What are vessels of wrath (Romans 9:22)?

The mind of God was to display His wrath in this evil world and to make known His power where men easily and willingly forget Himself. But the way adopted was admirable and worthy of His nature. Arbitrariness there was none, but "much long-suffering." So He bore long with the corruption and violence of guilty man. Could man then justly tax God either with lack of compassion for himself or with haste to mark his iniquities? Impossible that a holy God could have fellowship with evil or be indifferent to it! But instead of promptly blotting out of this life the rebellious creatures who make of the world a field for incessant warfare against what they know of God, or who at least live negligent of His will though He has revealed it fully, the history of the world since nations began is the fullest proof of endurance on God's part. He never made them as they are; but the sin of man now fallen He endured spite of countless and constant provocation. They sinned, they transgressed, they despised His mercy, they braved His wrath; but He endured with much long-suffering.

Sinful men thus living in enmity against God are here styled "vessels of wrath," on the one hand; as those who believe are designated "vessels of mercy" on the other. They are objects respectively of wrath and of mercy, and are figuratively supposed to contain each that quality which will issue in destruction or in glory.

Rom. 9:19-29. But man does complain, and a second objection is: Since the sovereign God decides everything, why does He any longer find fault? For who has resisted His purpose? And what I am, I am: I can only be what He pleases. Nay, but thou, man, says the apostle, who art thou that answerest again to God? Does the creature of the dust dare to judge the Creator? God does what He will, and renders account of His acts to none. Thus man complains of God's righteousness when it touches himself, as he dislikes the grace which justifies others freely and absolutely. And to this indeed the question will be found to come: Is God to judge man? or is man to judge God? In the entire answer there are three propositions. First, as we have seen, the apostle maintains, in all its strength, the right of the sovereign God — the authority that He has to do just as He will with His creatures. Has not the potter power over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honour and another for dishonour? Next, he comes to the facts, and sets before us, that God, even when minded to show his wrath and make His power known, endured with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction — vessels which He did not fit, but had long endured. Thirdly, there is the revelation that He had afore prepared for glory vessels of mercy. The vessels of wrath were fitted by themselves — by their sins — for wrath; but the vessels of mercy were prepared of God, for in truth no man is prepared of himself for glory: grace alone effects His work in favour of the elect. The passage is written, if we may so say, carefully, by the Spirit, that we should not impute the fitting of the wicked to God. His title to act sovereignly is asserted as a general and abstract truth in Rom. 9:21. But when we come to the facts as they are, Paul declares that it is not by God's act that they are fitted to destruction. On the other hand, it is expressly said that God endured vessels of wrath, (Rom. 9:22) and that he prepared vessels of mercy. Such are the cases supposed. Who or what, then, prepared those vessels of wrath? Sin, without doubt. Nevertheless, the word on this point preserves silence. What profound revelations result from the existence of sin — from God's way for us and for His own glory in respect of it! God alone suffices to Himself, and His power is necessary to the maintenance of everything, as it was needed to create all. The creature can only fall, if it be not sustained. The moment it seeks an independent existence it is fallen, and that even before committing a positive act of sin.

(Vv. 22, 23). The way God uses this absolute power is seen in His actings towards the vessels of wrath and the vessels of mercy. As regards the vessels of wrath, it truly says "they are fitted for destruction", but it does not say that God fitted them for destruction. He made His power known, not by fitting them for destruction, but, by enduring them with much longsuffering. As regards the vessels of mercy, it does say of such He "had afore prepared to glory". God endured the Amorites of old with much longsuffering until they fitted themselves for destruction by their iniquities being come to the "full". Then the judgment fell. (Gen. 15:16).

(V. 24) The vessels of mercy are seen in those called by the gospel in sovereign grace, not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles. Once allow that all blessing rests upon the sovereignty of God, the Gentile must be admitted to the blessing as well as the Jew.

But there is a shade of difference as distinct as it is refined and profoundly true which no reader should overlook. The vessels of wrath are said to be "fitted for destruction." But it is neither said nor implied here, or anywhere else, that God fitted them for it. They were fitted by their sins, and most of all by their unbelief and rebelliousness against God. But when we hear of the faithful, the phrase is altogether different, "vessels of mercy which he before prepared for glory." The evil is man's, and in no case is it of God; the good is His and not our own. Not the saints, but God prepared the vessels of mercy for glory. More strictly He prepared them beforehand with a view to glory. That is, it was not their preparation while on earth, His only when the glory arrives. The apostle affirms here that God prepared them before unto glory. It was His doing. None doubts that they became by grace obedient, holy, and thus morally conformed to His nature; but it seemed good to the Holy Spirit to dwell here only on God's preparation of the vessels of mercy beforehand for glory. Thus the riches of His glory are made known upon the vessels of mercy, for so they are called, not vessels filled with these or those spiritual qualities, however true this might be, but vessels of mercy.

A Needful Caution. — God's sovereign rights no creature in his senses can dispute. Care, however, is needed in stating truth, and we do well to learn from the Word the proper way of presenting it. "What," writes the apostle, "if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared to glory, even us, whom He has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles" (22-24). Vessels of mercy then there are, and vessels of wrath. No Jew could dispute that without denying the Scriptures of truth. Of the former, we are told, God afore prepared them to glory. Of the latter, it is stated that they are fitted to destruction. Both furnish opportunities to make God known. By the former, it is the riches of His glory which are displayed. By the latter, it is His power and wrath. God afore prepared vessels of mercy for glory. Who can dispute His right to do this? If God endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, who can question His justice, after such endurance, in showing His wrath, and making known His power in judgment? These vessels are said, be it observed, to be fitted to destruction. But it is not said God so fitted them. Men, by their ways, as Esau and Pharaoh did, show themselves to be deserving of their doom, and will fully justify Divine judicial dealing with them.

Verse 22. What then if God exercises His right to execute judgment where it was deserved? In the exercise of His wrath He makes His power known. How does He do so? HE "endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction." How, or by whom, had they been fitted? By their sins. At the same time He makes known "The riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory." Vessels of wrath have fitted themselves for wrath, while vessels of mercy will forever be indebted to Him for preparing them for glory, in spite of the fact that this epistle elsewhere says, Rom. 3:22-23, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Let us take note of an important nuance of expression in verses 22 and 23. Of the vessels of mercy it is stated clearly that it is God who has ‘prepared’ them for glory (v. 23). But of the vessels of wrath it does not say that God prepared them, or fitted them, for destruction, but simply that they are ‘fitted for destruction’ (v. 22). Pharaoh, unbelieving Israel, and all who refuse to believe have fitted themselves for destruction. But this does not stop God from showing His abundant mercy, making ‘known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, … us, whom he has also called, not only from amongst the Jews, but also from amongst the nations’ (vs. 23–24).

Romans 9:22-23 brings out the distinction clearly. “What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared to glory.”

Notice, the vessels of wrath fit themselves to destruction—God is not responsible for man’s sin, but holds man responsible for it. He endures with much long-suffering, so that when His wrath falls it may be deserved to the full and righteously meted out. For instance, be endured the Amorites for four hundred years, till the cup of their iniquity was full.

A careful examination of these verses will show that it is not said that God fitted such vessels to destruction, but that He prepared the vessels of mercy unto glory. To say more than is here said, is to add to God's Word. Furthermore, instead of saying that He prepared the vessels of wrath for destruction "before they were born," it is said that He "endured with much long-suffering" these vessels. Not a word about His preparing them, but about His forbearance with them.

He endures with much long-suffering these guilty resisters of His mercy, until they have fitted themselves for destruction. Alas! how many have thus filled up the measure of their iniquity.

On the other hand, He picks up and fashions vessels of mercy, in which He will display His riches of glory. Vessels of mercy! Poor, wretched sinners, who could do nothing but own their guilt and shame, and be debtors to mercy alone. Oh, to think that He prepares such — by His grace — unto glory! And that this wondrous grace reaches out, not to sinners of the privileged Jews alone, but of the outcast Gentiles also! (vv. 19-24).