As in Romans 8, we were predestined to glorification, not to faith or unbelief; so in Romans 9, Israel was predestined to glorification, not to faith or unbelief. The best way to demonstrate this is by Paul’s examples of the adversaries Pharaoh and Moses. Despite the unscriptural claims of Calvinists, Pharaoh wasn’t hardened about believing in God or the gospel. Over and over the scripture makes it clear that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart about not letting his people go. “I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go,” Ex. 4:21. See also Ex. 7:14; 8:32; 9:7; 10:20, 27; 11:10, etc.

And God didn’t harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would go to hell, but so that once Pharaoh had made his decision not to let Israel go, he wouldn’t give in too soon due to weakness or aversion to pain, so that God could complete all ten plagues and destroy the mightiest army in the world of that time in the sea, so that all the world would hear of it. “I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt, ... so that I can lay my hand on Egypt, and bring forth my armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments,” Ex. 7:3-4. See also Ex. 10:1-2, 7; 9:1; 14:4, 17. And in our passage, “Even for this same purpose I have raised you [an unbeliever] up [to be Pharaoh], so that I could show my power in you, and so that my name would be declared throughout all the earth,” Rm. 9:17.

In contrast to Pharaoh, Moses accomplished something that wasn’t predestined at all, through his free-will choice. When Israel sinned by worshipping the golden calf, Moses interceded, and was granted mercy for them. But then Moses went beyond even that, and asked to see God’s glory as a gracious favor, and was also granted that request. “[Moses] said, ‘I beseech you, show me your glory.’ And [the LORD] said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, ... and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy,’” Ex. 33:18-19.

God knows beforehand which vessels are destined for eternal glory and which are destined for eternal shame. And it isn’t unrighteous of him in his providential control to make use of both kinds of vessels in his plans during our time on earth. He formed a man like Pharaoh who is destined for eternal shame into a vessel to rule Egypt so his name would be magnified in the earth at the time of Israel’s national birth. And he gives men like Moses and us experiences that help “fit” (Rom. 9:22) and “prepare” (Rom. 9:23) us for even more glorification. “Our light affliction [light compared to the weight of glory], which is but for a moment [a moment compared to the eternal glory], produces for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” 2 Cor. 4:17.

Flowers (Non-Calvinist), ”Would anyone dare adopt or seek to defend this most troubling doctrine [of reprobation] if not for the perceived defense offered by the apostle in Romans 9?” Pink (Calvinist), “It is a remarkable and telling phenomenon that those who find no individual predestination to eternal life in Rom 9:6-13 cannot successfully explain the thread of Paul’s argument as it begins in Rom 9:1-5 and continues through the chapter.” Berkouwer (Calvinist), “Every hesitation about or hidden resistance against the sovereign freedom of God, every form of indeterminism which defends man's cooperation against the divine act, will suffer shipwreck on Romans 9.” We shall see.

All my books can be read online for free at wayneodonnell.com. Mt. 10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.” This booklet is included in and comprises of one section of my book “Predestination is to Glory not to Faith: Anti-Calvinism & Reformed Theology; Pro-Certainty of Sanctification & Glorification; In Romans 8, Romans 9, & John 6.”