Jehoshua is on the throne of David in New Jerusalem and He is the King of a New Israel
Romans 10
1 Brethren, my heart`s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Paul had a desire to see his countrymen of the flesh saved. They had a zeal for Jehovah God but not according to the accurate knowledge of the new covenant. They were still stuck in the old covenant as well as non biblical Pharsaic traditions. 3For being ignorant of God`s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.4For Messiah is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. God's righteousness was fully brought in by the revelation of the Son of God who came to explain the Father to us (John 1:18) and give us a understanding of Him (1 John 5:20). John the apostle says that the law came by Moses but grace and truth by Jehoshua Messiah. During Jehoshua's ministry the Jewish religious leaders refused to see the righteousness that He was bringing in and still firmly held on to their man made traditions. They also were more concerned with the outward aspects of the law rather than the spirit of it. In Jeremiah 23:6 it says that the future Branch of David would be called "Jehovah our righteousness". Verse 4 of the above verse says that the Messiah is the end of the law to those who believe. This verse has been the subject of discussion between the faith alone crowd and the Hebrew roots movement. The faith alone crowd says that this verse shows that the law is over. They use this to support their anti-nomian lawless gospel. The Hebrew roots folks say that the word "end" also means "goal" and that the Messiah is the goal of the law meaning how Messiah kept Torah is how we should keep it. Who is right regarding verse 4? I would lean more towards the Hebrew roots understanding however they still get it wrong badly. First we have to understand the context that Paul is adressesing which is the Jews refusal to embrace the Messiah and the new covenant. By him saying that Messiahis the end/goal of the law is not mean as abolishing Jehovah's law in the old testament as that would contradict too many passages in the new testament that hearken to commandments and laws given in the old testament. I agree with the Hebrew roots movement that Messiah is the goal of the law for everyone who believes. How Messiah kept the law is how we should keep it as we are exhorted to follow His example and pattern as even Paul says this. Where the Hebrew roots people go wrong as taking this statement to embrace the Mosaic law. Of course, they acknowledge the animal sacrifices are not for us but they do say they will come back in some earthly millennium. Some even do go so far as to sacrifice a lamb on passover. This statement by Paul that Messiah is the end (goal) of the law should not cause us to go back to the law of Moses as we need to match up this statement with the book of Hebrews lest we go back to faded glory. 2 Corinthians chapter 3 also is a good chapter to align with Paul's statement in Romans 10:4. Bible prophecy says that the Davidic Messiah would bring in everlasting righteousness: Daniel 9:24 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." Jehoshua was the holy of holies when He walked this earth as Jehovah God tabernacled in Him. As stated above, Jehoshua is Jehovah our righteousness. He lived out the commandments of the Father in spirit and in truth. He showed how they were to be kept. When Jehoshua preached He overwhemlingly focused on the internal heart rather than external rituals. Jehoshua even kept the Sabbath differently than the Jewish religious establishment. The Hebrew roots crowd focuses so much on Moses and the letter of the law that they almost completely ignore the sermon on the mount which sums up the law of Messiah. Isaiah 42:4 says the islands (Gentiles) would wait for the law of the future Messiah: "He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law" Jehoshua is superior to Moses and a Son over His own house (the Church) and has the authority to Institute law as He is the King of the Kingdom of God. Romans 10:5-7 5 For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby.6 But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:)7 or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) Verse 5 is key here as Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 which speaks well of the law and that the person who keeps the law will live in them. In the next verses Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:12-14. If you read that passage it actually talks about the commandments of God being near to us and not far. Here in Romans 10 Paul says that the gospel of the death and resurrection of the Messiah is not far from us and that it is near to us because Jehoshua already did the work of the cross leading to His resurrection and ascension. Whereas the Deuteronomy passage was referring to the commandments which we call the law of Moses, Paul applies that principle to the gospel of the Kingdom which is centered upon the death and resurrection of Jehoshua Messiah. Just as the old testament Israelites would live by the commands of the law of Moses if they performed them, the new covenant Israel of God would live by the faith of the gospel of the Kingdom if they lived by the commandments of the gospel. We are not to try and bring Messiah down from heaven and or bring Him again up from the dead as He already did that thereby the gospel is already set for us. All that we need is in the gospel that has been revealed to us and we need not try and do the work of Messiah that He has already accomplished. The new covenant gospel is firmly established by what the Son of God has done for us. Romans 10:8-9 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:9 because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jehoshua as King, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: Paul is letting the Romans know that the word of the gospel of the Kingdom is near to them and in their mouth and heart as they are living epistles written on the heart. This is why they are not to try and unto the work of Messiah by going back to the old covenant as they should be clear on what the new covenant gospel is being that they were preached it and themselves preached it. The righteousness by faith of the new covenant is to confess that Jehoshua is King referring to His Davidic Kingship. It is also to have faith that Jehovah God raised Jehoshua from the dead. The Davidic Kingship of Jehoshua and His resurrection are intertwined as it was His resurrection that led to His enthronement as King of Israel (Acts 2:29-36; Acts 13:32-35; Hebrews 1). It is believing in these truths, the Kingship and resurrection of Jehoshua that saves us not the works of the Mosaic law. Romans 10:10-11 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. The gospel of the Kingdom is written on our hearts when we believe in it's message. Out our mouth proceed what is in our hearts. To believe on Jehoshua is more than an acknowledgement of a set of facts about Him but rather to believe what He taught and to obey His teachings (doctrine). If we stay firmly rooted in Messiah then we will not be put to shame. To believe on Jehoshua is to believe everything about Him and everything He commanded and believing in His teachings means to observe and keep them. The core of the gospel is the Kingship of Jehoshua and His death and resurrection. This is what is required to be saved and enter into the Kingdom. When we get baptized it is a seal of our faith in these truths. Our baptism actually identifies with the death, burial and resurrection of Jehoshua. Romans 10:12-13 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: 13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of Jehovah shall be saved. There is only one entrance way into the Kingdom of God and that is through the gospel of Jehoshua's Kingship and resurrection. Both Jews and Greeks must enter the Kingdom through Jehovah's only begotten Son. The Jews cannot get there through keeping the ceremonies of the old covenant as they have to get there the same way as the Gentiles and that is through the narrow gate that is Jehoshua and all He stands for. The same Lord that is God of the Jews is God of the Gentiles so both have eqaul access to salvation with the same requirement and that is to call upon the name of Jehovah God. This is taken from Joel chapter 2 which obviously refers to calling on Jehovah God. In the context of Paul's message here, to call on the name of Jehovah God is to have faith in His Son's Kingship and resurrection. None of the ceremonies of the law of Moses will get one into the Kingdom as the Jews must believe in the new covenant gospel centered upon the resurrection of the Son of God. Romans 10:14 "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" The Gentiles generally did not believe in Jehovah God in the old testament times. Now that Jehoshua has been manifested to the nation of Israel and brought in the new covenant, it is up to preachers to sound the trumpet of the gospel. Without the preaching of the gospel no one would call on the name of Jehovah God. This is especially true in the times of the apostolic church since the Gentile nations weren't too familiar with the God of Israel. This is still true today as many areas of the world have either never heard the gospel preached or have real limited exposure. Even in places like America many may have never heard a solid gospel message due to watered down American Christian gospel. Romans 10:15 "and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!" Here Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 and he is exhorting the brethren to preach the gospel as he says "how shall they preach except they be sent?" He says that those who preach the good news of the Kingdom appear as beautiful to those who are being given that good news. This is an exhortation to all of us to go and preach the gospel of the Kingdom. We need not wait for anyone to send us as our King Jehoshua Messiah has already done that (Matthew 28:19). Looking at the quotation in Isaiah we see that gospel message is at it's core that salvation has come and to tell Zion (the church) that God reigns. The evidence of God's salvation in the context of Paul's message to the Romans is that Jehoshua is King and that He has been raised from the dead. Romans 10:16 "But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Jehovah, who hath believed our report?" This is another qoutation from Isaiah (Isaiah 53:1) and he is lamenting that many are not believing the report of the future Messianic servant of Jehovah God. Paul is applying this prophecy to the Israelites who rejected the sure foundation stone of Zion, Jehoshua Messiah. Romans 10:17 " So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Messiah." Belief in the gospel of the Kingdom comes from hearing the very words of Messiah. Everything taught by Jehoshua is for the new covenant believer, whether they be Jew or Greek as Paul said there is no distinction (verse 12). This refutes the dispensaltionalist doctrine that teaches that the words of Jehoshua are for the Jews only. In fact, it is the words of Messiah that wash someone clean and save them and give eternal life. It is the Messiah's commandments that the apostles were charged with taking to the Gentiles to command them to observe. Romans 10:18-19 18 But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.19 But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you. Verse 18 is a quotation of Psalm 19:4, general revelation in creation and providence is universal. Verse 19 is a quotation of Deuteronomy 32:21, Israel had been told that, as they had worshipped non-gods, so Jehovah would gather a non-people to be his own in order to provoke them to jealousy. Romans 10:20-21 20And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.21But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. Isaiah 65:1-2 is applied to the present unbelief of the bulk of the Jews and the ingathering of the Gentiles.
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