Romans: A 21-Day Musical DevotionalExemplo

The Story of Israel and Her Sovereign

In order to show that “the word of God has not failed” (v. 6), Paul explains that there are two different categories of “Israel”: those who are merely descendants of Abraham (ethnic Israel) and those who, like Abraham, are children of the promise (true Israel). To put it another way, there is a physical Israel and there is a spiritual Israel, and understanding the difference between the two is key to understanding how God has faithfully fulfilled His Old Covenant promises.

Also of importance in this discussion is the basis of God’s choosing of one person over the other. Paul references God’s election of Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau to show that it is not based on factors such as works or lineage, but on “Him who calls” (v. 11).