| SUMMARY: | The Apostle now states a very important truth. God’s plan for Israel is on course; it has not run aground. In order to understand this concept, we must understand that not everyone who is Jewish by birth is truly part of the elect spiritual people of Israel. Look at the children of Abraham and Isaac, for example. |
| I. The Idea Stated | VERSE 9:6 | |
| But it is not as though the word of God has failed. | (6a) | |
| II. The Idea Explained | VERSES 9:6-13 | |
| A. The Principle Stated: | ||
| 1. Stated: | For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; | (6b) |
| 2. Restated: | ||
| a. The Idea: | nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, | (7a) |
| b. The Scripture: | but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.” (Genesis 21:12) | (7b) |
| B. The Principle Explained: | ||
| 1. Those who are not: | That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, | (8a) |
| 2. Those who are: | but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. | (8b) |
| C. The Principle illustrated: | ||
| 1. Isaac not Ishmael: | For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.” (Genesis 18:10) |
(9) |
| 2. Jacob not Esau | ||
| a. The Circumstances: | ||
| (1) The Parents: | And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; | (10) |
| (2) The Children: | ||
| (a) When: | for though the twins were not yet born | (11a) |
| (b) What: | and had not done anything good or bad, | (11b) |
| b. The Reason: | ||
| (1) God’s Choice: | so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, | (11c) |
| (2) Not Man’s Works: | not because of works but because of Him who calls, | (11d) |
| c. The Promise: | ||
| (1) First: | it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” (Genesis 25:23) |
(12) |
| (2) Second: | Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.” (Malachi 1:2-3) |
(13) |