Romans 9:25-28

 

 

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Summary of
Romans 9-11
Romans 9 Romans 10 Romans 11
Past
Election
Present
Rejection
Future
Reception
God's Sovereignty
Israel's Election by God
Man's responsibility
Israel's Rejection of God
God's Ways Higher
God Not Rejecting Israel

 

Romans 9:25  As He says also in Hosea, "I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, 'MY PEOPLE,' AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED.' " (NASB: Lockman)
Greek: os kai en to Osee legei, (3SPAI) Kaleso (1SFAI) ton ou laon mou laon mou kai ten ouk egapemenen (RPPFSA) egapemenen; (RPPFSA
Amplified: Just as He says in Hosea, Those who were not My people I will call My people, and her who was not beloved [I will call] My beloved. [Hos. 2:23.] (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay: Just as he says in Hosea: “A people which was not mine I will call my people; and her who was not beloved I will call beloved." (
Westminster Press)
ESV:  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.'" (
ESV)
ICB:  As the Scripture says in Hosea: "I will say, 'You are my people' to those I had called 'not my people.' And I will show my love to those people I did not love." Hosea 2:1,23 (
ICB: Nelson)
NIV: As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," (
NIV - IBS)
NKJV: As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved."
NLT: Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, "Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before." (
NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: He says in Hosea: 'I will call them my people, who were not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved'.  (
Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: As also in Hosea He says, I will call those, not my people, my people, and those, not beloved, beloved.  (
Erdmans
Young's Literal: as also in Hosea He saith, 'I will call what is not My people -- My people; and her not beloved -- Beloved,
REFERENCES
Albert Barnes
Wayne Barber
Wayne Barber
John Calvin
Thomas Constable
David Guzik
S Lewis Johnson
Middletown
William Newell
John Piper
A T Robertson
Ray Stedman
Ray Stedman
Marvin Vincent
Precept Ministries

Romans 9
Romans 9:19-24: God is God of Purpose-Pt2
Romans 9:30-10:5:Righteousness Precious Possession
Romans 9
Romans Notes
Romans 9
Romans 9:14-33
Romans 9
Romans 9
Romans 9:24-29 The Gentiles Are Included
Romans 9
Romans 9:1-29: Who Chose Whom?

Romans 9:14-33  Let God Be God
Romans 9
Romans 9-11 - Part 3

ROMANS ROAD
to RIGHTEOUSNESS
Romans
1
:18-3:20
Romans
3:21-5:21
Romans
6:1-8:39
Romans
9:1-11:36
Romans
12:1-16:27
SIN SALVATION SANCTIFICATION SOVEREIGNTY SERVICE
NEED
FOR
SALVATION
WAY
OF
SALVATION
LIFE
OF
SALVATION
SCOPE
OF
SALVATION
SERVICE
OF
SALVATION
God's Holiness
In
Condemning
Sin
God's Grace
In
Justifying
Sinners
God's Power
In
Sanctifying
Believers
God's Sovereignty
In
Saving
Jew and Gentile
Gods Glory
The
Object of
Service
Deadliness
of Sin
Design
of Grace
Demonstration of Salvation
Power Given Promises Fulfilled Paths Pursued
Righteousness
Needed
Righteousness
Credited
Righteousness
Demonstrated
Righteousness
Restored to Israel
Righteousness
Applied
God's Righteousness
IN LAW
God's Righteousness
IMPUTED
God's Righteousness
OBEYED
God's Righteousness
IN ELECTION
God's Righteousness
DISPLAYED
Slaves to Sin Slaves to God Slaves Serving God
Doctrine Duty
Life by Faith Service by Faith

Modified from Irving L. Jensen's excellent work "Jensen's Survey of the NT"

AS HE SAYS ALSO IN HOSEA: os kai en to Osee legei (3SPAI): (Hosea 1:1,2) (Hosea 2:23; 1 Peter 2:10)

In this section Paul begins with some passages from Hosea to establish the acceptability of the Gentiles, then goes on to some from Isaiah to show that the call does not include all Israel.

He says (3004) (lego) speaks with a focus upon the content of what is said. God spoke and present tense indicates He is still speaking.

Paul quoted (Hosea 2:23) somewhat freely using it as a statement to indicate that God would turn (temporarily) from the Jews and call the Gentiles...

Hosea 2:23 "And I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion (corresponds to Hosea's daughter "Lo-Ruhamah = not compassion, without compassion or love), and I will say to those who were not My people (corresponds to Hosea's son named "Lo-Ammi"- Apostate Israel, God says, was "not My people" for they had lived as heathens and now they had become as heathens. But that was not God’s last word as the next clause shows!), 'You are My people!' (Those whom God wills to restore will be restored) and they will say, 'Thou art my God!'" (Comment: Interpreted in its OT context, Hosea 2:23 refers to Israel and not to the Gentiles. It looks forward to the time when Israel will be restored as God’s people and as His beloved.)

English translation of Hosea 2:23 in the Septuagint: "And I will sow her to me on the earth; and will love her that was not loved, and will say to that which was not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art the Lord my God."

Paul's point is that the call of the Gentiles should not have come as a surprise to the Jews.

God directed Hosea to give his children symbolic names—one son Lo-Ammi (not my people = Gomer's second son, his name symbolized the rejection of Israel, who, at Sinai, had covenanted to be God's people) and the daughter Lo-Ruhamah (not...loved or means "not pitied" or "not having obtained mercy," signifying that Israel will not find mercy when the impending judgment falls).

These names of Hosea's children represented God’s abandonment of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrian Captivity and Exile (Hosea 1:2-9). However, God was not permanently casting away the people of Israel.

In the verses quoted by Paul, God promised to restore them as His beloved and as His people. By ethnic heritage the Gentiles were not God’s people, so Paul was led by the Spirit of God to apply these verses to Gentiles—and Jews also—who were sovereignly chosen by God and called to be His people in Christ. The quotation of Hosea 2:23 is rather free with the order of the clauses reversed to fit the application to Gentiles. Paul was applying these verses from Hosea to the Gentiles, not reinterpreting them. He was not saying that Israel of the Old Testament is part of the church.

Dr S Lewis Johnson the respected former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary wrote...

Paul follows with a series of Old Testament quotations in support of the fact that God has called Gentiles to faith and left Israel with a remnant in the earth. In other words if Israel had read the Scriptures, they would have understood what might happen, if they should reject the revelation of God climaxed in the appearance of their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Ro 9:25-29). Oh! How many things become clear when we read the Scriptures! (Romans 9:14-33)

I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE 'MY PEOPLE': kaleso (1SFAI) ton ou laon mou laon mou:

Peter (1 Peter 2:10) uses the same passage from Hosea in his first epistle, but probably with a slightly different  desired "endpoint" (see comment after verse below)...

for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. (see note 1 Peter 2:10) (Comment:  In Hosea it is Israel who is not God's people. In Romans it is the Gentiles to whom Paul applies Hosea's words. Thus in 1 Peter the words could apply to both Jews before they met their Messiah and pagan Gentiles before the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. This is especially apropos in light of the difficulty to dogmatically label the recipients of Peter's letter as Jewish versus Gentile believers.)

Although Hosea was speaking of the remnant Israel, Paul (writing under the Spirit's inspiration) applies the same principle to God's calling of a remnant of the Gentiles as well

And the LORD said, "Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people and I am not your God." (Hosea 1:9).

Marvin Vincent commenting on "that my people which was not My people" notes that...

The Greek is much more condensed.

“I will call the not-My-people My-people.” See Hos 1:6-9.

The reference is to the symbolical names given by the prophet to a son and daughter: Lo Ammi not my people, and Lo Ruhamah not having obtained mercy. The new people whom God will call My people will be made up from both Jews and Gentiles. Hosea, it is true, is speaking of the scattered Israelites only, and not of the Gentiles; but the ten tribes, by their lapse into idolatry had put themselves upon the same footing with the Gentiles, so that the words could be applied to both.

A principle of the divine government is enunciated

“which comes into play everywhere when circumstances reappear similar to those to which the statement was originally applied. The exiled Israelites being mingled with the Gentiles, and forming one homogeneous mass with them, cannot be brought to God separately from them. Isa. 49:22 represents the Gentiles as carrying the sons of Israel in their arms, and their daughters on their shoulders, and consequently as being restored to grace along with them” (Godet). (Word Studies in the NT)

AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED: kai ten ouk egaphemenen (RPPFSA) egaphemenen (RPPFSA): (Ro 1:7; Ezekiel 16:8; John 16:27)

Beloved (25) (agapao) means to love  unconditionally, sacrificially which describe the love that God Himself is. It is not sentimental or emotional but represents the act of one's will with the intended goal of the recipient's highest good irrespective of whether it is received or returned! Clearly agape love flows out of God's grace or unmerited favor. Both uses of "beloved" in this verse are in the perfect tense which speaks of an enduring effect, once toward the "negative" ("not beloved") but eventually in the "positive" direction.

Leon Morris in explaining the phrase "not beloved, beloved" (or "I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one.") writes that...

Hosea has this before the “not my people” clause and his verb here seems to mean “my pitied one”; Paul has reversed the order of the clauses and has “love” rather than “pity”. He is saying that in Scripture it is the call of God and the love of God that makes the people of God, and this quite irrespective of Jewish or Gentile origin. There is, of course, a sense in which all the people of the world are the objects of God’s love (John 3:16). God loves because it is his nature to love. But there is also a sense in which those who are his people are specially beloved, and this is the theme of the present passage (Morris, L. The Epistle to the Romans. W. B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press)

As has been noted elsewhere in this section, Hosea words in their original Old Testament context referred to Israel and not to the Gentiles. They looked forward to the time when Israel would be restored as God’s people and as His beloved (this time is yet future to us alive in 2006, the year these notes were written). When Paul quotes these OT passages here in Romans he applies them to the call of the Gentiles. What right does Paul have to make such a radical change? The answer of course is that the Holy Spirit Who inspired the words in the first place has the right to reinterpret or reapply them at a later time.

 

Romans 9:26  "AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, 'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,' THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD." (NASB: Lockman)
Greek: kai estai (3SFMI) en to topo ou errethe (3SAPI) autois, Ou laos mou humeis ekei klethesontai (3PFPI) huioi theou zontos (PAPMSG
Amplified: And it shall be that in the very place where it was said to them, You are not My people, they shall be called sons of the living God. [Hos. 1:10.] (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay: And as he says in that same place where it was said to them: “You are not my people; there they shall be called the sons of the living God.” (
Westminster Press)
ESV: "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.'" (
ESV)
ICB: "Now it is said to Israel, 'You are not my people.' But later they will be called 'children of the living God.'" Hosea 1:10 (
ICB: Nelson)
NIV: and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'" (
NIV - IBS)
NKJV: "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God."
NLT: And, "Once they were told, 'You are not my people.' But now he will say, 'You are children of the living God.'" (
NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: 'And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God'.  (
Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: And it shall come to be that in the place where it was said to them, Not my people are you, there they shall be called sons of the living God.  (
Erdmans
Young's Literal: and it shall be -- in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God.'
Septuagint (LXX) of Hosea 1:10: kai estai (3SFMI) en to topo ou errethe (3SAPI) autois: ou laos mou humeis ekei klethesontai (3PFPI) huioi theou zontos (PAPMSG)
AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE: kai estai (3SFMI) en to topo ou errethe (3SAPI) autois ou laos mou humeis:: (Hosea 1:9,10)

Paul continues the sentence quoting directly from the Septuagint of Hosea 1:10 (highlighted Scripture corresponds to his quote)...

Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And it will come about that, in the place Where it is said to them, "You are not My people," It will be said to them, "You are the sons of the living God."

This addition from  Hosea 1:10 further emphasizes the divine call that makes the "not my people" into "sons of the living God".

Once again, in its Old Testament context Hosea was not speaking of the Gentiles but describing Israel’s future restoration to God’s favor. Yet under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul applies it to God’s acknowledgment of the Gentiles as His sons. This is another illustration of the fact that when the Holy Spirit quotes verses from the OT in the NT, He can rightfully apply them as He wishes.

THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD: ekei klethesontai (3PFPI) huioi theou zontos (PAPMSG):

They - refers to the Gentiles and is a promise even found in the original promise to Abraham, Moses recording God's promise...

Genesis 12:3 And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Comment: The phrase "all the families of the earth" would include the Gentiles).

Inherent in God's promise to bless all the families is the promise of the coming of Abraham's Seed, the Messiah, for it was only through Him that the blessing to Abraham would pass. Paul explains this in the NT in Galatians writing...

Galatians 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS SHALL BE BLESSED IN YOU." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer...16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed (this is how all the nations, which would include the Gentiles, would be blessed "in" Abraham - in his seed was the line of the Messiah, the Christ, through which the blessings could flow to all who would believe like Abraham!). He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to One, "And to your Seed," that is, Christ. (Comment: In Genesis 22:17 God reaffirms His promise of Genesis 12:1-3 but even more specifically states "indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed [masculine, singular in the Hebrew = prophesying of the Messiah] as the stars of the heavens")

Called (kaleo) means to speak to another in order to bring them nearer, either physically or in a personal relationship. A number of the NT uses convey the nuance of an invitation. (See related study on "the called")

Again there is the thought of God’s effectual call, this time directed to people in the situation of Gentiles. It is not the situation that prevails, but the divine call. And the call is to membership in the heavenly family. The substantives have no articles, which puts the stress on the quality. The people who were not God’s people will be called nothing less than sons (with all the rights and privileges that that implies) of One who is none less than God, and living God at that  (Morris, L. The Epistle to the Romans. W. B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press) (Comment: Regarding Gentiles as God's sons, see related discussion on "adoption as sons" in Ephesians 1:5)

Dr. Harry Ironside writes that in our day...

when grace is going out to the Gentiles, Israel would be set to one side nationally. By-and-by the same grace that is now being shown to the Gentile nations will be manifested again to the Israelites, and they will once more be called the children of the living God. Isaiah prophesied that although the number of the children of Israel would be as the sands of the sea, yet of this vast throng only a remnant would be saved. And that salvation would come in the day of the Lord's indignation, when He would be executing His judgment on the earth (see Isaiah 10:22-23). (Ironside, H. Romans).

Commenting on Romans 9:25-26 Thomas Constable writes that...

The inclusion of Gentiles in this group is in harmony with Old Testament prophecy. Hosea 2:23 and 1:10 in their contexts refer to a reversal of Israel’s status. Some interpreters say that this is a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Others claim that this was an initial partial fulfillment that does not eliminate a future complete fulfillment. A better explanation, I think, is that Paul saw an analogy between God’s present calling of Gentiles and His future calling of Israel. Gentiles were not a distinct people as were the Jews but constituted the mass of humanity. Nevertheless by God’s grace believing Gentiles became members of the new people of God, the church. (Romans Notes)

 

Romans 9:27  Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED; (NASB: Lockman)

Greek: Esaias de krazei (3SPAI) huper tou IsraEl, Ean e o arithmos ton huion Israel os e ammos tes thalasses, to hupoleimma sothesetai; (3SFPI
Amplified: And Isaiah calls out (solemnly cries aloud) over Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, only the remnant (a small part of them) will be saved [from perdition, condemnation, judgment]! (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay: And Isaiah cries about Israel: “Even though the number of the sons of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved,  (
Westminster Press)
ESV:  And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel[3] be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, (
ESV)
ICB: And Isaiah cries out about Israel: "There are so many people of Israel. They are like the grains of sand by the sea. But only a few of them will be saved. (
ICB: Nelson)
NIV: Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. (
NIV - IBS)
NKJV: Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.
NLT: Concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, "Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand on the seashore, only a small number will be saved. (
NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: And Isaiah, speaking about Israel, proclaims: 'though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved. (
Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: And Isaiah cries in anguish concerning Israel, If the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved.  (
Erdmans
Young's Literal: And Isaiah doth cry concerning Israel, 'If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved;
Septuagint (LXX) of Isa 10:22 kai ean genetai (3SAMS) o laos Israel os e ammos tes thalasses to kataleimma auton sothesetai (3SFPI)

AND ISAIAH CRIES OUT CONCERNING ISRAEL: Esaias de krazei (3SPAI) huper tou Israel: (Isaiah 1:1) (Isaiah 10:20-23)

In quoting this Old Testament passage Paul is shifting his emphasis form the inclusion of Gentiles in the people of God  to explain the truth of remnant (which permeates the entire OT - see