Whoever Fought Against God and Won?
Romans 9:17-24
February 4, 2024
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig
www.biblebc.com
I. Introduction
A. We are studying Three intense chapters here in the Book of Romans (chapter 9, 10 and 11) about a nation of people called Israel. Not Christians, but Israel.
B. Paul refers to Israel as God's elect nation (Romans 9:3-5) - A nation specially chosen by God, adopted by God, blessed by God, to do so many things for God, throughout history (you had better learn these things):
1. To be God’s physical, living example of His grace and His righteousness to a dark and lost world throughout history
2. To give His perfect Laws and promises to – all the promises of the Old Testament were to the Jews FIRST
3. And to give the world a Saving Messiah – the greatest thing the Jews ever gave the world was Jesus!
C. The fact that Israel failed throughout their history to follow God, and to believe God and to obey God, did not cancel God's promises! It never changed His mind about Israel. Any more than when you or I fail to live up to God’s purpose!
D. Israel, as a nation, will be blessed, and will one day receive their Messiah, even though for the last 2,000 years, they have fallen into gross spiritual apostasy (Chapter 11)
1. Listen to Romans 10:1, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2. So, Unbelieving Israel, as a nation is not saved.
3. But they, as a people, as wicked as they are living right now, will be saved!
4. Romans 11:25-27 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
E. There are at least 14 incredibly intense and complex truths in these three chapters that MUST be slowly pondered and understood, or else you will fall into what Paul calls “self-conceit” and arrogance and pride about yourself, and against His people – that’s why Paul wrote these three chapters!
1. Like the truth about the sovereignty of God – it is a powerful, foundational doctrine
2. The miracle of Gentile’s being included in the family of God
F. None of those things are easily understood!
G. But are presented in these three chapters for us to try and grasp!
II. Review from Last Week
A. Last week we learned a bit about The Sovereignty of God (Romans 9:17,18)
1. Romans 9:17,18 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
2. Sovereignty is a word that summarizes the power of God
3. He is God, alone!
4. He created absolutely everything that exists outside of Himself
5. If He has the power that created this entire world and universe, then truly He has ALL power – He is sovereign – he is in control
a. That means, He controls wind and waves, the motion of planets and stars - all the laws of physics are subject to Him, and obey him!
b. He has absolutely all power!
6. He has absolute control over everything that He has created, and He has the authority to do as He pleases – He can do whatever He wants to do – because He is King of everything!
B. Sounds Terrifying, doesn’t it? It is! But as God, He is…
1. God is absolutely good - in other words He cannot lie, and cannot break his promises, and cannot fail, and cannot go against his own nature – thankfully!
2. Though God controls the wind and the waves, He does not control the will of any human – He just knows how to use it to fulfil His own will
3. The sovereignty (power) of God works with the frailty of man – our sinful nature, our failings and sins
4. And still accomplishes His perfect will (Romans 8:28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
5. He can be completely trusted with everything in your life – big and small
6. Because He is Good, and He is in control - not the world, not the devil, and not man!
C. This week, we will learn about the Display of God’s Power – Against Pharaoh
D. Job 9:4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him [GOD], and hath prospered? [NO ONE]
III. Message
A. The Example of Pharaoh (Romans 9:17,18)
1. Romans 9:17,18 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
2. What did God actually say here?
a. God did NOT say, “For this caused I created you”. No.
b. But, “I gave you power as the leader of Egypt…” I raised you up – I put you in your place of power… “I ELECTED YOU!”
c. The first statement would imply that God created Pharaoh to fail from the start – that Pharaoh had no free will at all, and was created to be destroyed
d. But the Scripture is saying that God gave a man great power, knowing that he would fight him – God chose that man to be Pharaoh because he FOREKNEW ahead of time that he would refuse to let Israel go free from slavery!
3. This choice to raise up that Pharaoh, at that time, was NOT to show how great the man called Pharaoh was…
4. It was only To show God’s power and will is greater than ours
a. Pharaoh’s power was immense – king of the vast Ehyptian empire at its zenith!
b. “To show GOD’S power compared to Pharaoh’s!”
1) Not to damn Pharaoh and the Egyptian people
2) But to save His people, Israel
3) Pharaoh and Egypt were already under the wrath of God – as all nations are
4) But put a man into power as Pharaoh, to save His people, Israel
c. Disaster after disaster, plague after plague
1) Locusts, frogs, lice, hail mixed with fire, darkness
2) And still Pharaoh fought the will of God – would not let the people of Israel go free
d. And when he finally did let them go, after the death of his and millions of other first born sons, he quickly turned dark, and raced after them into the middle of the Red Sea, and ignored the miracle of walled water, and sought only to hold onto Israel as his slaves, and his entire army was drowned!
e. THAT is God’s power
5. So that GOD’S name would be well known and feared and worshipped and trusted, instead of Pharaoh’s name or some Taoiseach or some Prime Minister, or President!
a. Pharaoh’s name is barely known, but the name of Jehovah is known world-wide!
b. Pharaoh and Egypt just decided to resist and fight the wrong power!
c. They could have repented and yielded to God’s will
d. But instead resisted God, and lost everything
e. Just like YOU will lose, if you keep fighting Him too!
B. So, Who Can Resist God? (Romans 9:19,20)
1. If God has infinite power, who can resist His will? (Romans 9:19)
a. Romans 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
b. Why does God find fault with us if He always does what HE wants to do?
c. Paul is warning the Jewish believers that no one can resist God’s choices
1) Not talking about God’s choice of who to save and who to damn
2) But of who to bless and who to use!
3) And that NO one can resist God’s hardening of our heart
4) By the way, God tells us who He will harden
a) Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
b) 2Thessalonians 2:10-12 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
c) James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
2. Pharaoh could not harden himself against God’s will and win – it led to his destruction
a. Job 9:4 He [GOD] is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him [GOD], and hath prospered? [NO ONE]
b. Listen to Moses try and reason with Pharaoh
1) Exodus 10:3,4 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse [BY CHOICE] to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
2) Exodus 10:9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
c. Listen to Pharaoh’s CHOICE!
1) Exodus 10:10 And he [PHARAOH] said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.
2) Exodus 10:11 [AND THEN CHANGES HIS MIND] Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD [LEAVE THE CHILDREN BEHIND]; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
d. THAT is man’s nature – we hate giving in, and we hate yielding to what we don’t want to do!
e. And THAT was when God hardened Pharaoh’s heart!
1) Exodus 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
2) Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man that [CHOOSES TO] feareth [GOD] alway: but he that hardeneth his [OWN] heart shall fall into mischief.
3. Paul asks, Who do we think WE are? (Romans 9:20)
a. Romans 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
b. Pharaoh tried to argue against God
1) Refused to believe that the God of the Jewish people is God
2) Refused to let Jehovah God tell him what to do
3) I know he was Pharaoh, king of the Egyptian Empire, and the most powerful man of his day…
4) But, who did he think he was?
c. Most people do this still today…
1) They churn and boil on the inside when they are “rubbed the wrong way” by people telling them what to do
2) They come to church for a little while, and enjoy hearing how wicked politicians are, and bankers, and Hollywood, but close their ears when this Bible speaks about THEIR lifestyles, and about THEIR responsibilities
3) Oh we love to hear preaching that is directed at our wives or our husbands
4) But we are deaf when it is pointed at US!
5) We are JUST like Pharaoh!
d. By-the way, Did you notice the Question in 9:20 “Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?”
1) So many people hate themselves, hate their looks, hate their job, hate their husbands, their wives, the country they are in, their health problems, their past…
2) They scream in private, “WHY DID YOU MAKE ME THIS WAY, GOD?”
3) “Why couldn’t you have made me different than I am?”
4) “Why have you made me this way?”
5) That is a demonic question and attitude – it is not right, and not healthy
e. How are you made? How did you come into this world?
1) A Man? Woman? You were NOT made transgender, or a cat, or a fish, or a reptile
2) Tall, short?
3) Fat, skinny?
4) Sickly, healthy?
5) Brown skinned, Black, Yellow, White, Gray skinned?
6) Wealthy, poor?
7) Smart, stupid?
8) Blind, seeing?
9) Deaf, dumb?
10) Bald, hairy?
11) Crippled, or whole?
f. Don’t complain to God about His craftmanship!
g. Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made [NOT ACCIDENTLY]: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
1) Your nose is marvellous
2) Your freckles are beautiful ladies
3) Your eye colour is wonderful
4) Your muscles are magnificent gentlemen
5) Your skin colour is just right – I wish Michael Jackson had believed that
6) By-the-way, your weaknesses are also designed by God so He can show Himself strong through you – that is what the Bible says!
h. And don’t complain about where God has elected you right now
1) If you are in a position of power, honour God, and do the right things
2) If you are in a lowly place of no honour, honour God, and do the right things!
C. God has Power Like a Potter (Romans 9:21-24)
1. #1 God gives some people great honour, and others live with constant dishonour – no honour at all (Romans 9:21)
1) That is God’s doing – that was God’s choice
2) Romans 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
3) Not referring to being saved, or damned
4) But describes God putting some into positions of power, while others are in positions that are ignored, and not honoured!
b. #2 God is the Creator AND the Purposer of all life
1) Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
2) He created us as we are on purpose
a) With two legs, with two ears, with two eyes, one mouth, with hair, without hair
b) But most of all… With free will, that is imperfect, and flawed
c) We were created this way
3) Jeremiah 18:1-4 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
4) What was the problem with the clay?
5) The clay did not yield to the grip and force of the Potter’s own hands
6) It resisted God’s work on it, just like people throughout time have
c. #3 God treats us based upon our response to His words! (Jeremiah 18:5-10)
1) Jeremiah 18:5-10 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil [BY CHOICE], [THEN] I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
2) God allows the clay to decide if it is going to be made beautiful, or destroyed!
3) Wow!
D. What Is God Showing the World? (Romans 9:22-24)
1. Romans 9:22-24 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
2. When God shows either His power, or His mercy, he is showing the world:
a. That He really has ALL power – real power – shows His wrath against arrogance
b. That God endures [PUTS UP WITH] the rantings and pride of arrogant people like Pharaoh, and Hitler, and the ungodly media today who are headed for destruction – they will face God and judgment one day!
c. That you can’t win against Him
1) Job 9:4 He [GOD] is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him [GOD], and hath prospered? [NO ONE]
2) Don’t be a fool and continue to refuse to do the right things – as a husband, a wife, a teenager, a Christian, a boss, an employee
3) Don’t be like Pharaoh - Humble yourselves
4) Repent of secret sins
d. And that God will always give the riches of His kindnesses to the vessels of His mercy who receive them
1) Who are not just Jews, but Jews AND Gentiles
2) Who have believed and trusted in His power to save by HIS grace
3) Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace are ye [JEWS AND GENTILES] saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man [JEW OR GENTILE] should boast.
e. That leads to Pauls BIG announcement in the next verses of Scripture…
f. That Gentile Believers Get Into the New Covenant (Romans 9:22-33)
3. So don’t miss next week
4. I plan on answering the obvious questions about the sovereignty of God, like:
a. Why pray?
b. How do we pray to an all powerful, all knowing Being, who already knows what He wants to do?
c. Does God choose some people to be saved, and some to damn?
d. How do I make decisions if God has already made them for me? Or has He?
e. Can I ruin God’s will?
f. Will God ever change towards me?
IV.Conclusion
A. I am talking to people who are hard – towards each other, and towards God!
B. It is the worst way to be
C. You will only become harder, and will end up ruined in the end
D. UNLESS…
E. You open your eyes to what is happening in your own heart
F. And fear being stupid and stubborn against the God knows you and will win in the end
G. You won’t win!
H. But God’s mercy is available, but only to people who give up the fight – surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and ask for His mercy
1. Yes, we are undeserving people
2. Nothing we do earns God’s mercy
3. All we have to do is accept it – like a child accepts a gift!
I. Will you accept Jesus Christ, as your own personal Saviour today?