In our study of Romans chapter ten, we will see how Yeshua Messiah is and has always been the only way to a right relationship with God. It does not matter who your ancestors are or what you have done but only that you believe in him.
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Brothers, my heart's deepest desire and my prayer to God for Isra'el is for their salvation; for I can testify to their zeal for God. But it is not based on correct understanding;
Paul was a Jew and we see here that he had a heart for the people of Israel. We saw, in chapter nine, that God had chosen them to hear the good news first and they had. He testifies about how they were busy trying to please God and he would know because he had been there and done that. He goes on to say that, although they were busy, they did not know that the only thing that mattered was faith in Yeshua Messiah.
for, since they are unaware of God's way of making people righteous and instead seek to set up their own, they have not submitted themselves to God's way of making people righteous. For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts.
They were busy trying to make God happy by doing everything that they understood the law to say but could not see that the law did not have the power to save. As long as they (we) continue to look to the law for salvation, they (and we) will always fall short. Unfortunately, there are many in the "church" buildings today that are there out of obligation and not out of faith. They are there in hopes of getting a place in heaven instead of rejoicing that, by faith in Yeshua Messiah, they have already been granted a place in heaven.
For Moshe writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah that the person who does these things will attain life through them.
Paul quotes from the Old Testament (Leviticus 18:5) and the words of Moses. There, the people of Israel were told that they must perfectly obey all of the law or be cut off (removed) from God's people. Because of this standard, righteousness was not attainable.
Moreover, the righteousness grounded in trusting says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend to heaven?'" that is, to bring the Messiah down - or, "'Who will descend into Sh'ol?'" that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead. What, then, does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart." that is, the word about trust which we proclaim, namely, that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered.
Our righteousness does not depend on man's actions but belief in the completed work of God. We simply claim Yeshua as the lord of our lives and believe in his resurrection. The confession that is referred to here is not talking about some going forward at a church in response to an "altar call". Although that can happen, it can also happen anywhere else because God is everywhere and he is listening and waiting. Our hope is that, in the same way that Yeshua rose again, we will be raised to live with him forever.
For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. For the pas sage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on him will not be humiliated.
Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah as he was talking about the coming of Yeshua Messiah. We are not only reminded that all of our hope rests in Yeshua but also that God keeps his promises. This "put to shame" refers to those that have to run around begging people for scraps so they can survive. When we trust in God's work, we no longer have to chase around looking for a way to survive (be saved).
That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - ADONAI is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, since everyone who calls on the name of ADONAI will be delivered.
Paul quotes from the prophet Joel concerning the day of judgment. In that day, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile for all receive the same salvation which is through Yeshua Messiah. Paul emphasizes the fact that it is simply a calling out to God and not having to do any kind of works to get God to hear us.
But how can they call on someone if they haven't trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven't heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? - as the Tanakh puts it, "How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!"
Why did Yeshua give us the Great Commission? We see the answer in this passage. God works in the heart of men but man does not always know who is behind the working in their heart. Our job (and our pleasure) is to be able to tell them the good news that it is God who is working in their hearts to restore them to a right relationship with him. This good news, which is what Isaiah was talking about in this quote, will bring joy to those who hear it and they will thank you for sharing it with them. In our world today, where we share all kinds of words, the power of the word has been forgotten but we are reminded of it here. This passage has been misunderstood as saying that the church is to send out the preachers. It is not saying that at all but instead is saying that God has sent "the church" out into the world. Everyone in "the church" is to go out and preach the word of God instead of a few being selected and funded by those who are unwilling to go.
The problem is that they haven't all paid attention to the Good News and obeyed it. For Yesha'yahu says, "ADONAI, who has trusted what he has heard from us?" So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.
Once again, Paul quotes from Isaiah concerning the good news of the coming Messiah which was Yeshua. The prophet foretold that most of the Jews would reject him and his message of forgiveness by his perfect sacrifice and not the sacrifice of men. Even today, many cannot accept the free gift of salvation (grace) and want to earn a right relationship with God which is not possible on our own.
"But, I say, isn't it rather that they didn't hear?" No, they did hear "Their voice has gone out throughout the whole world and their words to the ends of the earth."
Paul quotes King David (Psalm 19:4) where he was talking about the fact that the things in the sky bear witness to the existence and power of God. Just as the sky and the things in it were created in the beginning ( Genesis 1), God's plan was for his son to come to us. In the same manner, the books of the Old Testament bear witness to the coming of Yeshua Messiah as the promise was contained in those writings.
"But, I say, isn't it rather that Isra'el didn't understand?" "I will provoke you to jealousy over a non-nation, over a nation void of understanding I will make you angry."
Now, Paul quotes Moses from Deuteronomy 32:21 where he was speaking of the fact that God would use Gentile people to bring the Jews to repentance. This happened many times and, in fact, will happen again in the last days as we see in Revelation.
Moreover, Yesha'yahu boldly says, "I was found by those who were not looking for me, I became known to those who did not ask for me";
God revealed his plan to save the Gentiles when Isaiah was talking about the coming of Yeshua. Paul brings out two witnesses that spoke of the fact that salvation would come to the Gentiles.
but to Isra'el he says, "All day long I held out my hands to a people who kept disobeying and contradicting."
The prophet Isaiah contrasts the fact that Gentiles (those who were not even looking for a Messiah) have accepted Yeshua while the Jews (God's people) have rejected him. God has been waiting like a parent with outstretched arms but they refused to embrace him. Have you ever tried to see how long you can stand with your arms outstretched? It gets tiring pretty fast as we see with Moses in Exodus chapter 17.
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