Sarah Laughs in the Tent at the Visitors' PromiseBible World
9:9Romans 9:9
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
God gave his word of promise that at the appointed time he would return and Sarah would bear a son, made when Abraham was about ninety and fulfilled after long waiting when he was a hundred and Sarah was ninety. Isaac was chosen from Abraham's household as the child of promise through whom God would form his people and bless the world, while Ishmael was shut out from that appointed office, for God appoints his instruments according to his own will and wisdom and not by making one righteous and another wicked. Not all descended from Israel are true Israel and not all Abraham's fleshly seed are God's children, but the children of the promise called in Isaac are reckoned for the seed as his children and heirs. Since Christ, Israel is therefore spiritual Israel, those inwardly circumcised in heart who have faith in Jesus and belong to him, so unbelieving Jews were broken off through unbelief while believing Gentiles were grafted in to share the root and become Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Abraham's trust in that seemingly impossible promise was counted to him for righteousness, showing that God's promise carries within it what he pledges and becomes effective when received by faith, so that God's children are born of promise through the Spirit and not by mere human effort after the flesh.
Promise to Sarah
The verse is God's word of promise that at the appointed time he would come and Sarah would have a son, with "at this time" marking a point in time. It shows that God's children and heirs are counted through promise and God's promised work, not merely through physical descent or as the literal descendants of Jacob, since people become Abraham's seed through faith in Christ. God made the promise when Abraham was about ninety and Sarah was old, and fulfilled it after a long period of waiting, when Abraham was a hundred and Sarah was ninety. Abraham's faith in this promise, despite its seeming impossibility by natural and scientific standards, was counted to him for righteousness, showing that Christian life rests on taking God's promise as given and trusting that he will fulfil it.
Isaac was chosen from Abraham's family as the child of promise and the line through which God would form his people and bless the world, while Ishmael was excluded from that particular privilege. The verse thus draws the line between Abraham's physical descendants and the children counted as God's people by promise. God has the right to choose his instruments according to his will and wisdom. That choice concerns whom he appoints for this purpose, not his making one person wicked and another righteous.
The verse belongs to Paul's explanation of who inherits God's promise and how that inheritance is obtained, continuing the subject developed earlier in the epistle, as part of his discussion of the Jewish people's relation to God's plan and the doctrine of election. In that setting is set forth the condition of Israel according to the flesh, they who are called Israel, that they are accursed from Christ. They followed after the law of righteousness but did not attain to righteousness, because they sought it not by faith but by works. The Gentiles therefore gained the precedence over them, because they sought righteousness in the right way, namely by faith. The Lord did not cast off his people because they stumbled, but endured with much long-suffering even the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.
Children Counted as Israel
Not all who are descended from Israel are true Israel, and not all of Abraham's physical seed are children of God. The children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the promise, called in Isaac, are counted for the seed and as God's children and heirs. Isaac's birth was the promised work of God, that Sarah would have a son at the appointed time, showing that God's heirs are counted through promise and not merely through physical descent. God chose Isaac as the child of promise and as the instrument through whom He would bless the world, and He has the right to choose His instruments according to His will and wisdom.
A Jew is one inwardly, with circumcision of the heart in the spirit, so since Christ the literal seed of Jacob alone is no longer Israel. Israel is spiritual Israel, people who have faith in Jesus and belong to Christ, not merely those born into the Jewish nation. The tribes will not be restored according to the flesh. Unbelieving descendants of Abraham and the Jews were broken off through unbelief in Christ, while believing Gentiles were grafted in among Israel to partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree. By being grafted into the remaining stock through Christ they become Abraham's seed, members of Israel's commonwealth, and heirs according to the promise.
This gives the principles for understanding Israel in Hosea's prophecy and similar promises. The prophecy concerns God's true people in the gospel, gathered from all nations through Christ, David's heir, not a national restoration of the Jews as such. Though the tribes are not visible on earth they remain in God's reckoning. This promised seed is the Israel named in Jeremiah, those who are Abraham's seed by faith in Christ Jesus and heirs according to the promise, as Jacob was renamed Israel because as a prince he had power with God and with men and prevailed.
Faith and Fulfilment
The promised son came when Abraham was about ninety and Sarah was old, and after long waiting the fulfilment arrived when he was a hundred and she was ninety. Abraham trusted that promise though by natural and scientific reckoning it seemed impossible, and that faith was counted to him for righteousness. Christian life rests on the same ground, taking God's promise as given and trusting that he will fulfil it.
The word of promise is a word that contains what God promises. When received by faith that word makes the promise effective in the believer's soul. Isaac was thus a child born through faith and God's promise.
Children of God are children of promise, born of the Spirit, who through faith share in the divine nature. Relying only on one's own promises to obey God is birth after the flesh and brings bondage. Believers instead may be free and remain in God's house as sons rather than be cast out.
The promise to Abraham and Sarah of a son belongs to the promises fulfilled through Christ. The Abrahamic covenant is the gospel, and its promises are fulfilled in Christ rather than secured by natural descent. Those who receive them include believing Gentiles as well as the faithful remnant of Israel.
The promises of the kingdom to the descendants of Jacob were conditional. All were forfeited under the old covenant. They can only be regained by obtaining an interest in Jesus, now Prince soon to be crowned King. The kingdom was taken from unbelieving Israel and given to a nation bringing forth its fruits, to the poor rich in faith who love him.
Because Israel failed to enter God's rest through unbelief, Romans 9-11 shows that God prolonged probation and speaks of another day of salvation. Not all who are of Israel by outward flesh are Israel, and not all Abraham's seed are children, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. A Jew is one inwardly with circumcision of the heart in the spirit, so since Christ the literal seed of Jacob alone is no longer Israel. The Jews were broken off through unbelief in Christ and believing Gentiles were grafted in among Israel to partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree, becoming Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. In this way the house of Israel is kept up until Jesus comes again, and the remnant, the few alive at the coming of Christ, is found among this spiritual Israel.
God gave his word of promise that at the appointed time he would return and Sarah would bear a son, made when Abraham was about ninety and fulfilled after long waiting when he was a hundred and Sarah was ninety. Isaac was chosen from Abraham's household as the child of promise through whom God would form his people and bless the world, while Ishmael was shut out from that appointed office, for God appoints his instruments according to his own will and wisdom and not by making one righteous and another wicked. Not all descended from Israel are true Israel and not all Abraham's fleshly seed are God's children, but the children of the promise called in Isaac are reckoned for the seed as his children and heirs. Since Christ, Israel is therefore spiritual Israel, those inwardly circumcised in heart who have faith in Jesus and belong to him, so unbelieving Jews were broken off through unbelief while believing Gentiles were grafted in to share the root and become Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Abraham's trust in that seemingly impossible promise was counted to him for righteousness, showing that God's promise carries within it what he pledges and becomes effective when received by faith, so that God's children are born of promise through the Spirit and not by mere human effort after the flesh.
Promise to Sarah
The verse is God's word of promise that at the appointed time he would come and Sarah would have a son, with "at this time" marking a point in time. It shows that God's children and heirs are counted through promise and God's promised work, not merely through physical descent or as the literal descendants of Jacob, since people become Abraham's seed through faith in Christ. God made the promise when Abraham was about ninety and Sarah was old, and fulfilled it after a long period of waiting, when Abraham was a hundred and Sarah was ninety. Abraham's faith in this promise, despite its seeming impossibility by natural and scientific standards, was counted to him for righteousness, showing that Christian life rests on taking God's promise as given and trusting that he will fulfil it.
Isaac was chosen from Abraham's family as the child of promise and the line through which God would form his people and bless the world, while Ishmael was excluded from that particular privilege. The verse thus draws the line between Abraham's physical descendants and the children counted as God's people by promise. God has the right to choose his instruments according to his will and wisdom. That choice concerns whom he appoints for this purpose, not his making one person wicked and another righteous.
The verse belongs to Paul's explanation of who inherits God's promise and how that inheritance is obtained, continuing the subject developed earlier in the epistle, as part of his discussion of the Jewish people's relation to God's plan and the doctrine of election. In that setting is set forth the condition of Israel according to the flesh, they who are called Israel, that they are accursed from Christ. They followed after the law of righteousness but did not attain to righteousness, because they sought it not by faith but by works. The Gentiles therefore gained the precedence over them, because they sought righteousness in the right way, namely by faith. The Lord did not cast off his people because they stumbled, but endured with much long-suffering even the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.
Children Counted as Israel
Not all who are descended from Israel are true Israel, and not all of Abraham's physical seed are children of God. The children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the promise, called in Isaac, are counted for the seed and as God's children and heirs. Isaac's birth was the promised work of God, that Sarah would have a son at the appointed time, showing that God's heirs are counted through promise and not merely through physical descent. God chose Isaac as the child of promise and as the instrument through whom He would bless the world, and He has the right to choose His instruments according to His will and wisdom.
A Jew is one inwardly, with circumcision of the heart in the spirit, so since Christ the literal seed of Jacob alone is no longer Israel. Israel is spiritual Israel, people who have faith in Jesus and belong to Christ, not merely those born into the Jewish nation. The tribes will not be restored according to the flesh. Unbelieving descendants of Abraham and the Jews were broken off through unbelief in Christ, while believing Gentiles were grafted in among Israel to partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree. By being grafted into the remaining stock through Christ they become Abraham's seed, members of Israel's commonwealth, and heirs according to the promise.
This gives the principles for understanding Israel in Hosea's prophecy and similar promises. The prophecy concerns God's true people in the gospel, gathered from all nations through Christ, David's heir, not a national restoration of the Jews as such. Though the tribes are not visible on earth they remain in God's reckoning. This promised seed is the Israel named in Jeremiah, those who are Abraham's seed by faith in Christ Jesus and heirs according to the promise, as Jacob was renamed Israel because as a prince he had power with God and with men and prevailed.
Faith and Fulfilment
The promised son came when Abraham was about ninety and Sarah was old, and after long waiting the fulfilment arrived when he was a hundred and she was ninety. Abraham trusted that promise though by natural and scientific reckoning it seemed impossible, and that faith was counted to him for righteousness. Christian life rests on the same ground, taking God's promise as given and trusting that he will fulfil it.
The word of promise is a word that contains what God promises. When received by faith that word makes the promise effective in the believer's soul. Isaac was thus a child born through faith and God's promise.
Children of God are children of promise, born of the Spirit, who through faith share in the divine nature. Relying only on one's own promises to obey God is birth after the flesh and brings bondage. Believers instead may be free and remain in God's house as sons rather than be cast out.
The promise to Abraham and Sarah of a son belongs to the promises fulfilled through Christ. The Abrahamic covenant is the gospel, and its promises are fulfilled in Christ rather than secured by natural descent. Those who receive them include believing Gentiles as well as the faithful remnant of Israel.
The promises of the kingdom to the descendants of Jacob were conditional. All were forfeited under the old covenant. They can only be regained by obtaining an interest in Jesus, now Prince soon to be crowned King. The kingdom was taken from unbelieving Israel and given to a nation bringing forth its fruits, to the poor rich in faith who love him.
Because Israel failed to enter God's rest through unbelief, Romans 9-11 shows that God prolonged probation and speaks of another day of salvation. Not all who are of Israel by outward flesh are Israel, and not all Abraham's seed are children, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. A Jew is one inwardly with circumcision of the heart in the spirit, so since Christ the literal seed of Jacob alone is no longer Israel. The Jews were broken off through unbelief in Christ and believing Gentiles were grafted in among Israel to partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree, becoming Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. In this way the house of Israel is kept up until Jesus comes again, and the remnant, the few alive at the coming of Christ, is found among this spiritual Israel.