[21] Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? [22] What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, [23] and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, [24] even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
From one lump of clay (Israel), God made two vessels - one vessel for honor and mercy, prepared for glory (believing Jews and Gentiles), and one vessel of dishonor and wrath, prepared for destruction (unbelieving/apostate Jews).
Romans 9:25-29
[25] As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.” (Hosea 2:23; 1 Peter 2:10)
[26] “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.” (Hosea 1:10)
[27] Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. [28] For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.” (Isaiah 10:22,23; 28:22)
[29] And as Isaiah said before: “Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9)
God spoke through the prophets that those who were not His people, would become His people, and would be "sons of the living God". The Jews were God's people, and the Gentiles were not. However, the believing Gentiles would be called to become God's people and children.
Even though the children of Israel are countless, only the remnant will be saved.
Paul quoted Isaiah, using "seed" instead
of Isaiah's, "remnant", again indicating that he believed that the remnant of Israel is the seed of Abraham.
If God had not left Israel a seed, or "a remnant", as Isaiah said, we would all have become like Sodom, and be destined to destruction like Gomorrah.
Romans 9:30-33
[30] "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; [31] but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. [32] Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. [33] As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
The Gentiles have attained righteousness through faith in Christ, but Israel has not attained righteousness because they did not seek it by faith, but by the works of the law. Israel stumbled at the stumbling stone, and rock of offense (Christ), but anyone who believes on Christ will not be put to shame (disappointed).
Romans 10:1-13
[1] Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. [2] For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
[5] For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” [6] But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) [7] or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). [8] But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): [9] that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” [12] For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. [13] For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Again Paul reveals his heart's desire that the children of Israel would be saved. Note that he does not wish for the children of Israel to return to the land, or that a new temple would be built with the sacrificial system reimplemented. He doesn't say anything about those things, but only that his desire is that they would be saved.
The children of Israel are zealous for God, but they are ignorant of God’s righteousness and seek to establish their own righteousness. They have not submitted to the righteousness of God by putting their faith Christ, who is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Unlike the law which was difficult to keep, God made it easy by sending Jesus down to mankind, rather than mankind having to go up to God to be saved; and Jesus rose from the dead, so that mankind does not have to go down to hades when they die.
The word was brought near to us, so that all we have to do is confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, and we will be saved. It is with the heart that we believe and are made righteous (justified), and with the mouth that confession is made and we are saved. Again Paul quoted Isaiah who said, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame” (disappointed).
Paul reiterates that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. God does not view one people above the other because of race or ethnicity, because the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Throughout this section, Paul links belief in the Lordship of Jesus with salvation, just as Peter did in his sermon in Acts. Jesus is Lord, and one has to believe that Jesus is Lord, in order to be saved. Not only mental belief, but if we believe that Jesus is Lord, then we will live according to what He said. We will not discount or ignore what He said, but we will listen to Him, and obey Him. We will not go against His word, but we will abide in Him. Jesus is Lord and He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. His followers must believe it and live according to it.
Romans 10:14-21
[14] How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? [15] And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
[16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” [17] So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
[18] But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” [19] But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” [20] But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” [21] But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”
In this passage, Paul seems to be addressing something that he has heard the Jews saying in response to the Gentiles being chosen to be God's people:
"How can they call on God if they don't believe in God? How can they believe in God if they have not heard about Him? How can they hear about God if there is no preacher to tell them about Him? How can they preach about God if they are not sent?"
But Paul says, "have they not heard? Yes indeed they have heard! Their word has gone out to the ends of the earth! Did Israel not know?" The Gentiles heard about Jesus and believed, but the Jews who knew God were not obedient to Him nor did they believe the Gospel.
Then, Paul quoted Moses, “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” God was trying to turn Israel to Him by calling the Gentiles ("those who are not a nation; a foolish nation").
Then, Paul quoted Isaiah, "I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” The Gentiles were not seeking God or asking for God, yet they found Him and He was revealed to them.
Yet God said through Isaiah to Israel, “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.” God tried over and over to reach Israel but they were unwilling.
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