THE BOOK OF ROMANS CHAPTER 10:1-21
ISRAEL’S PRESENT CONDITION

“What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” [Romans 9:30-10:3]

Paul has been laying the groundwork to rebuke and enlighten the Roman Gentile believers in Jesus Christ to the realities of God’s Salvation Plan for all mankind. Due to Emperor Claudius’s banishing of all Jews from Rome, the Gentile believers in Christ had developed the idea that God had finally finished with Israel. (This is when Replacement Theology crept in.) They were developing anti-Semitism due to their ignorance of God’s Salvation Plan. The challenge before us here in these ‘short’ lessons is to present the fullness of Truth as it relates to today’s present New Man, in order to minister according to practical needs and also to minister a revelatory historical and future directional picture by combining the prophetic word and bringing out the reality from the shadows of the Old Testament. Both in order to clearly define the different mysterious moves of God in His Salvation Plan on a personal level and for all mankind. 

We must take Chapters 9-11 all together, not tear them apart to prove this or that theological misunderstanding and misrepresentation. It is only in this broader understanding of the prophetic and shadowing of the Old Testament that we will see clearly the intent of Paul’s letter to the Romans and not distort it by chopping up these 3 Chapters to suit our particular theological fancy. 

Who is Israel that Paul is writing about here? Who are the elect of God he has been referring to? It is not saved Messianic Jews converted to Christ. It is not saved Gentiles. It is unsaved Israel, as can clearly be seen in verse 2 where Paul says it is his heart’s desire for them to be saved. It is unsaved national Israel estranged from God throughout these three chapters that Paul is referring to. They were/are in a current state of stubborn blindness and deafness in true Biblical righteousness, and their condition is a result of the Judgment of hardening by God, of which Isaiah had warned about. 

The 9^th Chapter told of their past calling out of God, and now in the 10^th Chapter is the understanding of their present state or condition with God (if Paul had stopped here at the end of the 10^th Chapter, we might of agreed with those Roman Gentile believers; in that God has surely replaced Israel). But Chapter 11 is where Paul confronts growing anti-Semitism and replacement theology as he then openly declares the sure saving in the future restoration of Israel.

Now the lost Israel of that day, over which Paul grieved, was because of his knowing their blindness to be chronic, and was due to God’s pronounced judgments from Isaiah’s day, that will, according to Scripture, last until the end times, when only a continued remnant of the living will ultimately be saved. That insight brings Paul naturally to an ultra compassionate place for Israel. The remnant of that future Day could be compared with the remnant of which Paul was a part of at Christ’s first coming; wherein Paul received the calling of the New Man under the Seed (Jesus) of Abraham. Whereas the elect of Israel in the last days are after the calling of the seed (progeny) of Abraham. (Revelation 7:1-8) More on that in a moment.

Before we go any further in Romans 10, let us state some Scriptural prophetic and typical understandings little known about to mainstream modern-day Christians; that will help us take the meaning of what Paul is saying in its entirety. First, is the Scriptural understanding that God has 3 First-Born Sons…Jesus Christ, Israel (Jews) and the New Man (Jewish and Gentile Christians). The Father has one Bride; Israel (typically Sarah) but many sons (Abraham’s seed/Seed). Christ has one Bride (typically Rebecca); those to be chosen out of the New Man group, but many brethren (the remaining of the Body of the New Man and the sons of Israel). We have spoken on these things in times past and will speak again more directly on them in Chapter 11. 

Paul states in power of the Holy Spirit the fact that all fallen man was/is deserving of eternal wrath, but it was God’s desire to show forth His riches of glory through mercy and grace and power. The whole of Chapter 9 validates God’s right as Creator to show mercy on whom He shall show mercy and harden whom He will. Had He not left a promise of a certain seed to Adam and Eve, all mankind would have been judged eternally lost to damnation. So it is Paul’s answer to God’s ways. It is God’s mercy and graciousness that chooses to save some of the lost for Himself…totally without warrant by the lost. So then there can be no place for pride and boasting, for all is based upon God’s Mercy and Love eternally. Is that unrighteous of God? God forbid. It is shown in Chapter 9 that Israel/Jews were first called out from among the Nations to be a Nation under God (Numbers 23:9), and His callings are eternal. So they are yet in that standing in the World, although uncircumcised in heart and ears and are subject to God’s Wrath accordingly (meaning that although they are of the flesh, they are still the called/chosen people of God and are judged differently than the rest of the Nations of the Earth). On the other hand, those of the New Man are called out of the World and Earth, and have no inheritance in the Earth, as theirs is in the heavenly realm in Christ, with promise of a resurrected life that is of a more spiritual kind. The difference in callings between the New Man and Israel is that one is of the spiritual realm and one is of the earthly realm. Jews were/are in the World with God within the sphere of satan, whereas Christians (the New Man) are raised up in Christ to a realm above and over the earthly sphere to someday be experientially there joined with Christ in the heavenly calling.

So Chapter 9 has to do with the difference in Israel’s calling. They are the selected from among the Nations to be God’s first-born among the nations. They are to rule in the earth over the nations. Currently it is the Gentile nations under the hand of satan that rule in the earth. Israel’s destiny, as a result of God’s promises to Abraham, is to rule in the earth over the nations. Satan resists this fulfillment of the word of God, in that when Israel is finally gathered out from the nations and rules again in the earth, his and the Gentile nations’ rulership is over. Which Scripturally can only be accomplished after the return of the Messiah; as it is in that Day that Israel’s eyes and hearts will be opened. (Isaiah 66:8; Zechariah 12:10) Thus the premature Zionist movement that has brought Jews back into the Land answers spiritually to the present tumultuous conditions of the Middle East. There are two Scriptural factors involved in the current state of Israel; the Biblically-based future realities and the false religious based. Spiritual powers are behind both. The struggle dates back 4000 years ago between Ishmael and Isaac.) Ishmael’s birth being a good example of what happens when man does things in his own will. There are ramifications. The destiny of today’s Israel may be seen in the types: Scoffing and hateful Ishmael lives (the Arab descendants) during the marriage of Abraham and Sarah (Sarah representative here as Israel), the birth of Isaac (Jesus Savior of Israel), and the death of Sarah (typical to the annulment of the marriage between God and unfaithful Israel), and Ishmael continues to live until after the bride for Isaac is called out (the Bride of Christ). And then Abraham remarries (typical of Israel restored in the Millennial reign of Christ) and Ishmael then dies (typing when the Arabs will be at peace).

* (See the type in Numbers 35 where it talks about the law of penalty for the man-slayer which is more thoroughly explained in the annotations at the end of this lesson.) The elect of Israel, having been unwittingly the slayers of Christ, can only come back to their Land after Christ has vacated the office of the High Priest, Who after having gathered His Bride out of all the Nations and having fulfilled His ministry of High Priest for the Nation of the New Man, Who then becomes the ransom for their salvation, and Author of the New Covenant, may now lawfully return to their Land. Jews who have or will answer the call of the New Man while He is in the High Priest ministry are not of the same group, as these are called to be the Bride of Christ (typically seen as Isaac’s bride). The other are Israel restored to their Land as the result of the termination of the High Priest ministry role of Christ as He moves into His Royal King-Priest investiture (after the order of Melchizedek) in Millennial reign, with the revamped Mosaic Law the New Covenant of Law unto restored Israel. The Law with now an attainable righteousness for faithful service, as now with their hearts circumcised in the latter outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the gift of eternal life in the merit of their Messiah. It is only then that the elect of Israel will be manifest through her great Passover out of all the Nations and be able to return unto the Land designated as her possession. These are those who shall rule upon the earth in the Millennial kingdom as restored Israel; the wife and first-born sons of God among the Gentile Nations. 

Now it is with these things in view that Paul declares in Romans 10:1, “Brethren (of the Nation of the New Man), my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” It was Paul’s heart’s desire that he might get some of the Jews of his day to receive the ‘salvation’ of God not in terms of the Old Covenant of course, nor on the future terms of a New Covenant promised to end time Jews and Millennial Israel, but in terms of the Gospel of righteousness in Christ; outside the Law of Moses, unto the New Man in Christ. There is no distinction in this greater heavenly called group of Jew and Gentile, based not on election (that is, in answer to their forefathers faith) but on their faith in Christ “…who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby…” [Ephesians 2:14-16] Which is the same as he himself has experienced. That being the Atonement power of Christ upon the heart, the gift of the divine nature with eternal life guarantee and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with hope unto the conforming to the image of Jesus through loving and faithful service unto God. That which Israel refused is God’s righteousness… VERSE 3 “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” God is righteous and those who are to be His must be righteous. This understanding of God and His requirement to be righteous is well known to Jews, that which the zeal prescribed to them by Paul speaks of in VERSE 2. Such zeal for righteousness, but blinded to the knowledge of God, is exercised to establish their own righteousness. This contrasting knowledge of God’s declared righteousness (Paul points out in VERSE 5) was there in their Scriptures; that righteousness of the Law of Moses seen in Leviticus 18:5… “Ye shall therefore keep — my statutes, and — my judgments: which if a man do, — he shall live in them: I am the LORD.” And then the way of Faith and its righteousness Paul points out in VERSES 6-8 also from Moses’ Old Testament words found in Deuteronomy 30:10-20 which reads like this in the KJV… “For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear — it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear — it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it…I call — heaven and — earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love — the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” 

Paul’s redaction of those verses in Romans 10 by the direction of the Holy Spirit then are; “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven?… (then Paul’s comment on Moses’ words on the wrong way to obtain righteousness) …(that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep?… (again Paul’s words dealing with unbelief) …(that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead) (that we might see Him and thereby believe Him). But what saith it? (the righteousness which is of the God-liked faith set before us as example in the Old Testament to the Jews, says what) …The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart… (that thou mayest do it” as it says in Deuteronomy 30:14). That is to say, do it by no further witness than My Word. And now Paul adds…that is, the (same) word of faith, which we (anointed and appointed teachers of God’s Word) preach (the Gospel of righteousness by faith unto grace).  

This explanation of the righteousness of God by faith which the Spirit guided Paul in taking then from Deuteronomy 30:10-20 was all the while in stubborn unbelief there for Israel to comprehend. Paul here in these verses is speaking to Israel’s stubbornness in blindness in not seeing their application to themselves, nor comprehending Moses’ prophetic words about them to be fulfilled in their future. (Deuteronomy 31:16-32:47) Beside these dreadful judgment Words, Paul lays Isaiah’s instructive and condemning words which they should have also understood and heeded…Isaiah 8:14… “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

All the prophets testified of a future Messiah that would establish Israel in His Righteousness, but yet they were dull of hearing. Then later, the restorative revelation of John the Baptist concerning the Messiah was heard, and that Christ Himself manifest then manifested. Christ said to the learned Israelite in His day  “…you due error not knowing the Scriptures”,  all of which they pridefully ignored. They “…have not submitted  themselves unto the righteousness of God.” It is Cain refusing instruction. It is like as if Adam and Eve had refused the skins of God in preference for their own made covering of fig leaves. They stumbled over the unbelief of Adam and Eve in that the Law of Moses could be compared to the fig leaves sown together by Adam and Eve as their righteousness and the skins of God’s provision of righteousness which these would have refused. So it is in pride and arrogance that Israel is blinding themselves to “…the righteousness of God…” Again, Paul is highlighting the contrast between the righteousness of the Law of Moses (which required keeping it in its entirety) with that of the righteousness found in the Law of Faith in Christ Jesus. 

Unquestionably the need for righteousness is a universal understanding of Jews, Christians, and Moslems. They all three agree that ‘God’s’ people must reflect Him in their lives and be righteous. To be a Moslem and follow Allah is to follow the 7 pillars of faith. This is no doubt the easiest example of being righteous. Whereas the Jews’ standard of righteousness is quite a bit harder, having 10 big commands and 603 smaller commands. It is plausible, but it is found to be an impossible task when played out in a man’s life. And the most difficult by far in standard of righteousness TO BE SAVED, is that of a Christian. In fact, it is utterly impossible for a man to be saved by keeping Christ’s commandments for justifying faith; even if righteousness were nothing else but the keeping of the commands of the Sermon on the Mount.  

The difference between these 3 comparative righteousnesses for eternal life; is that Jews’ and Moslems’ righteousness is based upon their own righteousness and a Christian’s is to be based upon Christ’s. Theirs is a ‘self’ righteousness to be worked out on their own individually, whereas a Christian’s ‘righteousness’ in order to be saved by God is imputed based upon believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth that Jesus the Christ’s Righteousness is made theirs. There then in Christianity no self-righteousness required or accepted. 

VERSE 4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness (note: it is not the end of the Law) to every one that believeth.” This; God’s demand for righteousness to be ‘saved’, is answered by Jesus Christ and is the basis or foundation of the Gospel of grace unto Jews and Gentiles. Again, see VERSE 5… “For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things he shall live by them.” This statement of Old Covenant Scripture is a further insinuation that if the Jews had listened more carefully to the Law of Moses and the prophets, they would have understood that the righteousness of God was entirely impossible to obtain from the observance of the Law of Moses. As each man was left dependent only on himself to win righteousness.

Again in VERSE 6… “But the righteousness which is out of faith speaketh on this wise…” The righteousness that God provided and provides has always been outside of the Law of Moses. (Habakkuk 2:4… “But the just shall live by his faith”.) It was both a then present attainable righteousness, that of believing in Him like Abram did and thereby being justified, and also a future more encompassing and far-reaching righteousness of God that was to be brought in by the Messiah, whom God had promised, in view of Israel’s inadequacies to fulfill the Law of Moses, revealed to them in the prophets and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 8) 

Paul’s declaration is that the unbelieving Jews became so raveled in the Law of Moses they stopped in it, and failed to see the prophecies of the prophets fulfilled in Christ. Christ, in His righteousness, fulfilled the Law and the prophets. In Him, the trial of the Old Covenant unto an attained self- righteousness has passed, and the New Covenant for the Jew and the Gospel of grace for the Gentile was mercifully introduced.

VERSES 11-21 But maybe they didn’t hear about these things? Maybe they weren’t preached the Gospel? How can they call upon Him if they haven’t heard? But Paul says they had been preached the Gospel and had heard; “Who hath believed our (more than one prophet) report?” (Isaiah 53:1; Isaiah 6:1 with John12:37-43). (Note: “our report”… in the Greek is “a hearing” and so it is understood that faith is knit with hearing the testimony of God’s Word.)

VERSE 18 “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their (the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament prophets for the last 20 plus years since the Messiah’s Resurrection, such as Stephen’s and Peter’s testimonies, etc. See also Acts 26:16-18) sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” They understood the righteousness of God but refused it. They are inexcusable. They are thoroughly hardened now by God. Why now? Because they, like Pharaoh, continued to harden their own hearts in making the decision not to accept Christ from God for their righteousness. This is the present condition of Israel and has been generally the condition of Israel for all these years. VERSE 19 further states “But I say, Did not Israel know? (could they say they never heard that the gospel was to be sent beyond themselves?) First (in example to resist that statement Paul says…) Moses saith, (in his song of future disaster for Israel in Deuteronomy 32 in response to their future going fully astray in the taking unto themselves of idols of other gods that He would take unto Himself another people – that other people being the nation of the new man) I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.” Then as another example Paul quotes Isaiah 65:1. VERSE 20 “…I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” They are tenaciously holding onto their own righteousness, as did Job. (Job 27:6) The testimony of unbelieving Israel is that they would not have the Gospel themselves, but were angry with God that He should send it to anyone other than themselves.

He would graciously provide their righteousness with eternal life salvation. (Isaiah 51:1-8) It should be understood that this ‘their’ righteousness was that of an imputed external kind that under the Old Testament afforded the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence only. (John 14:17) This is in contrast to an internal inherent kind of righteousness to be wrought. (John 7:37-39) This righteousness was not therefore the same inherent righteousness of the Judge, but a righteousness like unto that garment of skins He puts upon us. (Isaiah 61:10) In the Old Covenant, it was the means of righteousness as exampled in the first faith of Abram. In the New Covenant, it is that justifying righteousness He has made unto us in Christ Jesus. (1st Corinthians 1:30; Romans 5:18-19)

But, what Paul had laid the groundwork for understanding in the first 8 Chapters of Romans, is that a Christian must understand THE TWO RIGHTEOUSNESSES afforded in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The free gift of righteousness with accompanying eternal life, is being focused on here in these verses dealing with Israel’s stubbornness, which is set forth in many Scriptures. But the additional righteousness by works is equally set forth in Scripture. One example being how Abraham went from faith to faith. His righteousness by faith was by simply believing God and leaving Ur, but Abraham’s own righteousness was established by his tested faith when God saw that he was willing to sacrifice his son.  

Other examples:

“By the deeds of the law (of Moses) there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of (the exceeding sinfulness of) sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophet; Even the righteousness of God which by faith of (in) Jesus Christ unto all (men Jew and Gentile), and upon all them that believe…” [Romans 3:20-22] “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”  [Titus 3:5]

On this declared doctrine, Scripture appears to contradict itself, in that:

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law”. (Romans 3:28) Whereas in James, Scripture declares: 

“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” [James 2:24]

So Scripture, on the one hand, proclaims that righteousness is a free gift. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that of of yourselves: it is the gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast” [Ephesians 2:8-9] And “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Romans 6:23] But yet on the other hand, it is written that believers will be rewarded or punished according to their works of righteousness or unrighteousness. “Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” [1st Corinthians 3:8] And “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” [2nd Corinthians 9:6] “All the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and the hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” [Revelation 2:23] Etc…

The Bible is the Word of God, and there can be no contradictions. Therefore there are none. Most seeming contradictions can easily be reconciled by the simple understanding of the two parts of Christ’s Atonement, that of the gift and that of the prize. That is to say, the reward or punishment of a believer who received the gift of righteousness imputed to him, who is then to be, after this life, judged according to his service, good or bad. The righteousness of God answers to faith in His Christ that penetrates the spirit and gives eternal life to the believer. Therein a believer may stop and abide, but what God foreordained is that that life penetrate the soul wherein is the battleground unto a personal righteousness dependent upon his exercising his will, in Godly works unto his soul’s salvation; meaning the resurrection reward of glory for faithful overcoming works. 

Both statements of Scriptural righteousness are truth seen from 2 different perspectives of God’s Salvation plan. In these verses, we discover the confusion of Israel or the Jews. In that they are all about the works of righteousness; but without the foundation of a ‘saved’ heart; the mouth without the heart that makes one a hypocrite or one with the heart without the mouth’s testimony that makes one a reluctant coward.  In any case, Israel is reluctant to admit to their own unrighteousness, and their inability to establish their self- righteousness before the strict righteousness God. They are set on pretense of keeping the Law of Moses in spite of God’s continued rejection of their vain efforts. It is because of this stubborn resistance and thereby the loss of salvation (on both levels; gift and prize) that Paul sorrows for his lost kinsmen, seeing the big picture and struggles without vindictiveness for them that some might be saved.

The Jews are straining at a gnat while swallowing a camel, in that the righteousness being offered by God is a free gift, all the while they are trying to earn their own righteousness by works of the Law of Moses. They have the cart before the horse, in that God cannot train them in the soul’s righteousness of an internal kind. Until they see and receive that, never could they accomplish either of the 2 righteousnesses without first reaching an end to their attempts to justify themselves through the Law of Moses; and receive the righteous standard that can only be achieved and exceeded by the power of the Holy Spirit in the Atonement of Christ. 

It is not the Law of Moses that Scripture ties justifying works to, but to service to God after receiving by faith Jesus Christ’s substitutionary offering for that initial external covering in righteousness. It is then, by the further provision of grace in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, that righteousness internally which equates with the image of Christ being formed within, should commence. This sanctification is a righteousness that equates to a bride having made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7 and answers to James 2:24; 1st Corinthians 3:8; 2nd Corinthians 9:6; Revelation 2:23, etc…)  

So we have the Jews expecting by their works of the Law to be declared righteous before the God of strict righteousness. That expectation Paul thoroughly destroys. But on the other hand, we have Christians who embrace the imputed righteousness of God in Christ and hold that part of the Truth in their mind, and deny it having any outworking power in their soul or life. They make the Gospel of Christ one of license. It is against this that a great tower of Scriptures resist, and holds forth that a Christian who would rule with Christ must first experience the sufferings of death to his flesh and the world while alive in loving service to God in faithful works to be declared righteous and justified by the Father as Christ’s worthy Bride. But it is in this that most Christians fail, and true faithful leaders of Christianity, like Paul for the Jews, sorrow for their brethren. Stubborn Christians who persist in their presumptuous lukewarmness trusting merely in that they are the seed of Jesus Christ as the Jews were trusting merely in they were the seed of Abraham. They shall surely find themselves companions of lost Israel in the unparalleled Tribulation of the last days. God then puts them there under just judgment for a callous attitude towards such a great salvation as this (Hebrews 2:3) and turns in like response then again back unto the Jew of Israel whom He spurned for their good. That all might receive mercy, showing both the severity and the goodness and mercy of God.

 * Israel, having slain the Lord (Acts 3:17; Luke 23:34) albeit ignorantly (Father forgive them they know not what they do) was therefore not guilty of murder; but of manslaughter.  See Numbers 35:11-34… They are legally exiled from their inheritance and must remain outside it “…unto the death of the high priest.” And if they enter back into their inheritance before such time, the Avenger may slay them. 

The Anti-Christ will be acting under the authority and directives given to the avenger of Blood. In that one guilty of shedding blood of another man must have his blood shed in order to answer to that blood and its defiling effect upon the land. This is the unchanged Divine decree to Noah, (Genesis 9:6) which was 800 plus years before Moses expanded in Numbers 35:33. Israel is still under the laws of the avenger of Blood, as they are both and at the same time guilty of being without the City of Refuge and attempting to enter again their Land and rule without the “death” / termination of the High Priest and the required ransom. [Numbers 35:32] Again, that ransom that answers to the Blood they shed must be the covering of the Passover Blood, as they have killed the Passover Lamb, but have not partaken of His Blood Covering. By demanding His death and that His Blood be upon them and their children, the nation of Israel declared to Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar.” And though Israel is a sovereign republic today, it will receive and subject itself once again to that “Roman king”. For the Son has said: “I am come in my Father’s name (as King and Savior of Israel), and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” (Daniel 9:27, 11:21-23) Israel is in the Land but it is not the call of restoration that places them there….but the call of the flesh or zeal of Zionism. (Albeit a remnant back in the Land prior to its cleansing restoration is accounted for in Scripture. In this respect, the remnant in the land today constitutes the gathered nation which will make the seven-year covenant with Antichrist. Daniel 9:27) And this remnant will later be uprooted from the land, and that for 3 ½ years. (Daniel 8:11-14; Revelation 13:5, 11:2) This can never occur after the Jewish people have been regathered to the land in the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. (Isaiah 2:1-4; Jeremiah 32:37-44; Ezekiel 37:19-28, 39:25-29; Micah 4:1-7) Once Israel turns to Christ, then the Blood of the Passover Lamb is applied to the living Israelites and the Exodus from all Gentile Nations occurs, along with the Resurrection of the faithful Old Covenant dead, (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David)…all together restored and to realize unto the fullest the Promised Inheritance and Co-rulership with the Messiah in the Land… TABERNACLING with Him in the DAY of the Lord….. the 7th millennium.”