation.
Yeah. So just as here God's sovereign mercy is always against the background of man's total failure and unworthiness and undeservingness of anything.
Abraham. Abraham was an idolater. Yeah. And the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham. Chapter 3. All have sinned. Chapter 6. The whole world is guilty before God. So everybody's on the same plane.
And God reaches down in mercy his sovereign choice. Yeah. So that's why. So God is free to choose. And when he does so he's absolutely righteous and doing it doing it. And he does it from a heart of love.
Yeah. And it's his glory. That's the point right. So doesn't when he talks about Moses here brother the occasion when they came down and saw them dancing around the golden calf was a 3 ,000 people destroyed and the rest were spared.
That's right. So again there's God's choice on whom he will. He had mercy. Right. And he displayed his righteousness and his mercy. Right. So then next. Next is so now this is another preposition as important as the first one in verse 15.
For now it's so you're drawing a conclusion now. So then it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God that showeth mercy. So we've got two actions of God in verse 15 God having mercy God having compassion.
Now in verse 16 two actions of men. Him that willeth him that runneth. Here's the man and it's he's got he's got purposes of mine. Here's the other man who's got actions. Brother Barnes what is the little word it.
I know it's an italics here. But the thought so then it is not of him that willeth just for clarity. What is that referring to. What is it that he's speaking of. We have behind all this is in the context here is is getting hold of God's blessing.
Getting hold of God's purpose being in God's purpose the subject of his mercy. Yes. Yeah. How do you get that. And it appears indeed. It's not off. It doesn't arise. It doesn't originate in man. It originates in God's actions and God's thoughts not in man's actions.
And God a man's thoughts willing and runneth going along with mercy and compassion. So his mercy is on whom he will have mercy. Right. So.
Are we learning in this section that both Moses and Pharaoh are representative of nations and at this point they neither deserve mercy. Absolutely right. Because Israel had sinned in the rejection with the calf Pharaoh had rejected the mercy of God that was shown to him.
But Moses his attitude was different to that of Pharaoh he prostrated himself before God and God showed his mercy to the man. Pharaoh hardened himself and as a consequence.
Then God God hardened. Isn't the wider context. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. That is if God brings in Gentiles to blessing he's absolutely free to do that. Yes. I mean in the context here it'll be it will be.
In a moment Pharaoh is a Gentile for purpose. He brings him into his purpose. He's used Moses yeah. But he'll use Pharaoh yeah as well for his purposes. Yes. He'll demonstrate his glory as well. But but is there unrighteousness with God.
Isn't that against the background of if God brings in the Gentiles yeah and sets Israel aside is that unrighteous. No. God kind of mercy on whom he will have.
Mercy. Yes. So he establishes. Doesn't he force brother that neither human sin or human stubbornness right affects his purposes. Because you got that with Pharaoh. Yes. And Moses and the people relative to the calf.
Very good. So Pharaoh was given.
Power and authority. And God raised him up for the purposes of his glory. Yes. But Pharaoh then went his way he hardened his heart he determined to destroy the people of God and God judged him for that.
If he'd never done that I might have been a different story. But it wasn't. That's what he did. And then God hardened his heart. God says that's the path you're going on. I'll keep you on it. Yes. And you can see ultimately the God's purposes worked out and the fear of Israel went throughout all the land.
That he was God. Yeah. What he'd done. Word got around. Didn't he have the internet. But they got round. They all heard not of him. That Willis. Can we bring the pistol of James in here. It's of his own will.
They got here. It all begins with Washington. Regeneration. Yes. Even even when it comes to individual believers today a desire to be saved comes from God. It's not Arminianism. No no. You know you must.
That's right. And interesting thing behind all this. I've found the most interesting one comment. And it's the question who chose whom. Yeah. Yeah. Did we choose Christ choose us. He answers both. Is true.
That's. And that God had to be working in our life of his own will of his own will. We had to be responsible. That's right. Who chose whom. Both. So just to summarize we have God's promise. Isaac. Not Ishmael.
Then God's purpose in Jacob but not Esau. God's pity and reinstating Israel after the issue of the golden calf. And now God's power displayed in Pharaoh. Yeah. God revealing himself through history. Thanks John.
And it's those five things I think that come as a matter of choice. Everyone is my choice. God's choice. So it would have been.
Possible for Pharaoh to obtain mercy. Absolutely yes. Yes. It wasn't that God predetermined and that this man would make this choice. No God gave him plenty.
Of opportunity where we have to. I take it now that we're rushing on what should we say then. I think if we imagine now we're for the sake of time we are up to verse 18. Therefore you have mercy on whom you gain a repeat.
But then on whom he will he harden. Now this we have to deal with this just to be sure that we've covered the ground. Who he will. He hardens. Who does he harden those who harden their own heart. Yes.
Whom he will whom he will. And God on his heart after giving him plenty of opportunity to repent. And he didn't or at least even sometimes he appeared to but he didn't. Behind it all was stubbornness an increasing stubbornness.
And isn't this the determinate counsel of God. Here again he will according to his determinate counsel. Yes. That's what chapter 2 of the act says. Isn't that. That's right. It is stated in Exodus also.
Brother even when he's dealing with Pharaoh Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Absolutely says so three or four times it shows us is that. And then it changes. God accepted his choice and therefore he used him as a vessel by which he is going to show his glory towards Israel.
Right. I think I think you'll find it's three or four times it says explicitly but implicitly I think there are half a dozen times when it's clear that he hardened his heart. Yeah himself of his own volition.
He chose to do it and then God chose to harden his heart and says right. That's it finished. Whatever happens now you'll never change your mind because you've had your opportunity wasted. Interestingly in that connection brother he made a statement.
Pharaoh did he said who is God. That's right. And from that point onward God took him at his word. That's that's the change in that. Similarly in the life of Jacob and Esau they both did things that were not right.
But Esau by nature was a man of the flesh. Jacob was not in the Bible does say was a plain man a perfect man. And I think Jacob did have spiritual desires. That's why he wanted the birthright the priesthood of the family.
Yeah. But in their lives Jacob put God first eventually. Esau never did. And at the end of their lives has been noted as God looks back on their lives the life of Jacob overall you know brethren just for encouragement God doesn't punish us forever for one thing wrong.
There were repented of it. David the man who committed adultery who lied and scrabbled on the floor was a man after God's own heart Abraham a man who who deceived and put his wife and a person in jeopardy.
God says he's my friend. So just because you've done something wrong and put things right with God. Go on in your life don't scrabble in the dirt forever after because God will lift you up and make you something.
And Jacob from 40 dead became a man loved by God. You would agree brother Barnes that God has.
Really not made any man wicked. Would you agree with that. Absolutely right. And that a vessel of wrath because can become a vessel of mercy. Yes. And you would have an example of that. Maybe a Nebuchadnezzar.
Would you. Good. Yes and I think Cyrus. Cyrus. I mean the night I was saved I became a vessel of mercy prior.
To that it was a vessel of wrath. That's right. Amen. Yes. I remember a comment when someone went into a preacher in Amherst where we were as a student and they went to a Calvinistic listen to this Calvinistic Baptist who was there the minister and he preached and he came out and said you know me what he said God invented sin and blame man oh that's what he said and that was his conclusion from the man's preaching.
But that is the intelligent person it's the.
Ultimate conclusion Calvinism has to come to. Exactly yes. Wish to attend. Yeah.
That was a conclusion. So God's to blame God is to blame God is to blame. So terrible isn't it. And you see that's partly the picture in verse 19. We have to move on please. Here's an objector to what Paul is quoting someone hypothetical or whatever.
And he says. How thou wilt say. And then unto me. Why does so. Yet why does he find fault. Why is God finding fault with me. For who hath resisted as well. You just you know we're robots. Are we robots.
No of course not. God is the God. And he'll say that in a moment. Who endured a much long-suffering God endured with much long-suffering. Here so one so back of these questions is really the idea. Is God fair.
Right. Well he's gonna show he's not long he's not heavy-handed or he's not unreasonable but rather he's long-suffering and merciful. Right. But the first is right. But the first thing in the answer here Paul says is God is God.
And whatever else he is God is God. And why are you resisting God. You were formed. And you're saying to him it was formed. Why hast thou made me this. And again as if as if God's responsible as God. So he begins in verse 20.
He first of.
All addresses the attitude of the individual that you dare to challenge God and then he deals with the actual issue. Right. The question itself that's.
Correct. That's correct. And that's so. It's not why has done made me but it's why has done made me thus. And that goes back to the issue of Pharaoh. Why was it that Pharaoh was raised up onto the plane of history.
It was so that God.
Could show his mercy. That's right. But the person now is repeating the situation. Yeah. Maybe this he's trying to excuse himself for something. Maybe we don't know all the picture of course. But he's trying to blame God.
So in verse 21 he's not really saying. I see that God's making the vessel unto dishonor because in in verse 22 if you take the the part the middle voice it's vessels of wrath fitting themselves unto destruction.
He's using the example of the potter. Yeah. And the the power of the potter to fashion the clay as he will now is going to show us in the next two verses vessels of wrath. And that's what they've done.
Fitted themselves to destruction. Vessels of mercy. Prepared a forehand. So it clarifies in verse 22 and 23 what he's saying in verse 21. Would you allow.
That the prepare to for is by conversion and earth rather than some decision. Back in eternity these were the only ones. But you weren't prepared. You weren't prepared.
Before you were born you were prepared on earth. So prepared by salvation. For would you say brother Sandy he's the. Yeah. In reference to brother dr. Sandy's question the preparation is in lieu following salvation preparing for glory.
We're weaving down here. Someone who says the garments will wear up there. Yes. So the preparation is what follows salvation. Would you allow that. That's very interesting. And then that would bring us back to human responsibility.
Because it's the righteousnesses of Saints. Yeah. Practical ones that have passed by the judgment seat of Christ. Yeah. And rewarded and still exist now. Burned away. So that's responsibility down here.
But it's God doing it. It's them he justified. Then we also glorify. I take it. It's it's dealing with those that are justified. They will be glorified. It will be sure. So is there is the not make known the riches of his glory.
Is that a future day. Is that when he presents us as his bride. I was in view. Yes. He appears in great power and glory. And we shall appear with him in glory. So we're being prepared now. And it started with salvation.
Yeah. Yeah. But he hasn't finished with us. That's it. He will still be molded. The Spirit of God is working in us and we can resist. We can go against divine purpose. But God's great purpose. The purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ announced is for his glory.
But he hath a for prepared on to glory. Does that not remove from our thought present preparation. Yeah. In terms of you know reward for how we live. I thought I take it this was rather in the purpose of God.
He is for prepared on to glory everyone that's been justified as a positional. Yeah. And his purpose. It's as good as done. No that's a must be included. Yeah. I think they're both. Whatever else God is doing.
Yeah. But it's before glory you're being prepared. Yeah. Therefore is relation to the glory that we're going to go into. And before that the preparation is before though we're justified. So it must take salvation justification.
So on sanctification calling everything predestination for knowledge. The whole the whole the whole. You could write a list. Right. Okay now Paul has done this. This is arguing around and he brings it right back now to the main line verse 24.
Us that's wonderful. Us he said us now he's talked about Old Testament characters. He's talked about God's purposes. And now he brings it to the present people whom he's talked about in salvation before us whom he hath called and call fits into the context here of Isaac.
So we've got that blessing as well. Isaac was Paul. That was his privilege. We've been called and it's a great calling. Which it says about God's calling. It's his calling. It's a high calling holy calling heavenly calling great calling of God there.
And it's with heaven in view and not not out of the Jews only but also out of the Gentiles. And that's now a conclusion. I think it there he's back listening to the thinking of these Jewish believers that had difficulty accepting the fact that Gentile dogs as they call them were brought into the same realm of blessing.
Yes they had a problem with that. Yes. That's right. Just an aside there it's interesting to notice the pairs in the chapter. You have the the pairs of sons earlier on. And then we have Moses and Pharaoh.
And then we have the the two potteries. And then finally he's going to look at two prophets Hosea and Isaiah. Right. Good in dealing with verse 24 brother mentioning the Jews. He's not looking now so much at the character of covenant relationship.
Is he as he is individuals nationality. Right. The individual that's in view not so much the nation in that verse. I think we're back now to us us specific people to whom he's right. Although later. Of course he'll move away again.
Yeah we will yet talk about Gentiles as he's talking about Israel. He'll talk about Gentiles as a group who have to fear. So now we come to the citing of Old Testament scriptures to justify what he said.
And we get the Gentiles first as we said from 25 down to verse 25 and 26 27 28 are for the Israelite.
Remnant the remnant added together it's of course all believers us so. So the objector might say well you've proved this on the stage of history but surely where does it come. In the line of biblical teaching.
Where can we find this. Well he says that's very simple you'll find it in the first of the major prophets and you'll also get it in the first of the minor you'll get.
Nausea also. Very good very good. John. His name is John. That's a scriptural interesting that the day of Pentecost brother they always say is mentioned in connection with the same subject. That's good.
Yeah. But he's taking it as a partial fulfillment. Isn't it really in relation to the birth of the church. Right. Whereas here it is not. That's not what he has in mind here. No. It's taking it back to its original intended prophecy.
Yes. In relation to the nation. Yes. And here we are. We talked about relationships. Now he's again. God is dealing with people not a people Gentiles not a lot of people. And that that's again God's unlikely choice.
Not a people. And God chooses them not beloved. Unlikely choice. So in the context of Hosea this was in relation to Israel in the Millennium. Yes. And the people that God as it were disowned not my people.
Yes because of their disobedience. He will take them off again in the Millennium. But here in the context the wider context it's God taking up the Gentiles that were not his people and they become the people of God.
He's just showing.
Us this is a principle upon which God works. This doesn't fulfill that. That's what. This is a principle of God's working that he takes people that were not his and makes them his first. Peter.
Wouldn't have been a natural choice. Yeah. God acts as he will the nation in not becoming his people.
Effectively came into the same position as the Gentiles. Yeah. Have you wondered brother why he again and again refers to them as being sons adopted into the family. That's right. Yes. You might like to talk about a little bit about adoption placing his sons.
God has called them sons here called sons of the Living God. Adoption is not like modern adoption. I was adopted I was taken as a couple of days old as a baby put into another family. New Testament adoption is when usually a slave grown-up slave male was taken into a family that lacked an heir.
A man didn't have an heir so he brought someone in and that there. And then he brought him in and placed him as a son with all the privileges of sonship. But today we've got adoption into the family. There it was adoption into a family but into a position of son with all the privileges.
You become an heir immediately. Because there was there was no way. So you brought in usually a slave someone who was brought in happily and nothing before had everything out because he was a son. And then the father then presented him publicly as my son with all the trappings that went along with public presentation.
Yes sir. Good. So where are we. Verse 27. Verse 27. Now Israel remnant and seed. And here we have two interesting things. Number one the number of the children of Israel sand of the sea remnant shall be saved.
Then we've got the Lord of Sabaoth a lot of hosts the great innumerable company of angels and God that God has left us a seed like the seed corner. You know you just take a small amount relative to eventual harvest.
It's just a small amount of seed remnants going to be saved here. But a brother who's doing chapter 11 and will probably leave it till then all Israel shall be saved. You have to explain that. Yes. And also that's interesting point when we come to that anticipating that they'll all be saved God will save them because they believe.
That's right. They.
Still believe there's no other way. No no so. Verse 28. Can you help us there. He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness. Can you give us some help on that brother. Well I take it. It's it's.
God will bring this thing to an end. God will do it. It's just a roundaway baby. Who's saying that. Maybe others have thoughts of this. Revised. This is what will happen. Yeah there's work. Right. You bring to an end.
Execute his word. Yes it's his purposes. Yeah. The word word and work different.
Translations we need to change. Yes. Isn't the stress in righteousness that it will uphold God's righteousness and his and all of his dealings which is right. Yeah. Sure. Yes. His righteousness.
Demands that he do it. And I think the next verse there too. Brother it's very interesting. As you mentioned the Lord of hosts how often even in the Old Testament for example Malachi he's linked with a remnant there and 24 times he uses that title linking himself with a remnant.
And that's the idea that is here is the faithfulness of God towards even the remnant who is faithful to him. So is that the faithful remnant in the tribulation. Is it Israel being brought into millennium blessing.
What I'm thinking is the end of verse 28. Correct me if I'm wrong. Because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. Is that a reference to the tribulation. Well certainly the remnant will be there.
And this is I think we are talking here in both contexts. Both verses. An application of a scripture. Yes. Yeah right. We're talking about Israel all the way through. Sure. But in the immediate context it's God's purposes and dealing how he operates.
And God indeed in verse to begin with in the Gentiles it's that. But it's actually about Israel. But here it's it's it's it's put into interview for current remnant that the Jewish believers at that time but really long term the actual application we for Israel in the in the tribulation it must necessarily go there because in this dispensation it's the church the body that's in view.
This initial is not segregated. Pharmacies made that clear. That's right. So it must be a future day that's in view I can't see any other time. Now we've got in verse 27 the sand of the sea and the remnant a large number going to a small number.
Then we've got in verse 29 a seed going to zero. We had been a Sodom and Gomorrah judged nothing. So we've got a seed and there's still.
Something it's not nothing it's something. It's interesting that the two occasions in the New Testament where the Lord of hosts is mentioned are both coming out of Jewish contacts both here and.
In the book of James James chapter 5 there are nations today and their great purpose is to annihilate Israel. They want it to disappear. God says it will never disappear no need not so practically apart from salvation there still will be a nation.
After the Lord comes they'll still be.
Here but just so we don't stumble young believers. Israel today could be wiped out. The nation as it exists right now could be wiped out. That would not frustrate God's purpose. They're not there in.
Belief they're there in unbelief that's right as a nation but not as individual not as not as a.
People but the nation of Israel could be driven into the sea. No problem. God's purposes would.
Still be fulfilled. Okay. I'll rephrase what I said. Yeah the Jewish people. Yes we'll still be there. Absolutely. Maybe not as a nation called Israel but as a people they will still be in existence. And those nations with their power and might and anger and evil will never destroy them completely.
There are more Jews outside Israel in this. Now what should we say this. What should we say. Verse 30. Please. The end is nigh. We're getting there. We might get to the end. 13 minutes. What should we say.
Well now here here Paul again draws back pictures it all and and draw some general conclusions. He said now there's the two approaches here two approaches about the us the Jews. Gentiles. What do we say then.
The Gentiles which followed not after righteous. The word follows is to pursue. Yeah here it is going after it with the intention of getting hold of it and it's effort. It's demanding. We're to keep at it.
And so you're a Gentiles. No we are here a Gentiles pursued not after righteousness. Now notice what they're after in the context. That's what the real thing to get is righteousness not the law righteousness.
The real important thing is righteousness. And it's the righteousness of God that we want Christ. Indeed we'll see eventually made the righteousness of God. We are made the righteousness of God in him.
So that's what we want. Righteousness. God's righteousness. The God who so far dealt with it he's proved righteous beyond any any argument. Now we want righteousness. That righteousness that is a divine requirement and divine standard.
We want it. Well the Gentiles they weren't pursuing it. And here they are. Suddenly they got hold of it. They got hold of it. And it's the righteousness which is originates from faith that kind of. So that's the gentle position in the gospel.
And that's maintained today in these things as well. The Israelite they pursued to but in the wrong direction. Well not. That's right. Verse 30. They were pursuing. Yes it was their own works that they thought would help.
So the Gentiles been brought into the blessing of Abraham essentially who believed God and it was counted on to him for righteousness. Very good. They've let hold upon that. That's right. Excellent. That's good.
But there's still the exercise of faith and only the exercise. That's right. Then we get the contrast. But Israel they followed after the law righteousness. Yeah. So this was works and it was works. And they were pursuing the law.
Righteousness the law. And of course it was a misunderstanding. They didn't realize and I'll say later the purpose of the law is in chapter 10. Man do it. These things shall live by them. And the purpose of law was actually to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
And it was to condemn man not to commend him. And here they were following after with the misapprehension ignorance on the one hand that'll be dealt with ignorance. And they were going about. But there was there was a zeal about it.
And you can collect to get all the things they were doing as we did the the running and the pursuit and all these things. And Paul doesn't he never says they didn't make an effort. He was a Pharisee he knew about effort.
And they were. They were. And he doesn't deny that effort was made. But it was after the wrong end in the result in the law. A literal translation is more out of the works of the law. They stumbled at the stumbling stone.
So it was in the conducting and for their participation and the works of the law. Yes you don't became a stumbling stone. Right. You don't stumble unless you're moving. That's the idea of stumbling. You're moving along and you kid something you didn't you didn't see it.
It was unexpected and it was there and it had all the consequences afterwards. But here were people on the move and they suddenly hit this stumbling.
Stone she would take brother that the law here is the principle of righteousness that they are really seeking after that they could not attain to could not be established by their own efforts.
Yes and but what they were looking after was there. It says they were pursuing the law of righteousness. They never caught up with it. No there's a demanding thing. And so they didn't catch up the law of righteousness.
And they never got righteousness because never got there. So what is the law of righteousness. How would we explain it today. You can take it it's good works with an of getting now because be careful the word because it says here shall live by it to get eternal life.
I take it. Yeah the context. It's not salvation. Salvation means being saved. That means you're lost. So that's nothing to do with it. The picture here is a person thinking his own good works will ultimately get him eternal life standing with God.
We're running to the Lord. What shall it do to inherit eternal life today. That word law if we use the word principle of righteousness with that help us today. And I were under because it's not the law of music it's not the mosaic law that's in view.
Well of course many more works law as you know it's not the law it's law any any kind of law therefore by law and it's any effort of human origin thinking you can get eternal life by your own actions.
And that was the stumbling stone that they stumbled over. Well it was more than that. Wasn't it because it's whoever if the Lord Jesus and all that's involved with the gospel Christ. Yeah from faith in Christ is here.
Right. That's the stumbling in verse. Yeah. But in verse 32 for they stumbled at that stumbling stone now I know it flows on into verse 33 and expands the person of Christ. But is the stumbling stone they were stumbling over in verse 32 their misapprehension that by doing the works of the law they could achieve righteousness with God.
Can I turn it the other way around. Yeah and so they were making every effort and they suddenly tripped over what God wanted. That's what God put it there as a solid thing that's the solid thing and they just came along in their own efforts they tripped over it and God's solid thing was that it was faith in Christ.
Wasn't that verse 33 that the stumbling stone rock of offense is Christ? It's a person but it's more than the person it's all that connected in the gospel with that person. Yeah faith in that person because it shall not be ashamed so it's putting faith whosoever believeth in it it's faith in Christ for eternal life.
And he'll go on to develop that in chapter 10. That's right. Brother Barnes would you look at the stumbling stumbling stone here as an obstacle or more like a trap God had placed it there yeah could we say that the word here is literally the word scandal it was originally the trigger of a trap yeah an animal trap and the animal came along unsuspecting and stepped on it and it was trapped yeah it event it evolved this idea evolved into the idea of anything you stumbled at that that moved on and caused you offense so it started off certainly as the trigger of a trap yeah and then I believe I've looked into this a little and it's moved it moved on to this idea of something that offended good.
Isn't that a big problem today that men have never got over the fact that it's not what you do it's on whom you believe and they could never understand that and those who work in the gospel come across that constantly I what can I do I must do something not believe on someone.
I was thinking that Brother Higgins I could sense some resistance to the word trap and I think if his idea is the same as mine that God never tries to trap people. As I said the idea moved on it started with scandal on was a trigger and trap it developed and became a picture of a stone in the way you you stub your foot on it it hurt you it slowed you down etc.
It's not as the next didn't fall but they stumbled. I lay in Zion is is that suggesting where the Lord would be crucified? Well you that's a nice suggestion brother that's interesting in Zion. And the faith faith in the person of Christ as it's mentioned here will leave us with the security they'll not be ashamed.
Amen. There'd be no lack there they there were always wanting wanting wanting and never attaining but now I've got it so it secures us not so much what we have secured. And I take it in the context God is anticipating the position as Paul would say as a Jew converted Jew I'm not ashamed.
His people must have said to him you ought to be ashamed. Yeah right. I'm not ashamed. He shall not be ashamed. Could you comment brother on the the Isaiah quotation where it says he shall not make haste.
This yeah this that's from the authorized version I take it and that's based on the on the Jewish on the Hebrew text this is from the subjugate. Yes. And this right through many there are many of these verses we've read if you looked into the Old Testament doesn't quite like that but this is the Greek for the young folk to understand this is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament and this is what Paul here is quoting from and usually does.
So what does it mean shall not make haste in the Hebrew? Yeah. You tell me I'm looking at this subjugate I've not studied that in depth. Not look for anything else not haste for anything else he's found the resting place of his competence.
Well that's that's excellent principle. That is excellent yeah. Brother Barnes my question was based on what Paul suggests in chapter 14. He talks about any man putting a stumbling block or an occasion to fall on the way there you get both of the words.
That's right. That's an obstacle and a trap you get both. Yes. The net effect of both are going to stop you in your progress. That's right. You're going no further. Yes. You don't necessarily fall we're coming to that but you certainly stop and it hurts.
People were offended. They were hurt. Yeah. They were hurt by all that Paul told him. Anyway we've come now to this this is the tenth verse cited from the Old Testament in the chapter and another one from Isaiah and it reminds us now and this one particularly of course is Paul speaking of the Jews and of their appreciation and in the following chapter as well we'll see these very well cited verses and interesting isn't it.
These would necessarily be in the verses we would quote. We would look it back and say oh yeah you have to think about them and it's a matter of application often not exact interpretation of in that context in the future when they were applied completely.
What is amazing when you you read especially in 9, 10, 11 as you pointed out the manifold references to the Septuagint is Paul's amazing knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures. He knew them from Genesis to Malachi and he was able to speak speak of in context with regard to his teaching.
Well they say many of the Pharisees of course could quote the Old Testament beginning to end and they could tell you where everything comes from and I take it that would be the Hebrew as well as the Greek but Paul was able and will I mean with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to quote verses and put them in context and use them.
And they didn't have chapter and verse in those days. We tend to think that they've got a Bible like us. When I look forward when the Lord was in the synagogue and he opened at the place in Isaiah he just had to get the right scroll and get there I don't know if they were marked or not.
Some suggest there was markings on them to identify which part of the book they were. I don't know. Well thank you brothers and sisters and all the help we've had and I hope we've got those answered questions.
Is God righteous? Is he faithful? And is the Word of God trustworthy? And the answers to the three of them is yes.