Romans 9:26-29 (WEL) Also, “It will be [that] in the place where it was said to them, ’You are not my people,’ there they will be called the children of the living God.” [Hosea 1:10] 27 Isaiah also speaks out concerning Israel, “Though the number of Israel’s children are as the sand of the sea, [only] a remnant will be saved, 28 “For He will finish [this] declaration speedily in righteousness because the Lord will expedite [His] declaration on the earth,” [Isaiah 10:22-23] 29 Even as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of armies had not left us a remnant, we would have been like Sodom and compared to Gomorrah.” [Isaiah 1:9]
V26 Also, “It will be [that] in the place where it was said to them, ’You are not my people,’ there they will be called the children of the living God.” [Hosea 1:10]
The Gentiles do not become Israel; they are just included in God’s plan for salvation. In the church age, Pentecost to the Rapture, everyone who believes in Jesus is in God’s family. Israel is still Israel (Revelation 7:4 and James 1:1), and Gentiles are still Gentiles (Acts 21:25), but the church is one whether Jew or Gentile (Ephesians 2:11-22).
When one believes and trusts in Jesus alone for salvation, they are spiritually adopted by God. See Galatians 4:5, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:23, Romans 9:4, and Ephesians 1:5.
V27 Isaiah also speaks out concerning Israel, “Though the number of Israel’s children are as the sand of the sea, [only] a remnant will be saved.
So Isaiah prophesies the same thought (Isaiah 10:22-23). God speaks through both prophets (Hosea and Isaiah) that every word may be true by two witnesses. Just because one is a Jew does not guarantee salvation. The condition is faith (John 3:15-18 and Galatians 3:24). The remnant is those Jews who believe. The remnant of the Gentiles is those who believe. This speaks of ethnic Israel: 1) it so reads and 2) the quote is to Israel from Isaiah receiving the message from the Lord.
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary adds: “When God’s people of Old Testament times rebelled against him, the prophets announced God’s judgment upon them. Time and again the prophets declared that God had rejected his unfaithful people but would preserve the faithful remnant. One task of the prophets was to build up and encourage the remnant (1 Kings 19:18, Isaiah 1:9, Isaiah 8:16-19, Isaiah 10:20-23, Isaiah 28:5, and Jeremiah 15:19-21).”
V28 “For He will finish [this] declaration quickly in righteousness because the Lord will expedite [His] declaration on the earth.”
Once the conditions and time have been met, these prophesies will happen. Some understand this to be the Babylonian invasion and others to be the Tribulation. Seeing that Romans 9-11 refer to Israel and culminate in all Israel being saved (Romans 11:26-27), it seems most likely referring to the Tribulation.
V29 Even as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of armies had not left us a remnant, we would have been like Sodom and compared to Gomorrah.” [Isaiah 1:9]
All sinners deserve punishment, but God shows mercy to all, that they might be saved. In the Tribulation, Israel will be severely punished as in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. All may be saved from God’s wrath but most of Israel reject Jesus and refuse to believe.
We learn:
- Rejecting the Gospel has severe consequences.
- God predicted that the Gospel would be the same for Jew and Gentile (Acts 2:24, Acts 8:12, and Acts 10:43).
Questions:
- Have you accepted the Gospel?
- Do you pray for both Jews and Gentiles to be saved?