Mercy and Compassion Upon Whom God Desires Romans 9:15

Paul the apostle told the people in Rome concerning Rebecca's sons, “The elder shall serve the younger”, and he added, “as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Because of these statements Paul questioned, “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?”, and he answered “God forbid”. In chapter nine and verse fifteen of Romans, Paul told his readers, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy” where we read:

For he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,

and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

The verse begins, “For he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, ...” Paul began with the words, “for he said” which means “because and since God uttered, proclaimed and declared” “to Moses” whose name means “unto drawing out” and was “the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. He wrote the first five books of the Bible, commonly referred to as the Books of Moses”, “I will have mercy” or “God will help, have compassion on, and pity the afflicted, seeking aid or wretched” “on whom” which refers to “toward the people” “I will have mercy” or “God desires to help, have compassion on, and pity the afflicted, seeking aid or wretched”. Paul shared how God decides to whom He will “pity, have compassion on and give aid”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Paul continued with the words, “and I will have compassion” which means “and God will exercise pity” “on whom” or “toward the people” “I will have compassion” which means “God desires to exercise pity”. Paul also shared how God also decides on whom He will “exercise” His “pity”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how God is in control upon whom He has “mercy” and “compassion”. We may think this to be unfair or unjust of God, however, He is God, and He can choose to do as He desires. God has made it clear in His word that He desires to “have mercy and compassion” upon everyone, and He proved it by sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the whole world. No one is exempt from God's offering of His Son, however, should a person choose not to submit their lives to Jesus Christ, Paul's words make it clear that He has full authority to choose not to have “mercy or compassion” upon them. Those who are wise shall align themselves with God's Son Jesus and receive Him as their “Savior and Lord”, and those who are not, have put themselves in the position of “no mercy or compassion”.

Next time we see Paul tell his readers, “it is not of him that wills...nor...runs”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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