What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! – Romans 9:14
Have you ever questioned God? I have. Most people have at some point in life. If you haven’t questioned God, it’s probable that you eventually will. That’s because there are things that happen in this world, in life, that we just can’t explain from our limited position. This is a teaching about questioning God.
As human beings, we have a lot of questions. We are naturally inquisitive. We ask big broad questions like, “Lord, why is there so much pain and suffering in the world?” We ask international questions like, “Lord, why can’t nations get along? Where is the peace? Why are there so many wars going on? Why do You allow innocent civilians to be so much collateral damage? Lord, why did You allow that tsunami? Lord, why that earthquake?”
We ask national questions like, “Lord, why is our nation so decadent, so depraved, so distant from You? Why are we so deep in sin? Why have You allowed that? Why haven’t You revived us? Why have You allowed those in power to be in power? Why do You allow the unrighteous to win? Why have You allowed what seems to me to be a two-tiered system of injustice? Why have You allowed the Democrats to win? Why have You allowed the Republicans to win? Why have You allowed so much cheating and lying propaganda in our elections? Why so much injustice Lord?”
We ask more local, personal questions like, “Lord, why have You allowed me to get sick? Why haven’t You healed me? Why haven’t You healed my loved one? Lord, why did You make me the way I am? Lord, why am I so confused, so sad, so out of place? Lord, why am I so lonely? Lord, why didn’t You protect me? Lord, why didn’t You bless me?” We ask, “Lord, what are You doing? Lord, why aren’t You doing more? Lord, do You exist? Lord, where are You? If You really do exist, then why. . .?” Behind all these questions is the insinuation that in some way, God is not just, He isn’t fair. What about that Lord?
This is a teaching about questioning God. This is a teaching about why you should trust God more and have faith in what He does and does not do.
Questioning God’s Sovereign Interaction with People
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
God is not unjust in any way by setting the parameters of how people can be forgiven or who He uses for His purposes. He chose Jacob separate from biology or any works on his part since he was a conniving human being. Esau wasn’t much better in his early years. But God’s choice was not based on human effort but only by God’s prerogative. Paul also refers to Jacob and Esau to show that God’s choice was not based on Mosaic Law.
In his verse-by-verse teaching on Romans 9, Dr. Korytko asks the question, “For what reason might God be called unjust in this context and in the flow of Paul’s argument? He states the following objection might be made: “A non-believing Jew might take up qualms about God making a new choice concerning which group the “seed” is, especially because that choice is not informed by works or ancestry.” A non-believing Jew might object to the “seed” now being in those who believe in Jesus as Savior Messiah. This is who Paul is addressing. [1]
Questioning God. But at the root of these words of Paul is our human questioning of God and the things, as sovereign over the universe, He allows. People constantly question God and the justice of the things He allows. “Is there unrighteousness with God?” Paul answers unequivocally, “Certainly not!” Then what’s going on here?
The Foreknowledge of God
We are not God. There are many things that limit us, and we need to humbly accept that. God sees things end-from-beginning. In other words, God sees the ramifications of decisions in a much fuller way than us. We only see the immediate ramifications and consequences of actions. We see pain and bad in the immediate, but God sees in a way that is fuller and that the pain we feel is far less than the pain that would be caused was dealt with by our limited immediate perspective.
God knows all things at once. He is not limited by time like we are. God sees the end from the beginning and therefore He is in a position much more advantageous than ours to makes decisions.
God says in His word:
Isaiah 46:5, 9 and 10 (NKJV) – 5 “To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike? 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
God is unique; He is “holy.” The word “holy” means uncommon. Certainly, there is no one else like God. We ought to take that into account when we question God.
God further explains:
Isaiah 55:8-11 (NKJV) -8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
We would be wise to trust in God’s unlimited knowledge. As Isaiah states:
Isaiah 40:27-31 (NKJV) – 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
God sees everything and He is in sovereign control of all things. As our Creator He is not out of touch with us but sees all things and strengthens us to carry on, even soar like an eagle when we feel heavy as lead.
Couple with God’s unlimited knowledge God’s unlimited love, and we’d be fools not to trust Him in all things, especially the difficulties. Foreknowledge + God’s Love = Trust
Listen to what the psalmist says:
Psalms 36:5-9 (NKJV) – 5 Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man and beast. 7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. 8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. 9 For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
As uncertain as the world around us gets, there is one thing that is a rock of certainty, GOD LOVES US. Even though we might not understand why God allows what He does at times, we can trust in His love that He is carrying out a plan that is best in the end.
The low point in Israel’s history is arguably the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah and in particular, the great city of Jerusalem. It was during this time of the fall of Jerusalem that the prophet Jeremiah wrote a lament over what he saw. As he reasoned his way through the catastrophe, Jeremiah was inspired by God to write:
Lamentations 3:21-26 (NKJV) – 21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Yes, we won’t understand certain situations that God allows in life, we may question and complain, but we’d be wise to trust our circumstances to our all knowing all loving God. That is the lesson Paul is teaching here.
God’s Sovereign Interactions with People
15 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.”
Paul is quoting from Exodus 33:19 here. He is speaking metaleptically, or, referencing a small part of a greater portion of an Old Testament scene in order to jog the memory of his readers. It’s interesting to also note that, the way Paul says God can have mercy on whom He has mercy, is actually a formula and expression to convey the idea a subject can perform the action in any way they see fit. It is a way of saying, “It’s up to Me to do what I will.”
God isn’t unrighteous because of His choices. In fact, historically, on Mount Sinai when Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments, God told him to return to the people because they were sinning greatly. They had erected a gold calf and were worshipping it while dancing nakedly before the idol. Horrible. God then said He was going to wipe them out and start again through Moses. But Moses interceded on their behalf (Exodus 32:1-14). What’s going on with that?
God’s foreknowledge demands God knew Moses would intercede for Israel. Why then did God do this? I believe God was showing Moses that even though the sinful people didn’t deserve it, He would show them mercy. God was showing Moses (who had just received the Law) that MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT – THAT GOD WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHO HE HAS MERCY AND HAVE COMPASSION ON WHO HE CHOOSES TO HAVE COMPASSION.
While God offers and shows mercy, He also judges those who persist in sin. After Moses intercedes on behalf of the people (Exodus 32:1-14), he then proceeds to discipline the people. Moses confronts their sin and gives them a choice to repent and side with God or not (Exodus 32:26). Moses then executes those who refused to repent (Exodus 32:15-29). Exodus 32:30-35 provide the description of Moses’ words of intercession on behalf of the people before the Lord.
It is then in Exodus 33 that we find the words quoted by Paul in Romans 9:15. In Exodus 33 the LORD threatens to not accompany with His presence Moses and the people into the Promised Land. This greatly saddens Moses and the people (Exodus 33:1-6). Consequently, Moses pitched a tent outside the camp where God would meet with him. It became known as the tent of meeting and God’s presence was seen there in a pillar of cloud by day that would hover over the tent (Exodus 33:7-11). It was said that God met with Moses there “face to face, as a man with his friend” (Exodus 33:11).
Now in a beautiful revelation the veil is pulled back so we can see part of one of the face-to-face encounters between Moses and God (Exodus 33:12-23). In this passage we see Moses approach God by grace and beg God that His presence would accompany him and the people. The LORD relents and says He will accompany them. In light of our understanding of God’s foreknowledge, God was teaching Moses and the people the importance of obedience, and about approaching Him by grace (Exodus 33:12,13,16, and 17).
Grace. The word “grace” in Hebrew is ḥên. It is a word that means gracious, kindness, beauty, favor, pleasant, precious, well favored. This word occurs 69 times in the Authorized Version of the Bible (Grace 38, favour 26, gracious 2, pleasant 1, precious 1, well favoured + h2896 1; favour, grace, charm, grace, elegance, acceptance.)
Gracious and compassion. Once the LORD gives Moses the good news that He will accompany them, Moses makes a bold request of God, “Show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18). It is then that God says, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19).
The word “gracious” in Exodus 33:19 in Hebrew is ḥânan and has the meaning of to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition), beseech, (be) merciful, have mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication. This word occurs in the AV 78 times – mercy 16, gracious 13, merciful 12, supplication 10, favour 7, besought 4, pity 4, fair 1, favorable 1, favoured 1, miscellaneous nine times. In Romans 9:15 this word is translated “mercy.” “Gracious” is a full rich blessed word inspired by God to show the only way sinful human beings can approach Him, by His graciousness. That is a weighty and profound message God is teaching Moses, and us.
The word “compassion” in Exodus 33:19 in Hebrew is râḥam, which is a word with precious imagery of a mother cuddling her child. Raham means to fondle; to love, especially to have compassion (on, upon), love, (find, have, obtain, shew) mercy (-iful, on, upon), (have) pity. The word is found 47 times in the AV – mercy 32, compassion 8, pity 3, love 1, merciful 1, Ruhamah 1, surely 1. This is a beautiful word God chooses to reveal His feelings toward those who respond to His overtures to reconcile to Him.
“Grace,” “gracious,” and “compassion” or love, are wonderful words when it comes to God’s interaction with people. Considering God’s foreknowledge, can you see the incredible lessons God is guiding Moses through in Exodus 32 and 33? This account was well known by the Jews. By Paul metaleptically referencing this passage he would be strongly alluding to the compassion or love of the LORD, and the blessing of approaching God by grace!
In the New Testament the letter that is often the closest associated with the Law is the letter of James. In that letter James contrasts the law of God with the love of God saying:
James 2:8-13 (NKJV) – If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT. That is what God was teaching Moses at the foot of Sinai and that is what Paul was reminding the reader of in Romans 9:14-15.
God sovereignly determines who He will and will not have mercy on. This is His right as our Creator. This is His power as omnipotent Sovereign over His created beings. God sets the requirements of approaching and reconciling with Him. Having said that, we need to keep in mind that for the first eight chapters of the letter to the Romans Paul has bene emphasizing we approach God, are forgiven our sins, and reconcile with Him, by grace through faith in Jesus. God does not set a high bar that we must jump over. God sets a high bar, and then Jesus receives us into His arms and jumps over the bar holding us. God sets the gate people must go through, and Jesus serves as the “door.” Jesus said, “I am the door” (John 10:9). Jesus is our Shepherd who carries us home to the Father (John 10:7-14). This is God’s parameters, God’s plan.
Sometimes people doubt that God would or could forgive them. Do you see now how wrong such a view is? God loves us, even as we live in sin (Romans 5:8). The other side of that coin is that sometimes people think God owes them forgiveness. They assume, presume, and even demand God’s forgiveness. But God owes no one forgiveness (cf. Job 35:7; 41:11). The unbeliever who knows a little Bible may say to God, “You have to forgive me because of Your grace.” But God’s grace does not suffer the proud or haughty. God oppose the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6). Sometimes a sinner will say to the believer, “You’re a Christian, you have to forgive me.” That is true to a certain extent, but it doesn’t mean the Christian is sentenced to be a patsy for people who take advantage of their being a Christian. We speak truth and live truth, in love (Ephesians 4:15). Truth implies accountability and responsibility.
When Job was beset by affliction and trials and terrible losses, he said:
Job 1:20-22 (NKJV) – 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Considering God’s grace and compassionate love, these words of Job represent the attitude we ought to adopt toward the sovereign decisions of God. Job predates Moses, but he still sensed this by faith. God sees much more than we see. His priorities are eternal. We are limited and not privy to all God’s plans. If Job’s suffering was deemed necessary by God to teach countless future sufferers what suffering was really all about and how to persevere through, then that is God’s prerogative. That is true with us too; if God has a greater purpose than our personal relief, then we should trust Him. We should trust the Lord. And we should approach Him thankfully in His mercy, grace, compassion, and love.
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
To understand this conclusion by Paul we must view it in the context of Exodus 32-33. There we see God setting the parameters of right and wrong:
Exodus 32:8 (NKJV) – They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, this is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!'”
God has the power to judge and wipe out sinful people (Exodus 32:7-10), but He chooses instead to teach Moses that mercy triumphs over judgment by involving Moses’ intercession (Exodus 32:11-14).
God did not indiscriminately pour His wrath on the people, but through Moses offered them a chance to repent:
Exodus 32:26 (NKJV)- 26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27
Human beings are created in the image of God. That means, at least in part, that they have the capacity to reason and make decisions. This capacity is marred by sin so that human inclination is toward sin (e.g., Genesis 6:5). But it is still possible to find grace in the eyes of the LORD like Noah did (e.g., Genesis 6:8). This is true from the earliest times after sin was introduced into the world. People are sinful, but not to the extent that a person cannot respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit about their sinful choices (John 16:8-11). God graciously provides this capacity in all humanity.
God’s judgment falls on those who either actively choose to disobey and reject Him or through indecision disobey Him:
Exodus 32:27-29 – And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'” 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.”
The account shows that God includes the possibility of receiving His mercy instead of His wrath through intercession:
Exodus 32:30-32 – Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.”
God sets the parameters of His judgment:
Exodus 32:33-35 – And the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. 34 Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.”35 So the LORD plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.
In Exodus 33 God allows for reconciliation between Himself and His people through the intercession of Moses. It is in the holy intercession of Moses before the LORD that the LORD decides He will graciously and compassionately forgive the sin of the people and accompany them with His presence on their journey to the promised Land. This was God’s foreknown plan all along as He was teaching His servant Moses the importance of intercession, and His grace, compassion, and love. In the end the lesson we learn is that mercy triumphs over judgment.
A word of warning. God taught Moses that mercy should triumph over judgment. Unfortunately, Moses later in life was barred from leading the people into the Promised Land. Moses never saw that Land of blessing. Why was that? It was because Moses forgot about God’s mercy and struck out in judgment. The Lord instructed Moses to “speak” to the rock as the people clamored for water (Exodus 17 and Numbers 20:7-11). Instead, he became enraged at the people and struck the rock repeatedly thus destroying the typology of Jesus who was only struck once to atone fo the sins of the world (compare 1 Corinthians 10 and John 19:30). For this God disciplined Moses by prohibiting him to enter the Promised Land. There’s a lesson here for us. Man’s anger does not achieve God’s righteousness (James 1:19-20).
There is a place for judgment when it is assessing truth and falsehood (Matthew 7). But judgment should never be to condemn others. God is the only One in a position to condemn sinners. Mercy must triumph over judgment as far as our living is concerned. Eternal Judgment is dealt with by Jesus on the cross. All supposed injustice needs to be seen through the lens of the cross.
We should focus on living surrendered to Him and His will, not on getting what we want. We need to trust Him and His mercy, no matter what we see in this world. God has a plan, a wonderful gracious, compassionate, sometimes painful, but always loving plan. In the end, we will join Him eternally and there will be no regrets.
God sets the parameters not us. It’s not about our will being done. It’s not about our achievements. It’s not about us, it’s about God our Creator. God is over all. He is all-knowing and all-wise. We need to trust that whatever God does or allows is for His good purposes.
So the next time you are tempted to think or say, “God, it’s not fair!” remember, we need to view this world and all its confusion, pain, and suffering, from the perspective of the final chapters of God’s redemptive plans. That was true for those Paul first wrote to in Romans, and it is true for us today. In the end, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passe away” (Revelation 21:4). Then God will say, “Behold, I make all things new.” And to us now, He says, “Write, for these words are true and faithful” (Revelation 21:5). You can trust the Lord. He knows what he’s doing.
[1] Dr. Joel Korytko, Verse by Verse Through Romans 9. YouTube teaching at LinkedIn Talent Solutions for SMBs 15 Stat Captions (youtube.com)