Exodus 18:1 - 19:6

• Burnt Offering
  • The eating before God was part of covenantal ritual, for it signified that they were in communion with the Deity, and with one another.
• The tradition of “sitting in Moses’ seat” is drawn from this passage
• Statutes (Chuqim)
• Idiom “listen to the voice of” means “obey, comply with, heed,”, implies obedience, not just mental awareness of sound
• “a holy nation” a nation separate and distinct from the rest of the nations.

Isaiah 6:1-13

• Yahweh of Armies
• Unclean
• terebinth - a common Mediterranean tree related to the pistachio.
  • the terbinth and oak symbolize resilience because they can survive cutting or burning and regrow from the stump
  • Hebrew Bible tree names for oaks/terebinths overlap (e.g., ’ēlāh, ’allôn, ’ēlôn), reflecting similar strong trees in the landscape.

Notes:

• approximately 740 b.c.
  • The prophesied judgment (cf. 6:11-13) was fulfilled by 701 b.c. when the Assyrians devastated the land (a situation presupposed by Isa 1:2-20;
  • Isaiah issues an ultimatum (1:19-20),
    • Hezekiah heeds, resulting in the sparing of Jerusalem (see Isa 36-39 and cf. Jer 26:18-19 with Mic 3:12).
• saraf, “seraph” (שָׂרָף) literally means “burning one,”
  • “seraph” refers to poisonous snakes in Num 21:6; Deut 8:15; Isa 14:29; 30:6
  • “seraphs” describe as “flying” (Isa 14:29; 30:6), .
• Unclean, Common, Clean, Holy

Isaiah 61:6-10

• YHWH's Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit]) is on Isaiah
  • he is anointed (Messiah)
    • Figurative/spiritual meaning: To consecrate, set apart, or appoint for a special divine purpose or office
  • he is sent

Romans 8:19-39

Children of God

• Greek:
  • Used here and in Romans 8:14 is huioi theou (υἱοὶ θεοῦ) = sons of God
    • huios often carries connotations of status/heirship
  • Romans 8:16-17 is tekna theou = children of God
    • teknon stresses origin or affection
• Hebrew:
  • Israelites are referred to using sonship language
    • Hosea 1:10 (Romans 8:26) - sons of the living God'" (bənê ʾēl-ḥāy)
    • Hosea 11:1: When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
    • Deuteronomy 14:1 - sons to Yahweh your God
    • Deuteronomy 32:5-6 - they are not His sons
    • Isaiah 1:2-4 - Sons/Children I have reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against Me

Revelation

• the revealing (apokalypsin) of the sons of God" — meaning the sons/children of God themselves are being revealed (made manifest, unveiled), not that something is being revealed to them or that they are revealing something

Creation was subjected to futility

• Genesis 3:17–19 - the ground is cursed because of you; it will no longer yield its bounty as the blessing from God had promised
• Hosea 4:1–3 - the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish
• Isaiah 33:9: The land mourns and languishes

First fruits of the Spirit - bikkurim First Fruits of the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit])

Awaiting adoption - a present ongoing waiting for a future fulfillment

• The present participle apekdechomenoi indicates an ongoing present activity (eagerly waiting/groaning)
• The object (“the adoption, the redemption of our bodies”) points to a future event at resurrection and glorification.
• Children of God already have the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15), but await its full public realization.

Pray

Groaning

• creation (systenazei)
• we ourselves, inwardly (stenazomen)
• the Spirit, inexpressibly, wordless sighs that cannot be uttered. (stenagmois) Only reference in all scripture about the Spirit groaning.

The Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit])

• Gives firstfruits (Romans 8:23)
• Helps our weakness (Romans 8:26)
• Makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26)
• Groans / intercedes with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26)
• God knows the mind of the Spirit (Romans 8:27)
• Makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:27)
• Holy Spirit (implied as the Spirit of God)
• Dwells / lives within believers (context of Romans 8 leading into this section)
• Possesses a mind (Romans 8:27)
• Believers have the firstfruits of the Spirit while waiting for adoption and redemption of the body (Romans 8:23)
• The Spirit helps in weakness when we do not know what to pray (Romans 8:26)
• The one who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit (Romans 8:27)

Foreknew - predestined

• foreknew = proginōskō (προγινώσκω) - to know beforehand, to foreknow
• predestined = proorizō (προορίζω) - to determine beforehand, to predetermine, to foreordain
  • No single Hebrew word is a direct equivalent to Greek proorizō.
  • The closest concepts use yātsar and kūn when God sovereignly plans or appoints something beforehand.
• Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
• John 6:65: “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

“For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered

• Ps 44:22

Notes;

• Romans 8 with Isaiah 61
  • predestined = anointed
  • called = sent
  • justified = robe of righteousness
  • glorified = garments of salvation

My thoughts on "those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son"

• The concept doesn't seem to be "salvation"
  • And = de (δέ is a common Greek particle (conjunction) often translated as “and,” “but,” “now,” or “moreover.” NOT connecting “and” which would be καί / kai. De is a transitional word signals a slight shift or continuation while linking what follows to what precedes.
  • BECAUSE the Spirit intercedes according to God's will THEREFORE
    • We know all things work together
      • for good
        • for those who
          • love God
          • are called
            • according to his purpose
    • Because
      • those he foreknew
        • he predestined
          • to conform
            • to the image of his son
              • who would be the firstborn
                • among many brothers and sisters
        • he called
        • he justified
        • he glorified
• For if God is for us (knew us and predestined us to something) then who can be against us? Examples:
  • Isaiah 61 - YHWH's Ruach Hakodesh is on Isaiah anointed to preach good news
  • Abraham - Yah saw (knew) him, then predestined to make him the father of nations. Sarah was barren but Yah saw (knew) her and predestined her to be the mother of nations.
  • Noah - Yah saw (knew) him, then predestined to make him the start over father of nations
  • Jacob/Israel - Yah saw (knew) him, then predestined to make his people the children of Yah.

Psalm 54

Connections

Romans 8:19-39 – Old Testament Allusions & Concepts

Direct Quotes

• Psalm 44:22 — “For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” (quoted in Romans 8:36)

Major Allusions & Concepts

• Genesis 3:17-19 — Creation subjected to futility / curse on the ground (Romans 8:20-22)
• Genesis 1:26-27 — Image of God (Romans 8:29 – conformed to the image of His Son)
• Genesis 22:12, 16 — “did not spare His own Son” (Romans 8:32)
• Exodus 4:22 — Israel as God’s son (background for adoption language)
• Deuteronomy 14:1 — “You are the sons of the Lord your God”
• Hosea 1:10 — “They shall be called sons of the living God” (also quoted in Romans 9:26)
• Isaiah 50:8-9 — “Who shall bring a charge against me?” / “Who is he who will condemn me?” (Romans 8:33-34)
• Isaiah 61:10 — Garments of salvation and robe of righteousness (thematic link to justification and glorification)

Additional Conceptual Allusions

• Isaiah 24:1-6, Hosea 4:1-3, Jeremiah 4:23-28, Jeremiah 12:4 — The earth/creation mourning or languishing because of sin (Romans 8:22)
• Psalm 139:16 — Days ordained beforehand (background to foreknowledge and predestination)
• Jeremiah 1:5 — Known and appointed before birth (background to Romans 8:29)
• Isaiah 46:10 — God’s counsel and purpose standing (background to God’s sovereign plan)