GOD'S WORD IS ETERNAL (Romans 9:6-13)
The prophet's final words are not judgment but a proclamation of salvation and hope. In the verse where Paul says, "the word of God has not failed," he sees hope. There, he proclaims the ultimate victory of the law of life where Ishmael becomes Isaac and Esau becomes Jacob. Paul has experienced God's faithfulness within himself.
The Battle of Two Laws
In the book of Romans, from chapter 1 to 7, Paul struggles with the issue of sin that plagues him. The law of sin brings a death sentence upon him. Eventually, Paul cries out in despair,
"Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." (Romans 7:24)
In chapter 8 of Romans, a new law emerges for Paul, one that is embodied in Jesus Christ. Paul refers to this law as the law of life and the law of the Spirit. He declares that Jesus Christ's law has freed him from the law of sin and death. Paul concludes chapter 8 by saying, "Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39).
The central theme of Jesus Christ's law that has freed Paul from the law of sin is the love of God, especially the love of Christ. Paul sees that the law of sin and death is in conflict with the law of love that Jesus Christ embodies and brings to us.
In Romans 7-8, Paul presents a contrast between two laws. One law represents sin and death, while the other represents life and love. Paul portrays the conflict between these two opposing forces as a battle between the law of Christ and the law of sin. He also notes that this battle takes place within himself, within his own mind and spirit. The struggle between these two laws is not an external battle fought in the sky or on the earth, but rather a battle that takes place within one's own soul. Paul laments that the law of sin and the law of Christ are in conflict within his own being, causing him to struggle and gasp for air.
God's Faithfulness
Finally, Paul declares that through Jesus Christ's law, he has overcome the law of sin and death, and as a result, he has received the verdict of life instead of death. In other words, he testifies that he was victorious in the conflict between the two laws. If someone were to ask what the basis is for the verdict of life, Paul would answer, "God's faithful love." When we read Romans 9, we must not overlook God's faithful love. Paul confesses that nothing can separate us from God's love.
Paul notes that "God's word has not failed" (v. 6). The phrase "God's word has not failed" means that God's word of love towards us will never be abolished. This is the key to understanding the passage. The place where this key operates is within Paul's innermost being (see Jer. 31:33). When we read the passage, we must keep two keys in mind. One is the most important key, which is God's love, and the other is that this key operates within us.
Understanding Romans 9
The part of Romans 9 that confuses us is the section about Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob. At first glance, it seems like Ishmael and Esau did not receive God's mercy. The mood in the second half of verse 6 is uneasy.
"It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. Just as it is written: "I loved Jacob, but Esau I hated." Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden" (Romans 9:6-8, 13, 18).
What does Paul want to say? It doesn't make sense for Paul to be rejoicing about receiving life in Romans 8, and then in Romans 9, be struggling with whether it's Esau or Jacob.
We must read the conflict between the law of death and the law of life as it applies to the story of Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob. We need to base our understanding of Romans 9 on chapter 8 to avoid confusion. Romans 9 should be read as the result of what happened in chapter 8. We should understand that Ishmael, who was born under sin, became Isaac, who received life, and Esau, who wandered in sin, received life as Jacob. Ishmael and Esau are not separate from Isaac and Jacob as individual humans. Paul himself was once bound by the law of sin but was then saved by the law of life. If the transformation of a sinner into a recipient of life is a miracle, then the basis of that miracle is God's faithful love.
What is the final word of the prophet? The prophet's final word is not judgment. The final word of God, spoken through prophets, is forgiveness, salvation, liberation, and life. This is God's true intention. Similarly, Ishmael and Esau are not God's final word. God transforms Ishmael into Isaac and Esau into Jacob through the law of Jesus Christ.
Eternal God of the Word
Paul does not see God's word about making Ishmael into Isaac as having been nullified. Instead, he sees God's promise and word of love to make Esau into Jacob as having overcome the curse of death that lasts forever. Paul has seen that nothing can separate us from Christ and his love. If we try to express God's love and faithfulness in terms of our time, we could say that God has loved us since the beginning of time. Because God's promise to love us began before time, we can only say that "His promise is eternal and faithful."
Paul describes God's eternal and absolute love in this way: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion" (Romans 9:18). Paul calls God's love for us God's absolute sovereignty. This means that no one can ever break God's love for us. Here, Paul is once again affirming Romans 8.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)
Therefore, Paul's quote from Hosea in Romans 9:26 sends shivers down our spines while also filling us with warmth and affection.
"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'" (Hosea 1:10).
When Paul exclaims, "Has God's word failed?" (Romans 9:6), it is likely a poetic outburst of praise that we might exclaim before God ourselves.