As some of you may know, I am daily reading through Scripture in its order. Today’s devotion included Romans 9:22-24.
“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.” Romans 9:22-24. (Emphasis added).
Why does God allow the wicked to live along side the righteous? Why doesn’t He just sooner “take the wicked out to punishment” away from the righteous?
Calvin in his Commentary on Romans 9:23 gives this reason: “It cannot then be but that the infinite mercy of God towards the elect must appear increasingly worthy of praise, when we see how miserable are all they who escape not his wrath.” Romans 9:22-24.
In other words, when the elect see the wrath on the wicked, the elect appreciate all the more God’s grace to them.
Psalm 91:7-8 states:
“7. A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.”
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.”
Consider the story of the Exodus in Exodus Chapter 14. It would have been enough to save Israel if God had just opened the Red Sea, pushed the waters back, and allowed Israel to escape by walking on the dry land through the midst of the sea. But, God wanted Israel to see his wrath on the wicked.
“Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.” Exodus 14:30-31 (Emphasis added).
And what was the result of Israel seeing the Egyptians dead on the seashore? Israel “believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses”.
In addition, the very next chapter, Exodus 15, a Deliverance Song, doesn’t even start by a thanks and praise for the people “walking on the dry land through the midst of the sea”. Exodus 15 starts: “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said, “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.” Exodus 15:1 (Emphasis added).
In conclusion, the contrast (between the wrath of God on the wicked and the blessing of God upon the elect) makes us understand better the riches of His glory upon us. Psalm 91 concludes with this verse: “With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation.” Psalm 91:16. I would paraphrase this verse as follows. During our life, God makes us see many things, some scary (the wrath of God on the wicked) and some pleasant (the blessings of God on the elect), to make us understand better and appreciate more our salvation.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 