The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Twenty

"Perfect Potter"


Romans 9:10-29 (Message) And that's not the only time. To Rebecca, also, a promise was made that took priority over genetics. When she became pregnant by our one-of-a-kind ancestor, Isaac, and her babies were still innocent in the womb—incapable of good or bad—she received a special assurance from God. What God did in this case made it perfectly plain that his purpose is not a hit-or-miss thing dependent on what we do or don't do, but a sure thing determined by his decision, flowing steadily from his initiative. God told Rebecca, "The firstborn of your twins will take second place." Later that was turned into a stark epigram: "I loved Jacob; I hated Esau."
   Is that grounds for complaining that God is unfair? Not so fast, please. God told Moses, "I'm in charge of mercy. I'm in charge of compassion." Compassion doesn't originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat, but in God's mercy. The same point was made when God said to Pharaoh, "I picked you as a bit player in this drama of my salvation power." All we're saying is that God has the first word, initiating the action in which we play our part for good or ill.
   Are you going to object, "So how can God blame us for anything since he's in charge of everything? If the big decisions are already made, what say do we have in it?"
   Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn't talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, "Why did you shape me like this?" Isn't it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans? If God needs one style of pottery especially designed to show his angry displeasure and another style carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness, isn't that all right? Either or both happens to Jews, but it also happens to the other people. Hosea put it well: 


   I'll call nobodies and make them somebodies; 
      I'll call the unloved and make them beloved. 
   In the place where they yelled out, "You're nobody!" 
      they're calling you "God's living children."


   Isaiah maintained this same emphasis: 
   If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered 
      and the sum labeled "chosen of God," 
   They'd be numbers still, not names; 
      salvation comes by personal selection. 
   God doesn't count us; he calls us by name. 
      Arithmetic is not his focus.
Isaiah had looked ahead and spoken the truth: 
   If our powerful God 
      had not provided us a legacy of living children, 
   We would have ended up like ghost towns, 
      like Sodom and Gomorrah.
How can we sum this up? All those people who didn't seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as he straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their "God projects" that they didn't notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And so they stumbled into him and went sprawling. Isaiah (again!) gives us the metaphor for pulling this together: 

   Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, 
      a stone you can't get around. 
   But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, 
      you'll find me on the way, not in the way.

"Romans 9 comes after Romans 8 for this utterly crucial reason: It shows that the word of God’s covenant with Israel has not failed, because it is grounded in God’s sovereign, electing mercy. Therefore the promises to the true Israel and the promises of Romans 8 will stand! That is the gospel of Romans 9. The promises purchased by the blood of Christ will be performed by the sovereign power of God."~ John Piper

This chapter is confusing when you look at it from human eyes. If God has "elected" certain people then why do we even need to worry about accepting Jesus? Good question. I think God has chosen to bring salvation to both Jews and Gentiles alike through the blood of Jesus. We have the choice to accept His election or not. God being God knows who will accept Him and who will not. Again, I can't fully wrap my mind around this thought because my mind is limited in this body. It is by faith I believe that what God says is true.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT) But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 

The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for you and me is legitimate. It wasn't an afterthought by God, but a carefully planned gift meant for mankind to get back into a right relationship with Him. The Israelites were chosen to be the people He used to bring the Law, the Temple, the Prophets and the Messiah through. God in His great mercy, included those of us who weren't born into this chosen race when Christ made the way and we accept Him as Lord.

Isaiah 67:8 (NLT) And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.

We may not agree with how God does things but if we belong to Him, then we must submit to His ways. Isaiah says it best. We are clay... He is the Potter. He not only formed us He out of clay, He made the clay. Out of His hand and by His will all things are accomplished. Romans 9 is a hard nut to crack but don't worry, God is the Potter and knows how He will finish out His plan. All we need to do is trust Him for He loves His creations.

Psalm 62:7-8 (NLT) My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.