Question 340: Does YHVH Choose People For Destruction?

Answer:

Peter was right in saying (2 Peter 3:16) that in Paul's epistles there were some things hard to be understood. The verses in Romans 9:15-20 are confessedly difficult. They appear to be contradictory to the conclusion which Paul reaches at the close of his argument (Romans 11:32) "YHVH hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all." Perhaps we would understand his argument better if we knew more of the people to whom he was writing. It may have been, that among them were some who had the audacity to criticize YHVH's method of government and Paul wanted them to realize that YHVH was not under obligation to save any who rebelled against Him. That fact we must admit. No man can claim as a right that YHVH shall forgive him. We know, from Moshiach's own words and from Paul's own letters that YHVH does forgive all who come to Him in penitence. But when a man defies Him, as Pharaoh did, Paul contends that YHVH makes an example of him, that men of all times may see what is the end of defiance of his rule. We do not imagine that Paul meant that YHVH directly hardened Pharaoh, but that the hardening is was the effect of the removal of the plagues and was "permitted." The very mercy had the opposite effect on the man that it should have had. Pharaoh misunderstood it, as men now misunderstand YHVH's long-suffering and think they will escape altogether. Our side of the question is not YHVH's sovereignty, which we can never understand, but the sublime fact that "whosoever will" may come to Moshiach and be saved