Romans 9:6-15 

Verse 5 told us that Israel had the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), and these verses begin with Abraham. You can find Abraham’s story in Genesis chapters 12-25. 
God promised Abraham a natural born son through Sarah. It was through this family that God intended to bless the whole world. We read in chapter 4 earlier this year that Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith.  
But Abraham first had a, natural-born son with his servant, Hagar. Impatient for the fulfillment of the promise, Abraham and Sarah took having a descendant into their own hands, and Ishmael was born. 

When have you lacked faith to wait on the Lord to work, but devised your own plan? Share this story in your journal.

Spend time praying and asking the Holy Spirit to show you areas of your life are not built on faith. 

We continue with the Patriarchs to Isaac (Abraham’s son, through whom the promise was carried on) and Jacob. Isaac has twin sons (Esau & Jacob), and God chooses the younger of the twins (Jacob) to carry the promise through. You can read this story in Genesis 25 and on.  

Explain verse 15 in your own words in your journal.

What do you learn about God’s character from this passage?