Message: God's Will and His Mercy
Time: Romulus founded ancient Rome about 753 BC. By 600 BC it had become a wealthy, flourishing city with a monarch. Around 500 BC, the monarch was overthrown. A republic resulted and after war, Rome became the only great power in the Mediterranean, succeeding the empire of Alexander the Great. Before and after the birth of Christ, Rome's dominion continued to expand to about two thirds the size of the continental US. At the time Paul wrote, Rome had a population of about 1,000,000. Most were slaves. It was a vast empire, but had many religions present. It is unknown how the church started in Rome, but Gentiles and Jews both were involved. Paul was writing to address a problem, but he wanted to be there and perhaps, make Rome his base for his missionary journey's
What the Lord is Saying:
"For Scripture says"
Scripture here is personified. Paul is stating here that when Scripture speaks, God speaks.
"to Pharaoh, For this very purpose I raised you up"
People everywhere believe there life is in their control. Their lives are their own. But, could it be that God designates and plans what kind of a life a person will have? Did Pharaoh assume that everything he did in his monarch was by his own free choice for his own human purpose? Through Moses, Pharaoh had a divine purpose. And this purpose he wasn't even aware of.
These are powerfully strong words. God had a purpose in the life of Pharaoh. From the words of Romans 1:21, Pharaoh was a man that, "knew God, but did not honor Him. He did not give thanks to God. He became futile in his speculations. His foolish heart was darkened (hardened)." God had a purpose in Pharaoh rejecting God.
"I raised you up to demonstrate"
The Greek word is endeiknumi. It is to make known the character or significance of something by auditory, visual, gestural, linguistic means. It is to point out, to demonstrate, to put on display, to prove, to show proof, to show forth, to show oneself, to give visible proof, to show in anything and implies an appeal to facts. It is like Pharaoh is to act as an index finger in pointing to God.
I'm not sure we can really comprehend or that we even take the time to realize what is going on here. God is using a man that has no care for God. This is a man that has no desire to make God known. And takes the things of God and laughs at them and calls them no big deal. How often to we center around the pious and religious and call out that they are the ones pointing us to God.
Is it possible God is using someone like Obama for His purposes?
"to demonstrate My Power in you"
This is a quote from Exodus 9:16. This is God's purposes. It is to demonstrate His Power in us. It is to demonstrate His might, His capability, His ability, His strength. God uses all sorts of people to demonstrate His power. But, I'm not sure if that means that every person is used. Each person has a purpose and this was clearly Pharaoh's purpose.
"and that My Name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth."
His power is to be known, but His name is to be proclaimed. Mark 3:13-14, when Jesus called the disciples, it is for 2 purposes. "That they might be with Him" and thus witness to His power "and that He might send them out to preach" and thus that His name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.
"So then He has mercy on whom He desires and He hardens whom He desires"
Paul with the words "so then" is speaking a conclusion. Paul used the words "so then" back in verse 16 so he is giving a direct conclusion simply based upon the words and message of verse 17. There is a mystery in God. We must surrender to Him and accept His hand of providence. Accept His ways. We are such creatures in that we always want an explanation. This will come out further shortly in verse 21 when Paul gives us the example of the potter and the clay. But, God has mercy on whom He desires. I can definitely see how that verse can cause problems in people's lives and specifically problems with an atheist who wants a clear cause and effect for everything in life.
There is no injustice God. What there is in God is mercy and compassion.
That mighty act of God in delivering Israel from bondage in Egypt demonstrated two great truths. He delivered Israel to exhibit His sovereign mercy on [those] whom He desires, and He raised up and destroyed Pharaoh to exhibit the corollary truth that He hardens those whom He desires. Only His divine desire determines which it will be. - preceptaustin.org
God has sovereign will and this means that God acts as He sees fit.
In Exodus, it mentions that Pharaoh's heart was hardened and it also mentions that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. There is still the free will of man. Even though we can't comprehend this with our finite minds, the two still exist. God is sovereign. Man has free will. They work in concert with one another. Again, I return to Romans 8:28 and rewrite it that "God causes all of man's free will to work together for His sovereign purpose."
Promise: It is not that God has mercy on those who He foresees will believe and hardens those who He foresees will not believe. It is not that God has a knowledge then of our free will and then makes a decision, otherwise the notion of justice is moot. We cannot locate God's reasons for election. He chooses those to whom He will show mercy and we must trust God in this.
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