Romans 9:25-33 Prophecy

Hi there and welcome back. Today we are going to finish up chapter 9 of Romans.

Throughout this chapter Paul has been attempting to overcome the objections of the Jewish people, as it relates to the gentiles, the law, and the Jewish sense of entitlement as God’s chosen people. 

Paul is going to use every tool at his disposal to make his point.

He references Old testament scripture to build his case for Christ. In so doing he drops a few names along the way, including Moses, Isaiah, Hosea and Abraham. He uses their own past to reinforce biblical prophecy of the coming Messiah. Throughout all of this Paul is attempting to show the Jews that God has not broken His promise to his chosen people. Chapter 9 has dealt with Israel’s past and as we get into chapter 10 Paul addresses their present situation and finally Paul uses chapter 11 to address their future. 

So, let’s pick up where we left off with verse 25.

Romans 9:25 As indeed he says in Hosea, Those who were not my people I will call my people, and her who was not beloved I will call beloved.

Paul is quoting from Hosea 2:23.

Originally this verse was applied to Israel. But in this context Paul is using it towards the gentiles. He is making it plain to the Jews that salvation is not exclusive to them. Is Paul trying to rewrite the Bible? Not at all. Paul wrote as the Holy Spirit led him. It is not uncommon for us as believers to read something in the Bible and see it in a totally different way than someone else. We see it as it applies to our life. It was the Holy Spirit that led Paul to write Romans and it is the Holy Spirit that interprets it for us.

Romans 9:26 And in the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God.

This verse is also taken from Hosea verse 1:10.

Again this verse was not originally directed towards the gentiles, but rather it was used to describe Israel’s future restoration to God’s favor. As we said previously, the Holy Spirit can use Old testament scripture and apply it as He sees fit in the New testament. 

In the following verses Isaiah predicts that only a remnant of Israel would be saved.

Romans 9:27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,

God kept his promise to Abraham and indeed his descendants were as the sand of the sea.

But that promise did not obligate God to save all of Israel. Only those Jews who were willing to come to Christ would be counted in that remnant.

Romans 9:28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.

This verse references Isaiah 10:23 which says,

Isaiah 10:23 For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth.

This scripture refers to the Babylonian invasion of Palestine and Israel’s exile.

Paul quotes these words in order to say what has happened to Israel in the past will happen again in his day.

Again Paul is letting the Jews know that those who do not accept Christ, will be subject to God’s wrath.

Romans 9:29 And as Isaiah predicted, , If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.

God totally wiped out Sodom and Gomorrah. But God has always spared a remnant of his chosen people, so that Israel would not be totally annihilated.

Romans 9:30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith;

So the gentiles who didn’t pursue righteousness and we’re wicked were able to attain righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.

So generations of Jews are trying to keep the law in order to be justified. Yet they never found a law that would lead them to righteousness. 

Romans 9:32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

And so it is that they refused to believe that justification comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Christ has become a stumbling Stone to them. They can’t get past the law.

Romans 9:33 as it is written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

Paul references Isaiah 8:14 which foretold of Christ being a stumbling block and an offense to the Jews.

Those who choose to believe in him will not be put to shame or in more literal terms they will not be shown to be foolish for believing in Christ. Paul is quoting from Isaiah 28:16 which says,

Isaiah 28:16 therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: Whoever believes will not be in haste.

This decision is not made in haste, it is a decision based on a firm foundation. 

We as Christians need to build our faith on that firm foundation. If our faith is based on anything less than the risen Christ we are on shaky ground.

Paul has used Old testament prophecy to awaken the Jews to their need for the Savior.

New testament prophecy is just as important for today’s Christians. The second coming of Christ should encourage every Christian to stay the course.

The following prophetic verses speak of the coming Christ.

Matthew 24:26-27 So, if they say to you, Look, he is in the wilderness, do not go out. If they say, Look, he is in the inner rooms, do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

There is going to be no doubt when Christ returns.

It will be a glorious light in the heavens. It will surely not be in some remote and secret place. Beware of false Messiahs and false prophets. When Christ makes his triumphant return there will be no doubt as to His identity.

Luke 21:25-28 And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

No one knows when Christ will return.

But these three verses make it readily apparent that there will be signs of His coming. Joel 2:31 is a little more specific and states, The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD. Along with the seas that will savagely beat upon the Earth there should be no doubt on that day that the coming of our Messiah is near.

There are many more prophetic verses that speak of Christ’s coming.

As Christians we need to heed those words and live with anticipation at His coming.

I’d like to thank you for listening and as always may you have a week full of opportunities to share this good news with those that need to hear it.