Romans 9:25-29

You might be wondering who the Apostle is talking about when he speaks of “vessels of wrath” and “vessels of mercy” (9:22-23).  While he applies it to both Jews and Gentiles (9:24) the immediate context concerns Israel.  Today’s passage contains 3 quotes from the Old Testament that speak of these “vessels”.  They speak of Israel being “vessels of wrath” in times of great rebellion.  But each also speaks of a “remnant” of Israel as the “vessels of mercy.”  God had “endured with much longsuffering” (v22) Israel’s stiff-necked rebellion so “that He might make known the riches of His glory” (v23) on the remnant.  

·        9:25-26 from Hosea 2:23; 1:10.  Hosea wrote concerning the Northern Ten Tribes (Israel) and their impending judgment.  God instructed Hosea to marry a prostitute, something the prophet would find objectionable.  After a time she returned to her harlotry, and God tells Hosea to seek her out again.  God was illustrating His love for Israel, that even though she had been unfaithful, yet He would not abandon her.  Though at the time they were “not My people” (Hosea 1:9) yet she would later be “God’s people,” God’s beloved.

·        9:27-28 from Isaiah 10:22-23.  Isaiah wrote concerning Judah, the Southern two tribes of Israel, in the time when Assyria was the power to be feared.  He also wrote of a future time when Babylon would rule, and then of a later time when Messiah would return.  The message is: though Israel be as numerous as the sands of the sea only a remnant would be saved.  Again, he speaks of vessels of wrath endured by God with only a remnant of vessels of mercy.

·        9:29 from Isaiah 1:9.  The context in Isaiah for this passage seems to be the Assyrian time.  The Northern Kingdom had been destroyed and the people scattered.  Now they had come south and taken many of the cities of Judah.  They were headed for Jerusalem.  The encouraging words from God through Isaiah are that God would save a remnant, lest there be a complete destruction as in the cases of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  

In each case we see both the wrath and mercy of God.  The nation is judged for her sin and guilt.  But God is merciful and in each case maintained a remnant.  This lays the foundation in answer to the question concerning Israel’s situation today and in the future age, all of which will be concluded in Romans 11.

Now notice Romans 9:24.  While the illustrations in this passage all have to do with Israel (because that is the subject) notice that God’s mercy extends not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles.  There is no one who is not in need of mercy from God.  And He has shown that mercy in Christ.

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. (Titus 3:4-5a)