Even Us Whom He Has Called

“What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?” -Romans 9:22–24

Now that we’ve examined the parts of Paul’s sub-argument, we can see the whole as it is meant to be applied to the larger argument started in 9:6: “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel…”

Ironically, the fact that the nation of Israel did not receive their Messiah was not because the covenant failed but because it was part of God’s wise plan to save Israel—that is, the true Israel that includes both Jews and Gentiles. God was hardening the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (rebellious national Israel) in order to show mercy to those of us whom he called (his vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory).

As Paul will further explain, he will use the salvation of the Gentiles to provoke the unbelieving Jews into receiving their true Messiah, Jesus; and the true Israel will be revealed as all those who believe on the True Israel who kept the covenant, Jesus Christ. For Paul explains to the believers at Galatia:

“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ…Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.” -Galatians 3:16–19