and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory, "afore prepared unto glory" -no predestination here. Glory is only for those that 'endure' (Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12)

"Prepared" -when. accept the gospel call (Romans 9:24);. become. vessel that God exercises mercy upon. God planned that he would save man 'in Christ' (Ephesians 1:4), and when. choose Christ,. get to share this 'before prepared' glory.

'that he might' -'And He did so in order that He might' (NASV). Thank God for His patience! Thank God that God didn't wipe the often rebellious Jewish nation off the face of the earth! (Through them came the Messiah-Romans 9:5) God's patience with self-made ungrateful and evil men, enabled Christ to come, die, and rise again, so that this wonderful message could be preached to all.

All of this section reveals. great truth about all the judgements in the O.T. (the flood, the various times that the Israelites were punished (1 Corinthians 10:5), the judgements that came upon heathen nations, all these judgements that skeptics and unbelievers complain about ('The God of the O.T. was cruel', etc..) were judgements tempered with MERCY! Man 'deserved' much more severity! Yea, 23,000 Israelites fell in one day (1 Corinthians 10:8), but due to the mercy of God, many others that 'deserved'. like fate, didn't!

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Old Testament