Romans 9:10-18 (NIV)

Good morning to you who follow Christ in the good times and the bad times.

Romans 9:10-18 (NIV)
10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.
11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand:
12 not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger."
13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.


You have to really keep these verses in context. Here is what this Scripture is not saying: 1) God sends some to heaven and some to hell. 2) God knows who is going to heaven and we do not have to witness. 3) God in some arbitrary way just goes about His business and what we do or how we respond makes no difference.

The context of these verses has to do with God no longer using Israel as His primary way of reaching the world with His message. God had raised Israel up to be the nation to show forth His mercy and grace, but that has been taken from them because of their disobedience. You will see upon further reading that God has now replaced Israel with this thing called the church. There are, what we call, the primary purposes that are revealed in Scripture. We all have a purpose and yes God has a plan for our lives. What we have to face as we read Scripture is that there are some that are chosen for a higher purpose. One example of that higher purpose is what God chose John the Baptist to do. Upon further examination you will see that in Peter's life as well as Paul's. In these chapters Paul is dealing with what we call down south the "Big Dog!" Israel has been put on the sidelines and the Jews are not getting with the new program. Paul goes to the O.T. to show how God, in the process of raising up Israel, chose Jacob over Esau to make it happen. Many people apply the Jacob and Esau passage to prove what some call the doctrine of unconditional election. This doctrine teaches that God chooses whom He will and the basis of that has nothing to do with our response. I contend that God does choose people, but we are not privy to how He does this thing of election. Remember here Paul is talking about Israel being put on the shelf for a while.

Read these verses very carefully for they are used in showing some end-of-the-times teachings in some circles. Just a thought as you read chapters 9-11; God is going to reach this world with or without us so why not join in?