Romans 9
The city of Rome is the epicenter of the Roman Empire. God put a passion on the inside of Paul for Rome before he ever went there. There were still many Jews there, but in the not to distant future, Rome would attack the Jews and send them scattering. Paul was called to his generation, and he went to the heart of the empire to reach them.
Paul continues to address the Jews living there, and in chapter 9, he speaks of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah and God’s purpose in reaching the Gentile. Paul, speaking on the context of reaching Gentiles, quotes what God said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion (verse 15).” God has always planned to go after the WHOLE WORLD, not just one nation. The Jews were God’s chosen nation, not just for themselves, but for ushering in the Messiah to us all.
The Jews rejected Christ because they didn’t want to let go of the Law, a way of life that defined their identity as a people and a way of worship that defined their identity as one of God’s chosen people. However, God uses Scriptures written by old covenant prophets Hosea and Isaiah to give prove this was God’s plan all along – a plan of faith and grace through a Savior, the Son of God.
Psalms 85-87
Psalm 85 is written by the sons of Korah, a prayer that God will return His favor to Israel.
Psalm 86 is a prayer of David, a prayer for mercy. He uses the name Adonai seven times in this psalm, a name for God meaning “Sovereign Lord.” David writes from an intimate relationship with God, speaking of His great love and power. David’s faith is based on knowing the Lord from a position of need for Him. David is reliant on the Lord, abandoning any of his own strength in exchange for God’s.
Psalm 87 is a song of the sons of Korah on the city of God, Jerusalem or Zion. This city is also representative of a future kingdom, the invisible kingdom of God that occupies the hearts of men and women. In Psalm 87, it mentions recording who is born in this city. Compare this with the recording of salvations through Jesus Christ in the Book of Life or the Lamb’s Book of Life (Hebrews 12:23; Luke 10:20; Daniel 12:1; Exodus 32:31-33; Psalm 69:27-28; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 21:27, 22:19). Consider also a Book of Remembrance, perhaps the same or another book where God records our life in Him (Psalm 56:8; Psalm 139:16; Malachi 3:16). Please also know God does not keep your repented past wrongs and failures on record – He has told us over and over that He will forgot those former things, casting them into a sea of forgetfulness, choosing never to bring them up again. He doesn’t hold our past wrongs over our head to guilt us, shame us, or cause us to fear; instead, He frees us to know His love and great mercy! Repentance is a beautiful response to the rescue our Father has provided for His children!
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