When Paul says this in Romans 9:6, he’s addressing a painful question:
If Israel is God’s chosen nation, why have so many Jews rejected the Messiah? Many have already perished? Have many not attained the covenant promises? Did God’s promises fail?
Paul’s answer: No. God’s promises haven’t failed — it’s our definition of “Israel” that needs correcting.
Not everyone born from Abraham’s bloodline automatically shares in Abraham’s promise.
To prove this, Paul turns to two examples:
- Isaac and Ishmael (vv.7–9)
- Jacob and Esau (vv.10–13)
Isaac and Ishmael: Promise, Not Physical Descent
Both were Abraham’s sons, but only one—Isaac—was born as the child of promise.
Ishmael was born “according to the flesh” (physical descendant), while Isaac was born “according to the Spirit”, representing election and faith.
This shows that God’s covenant family is based on promise, not physical descent. But someone might argue:
“Okay, but Ishmael’s mother was a servant, not from the chosen line. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t included.”
Paul anticipates that objection.
So he moves to an even stronger example — Jacob and Esau, who had the same parents, same bloodline, same womb.
Jacob and Esau: Election, Not Lineage
“Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad — in order that God’s purpose in election might stand — not by works but by him who calls — she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’”
(Romans 9:10–12)
Here’s why this example is so powerful:
✅ a. Same Parents, Same Womb
Jacob and Esau remove any argument about privilege or background.
They share identical heritage — both sons of Isaac (the chosen one), both grandsons of Abraham.
If God’s promise automatically passed through physical lineage, both would be “Israel.”
But God chose Jacob, before they were born, before they did anything good or bad, to show that His calling depends on His promise, not human effort or ancestry.
✅ b. The Principle: “The Older Will Serve the Younger”
In ancient culture, the older son always had the birthright.
But God reversed the pattern — choosing Jacob, the younger, over Esau.
Why? To demonstrate that God’s covenant family is defined by His calling, not by cultural or biological order.
The true “Israel” isn’t determined by bloodline, but by God’s gracious choice and promise.
✅ c. “Jacob I Loved, but Esau I Hated” (v.13)
This quote (from Malachi 1:2–3) doesn’t describe emotional hatred in the human sense.
It’s a Hebrew idiom meaning “chosen versus not chosen.”
It highlights God’s sovereign right to define His covenant family by promise rather than privilege.
So Paul’s logic is:
If even within Israel’s own patriarchal family (Isaac → Jacob & Esau), God didn’t include everyone by default,
then physical descent alone has never guaranteed covenant membership.
How About Us?
So God CHOSE people or ELECTED people into His covenant family. So where does that leave us? Does that mean that God chooses certain people for damnation and certain others for salvation? No!
In fact this means two things. Firstly, only those who are in the covenant are heirs, they are the Israel, and Secondly, our access to the covenant was through Christ, being in Christ by FAITH.
Jacob and Esau’s story illustrates that being born into the nation of Israel doesn’t automatically make you part of the people of God.
Just as Jacob was chosen and Esau was not, so too only those who share the faith of Abraham are considered true children of God.
“It is not the children of the flesh who are children of God,
but the children of the promise are regarded as offspring.” (Romans 9:8)
In other words:
- “Israel according to the flesh” = physical nation, ethnic lineage
- “Israel according to promise” = those who believe, whether Jew or Gentile
Summary
| Example | Same Lineage? | Same Promise? | What It Proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ishmael vs Isaac | No | No | God’s promise determines inclusion |
| Esau vs Jacob | Yes | No | Even within Israel, not all are chosen |
| Conclusion | — | — | True Israel = children of promise, not flesh |
So when Paul says “not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel”, the Jacob–Esau example is his proof that God’s covenant has always operated by grace and promise, not genetics.
This redefines “Israel” — not as a national identity, but as a faith identity.
Leave a Reply