The Mystery of God’s Election

Romans 9 challenges me.  Perhaps more than any other chapter in the New Testament this one leads to deep thought and some mystery as I think about what Paul is saying.  In the overall picture, Paul is talking about the rejection of Christ by the people of Israel.  In verses 10-13 we begin to see how this rejection is part of God’s purpose and plan: Here are the verses:  “¹⁰ And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”  This devotional is not designed to discuss fully God’s election.  But I want you to notice that God was involved in the selection of Jacob over Esau.  Though Jacob was born second, Jacob is the one to receive the blessing.  God had chosen or elected Jacob over Esau to receive His blessing.  If you are familiar with the story, you know that Rebecca took matters into her own hands and caused a giant mess, but that doesn’t change the fact that God chose Jacob over Esau, not based on anything that the babies had done, but because God made a choice.

God’s election is a mystery to me. But I trust that God has a plan and a purpose.  My lack of ability to understand that purpose doesn’t take away from the purpose; nor does my lack of understanding diminish who God is nor does it detract from God’s character or nature.  More on this tomorrow but I hope that you will trust God to be God.