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Romans 9:7-11

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

7. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9. For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10. And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac; 11. (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Romans 9:7-11 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Romans 9:7

Theological / Devotional

Seed. Compare Gal. 3:29.

Children. That is, children in the fullest sense, as in chapter 8:17, “if children, then heirs.” The descendants of Abraham do not have the rights of inheritance simply because they can trace their physical descent back to him.

In Isaac. Or, “through Isaac.” The same Greek word translated “in” (en) is rendered “through” in Matt. 9:34, and “by” in 1 Cor. 6:2 and Col. 1:16. The words “In Isaac shall thy seed be called” are a quotation from the LXX of Gen. 21:12 (cf. Heb. 11:18).

Called. Isaac and Ishmael, according to the flesh, were both sons of Abraham. However, to Isaac and his descendants were the promises made. Ishmael was not included. This does not mean that Ishmael and his descendants were outside the pale of salvation, but simply that God had chosen the descendants of Isaac to be His missionaries to the world. They were to reveal the principles of His kingdom before the nations, that men might be drawn to Him (see Vol. IV, pp. 26-30; see on Eze. 25:1). God reserves the right to assign various responsibilities to men and nations (see on Dan. 4:17).

By SdaBc