Well, we want to say shalom and welcome everyone to the Bible classes of the Holy Scriptures in Israel. We are happy that you are able to be with us. We pray that the Lord will bless you as you study with us the Word of God. We are right now presently studying in the book of Romans. We are in Romans chapter 9. In the second half of the ninth chapter so I would like you to open your Bibles if you have one a copy of the Word of God of the New Covenant in the book of Romans we are in chapter 9 and let us read from verse 14 I'll read to the end of the chapter but let's ask the Lord to bless the meeting first of all right now I gather now Father thank you so much for your word grace towards us bless us as we learn from the book of Romans together we pray in Yeshua's name we ask it Amen Amen so Romans chapter 9 and verse 14 Shaul Paul continues to convey to the Romans to the Roman assembly as he writes to them this.

In the context of God dealing with his earthly people of Israel in his sovereign will. And so in verse 14, Paul says, What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show 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 hardened. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why dost he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay, Paul is saying, but, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath, to destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had aforeprepared unto glory, even us whom he has called not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

As he saith also in Hosherah, will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved and it shall come to pass that in that place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the children of the living God Isaiah also crying is concerning Israel though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea. Shall be saved for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth and as Isaiah said before except the Lord of Tzevaot has left us a seed we had been as Sodom and been made like take us unto Gomorrah.

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which follow not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith, but Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore, why? Because they sought it not by faith, But as it were by the works of the law, for they stumbled at the stumbling stone, as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion, a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Half of Romans chapter 9 and we remember as i'm always reminding you all beloved brothers and sisters that the section of Romans chapter 9 10 and 11 is presenting before the Roman believers and before you and i the sovereign the sovereignty of God in relationship to his people Israel we are right in that section 10 and Romans chapter 11.

In Romans chapter 9, the Apostle Paul presents before the Christians at Rome, the believers at Rome, Israel's past privileges. In the next chapter, in Romans chapter 10, the Apostle Paul will present Israel's present problem. And then in Romans chapter 11, he will present to the Roman believers from the Gentile nations in the city of Rome, Israel's future prospect. So what we have really in these three chapters, Israel's past history and past privileges, Israel's present problem, and Israel's future prospect. Romans 9, Romans 10, and Romans 11. 9 that in the first 13 verses beloved brothers and sisters of Roman chapter 9 we have learned of the fact specifically from verse 6 to 13 Paul explained to the Romans believers why Israel did not accept the Lord Jesus the Messiah at his first coming from or in the light of biblical historical history he showed the Roman believers that God's law God's word did not fail but Israel failed because of their disobedience in fact we did read if you remember in verse 6 of chapter 9 where we read not as though the word of God has taken none effect Israel and Paul explained in these verses that there is Israel the total the nation of Israel the all Israel which are the physical descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob all those who are born Jewish people descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob this is the all Israel physical.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Not the Gentiles, only the Jews, only the Hebrews, only the Israelis. This is the all Israel. But out of all Israel, you have off Israel. And the off Israel are Jewish people or Israelis or Hebrews who are not only physical Hebrews, physical Israelis, physical Jews, but they are more. And spiritual and that they were elected they were chosen by God out from all Israel days of Israel and you remember that he explained this to the Romans in verses 7 to 9 and verses 10 to 13 how he explained this to them he explained this to them in verses 7 to 9 Paul he gave the first illustration and he showed that even though Yishmael was a physical descendant of Abraham and Yitzchak was a physical descendant of Abraham Yishmael was a physical descendant of Abraham through Hagar and Yitzchak was physical descendant of Abraham through Sarah God did not choose Yishmael but he chose Yitzchak God have elected Yitzchak and he did not elect Yishmael, although both of them had the same father.

And we can add the other six children of Abraham's third wife, we might say, Keturah, whom God hasn't chosen them also. He had chosen Yitzchak, he did not choose Yishmael. He has not chosen the other six children of Keturah who were the wife of Abraham. Secondly, he even zeroed in, if you remember, and in verses 10 to 13, he gave a second illustration from biblical history that God chose Yaakov and he didn't choose Esav. Although Esav and Yaakov came from the same father and also from the same mother, yet God had chosen Yaakov and he didn't choose Esav, although both of them came out of the same mother and father.

So Paul is illustrating this truth of election. I know, beloved brothers and sisters, that you and I and many people in the world many Christians many believers have a problem to understand election election that means that God has chosen one and he did not choose the other that's what election is election means that while all humanity deserve to go to eternal separation from God because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God whole humanity that all deserve to be eternally lost, God has chosen some not to go to eternal separation from God and to be his own people. He has chosen Isaac and he didn't choose Ishmael.

He has chosen Yaakov and he didn't choose Esav. You see this? That is the truth of election. Remind you and i put here a plug that is important to understand that it is very similar with respect to the believers of the church age because in Ephesians chapter 1 and verses 3 and 4 we read about the believers in the church age it does say in verse 3 and 4 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord Yeshua the Messiah who has blessed us with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly in Christ Jesus or in Christ listen to verse 4 according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world you and I who are believers have been chosen in Christ in the Mashiach long before the foundation of the world was laid so now beloved brothers and sisters that Paul sought to establish this fact.

Now he's continuing in chapter 9 and verse 14 to the end of this chapter, and now, listen to that, there are three questions that rise up immediately. First of all, in verse 14, the first question that rises, what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Then a second question rise up in verse 19. Why does he yet find fault for who has resisted his will? And then verse 30, a third question rise. What shall we say then? You see, now that Paul has explained to the believers at Rome of the sovereign choice of God in election, immediately, Some might say, wait a minute, wait a minute. I don't quite get it.

I don't quite understand. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Is God really just? Is He righteous? Again, I would like to remind you on the basis of a verse that is found in Isaiah when God spoke to our people, Israel, many years ago, some 700 or 750 years, before the Lord Jesus the Messiah came, God said to Israel, in Isaiah chapter 55, and he said to them, if you remember, he was pointing to the fact that my thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways. In other words, God's thought is not man's thoughts, and God's ways. God's thoughts are not man's way.

God's thoughts are beyond man's thoughts. My thoughts are not your thoughts. Verse 8. Man's ways. Well, Paul is trying and seeking to help the believers at Rome to understand. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Is God really unfair and unjust and unrighteous? After all, the Psalmist of Israel said that you are righteous, Psalm 19, that God is just and God is righteous. 1 John 1, God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. So is God unrighteous because God have chosen Yaakov and didn't choose Esav? Is God unrighteous because God have chosen Yitzhak and didn't choose Ishmael? Is he unrighteous? To explain this in the next verses.

And notice in verses 14b to verse 18, he's giving an answer to the question, what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? The first thing that he does in verse 14b, he says, God forbid. Notice, God forbid. Another word for that, perish, be the thought. And that expression, God forbid, is mentioned many, many times in the book of Romans. It was some expression that Paul often is using in his letters when he is right. In Romans chapter 3, we read in verse 4, God forbid, ye let God be true, but every man a liar. In chapter 3 and verse 4 in verse 6 of the same third chapter Paul said God forbid for then how shall God judge the world God forbid perish be the thought is there unrighteousness with God God forbid perish be the thought in Hebrew the word is halila halila it is not possible just everything he does it is righteous you remember in chapter 6 and verses 1 and 2 where Paul was asking the Roman he says what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound again he said God forbid perish be the thought halila in Hebrew not whatsoever not at all this expression perish the thought God forbid is an expression that our pastor Paul uses.

Again and again in the book of Romans and elsewhere in the letters that he wrote. Is there unrighteousness with God? What shall we say? Is it possible that God is unrighteous? First of all, he chose Abraham from all other nations. Why Abraham and not others? Then he has chosen Yitzchak and not Esav. Then he has chosen Yaakov and not Esav. Why is it that God has elected the people? And then he's explaining that if God had chosen Israel, the whole nation of Israel, well, why all Israel did not accept the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, at his first coming? And he's explaining that not all Israel is of Israel, because of the all natural descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, you have a physical and spiritual remnant.

That they are not only Hebrews, Israelis, and Jewish, but they are spiritual, meaning that they are Jewish, but believers in Jesus, the Messiah. They are Israelis, but believers in Yeshua, the Messiah. They are Hebrews, like Paul says, I'm a Hebrew of the Hebrew, but a believer in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. So is there anything wrong with God? Is there unrighteousness with God? First of all, in verse 14, perish the thought. God forbid. It's not possible. Let God be true and every man a liar. And then in verses 15 and 16, Paul continued to explain to the believers at Rome that God has a right mercy to whom he wills and to whom he wishes.

No one can challenge God and tell God, show me mercy and don't show him mercy or others. No one can tell God what to do. Because God can dispense, God can provide forgiveness to whom he wishes. After all, beloved brothers and sisters, let me remind you, if you go back to chapter 3, go back to chapter 3 and in Romans chapter 3 we do read beloved brothers and sisters in Romans chapter 3 we do read in verse 11 that there is none that seeketh after God that is a quotation from the psalmist of Israel David that in Psalm 14. Remember, David was received from the Lord, the word from the Lord, that the fool says in his heart, God, no.

Psalm 14, verse 1. And then in verse 2, we read of Psalm 14, that the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. And notice what the answer. They all got aside. They all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good, not even one, not even you, not even me. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No one wants God. No one by nature seeks after God. That's the human nature. That's the reality. One to himself all will be eternally separated from God because the human nature do not want God now you and i might think well you know i'm not that bad i'm not like him i'm not like her but beloved friend dear brothers and sisters this is what is called the depravity of the human nature and verse 19 teaches us and this is very clear that men love darkness rather than light it says in verse 19 this is the condemnation that the light is coming to the world and men love darkness rather than light this is the human nature and that bad and we are not bad as others but the human nature is sinful and the human nature that the nature that we have because of our sin nature we just don't want God and unless God will draw us to himself none of us would come so Paul is explaining here and he's saying in verses 15 and 16 God has a right.

To provide, to dispense, to call, and to show mercy to whom he wishes. And notice what he does, and I'm reading verses 15 and 16. For he sayeth to Moses, he's taking us now to biblical days, and he's teaching us a principle. This is not only looking back at historical, at biblical history, but he's teaching us This is a fact, unchanging fact that by nature we do not want God. We have all sinned, the heart is deceitful above all things, desperately wicked as Jeremiah was told and spoken to Israel in days of all. And so because all of us by nature do not want God, God can show mercy.

To anyone from all the population of the world that are heading into eternal separation from God, God can show mercy to whomsoever he wishes. He's a sovereign God. And so I'm reading verses 15 and 16 again, and he said, For he saith unto Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. I don't ask your opinion. I'm the one who is sovereign, and I will show mercy and show compassion to whom I wish to show compassion. In verse 16, notice he continues, and he is explaining in verse 16, so then it is not of him that wills, because nobody wills, and it's not of him that runs, because no one runs towards the Lord.

We run away from the Lord. Us mercy of God that show us mercy there's a verse in Exodus chapter 33 and there we read in verse 19 i will read verse 18 and 19 of Exodus chapter 33 and he said i be i beseech thee show me thy glory Moshe asked from the Lord and he said i will make all my glory all my goodness us before thee and i will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and i will be gracious listen to this to whom i will be gracious and i will show mercy to whom i will show mercy what Shaul Paul does he is quoting here in verse 16 what God have already said to Moses when Moses asked him before when the law was given to Israel before Israel have entered into the promised land.

God asked from, Moses asked from God, show me your glory, God. Because our people Israel have sinned and God wanted to punish the nation of Israel and Moses interceded on behalf of the nation and God said to Moses, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy. And Paul is explaining to the Roman believers who asked the question, how is it possible that the nation of Israel, the Jewish people, through whom, as we read earlier in chapter 9, through whom the adoption was given to them, the glory, the covenant, the giving of the law, the services of God, the promises, and the fathers, and even the Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus, came from the nation of Israel.

Who is not saved and redeemed and did not accept the Messiah as a nation so Shaul Paul is explaining of the sovereignty of God in relationship to his earthly people of Israel that not all Israel is of Israel because all Israel are the physical descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Israel but of all the nations physical descendants there is a remnant there is a group large as it may be as God desired that are not only physical Israel but they are spiritual Israel he's not speaking here about the Gentiles becoming Israel here no the context is Hebrews Israelis and Jewish people and out from the physical he has chosen to be more than just physical but also physical and spiritual and you will see that it will apply also to the Gentiles because out of all the Gentile world God have elected some from among the Gentile world to become part of the ecclesia of the assembly not all the Gentile world not every individual from within the nations of this world.

That principle applies not only to the nation of Israel, but also to the nations of the world. And so in verses 15 and 16, God has the right to extend His mercy to whom He wishes, according to His will, because it is the sovereignty of God. He is from above. We are from beneath. He is God and we are men. We are people. He is divine. We are human. He is the one that has his sovereign choice, sovereign election. So God is sovereign. So when the question rose, what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? The answer, of course, no, Paul is saying. God forbid.

May it never be. May perish the thought. But God said to Moses, and he's saying to you and I, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy. And I will show compassion to whom I will show compassion. And he's quoting to the Roman believers Exodus chapter 33 and verse 19. But he doesn't stop there. And he's giving in verses 17 and 18 of Romans chapter 9. Believers that God does things according to his own purpose. The divine purpose of God, not the human purpose. So in verses 17 and 18, in Pharaoh, God taught teaching us a great lesson. Notice what we read in verse 17 and 18. For the Scripture says, now notice he always, Shaul Paul always quoting the Hebrew Scriptures.

Because when he was writing to the Roman believers, they didn't have a Bible, New Covenant yet in their hand, the New Testament in their hand. So Paul is always quoting the Hebrew Scripture because everything that he says concerning the Messiah and his coming to this world is based upon the word of the Lord, upon the Hebrew Scripture, upon the Tanakh, upon the Old Testament, as we call it a time in English. And so he's quoting again, notice in verse 17, Notice he's going back now to Exodus chapter 9, and he says, Now, it is very interesting. We have to also understand that here as we are studying this portion, we never read that anyone was ever elected to go into hell or to the lake of fire.

To the lake of fire but we always read whenever someone was going becoming a believer a child of God he or she was elected unto salvation but the lesson is taught here that you notice beloved brothers and sisters it says here in verse 18 therefore he has shown mercy unto whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardened but you notice that God had to harden Pharaoh's heart but he only hardened Pharaoh's heart after Pharaoh himself hardened his own heart in fact i want you to see that turn with me to the book of Exodus now in Exodus chapter 8 we find that Pharaoh hardening his own heart read and i'm reading verse 15 and when Pharaoh saw that there was a recipe he hardened his heart and hearken not unto them as the Lord had said you remember Moses and aaron came to Pharaoh and said let my people go let my people go and Pharaoh didn't want to let the people of Israel go.

And then God laid upon Pharaoh the plagues, the ten plagues. And Pharaoh hardened his heart. You just go back to chapter 7 in Exodus chapter 7. And there we read in verse 13, And he hardens Pharaoh's heart that he hearken not unto them as the Lord had said. So Pharaoh hardened his heart and the Lord in judgment hardened in return Pharaoh's heart. Look at verse 19 of chapter 8. Verse 19. Then the magician said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened. And he hearkened not unto them as the Lord had said. A little bit further on, in verse 32 of chapter 8, it says at the end of the chapter, And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

Now, brothers and sisters, this is something that is important to learn, because before God hardened Pharaoh's heart, God knew Pharaoh's heart. Of this world that God knows there is no one that is seeking after God. No one wishes to do God's will. Man by nature hardens his heart and he says to God, no. The fool says in his heart, God, no. You and I said it before we came to know the Lord. We didn't want God in our lives. Had the Lord not opened, the Lord not open our heart we would have never come to God now some might say no no i would and i came it was only it was me i did it all i came and Paul teaching us this lesson that it is not by works lest any man should boast nothing that we have done except bringing to the table our sins and our sin nature it is all from God so in verses really verses 14 to verse 18.

Paul is raising the question is there unrighteousness with God and the answer God forbid and he continued to give an explanation perish the thought because verses 15 and 16 God has a right to dispense mercy to whom he wishes and verses 17 18 God does things according to his own purpose and he showed this in Pharaoh in Pharaoh God hardened his heart. But God hardened Pharaoh's heart after Pharaoh hardened his own heart. And Pharaoh refused to submit to the God of Moses, to the God of Aaron, to the God of Israel, who said, let my people go. And so now, beloved brothers and sisters, in the next verses, in verses 19 and onward, This is very, very interesting, because now there is another question that is rising in verse 19, because in verse 19 Paul is saying to the person who might object, he may be saying to any one of us.

He's saying, Paul in his writing now to the Romans, he's saying to them, yeah, you know what? You will say then. That he's speaking today of course to the to the Roman believers but to the unbelieving world also he says you might say in your own mind and in your own mouth and your thoughts and in your heart you might say and to me Paul is saying well why does God find yet fault in other words if i'm if i'm not a believer and if i'm a sinner and if i'm a self-willed and if i'm anyway i will not want God so why does he find fault in me Paul is raising this question he continues to say and who has resisted his will if it is all from God and if anyway I am a sinner who do not want God well why does he find fault in me when I don't come to him you see some might say.

Preach the gospel we usually say confess your sins you're a sinner turn to the Lord and we also have to present the fact that if one will come to know it will come to the Lord the Lord will forgive his or her sins but some might be so you might say smart in their own opinion and they might know some of the truths that you and I learned from the word of God of the truth of election And yet they haven't turned to the Lord, and they're kind of being smart a little bit, and they say, well, why does then God find fault in me?

I'm not a believer in Jesus the Messiah. I rejected the Gospel, I rejected the Bible, I rejected God. So, you know, why does he then find fault in me? If he's declaring me a sinner, if he's declared that I would not come to him, and if I cannot resist his will, why does he find fault? Paul is coming with an answer here, but the answer that he come to that person is different than the answer that he came earlier. Here Paul does not give an explanation in his response to a person that will ask, is there unrighteousness with God? God is righteous, and Paul explained it.

But when a person comes and says, well, why does then God find fault? And who has resisted his will? Paul answering to that person in a different way. In fact, what Paul does here, he doesn't really give that person an answer, but he shows, he reveals to that person the reality that he or she have no right to challenge God. They have no right to resist against God. They have no right to question their Creator. That's what Paul is doing in the next verses. And you notice what he does. Paul does not answer this question, but Paul is responding to the one that dare challenge God.

And in verses 20 and 21, Paul gives them an illustration. Again, he's giving an illustration that are from biblical history and principle. He says in verse 20 and 21, nay, notice how he answered. Oh no, he says, but all men, all you men, you women, you person with a wrong attitude, who are thou that replies against God? Shall the thing that forms, to him that format why has thou made me this way another Paul is is going now and he's giving an illustration from a potter and from a potter and a clay in other words the clay the human race is like a clay in the hand of God who is the the potter and he's making out of the clay whatever he wants and so Paul is saying to him who are thou that that replies against God.

Shall the thing that is formed say to him that formed why has thou made me thus you see what Paul is doing in verse 20 verse 21 he said has not the patter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another vessel unto dishonor now you can just imagine you know in days of old if you read of course in a book of Jeremiah in chapter 18 the potter and the clay the potter went to the house where the pottery is there and he's working to make some vessels maybe a cup or maybe a mug or maybe a plate and he have there the wheel and he go outside and he take a little bit of clay mud and he bring that mud he put it on the wheel and he turning the wheel and he's shaping with his hands the wheel and he making a nice.

And maybe he doesn't like that cup. So he breaks it again to pieces and he changed it again. He put the wheel and he's working it again. He's making a plate. So could this mud tell the potter, oh no, no, I don't want you to make me this way or that way? You see what Paul is saying? He's saying really to those that resist God and speak against God and oppose God, and reject God, he's saying to them in verses 20 and 21, he gives them actually, beloved brothers and sisters, an illustration from the putter and the clay. He says, Nay, but, O man, who are you that replying against God?

Shall the thing that is formed say to him that form it? Why hast thou made me thus? Now turn with me to the prophet Jeremiah for a moment. In the prophet Jeremiah, we have a very interesting passage in Jeremiah chapter 18, and the Lord is really using that to give to Israel the sign of the potter from the potter's house. In Jeremiah chapter 18 and verse 1, we read the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, Arise, go down to the potter's house. And there I will cause thee to hear my words. Jeremiah, go to the pottery, to the potter's house. I'm going to tell you something in the potter's house.

So Jeremiah is going there. And the vessel that he made, this is the potter, he made of clay. And the vessel was marred in the hand of the potter. Another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? Says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the hands of the potters, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel. You see what he's saying? Just the same as the clay was in the hand of the potter in the potter's house. You are in my hand.

I can do with you whatever I want. You see the lesson, beloved brothers and sisters? The Apostle Paul is emphasizing the sovereignty of God in relationship to Israel in the context here in Romans chapter 9, 10, and 11. Elected a nation knowing exactly what he's going to do with them because anyways humanly speaking the nation of Israel is not different than other nations all of us have sinned come short of the glory of God all of us deserve to be eternally separated from God but out of all humanity God has chosen those that will be his. And out of all the physical descendants of all Israel, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God has chosen some from the nation to come to faith in a Messiah now in this present day of the church age.

They are calling all the Israel of God in Galatians 6.16. But then in a future day, he will redeem all the nation of Israel. The tribulation period and all Israel shall be saved we read it in chapter 11 of the book of Romans but God does as he pleases and the principle is the same with the church the believers of the church out of all the sinners of this world all of us as sinners God has chosen a people for himself and if one question this and someone says you know really Why does God find fault in me? And who is going to resist his will? Why does he find fault in me?

Well, Paul says, oh man, who are you that replies against God? How dare you? Shall the thing that is formed say to him that form it? Why hast thou made me this way? Has not the potter power over the clay? And of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another vessel unto dishonor? He's saying in verse 20 and 21, he's using here an illustration, beloved brothers and sisters, to illustrate the fact that God does as he pleases because he is sovereign. Turn with me to Isaiah. Chapter 45. In Isaiah, chapter 45, we do read, and I'm reading just this one or two verses in Isaiah, chapter 45.

And there we read in verse 9. Isaiah 45, verse 9. Woe unto him that striveth with his maker. Woe unto him that striving with his maker. Let the patchard strive with the patchard of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioned what maketh thou or thy work? He hath no hands. Saying here woe unto him that strives with his maker woe unto him that asks how can God use this that and the other in fact in Isaiah 45 it is in connection with king Cyrus the king of Persia that God called him in Isaiah chapter 28 thus says of Cyrus he is my shepherd God have chosen Cyrus the pagan king to become the vessel of God to lead Israel to go back to the promised land very very interesting in Isaiah 45 and verse 1 God called a um a Cyrus his anointed one verse 1 that says the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus Cyrus, a pagan king, is the only one that was called in the word of God anointed, Mashiach.

Mashiach, meaning anointed by God for a service. How can God anoint Cyrus, a pagan king, to become a servant of God? Well, we read in verse 9, Woe unto him that striveth, or that ask God, how can God use this Cyrus, a pagan king? To be a vessel but God does what he pleases and he used Cyrus to be the one that will be give a declaration to restore the people of Israel back to the promised land as he used Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian to take the Jewish people away from the land in 586 bc and to burn the temple in the city of beloved brothers and sisters.

And the apostle, Shaul Paul, is explaining this to the believers at Rome. I want you to understand the sovereignty of God in relationship to my earthly people, Israel. And as he began in verse 6, when he said to them, not as though the word of God has taken none effect. Yes, God promised that Israel, his people, will be a blessing to the world, be a nation that will be a light to the Gentiles or lagoyim but it will come to fruition in God's times and God's ways and God's will and out of all Israel again I'm reading verse 6 not all Israel which are of Israel all Israel are the physical descendants of.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The of Israel, verse 6, are those that are out of all the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You have out of all Israel, you have the of Israel, the Jewish, Hebrew, Israeli, who are not only physical descendants, but they are physical and spiritual descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who believe in God. Who believe in the Lord Jesus the Messiah even in this present day of the church age in fact if you jump to chapter 11 of Romans you will notice in verse 5 Paul is saying in verse 5 even so then at this present time this is the time of the church age also there is a remnant according to the election of grace these are the remnants of Israel Jewish believers in Jesus the Messiah according to the election of grace these are the Israel of God of Galatians 6 verse 16 and it began with Peter James John Jude and all the early Jewish believers Paul Shaul himself you notice in chapter 11 of the book of Romans he will serve himself I say then has God cast away his people God forbid.

I am also an Israeli I am an Israeli I'm a physical descendant of Abraham Isaac and Jacob whose name was changed from Yaakov to Israel I'm an Israeli and I'm a believer just like Shimon Petos just like all the other apostles and all the early Jewish believers of first century but they are the of Israel out of all Israel that is important to understand they are the true Jews from galatian 2 from Romans 2 verse 28 and 21 he is not a Jew that is only outwardly but he is a Jew that is outwardly but also inwardly born again Jewish believers who believe who are not only physical descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob but physical and spiritual.

Descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who believe in the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. Well, beloved brothers and sisters, just for the time's sake, we will have to stop here in verse 20 and 21, where Paul is now responding to the question from verse 19. You will say then unto me, Paul is saying to anyone who will challenge him and say, well, why does then he find fault? And who has resisted God's will? And then Paul answering and he's saying to him in verse 20 and 21, O man, nay, O man, O woman, O person, who are thou? Who are you that reply against God?

Who are you that reply, that speaking. Against God? Are you going to tell God what to do? You know, there's a verse in the book of Job. I just want to read it. In Job 38, notice that when Paul is saying, who art thou that replies? In the book of Job, in chapter 38, when Job was challenging God, God had to remind Job. And we can read actually, really, the whole chapter, but let me just read you just in conclusion. Then the Lord answered Paul in verse 1, out of the whirlwind, and he said, Who is this that the darkness counsels by words without knowledge? He's asking this question.

Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee an answer thou me, God is saying to Job. Amazing. He says in verse 7, and all the sons of God shouted for joy or who shut up the sea with with doors when it break forth as if it had issued out of the womb in other words God saying in the whole chapter he's he's challenging Job and he's saying to him Job you were not there i am God i am the creator and you are a created being You cannot challenge me. Paul says the same thing. Who art thou that replies against God?

Shall the thing that formed say to him that formeth, why hast thou made me thus? And so he doesn't give an answer. In verse 20 and 21, Paul gives an illustration of the putter and the clay. Thou art the potter, I am, we are the clay, beloved brothers and sisters. And the very fact that you and I belong to the Lord, it is entirely the grace of God. It is all from God alone. By grace are ye saved through faith. And that is not of yourself, it is a gift of God, lest any man should. When we are going to be in the presence of the Lord, we are going to fall at his feet and say, thank you.

Thank you for opening my eyes and touching my heart and bringing me to yourself, God. I am not deserving this at all. You see, many, many years ago, I remember a brother standing in a local meeting here, and I remember him with tears in his eyes. He says, when I will stand before God one day, I will never understand what am I doing here. I don't deserve to be in the presence of God. It is entirely Him that poured out His grace towards us, provided for us the Redeemer, the Mashiach, the Messiah, Yeshua, who died for our sins and gave us a hope for time and for eternity.

We don't understand why all Israel hasn't come to know the Messiah at his first coming the lesson is that there is always the of all the nation all Israel there is those that are physical as well as spiritual descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and they are already part of the ecclesia but in the future all those that will survive the tribulation will become that Israel that will be a saved nation all Israel will be saved and ultimately will enter into the messianic kingdom where we will leave the remaining verses of chapter 9 to our next meeting together so we covered verses 14 to verse 21 in this meeting today may the Lord bless his word and encourage our hearts.

Of God that you and I even have entered into a relationship with the Lord today. So I gather now, Father, thank you for your forgiveness, for your grace. While we don't deserve it, you have saved us, you have opened our eyes, both Jewish and Gentiles alike. We pray for Israel, for the restoration of all Israel in a future day, but until then, we give you thanks give thee the praise for the salvation you provided for us. We ask it in Yeshua's name. Amen and Amen. God bless you, my dear friend. Until the next time, we say Shalom, Shalom. Bye-bye.