Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 9:28

"for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short." — Romans 9:28 (ASV)

As Paul used Scripture to show that God’s purpose is to extend his mercy to Gentiles, so now he uses Scripture again to make clear that the election of Israel does not preclude her reduction through chastening judgments; yet in the sparing of the remnant his mercy and faithfulness are to be seen. Both passages quoted here are from Isaiah. The former anticipates the depletion of the nation by reason of the Assyrian invasion under Sennacherib. Without softening his decree and without delay, God would permit the judgment to fall; Jacob would be reduced to a remnant (Isaiah 10:22). The remainder of the sentence, however, underscores the divine mercy—“the remnant will be saved.” The Hebrew text has “will return” (i.e., after deportation). But Paul sees the promise of a greater deliverance, for he says, “will be saved.” Even as he wrote, there was a remnant of Israel found in the church. In view of the nation’s rejection of Jesus as Israel’s Messiah, Messianic Jews should be grateful for the minority of Jews who have embraced the Gospel of Christ (Paul returns to this theme in 11:5). If God’s judgment had been unsparing, the nation would have become as truly wiped out as Sodom and Gomorrah (v.29). But the divine judgment is tempered by unfailing mercy, of which the remnant is the eloquent proof.