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June 27, 2022 6:00 am
Verse 12. The older will serve the younger. All about is the premise or the premise of that is in the previous verse that the purpose of God according to election might stand the idea of teaching the doctrine of election God sovereignly choosing say is one of the hardest doctrines will ever God already knew everything that occurred in the past would have, and he knows everything that will happen in the future today on connect with Skip Heitzig Skip shares about God's sovereignty and his plans for his chosen people and for you before we begin to let you know about a resource that will equip you to grow even your faith joy in the midst of hardship is a hallmark of the Christian life. But is it really possible is when you height.
Sometimes what starts out as a happy tramp turns into a really daunting road and we have to figure out how to navigate. A lot of times God's purpose in allowing trials is to give us opportunities to grow to the point where we genuinely experience joy in the midst of trials were not appraised trials with courage, wisdom yes joy with Lenny's booklet happy trials when you get $20 or more today to help keep this Bible teaching ministry of the air will send you a special bundle of three booklets by Linda happy trials don't test me and speak no evil pitcher bundle three booklets for gift of $20 or more by calling 800-922-1888, or give online securely connectwithskip.com/offer that's connectwithskip.com/offer less diving to today's teaching in Romans chapter. This study so you know how Paul is writing is writing. Diatribe form is posing the question is if he's sitting next to a dissenter somebody who would disagree with and he is supposing what the disagreement might be and then after he brings up the question. The issue he then answers the question so it is not that the word of God is taken no effect somebody might say, you talk about all the promises God made since all of Israel did not believe in Jesus but the nation itself as a majority has rejected Jesus as the Messiah does their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah mean that God's promises have failed. That's where we left off last week got it dealt with that question, then close in what we said is this rejection by the majority does not negate God's promise to the minority. There is always a few who do believe there's always a remnant in the Scripture, and he will he will hammer this through chapter 9 that there is a remnant who believe here's what we need to understand about how God works. God does not operate on the basis of human relation is not who you related to what my parents were believers like my grandparents were Christians. Good God has no grandchildren.
God only has children. Are you a child of God, so God does not operate on that basis of human relation. God does not operate on the basis of human perfection is not what you do to earn it. It's not your good works is like you. You meet a certain threshold. Now you've worked hard and you've earned it.
So now God sort of owes it to you and work out what God operates on the basis not of human perfection, nor of human relation but a divine election he makes a sovereign choice and he cites the case of Ishmael, the firstborn of Abraham and Isaac. The second born, though, before Isaac was even born. God shows Isaac not Ishmael was God's sovereign choice before birth.
He was the son of promise, even though Sarah said take my handmade hag are AB you know I can do this.
I'm old I'm an old hen I can I can pull this off, but so let's help got out a little bit you take my handmade hag are you guys have a child and will call that God's promise, the firstborn, that child was Ishmael.
Later on, God gave them the son of promise when Sarah became pregnant and Isaac was born. That was the son of promise and so it's interesting when you read even the book of Genesis were God in Genesis 22 says to Abram take now your son, your only son Isaac.
Wait a minute a rabbit as it is not my only son I've got a son who is years old. Some say up to 30 years old. His name is Ishmael, but the son that God recognized as the only son was the son God had promised in advance Isaac take now your son, your only son Isaac. So that is those who are children of the flesh. Verse eight. These are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted as seed for this is the word of promise at this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son and not only this, but when Rebecca also conceived by one man, that would be Isaac even by her father, Isaac, for the children not yet being born nor having done any good or evil of that purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of him who calls. It was said to her, the older shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated when Rebecca could not have children.
She was unable to have kids. She was barren.
Her husband Isaac prayed's is a good thing for a husband to do prayed for his wife and the Lord answered his prayer Rebecca became with child, and she was having a difficult pregnancy. She didn't know why. And she's complained to her husband is what if everything is all right with Malcolm and have inserted hard time in my pregnancy and so the Lord spoke to her when they both prayed about it before the Lord, the Lord said two nations are in your womb which you can have twins two nations are in your womb to people's will be separated from your body and the older shall serve the younger. God said that before they were even born, God made the choice God no way what these two kids would be like God has precognition. God knows all things in advance. God is omniscient. He knows all things, and part of omniscience is precognition. The, the ability to know things in advance. That's were prophecy comes from God knows it.
Also he predicts it. God, knowing that to those two children, Esau, the firstborn wouldn't care about spiritual things wouldn't care about family name wouldn't care about his heritage could care less sold his birthright for a little bit of red chili stew.
But God also knew that Jacob would be interested in that blessing would be interested in spiritual things.
So God made a choice in advance. Having precognition, knowing all things, the older is to serve the younger.
Now, in both of these cases, you have God making a choice and in both of these cases it's not the firstborn it's the second born that takes the blessing of the family which was against all somatic sensibilities. There was a law not just among the Jews, but also many peoples of ancient times called we would call it the law of primogeniture which means the firstborn gets the blessing the firstborn takes the family inheritance.
The firstborn is the priest of the family, etc. God broke that rule said the owners in the serve the younger. The younger one is the one that I have chosen and he's going somewhere with this. We do though after American verse 13 because this bothers a whole lot of people as it is written now is quoting Malachi, not Genesis it okay this is last book of the Old Testament so so these two kids have been born. They've had children they developed nations already. By this time, so verse 13 says, as it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated that does bother some people used to bother me a lot. How could God say that here's what you need to understand he is not writing this this prophecy is not about a Jacob and Esau. But the descendents of Jacob and Esau, who had developed into nations. The nation of Israel versus the nation of Edom that hated the Jews that fought against the Jews that attacked the Jews that rejoiced when the Jews went captive into Babylon. So as God is writing about their descendents eases Jacob I have loved Esau I have hated he's speaking here about national election national election. One day a student of Charles Haddon Spurgeon's and in Spurgeon's pastors college went up to him and you could just unit was sorta grimacing in his face and he said Mr. Spurgeon. I'm really having a problem with the passage out of Romans chapter 9 and he quoted this verse a Jacob I have loved Esau I have hated that I really am struggling with the fact that God said Esau I have hated Spurgeon looked at him and said you know I too have had problems with adverse except my problem is a little bit different. I don't understand why it says Jacob I have loved that's what I'm having problems with. I know about Jacob and the fact that God says, I really love Jacob. It's like man I I also have problems with this verse, verse 12.
The older will serve the younger. All of that is the premise of the earth or the premise of that is in the previous verse that the purpose of God according to election might stand the idea of the teaching the doctrine of election God sovereignly choosing people to be saved is one of the hardest teachings, doctrines you will ever confront. I don't know if you wrestled with. Most thinking Christians have wrestled with it. It's a it's a tough, hard, sensible, on one hand we are told to make a choice to choose God choose this day whom you will serve, who whosoever will let them come believe is the appeal believe receive were told to make a choice.
On the other hand, we are told that God has already chosen. We are chosen in Christ for salvation before the foundation of the world. So we have a problem with it now. I have not unraveled the mystery.
I am not here to get the final answer so you luck with all good. I'm satisfied no matter what I say, no doubt you and I will still wrestle with. But both are true. Both principles operate at the same time they'll give you an example of how that works in an earthly level DF a DFC snow. The FAA federal and aviation administration right at CFA.
They have determined that on a certain date. At a certain time, a flight will leave New York City to London England in the books go on your computer you can see that the plan is Artie been made. The departure time, the estimated arrival time. The very the coordinates.
The route it's all determined in advance. Yet you can choose if you want to be aboard that plane or not, and all the people aboard the plane. They don't have to be there this all except somebody welcomes you have to go to England today.
You have no choice know they they've made a choice to buy a ticket. Not only that, you can choose what part of the plane you want to sit in. You got money to burn. You want to sit in first class all the way to England.
It's a nice ride.
You have a little bit last. You may want. You might prefer business-class. Your business may provide that for you or want to save money and you get it well in advance. Get economy class and you can even choose if you want to sit on the aisle or you want a window seat you're knocking to choose a middle seat but that could be chosen for you if you don't make the choice far enough in advance but you have certain parameters of your own choice, then you can choose one sure aboard the flight if you want to eat or not, listen to music or not, watch a movie or not, talk to people or not you have your operating within the parameters of human choice even though you're on a predetermined flight so you have both something predetermined and selected in advance.
Cooperating with your decision. So things like that happen all the time. When it comes to salvation God has made a choice to pick you that you can you can get bummed out about that you can wrestle with that. I see people I rate because of that and and my reaction to them as I don't know why you're upset about that kind we hold at that. You know what that means means God chose me. I'm on the winning team. I don't. I'm so bummed out. God chose me in advance. They calculated the disciples were when Jesus said to them one day know these disciples had chosen to follow Jesus there chosen to give up their nets chosen to give up their fishing career and follow him and one day he turned to them and said you didn't choose me I chose you and ordained you, that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain in only said that I chose you would before, but he guarantee the success of their future ministry and those words that's thrilling so you walk up to a gate and the gate says whosoever will let them come.
You know it's interesting, I'm up for that. I'll choose to go when you open the gate you you you walk in the gate closes behind you. You look back and the inside sign of the door you just voluntarily open says chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world and then you find a table with your name tag at and you go. I made the choice to come in yet. It seems like I've been chosen to be here all along the marvelous mystery is a mystery, but both are true.
You must choose. You are not drawn irresistibly to God you have no choice in the matter.
You do have choice in the matter but God chose you in advance what shall we say then verse 14 is there unrighteousness with God. Certainly not for he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom ever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom ever I will have compassion. So then a side of him who wills, nor of him who runs God who shows mercy for the Scripture says to Pharaoh, even for this purpose I have raised you up that I might show my power in you that my name might be declared in all the earth. Therefore, he has mercy on whom he wills, and whom he wills. He hardens the next illustration Paul uses is Moses and Pharaoh to men. Both sinners, both murderers both had seen the marvels of God in their midst. One is saved, one is not God chose Moses to lead his people. God chose his people to inherit a new land. Now something I want you to notice in verse 15 he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will immerse level of compassion and a member I will have compassion. He's quoting from Exodus 33 you need understand the context of Exodus 33, as soon as the children of Israel were dancing around the golden calf. What was I just mentioned you and God said move aside on my white mount destroy them and start a holy nation, Moses intervened, said no. After that, after after Moses prayer. God said, I will have mercy on whoever I will immerse I will, of compassion. Whoever I will have compassion. In other words, I'm gonna have compassion on these people and if you know the story. A plague swept through God stop the plague instead of wiping all of them out 3000 died but not all of them died.
All of them deserved death because all of them were engaged in idol worship, but God was merciful to his people during that incident, so I am Paul is bringing it up because some music. It's not fair that God should should choose people to be saved in an and have compassion I wanted and not another source is okay so if God if you are having trouble and balking at the fact that God is merciful and compassionate then you have to realize that God was merciful and compassionate to you, he should have destroyed all y'all. And he didn't. He had mercy on you.
He was compassionate on you now what you say. I'm glad he did. Yeah exactly.
So that is the incident that he uses as an example, verse 17. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, even for this purpose I have raised you up that I might show my power in you that my name might be declared in all the earth.
Therefore, he has mercy on whom he wills, and whom he wills. He hardens if you are familiar with the book of Exodus. I'm just guessing that you are. We are told in that book that God hardened Pharaoh's heart remember reading that you read that you go forth, so it's God's fault. No, because if you would've read from the beginning it says Pharaoh hardened his own heart. First, there's about 20 instances in the book of Exodus, where says that Pharaoh's heart was hardened about half the time Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
The other half got hardens two different words or use one is a voluntary. I want nothing to do with God. I want nothing to do with his revelation, do I want to do. That's personal hardness sets choice and this is God hardened it. It's a different word.
It means he affirmed it or he firmed up his heart. He firmed it made it firmer so here's the principle. Whatever choice you make. God will ferment that choice up if if it's a choice for him. He will firm your heart, he'll harden your heart in your desire to be owned by him controlled by him submitted in health firmed that up if you hardened against him.
He'll harden your heart against. He will it's it's bad analogies like poker. I see your five arrays you 10 I see your hardness. I raise you a little bit harder on hard by our okay on the make it firm ominous off of my heart open up your camera I'm in, affirmed that decision so one is personal. Your choice. The other sovereign God's choice. Both are true. Therefore, he has mercy on whom he wills, and whom he wills. He hardens you will say to me then why does he still find fault for who was resisted as well.
So if God is hardening.
My heart then how can God charge me for having a hard heart even though we just explained how we can do that because Pharaoh hardened his heart first, but indeed old man. Who are you to reply against God, will the thing formed say to him who formed it, why have you made me like this does not the potter of power over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor. What is God wanting to show his wrath to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction.
Yeah, this is God firmed up or made hard the heart of Pharaoh, but think how long God was patient with that bonehead is the Lord that I should obey said he was just so flagrantly in God's face is a rebel for a long time hundred of them a long long time read subscription takes its message in the series expound use gift to tell you, you can keep encouraging messages like this 1 Coming Your Way as you help others to God's word even though we are believers in Christ, we still have to wrestle with the sin nature inside us, but God's word equips us in the fight. That's why our goal is to get more clear Bible teachings to as many people as possible into your generous gift today. You can help connect more people to God's word cursor you can give today you can give online@connectwithskip.com/donate. That's connectwithskip.com/donate or call 800-922-1888, 800-922-1888. Thank you tomorrow Skip Heitzig six years of vital lesson about God's gracious and patient love for you. Think of God's every flaw that you had a goes on. You're not going to have like Santa Claus having the list checking it twice. I'm sure glad that he is patient enough merciful and gracious, and those who are mired