Throughout the book of Romans Paul follows the pattern of making an argument and then proving it with Scripture. Such is the case with Romans 9. Paul has stated his arguments for God’s sovereign election and reprobation in passing over the unsaved to choose a remnant unto salvation. He proves this argument by quoting Isaiah 10:22.
When God called and commissioned Isaiah to preach, He informed Isaiah that his preaching would be for the purpose of making the heart of the people dull and their ears heavy (Is 6:10). Isaiah knew that the great majority of those who would hear his preaching would not repent and therefore be hardened. In the words of John Calvin, God’s decree of reprobation was a ‘decretum horribilis.’ Knowing God’s horrible decree of destruction, Isaiah therefore cried out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved. For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth” (Romans 9:27-28).
It is a somber truth that God passes over the reprobate; and it is a sobering reminder to the remnant Christian that his salvation is all of God and all of grace. That “Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah.” (Romans 9:29)
Do not be deceived, the very same sin that held Sodom and Gomorrah captive lies with your body of death, and there but for the grace of God go I.
