Who are the Israelites?
A Sermon on Romans 9:4-5
Originally preached Oct. 26, 1962
Scripture
4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God …
Sermon Description
What is the significance of the apostle Paul's use of the term 'Israelites' in Romans 9:4? Why didn't he use the term 'Jews' or 'Hebrews' instead? In this sermon on Romans 9:4–5 titled “Who are the Israelites” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the three terms which are often used to describe this people group: Jews, Hebrews, and Israelites. Each of these terms have a different meaning when used in Scripture and he details those three meanings. The term Jews is used to show the opposite of Gentile, which is the rest of the world. Hebrews describes a time in Jewish history when they spoke Hebrew. The term Israelites is the term given to God's chosen people in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then goes on to detail two other terms of supreme importance that Paul uses in this passage. Adoption is used in a general sense, but means that God has placed this people group in a whole new position as his children. Glory means how God presented Himself to His people, proving His faithfulness to them. All Gentiles have been brought into a share of this, becoming sons and daughters of Christ through adoption.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul expresses sorrow for his kinsmen according to the flesh who have rejected Jesus Christ.
- Paul gives the reasons for his sorrow by listing the privileges that were uniquely given to the Israelites.
- The first privilege is that they are "Israelites" - God's chosen people with whom he has a special relationship. The name "Israelite" signifies their status as God's covenant people.
- The second privilege is "the adoption" - God placed the entire nation of Israel in the position of sons. Though not all were saved, God dealt with them as his children.
- The third privilege is "the glory" - God gave manifestations of his glory to the Israelites, allowing them glimpses of his eternal nature. Examples include the burning bush, pillar of fire, tabernacle, etc.
- The remaining privileges listed are "the covenants", "the giving of the law", "the service of God" and "the promises".
- These great privileges make the Israelites' rejection of the Messiah all the more tragic.
- We as Christians have now been brought into these same privileges through faith in Christ. We are now part of the commonwealth of Israel and household of God.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans 9:4-5: Key Questions and Answers
What is the significance of Paul using the term "Israelites" instead of "Jews" in Romans 9:4-5?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul deliberately chose the term "Israelites" rather than "Jews" or "Hebrews" because it emphasizes their unique relationship with God. While "Jew" is typically used to contrast with "Gentile" and "Hebrew" refers to those who spoke the Hebrew language, "Israelite" points to their special covenant relationship with God. The term originates from Genesis 32 when Jacob's name was changed to Israel, meaning "one who has prevailed with God." This term highlights that they were God's chosen people in a unique manner - "Ye only have I known of all the nations of the earth" (Amos). It's more significant than just national identity; it emphasizes their spiritual privilege and position.
What does "adoption" mean when applied to Israel in Romans 9:4?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the adoption mentioned in Romans 9:4 is different from the adoption of individual believers discussed in Romans 8:15 and 8:23. Here, adoption refers to God placing the entire nation of Israel in the position of a son. This is evidenced in passages like Exodus 4:22 ("Israel is my son, even my firstborn"), Deuteronomy 14:1 ("You are the children of the Lord your God"), Jeremiah 31:9 ("I am a father to Israel"), and Hosea 11:1 ("When Israel was a child, then I loved him"). This was a national adoption that applied to all Israelites as a people, whether or not they were individually faithful. It represents the progression from being merely a governed people to having a family relationship with God.
What does "the glory" refer to in Paul's list of Israel's privileges?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "the glory" refers to God's manifestations of His own glorious nature specifically to Israel. This wasn't merely about the glory of their position, but actual glimpses of God's presence and glory that no other nation experienced. Examples include:
- Moses seeing the burning bush
- The pillar of cloud and fire that led Israel through the wilderness
- The glory that appeared in the cloud (Exodus 16:10)
- God's glory filling the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34)
- The Shekinah glory that rested on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies
- The glory that filled Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:11)
This was a unique privilege where God actually revealed something of His divine nature to Israel, making their rejection of Christ all the more tragic.
Why is understanding the Old Testament essential for New Testament interpretation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the Old Testament is essential for proper New Testament understanding because:
- Many New Testament terms become "quite meaningless unless we know something about the Old Testament."
- Romans 9:4-5 provides "a masterly summary of the whole of the Old Testament" in just two verses.
- The New Testament constantly points back to Old Testament concepts, making them inseparable.
- We who are Gentiles have been "brought into a share of all this" (referencing Ephesians 2) - we've been grafted into privileges that were first given to Israel.
- Our identity as Christians can only be fully understood in light of what God did with Israel.
He criticizes those who dismiss the Old Testament as irrelevant, calling such approaches "superficial" and "foolish," as they fail to recognize how the two testaments are "intermingled" and form one coherent revelation.
What practical lesson does Dr. Lloyd-Jones draw from these verses about Bible study?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses Romans 9:4-5 to teach about proper Bible study methods:
- We should not merely read scripture superficially or to complete a "daily portion" without understanding.
- We must stop and examine words carefully - "Let's ask it questions. Let's see exactly what it's saying and why it's saying it."
- We should consider the context of words, not just their dictionary definitions - "Remember, take your context as well as the particular meaning."
- We need the Holy Spirit's illumination - "We need to be enlightened. We need to watch everything because there is hidden treasure everywhere."
- We should look for significance in every word choice (like why Paul used "Israelites" instead of "Jews").
He warns that failure to study deeply can lead to misunderstanding and even heresy: "You can become a heretic without realizing that anything's happened to you at all."
What is the tragedy that breaks Paul's heart regarding Israel?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the great tragedy breaking Paul's heart is that despite Israel's extraordinary privileges - being Israelites, having the adoption, experiencing God's glory, receiving the covenants, the law, the temple service, the promises, and being the people through whom Christ came - they rejected their own Messiah. As John 1:11 puts it, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." This rejection is made more astonishing and tragic precisely because of their unique relationship with God and all these special privileges they had received. The very people who had been prepared for centuries to receive the Messiah failed to recognize Him when He came, which causes Paul "continual sorrow" and "great heaviness" of heart.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.