Useful Bible Studies > Romans Commentary > chapter 9
Sodom and Gomorrah were two towns that became especially wicked at the time of Abraham. In fact, they were so bad that God made an immediate judgement against them. Burning chemicals poured like rain upon the towns, and killed everyone in them. The only people who escaped were a good man called Lot, his wife and two daughters. However, Lot’s wife died as she looked back at Sodom (Genesis 19:1-29).
Centuries later, Isaiah saw that many people in his own country, Israel, had also become very wicked (Isaiah 1:21-23). They had no more right to expect any help from God than Sodom and Gomorrah did. It was only by God’s kindness that their nation and their families continued to exist. God had shown that kindness to Israel because of those people who had remained loyal to God. However, it was also an act of God’s kindness that such people were in their nation. In his kindness, God had made it possible for those people to know him and to trust him.
In Romans 9:29, Paul repeats Isaiah 1:9, but not to warn about God’s judgement. Rather, Paul’s purpose is to show the place of Israel in God’s plan. In particular, Paul wants to emphasise God’s plan for those people from Israel who are loyal to God. They may not be many people, but from them God can and will make Israel into a truly great nation. That is, a nation where the people love and obey God with their whole hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-36; Mark 12:28-34; Romans 11:23-27).
Next part: We can only receive a right relationship with God by faith (Romans 9:30-31)
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