 Home, praise the Lord, welcome everyone to our study on the book of Romans. Welcome to our in-person student, our online students, and also our e-learning students will be listening to the lecture later on. We've completed studying chapters one to eight. We will look at chapters nine from today. Before we do that, can we just pause for a word of prayer? Can I ask one of you to press the prayer please? Anyone? Yes, Jeffina, can't hear you. Hello? Hello, Jeffina, we can't hear you. Can anyone else lead us in prayer please? Let's pray. We want to thank you for this time. Thank you for bringing us together in your presence. We ask that you would speak to us today, help us to learn from your word. Have this time of learning God, unite us together as a body. We love you, Lord, in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, John Paul. Today we will study Romans chapter nine. It's talking about God's choosing. Now, you know, Paul having, the apostle Paul having brought us to this point of justification and identification and how we can overcome and live victorious lives in the midst of suffering that he was speaking about in chapters seven, six, seven and eight. It's very interesting that in chapters nine, 10 and 11, that he focuses on a totally different team. Okay, so the previous chapters he's talking about sin, justification, identification, how to overcome sin, how to live a victorious life in the midst of suffering. But in chapters nine to 11, he focuses on a different team. And we know that the church at Rome, there were Jews, both Jews and Gentiles. So his focus in these chapters in nine to nine, 10 and 11 is about what God is doing with the Jews. Okay, what is God doing with the Jewish people, the Jewish nation. So these are very unique chapters because Paul does not discuss about anything that he's discussing here, writing about or he's mentioning here anywhere else in his episodes. There may be a verse or two which he mentions in passing in the other episodes or in a few episodes, but not to the detail that he is discussing here in these chapters. So these chapters are very unique chapters and we see that in these chapters, you know, Paul is mentioning what God is doing with the Jews or with the Jewish people. It's very interesting how Paul presents these truths to us. So the question is, has God abandoned the Jews because the church now are the people whom he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. And, you know, the authority, the keys of authority have been given to the church. So as God abandoned the Jewish people, the chosen people through whom he has given the covenants, the laws, the prophets, the patriarchs, you know, everything that he has given, he had given to them, so has he abandoned them. And also the other question is that arises is what should be the church's attitude towards the Jewish people. So some of the people, you know, some of the Jews who left Judaism, who embraced Christianity, who embraced Jesus Christ, there was still wondering, hey, you know, I'm following Jesus, who is a Jew and a descendant of Abraham. And we are all as Jews, descendants of Abraham. We believe in Jesus as a Messiah now. We are part of the church. We are the so-called people who are justified. But, you know, even as we are enjoying this new calling, this new identity of being justified by faith in Christ Jesus, what about the other Jews who have, you know, who's still following the Old Testament law, still waiting for the Messiah, who still do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah, or is the son of God. So what is God doing with the Jews? And so the whole idea of, you know, predestination comes up again and again. We see that in this chapter as well. So in verses chapters, sorry, chapters 9 to 11, they are pretty strong chapters in addressing the whole theological concept of predestination because God chose the Jewish people ahead of time. She called Abraham. He gave them, gave him his blessing. He gave him the promise of blessing. He made the covenant through Abraham and God did all this even before the church even came into existence. Now, since the church has come into existence, they have the promise, they have the covenants, they are the ones with the call, the redeem, they are the ones to whom God is confirming the image of his son. And, you know, so the question is now what about the Jews, you know, or how does the church relate to the Jews? Or what happened to the plan of God? You know, he chose the Jewish nation now. The promises, the covenants are all, you know, to the church. So what's the, what happened to the plan of God, you know, and how is God going to, you know, deal with both the Jews and the church as a whole. So chapters 9 to 11 Paul is addressing what about the Jews and what is God doing with them. Okay. Now, if you look at your notes, you know, it says that chapters 9 to 11 Apostle Paul is turning his attention on God's plan for Israel. Paul also shares his own heart feelings for his people of Israel, although he recognized that he was called to be an apostle to the Gentiles. And, you know, even as we look at chapters 9, 10 and 11, your notes says, you know, we should perhaps begin at the end of chapter 11, where the Apostle Paul, you know, is marveling at the unsearchable and the unfathomable ways of God where he writes in Romans chapter 11, verses 33 to 36, who has known the mind of God, who has become his counselor, you know, and also the depths of his riches, both of his wisdom and knowledge, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways of past finding out and verse 36 ends by saying, for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever. So we see that, you know, the Apostle Paul is highlighting God's wisdom, his knowledge, which is immeasurable, unfathomable. And so in the light of that, you know, God's decision and God's ways are beyond our own understanding our knowledge. And so none of us can advise him. And, you know, we also get a glimpse of this in how God is working out his purposes, both with the Jews and the Gentiles with Israel and the church. Okay. So, and his master plan that he is unfolding is basically includes both the Jews and the Gentiles, both Israel and the church. Okay. So if you look at your notes again, it says the main issue being addressed in these three chapters, which is chapters 9, 10, 11, is this that since salvation is by grace to faith in Jesus. And, you know, everybody has access to it, whether it's Jews or the Gentiles, you know, what happens to the Jewish people because the Jews believe that, you know, even in the Messianic banquet, there will be no Gentiles. That in the kingdom of God, in the kingdom of heaven, you know, there will be only Jews. And we know that Jesus, you know, spoke about this in the parable, and, you know, of the wedding banquet, where he says that, you know, the Jews rejected it by the Gentiles. You know, in the highways and the byways, people were called for the wedding banquet and they came in. That's basically he was referring to the Gentiles who will be part of the kingdom of heaven. I also read about this in Matthew chapter 8, verse 11 and 12 where it says, you know, and I say to you that many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth. It says, many will come, means from east and west talking about the Gentiles, but the sons of the kingdom is talking about the Jews will be thrown into outer darkness. So for the Jews, you know, this was something that was totally unacceptable, something which was way beyond. There's something that, you know, they never been thought of that the Gentiles will be part of the kingdom of heaven. So, but we see, you know, here at Paul writing, we get a glimpse of how God is working out his purposes, both with the Jews and the Gentiles, with Israel and the church. And we see how the Jews are Gentiles have already also included have access into the kingdom of God. So if they have, then what happens to the Jewish people? So Paul helps us to understand that while the gospel is being preached and is being received by the Gentiles, you know, that God has still not given up on the Jewish people. They are still part of his plan and his purpose. He is working out his plan and purposes to bring them back into his kingdom, be part of his kingdom. And, you know, there presently there is a remnant of Jews who have received the gospel, but there will be a time when God will move powerfully among the Jewish people to bring them back into his fold to accept the gospel that is in Jesus Christ and be part of his kingdom. Okay. So these chapters versus chapters 9 to 11 very unique chapters, which is not Paul doesn't write about this anywhere else in his episodes. So we will study this in detail and we will look at what God is doing with the Jews. What about the Jews? How does the church relate to the Jews? And what happened to the plan of God regarding the Jews now that he is taken into consideration the church and how is he going to bring about, you know, bring Jews back into the forefront, so to say, you know, because they were always in the forefront. They always want to be in the forefront because, you know, they think they are the chosen people. They have the prophets, the laws, the forefathers, the covenants, everything. So what about them? So Paul is talking and addressing these three chapters to them. So Paul is addressing what about the Jews and what God is doing with them in chapters 9 to 11. Okay. So we'll begin our study of Romans chapter 9 with this introduction. So can one of you please lead verses 1 to 5, please? Romans chapter 9 verses 1 to 5. I tell the truth in Christ. I'm not lying. My conscience also bearing me with us in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and continued grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God and the promises of whom are the fathers and from whom according to the flesh Christ came, who is overall the eternally blessed God. Amen. Thank you, Rosalind. So here Paul says in verse 1, I tell the truth in Christ, which means he says, I want to share something that is in his very heart, you know, so he's unburning his heart to us. He says his heart is filled with sorrow and continual grief. Okay. Verse 3 he says, for I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh. So why is his heart filled with sorrow and continual grief? It is filled with sorrow and continual grief for his own people, the Jews. And this verse 3 shows us how much he longs for his people, the Jews to come to know Christ. So literally it means or what Paul is saying is that he does not mind even going to hell as long as the Jews can come to Jesus. Okay. So look at the passion, the burden that he's carrying for the, for his own people, for the Jews. So he's saying, I don't mind going to hell. Even if I have to go to hell, you know, it's totally fine as long as my people, the Jews come to Jesus. And, you know, this is very similar to what Moses said in Exodus chapter 32, verses 31 and 32, he says, you know, he was willing to be blotted out from God's book so that Israel could be forgiven. Okay. So that is the passion and the burden that they carried for, you know, their people. And so in verse 1, Paul says, you know, my conscience bears witness with the Holy Spirit, which means his conscience bears witness and the Holy Spirit also bears witness with his conscience. Now the conscience is the voice of our own spirit. Our conscience has been pre-programmed by God to know what is right and what is wrong. And the Holy Spirit also bears a witness. Okay. Which means that here, there are two people that are bearing witness, it's Paul's conscience and it's also the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit bears witness by giving us, you know, peace when he wants us to do something, he wants us to engage in something, he wants us to step into something. And if it is a goal, if it is a yes, if it's something that God wants us to get into or do it, you know, then we can experience peace because the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy. And so we experience peace and that is how the Holy Spirit bears witness in our man. But there can also be times when there's restlessness, there is anxiety, there is, you know, there is just a tightening in our spirit man. And you've learned all of this, you know, we also learned about this in the first year in Ministers Foundation, you know, how the Holy Spirit bears witness in our inner spirit, in our inner man. There's lots of restlessness, that means, you know, don't go ahead with this. So here Paul is saying that his, the conscience as the voice of his own spirit, you know, and the Holy Spirit also bears witness. Okay. And it's wonderful, you know, when our conscience bears witness with the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, when both of these are in agreement, when, you know, my spirit or my conscience is in complete agreement with the Holy Spirit, testifying jointly about something. When it, when this happens, it brings about strong conviction. There is complete assurance. And, you know, there's togetherness about a matter. And that gives us a confidence in the encouragement, the joy to just go ahead to step in to do what God is asking us to do. So, Paul, in this case, you know, his conscience and the conch and the Holy Spirit bearing witness is with regard to his burden or his heart or his desire for his Jewish, the Jewish people to come to know the gospel, the truth of the gospel that is in Jesus Christ, our Lord. So we can just read when we're reading this verses, you know, verses one, two and three, we can just feel Paul's burden, because he talks about his grief and the sorrow for his own people. Okay. Though Paul was, you know, appointed to preach to the preach the gospel to the Gentiles, but we see that he still had a heart and a burden for his own people, the Jews. Okay. So Paul is setting up things for what he is going to say. So Paul is meaning to say, hey, I'm an apostle, a born servant, a preacher to the Gentiles. At the same time, I am a Jew at heart. You know, I am born a Jew. And he's saying, I am an apostle through the Church of Jesus Christ, but I'm also a Jew. And he says, I have a great heart for my own people. I have a great burden. I have a great desire for my people to know Jesus Christ. Okay. So he's positioning himself, because what he's going to talk about the next three chapters is very important for the Jews and the church. And so he very rightly positions himself so that, you know, the Jews who he's writing to will not misunderstand him, will understand what he's saying, will know that he is saying this out of a burden, out of a deep desire for them, for the Jews to know Jesus Christ and also to be part of the kingdom of God. Okay. So that is verses one, two and three. Verse four says, who are Israelites to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God and the promises. Okay. Says here, he's talking about the Jews were the chosen race, the chosen people talks about adoption. He says God chose the Jews or the Israelites to be his own people among the nations of the world. And because they were his own chosen people, the experiences, glory, they received the laws, the covenants, the promises, the priesthood, and also, you know, there's where the patriarchs, and there's where the forefathers. Okay. And Paul later on, Paul says later on that the blessings were passed on through the Gentiles, but he's starting off from where God started, you know, God started with the Jewish people, and he gave them all of this. But when they rejected it, you know, it was passed on to the Gentiles. Okay. Verse five, he says, of those who are the fathers and from whom according to flesh Christ came, who is overall the eternally blessed God. Amen. So from the Jewish people came the fathers that is the, that is Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and David as well. And Jesus in the natural came from this race as well, this nation as well, this group of people as well. So the Jews or the Israelites were so privileged as a people group. And he talks about the eternally blessed God. He calls Jesus Christ as the eternally blessed God or he refers to Jesus Christ as the eternally blessed God. So if people, you know, ask you, where in the Bible does it say Jesus is God, you know, you can show them Romans chapter nine was five where he's mentioned as the eternally blessed God. It is one of the places. So he is going to talk about, you know, what about the Jews, what is God doing with them, why the Gentiles have been incorporated, and all of those things. So before that, he's, you know, you know, coming to a place where he's positioning himself so that, you know, people can know that he's burdened about his own people. So he's talking out of that burden, out of that grief, wanting them to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And he's also talking about who the Israelites were as the chosen people of God. Okay. Before we move on to verses six to verse 13, anyone has any questions? Okay, if there are no questions, can somebody please read verses six to verse 13, please. Romans chapter nine verse six to 13. But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect for they are not all Israel who are of Israel. Nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham. But in Isaac, your seed shall be caught. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. And therefore, this is the word of promise. At this time, I will come and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac, for the children not yet being born, not having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls. It was said to her, the older shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob, I have served with Asia, I have hated. Amen. Thank you, Japhira. So what six says, but it is not that the word of God has taken no effect for they are all not Israel who are off Israel. So Paul is saying that God chose the nation of Israel, and he spoke wonderful things to them. Now what God has spoken about them, is it wasted or is it ineffective? You know, no, it's not wasted. It's not ineffective. What seven says, No, are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham, but in Isaac, your seed shall be caught. And so he goes on to explain. He says that not everyone who is a Jew in the natural, what was what God was referring to when he made this promise that, you know, you know, that no, are they all children because it's a seed of Abraham, but in Isaac, your seed shall be caught, which means God wasn't talking of natural people. But he was talking about the children of promise. He was not talking about natural people who would inherit the covenant or the promise natural in the sense, you know, the seed of Abraham or the seed of Isaac. But he was basically talking about the children of promise, because the children of promise, they are the ones who are the real descendants that God was speaking of. So which means it's not through the natural genealogical lineage, but it is through the promise that is received. Okay, so he says here in verse eight, that is those were the children of the flesh. These are not the children of God, but the children of promise are counted as the seed. But the children of the promise are counted as seed. So when he says this, he's basically referring to the children of promise. And he's talking about those who inherit the promise through Jesus Christ, and that is both Jews and Gentiles. So he's saying, hey, it's not that, you know, you receive the promise or the covenants because of your genealogical lineage in the natural that you are descendants of Abraham or Isaac. But, you know, it is referring to as here, it's referring to as the children of promise, which means those who receive the promise as being part of, you know, of Jesus Christ or being, you know, accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, they are referred to as the children of promise. And this is talking about believers, both of Jews and Gentiles. He says, at this time, I will come and Sarah shall have a son. So God gave a promise to Abraham that Sarah will have a son. And, you know, Paul is presenting this thought. And he says, not only this, but, you know, not only this, but think also about this, you know, when God said, the older shall serve the younger Jacob, I have loved but he saw I have hated. So he says, even before the children were born and could have any say, you know, God says that the older shall serve the younger Jacob, I have loved but he saw I have hated. Now, this is what, you know, he refers to in verse 11, and this is, you know, this verse 11 is a big verse. It says, for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to the election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls. So, you know, God's predetermined purpose in this case, he's already selected Jacob, and his selection was not based on the works, but it was according to the call of God, which means God selected according to his purpose and his calling, and his choosing on the person that he has chosen or he has called. So, now we look and look at why God said, you know, the older shall serve the younger Jacob, I have loved, but he saw I have hated. Now, this is in verse 13. Now, if you look at this verse 13, it seems like God has already selected and already planned ahead of time. And since he's already selected and planned, who will serve whom, who he will love and who he will hate. It means that we don't have any say in that because, you know, God has already selected, he's already planned ahead of time. So, to interpret the scripture, we need to interpret the scripture in the light of the rest of scripture. So, if you look at the rest of scripture, we read that we see the free will given to man, you know, right from the very beginning in Genesis, you know, God gave the free will for man to choose whether they should eat from the tree that he asked them to eat, or not to eat from the tree that he asked them not to eat from, okay? So, we are free moral beings, we've given the right to choose whatever we want. So, if we read chapters 9 to 11, we need to see it in the light of, you know, man's free will to choose. And if we don't see or read this chapters in the light of the rest of scripture, or if we don't read this in the light of God's, you know, the freedom that he's given man, or he's created us to be free moral beings to choose as we will, then we will most likely, you know, come away with this idea that God has already decided everything. You know, he's pre-planned everything, he's predestined everything, and we are just like puppets in God's hand, and God just uses us to fulfill his purposes, and because each one is already predetermined for something. Now, we shouldn't read with these blinders on. We need to read it in the light of the rest of other scriptures, that the rest of the scriptures tells us that man has a free moral will to choose, and God has given us the free moral will to choose. So, if we look at Adam and Eve, God did not pre-determine Adam's choice. It was Adam's choice to eat from that tree. It was Eve's choice to eat the fruit from that tree. So, also if you look at Moses, you know, Moses, it was Moses' free will to choose, whether to speak to the rock or to strike the rock. So, he struck the rock twice, and because of he exercises free moral will to choose, which, you know, brought about his punishment that he could not enter the promised land, and we see that in these two cases, God did not pre-determine their choices, but he foreknew their choices. He foreknew what choice they are going to make, but he did not pre-determine their choices. So, even as we read chapters 9 to 11, you know, we need to understand these chapters in the light of what I have just said, that God does not pre-determine our choices because he's given us a free moral will to choose, but he knows ahead of time. He foreknows ahead of time what each one of us will choose. He foreknows ahead of time the choices that we are going to make. So, here Paul is saying there is a purpose of God for Jacob and Esau. God's pre-determined purpose, he's already said, or in his foreknowledge, he's already said that the older shall serve the younger. So, by stating this, you know, by stating this, he's not saying that, you know, he was not pre-determining their choices. God was not pre-determining Jacob and Esau's choice, but he's only stating ahead of time what choices they are going to make or what choices they will be making or what choices that they were going to make. So, God was equally open to both Jacob and Esau, but because of their choices which he knew ahead of time, he knew whom he would love, he knew whom he would hate, he would also know who will serve whom. So, this is not God choosing whom he would love and whom he would hate, but it was decided ahead of time because God already foreknew what choice Jacob was going to make, what choice Esau was going to make. Since he already foreknew what choices they're going to make, he foretells. So, he just foretold it, but they were still free to make their own choices. I hope you got what I'm saying. In this case or in every case in the Bible that we read or in our lives, God has not pre-determined our choices. He does not make the choices for us, but he foreknew the choices that we are going to make. And so, here in this case, even as he foreknew the choices Jacob and Esau are going to make, he's just actually declaring it. He's foretelling it before it even happens. Now, why did God say, yes, Paul, Paul, you have your hand up? Yes, yes. For the case of Jacob and Esau, I don't think it was Esau's choice because when the father told him to go and hunt the animal so that he comes and they bless him, he went, he actually went and was hunting the animal, but it was the mother who made a shortcut and fixed Jacob. So, it was not the choice of Esau. That is what I can comment about it, about that. Thank you. Thank you, Paul. But even before the blessing was given to Jacob and to Esau, we know that Esau sold his birthright. He came from hunting. He was very hungry. And Jacob, being the crafty person that he was, asked Esau to sell his birthright for a bowl of soup or stew. And what does Esau do? He has no second thoughts about it. He does not regard his birthright or the birthright that is held with such a great price position that is something that is valuable for the person. He treats it as something very light and very simple. He just throws it away for a bowl of soup. So, that was his choice that he made. He's the one who gave up his birthright. And what followed later on was Jacob inheriting the blessing and it was because of Esau's choice that he made. Yes, maybe even his mother had a part to play and all of those things, but we see that why did Esau forfeit his birthright blessing? It's not because God loved Jacob more and he hated Esau. No, God does not hate anyone. Again, when we look at the word hate, we need to look at it in the rest of scripture. Scripture tells us that God is love because that is his moral fiber. His very being is the very core of who he is. He is love and because he is love, he cannot hate. If he hates, he sees us to be God. You know, he becomes like one among us, but God is love. There is no place for hate. And so when he's saying, Esau, I've hated in the sense he's saying that, you know, I totally detest his choice that he made, that he considered his birthright as an invaluable thing and something that was not worth anything to him. And he just sold it for a bowl of soap. We look into it in much more detail. We'll read about it in Hebrews chapter 12 verses 15 to 17. So can somebody read Hebrews chapter 12 verses 15 to 17, please? Hebrews 12, 15 to 17 or 16 to 17? Looking 16 to 17, lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau who for one muscle of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected for he found no place for repentance though he sought it diligently with tears. Amen. So you got your answer Paul. So here he says, you know, a fornicator or profane person, profane means a wicked, you know, outrageous person like Esau, who for a muscle of food, a bowl of soup, you know, sold his birthright to his brother, you know. And he says, even though he regrets it, he regretted what he had done, you know, even afterwards when he wanted to inherit his blessing from his father, you know, he was rejected and he found no place for repentance though he diligently sought it with tears. So here the writer of Hebrews refers to Esau as a fornicator and a profane person and Esau makes a mistake. You know, he was a man who was living for immediate gratification of the flesh. Whereas, whereas Jacob was not a perfect person. You know, he was not a perfect man. He was someone who cheated his brother and he was someone who also cheated his father and the very word Jacob means cheater. But in spite of all his imperfections, his weaknesses, you know, he had a heart towards God. You know, Esau was willing to give away everything that God had on his life just for a meal, just for a bowl of soup. At the same time, Jacob was not perfect, but he sought God. He wanted his blessing and he wanted to inherit his spiritual inheritance, his spiritual blessing, the birthright. And we see he also engaged with God. We read in Genesis chapter 32 verse 26 where he says, you know, God says, and he said, let me go for the day breaks. But Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. So we see that here, you know, Jacob was somebody in his spiritual pursuit for God was so hungry. He was so desirous. He was so greedy for his spiritual blessing, spiritual inheritance, spiritual birthright that, you know, he was not willing to even let go of God unless God blessed him, unless he was touched by God. So in spite of his character for flaws or weaknesses that he had, you know, this is what really touched the heart of God. Hey, that this man is somebody who's seeking spiritual blessing, seeking spiritual inheritance, okay? And we see that he engaged with God till he got what he wanted. So for knowing their choices well before of time, knowing what their choices would be, hence God says, you know, that, you know, you know, Jacob, he has loved Esau, he has hated. So God says this based on full knowledge and not on predetermining our individual choices or predetermining Jacob and Esau's individual choices. Now, if we say God predetermined Esau's and Jacob's choice, then Esau would have all the rights to turn around and say, God, you predetermined my choice and you are to blame, you can't blame me. But, you know, no one can turn around and blame God because he's not predetermined our choices, but, you know, and no one can point a finger at God and saying that because you have predetermined and that is why I'm here, but, you know, God cannot be blamed, but it's our choices that has got us where we are. Now, Paul goes later on to explain about, you know, when he uses the analogy of the potter and clay and we look at that in a little bit, okay? So we'll move on to verses 14 to verse 18. Anyone has any questions so far? Okay, we'll move on to verses 14 to 18, where we look at, you know, does election mean God is unrighteous and can somebody read verses 14 to 18, please? Verse 14, what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not. For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to the Pharaoh, for this very purpose I have raised you up that I may show my power in you and that my name may be declared in all the earth. Therefore, he has mercy on whomever he wills and whomever he wills, he hardens. Amen. Thank you, Rosalind. So Paul here is asking a question that you and I would be inclined to ask after reading all that he has written so far, you know, and the question is, is God being unjust? And so we see the style of Paul, you know, asking these rhetorical questions where he asks the questions and he answers and he gives the answer as well or the answer is quite implicit in the question, you know, so he's asking these rhetorical questions. But here he says, you know, God says I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So before that he says, what shall we say is God being unrighteous or is there unrighteousness with God? He says certainly not, God cannot be unrighteous. And so he goes on to say, you know, you know, God saying that I will have mercy on whomever I have mercy and I have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So we see that God's mercy and his compassion is extended to anyone and everyone. But here we need to understand that God's mercy and compassion is not selective and partial because God is not partial. You know, we read about this in Romans chapter 1. I think it's verse 12 over 16 that, you know, he's not a partial God. And we also see that God is not selective and partial in his expression of being merciful and compassionate. If we read Psalm 145 verses 9 and 10 it says, the Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works. Which means the Lord is gracious and merciful and compassionate over all his works and he's good to all. So his mercy and compassion extends to everyone but his mercy and compassion begins to work in the lives of those who receive it or those who receive him or those who are open for his mercy and his compassion. So here in this context specifically in Jacob's life you know, what happened in Jacob's life was God's grace and compassion but it was not a selective or a partial case where God is being compassionate and gracious to him. And like I said, we need to interpret this God's mercy and compassion to Jacob in the light of our scripture and we read in Romans chapter 9 verse 16 so then it's not of him who wills but of him who runs but of God who shows mercy. So the focus is not on the person who makes the choice of saying yes it still has to be God who gave mercy. So here we see that Jacob made the right choice and ran with what pleased God but we cannot say that Jacob was a hero because he wasn't a hero it was still because God extended his mercy towards him. So what we need to understand is that God is gracious and merciful and compassionate to everyone. In this case, he is not being partial to Jacob and not loving Esau but because of Jacob's choice he receives God's grace and mercy because of the choice he makes because of his desire, his hunger for spiritual inheritance, spiritual birthright spiritual blessings and he receives it but also we can't say that in the end of the day that Jacob was a hero it's not that it's still because in spite of his weaknesses in spite of his frailties in spite of what he had done wrong by cheating his brother, by cheating his father God still extended his mercy toward him. So when we look at this and we can ask the question is God being unfair? No, he's not being unfair. We look at more of the rest of the scripture to understand what Paul is basically saying in verses 17 onwards and we look at that on Friday. We will stop here. Anyone has any questions? Any questions? Okay, there are no questions. We'll end class. Thank you everyone for joining class. Have a blessed day.