Israel's Promises Contained In [Rom 10:6-21]

                                 Israel's Promises Contained In [Rom 10:6-21]
                                                            by Joel Sexton

(Taken from a current larger study)

In [Rom 10] we find a whole litany of promise passages being quoted and alluded to from the Law, Prophets & Psalms. This is to show that despite Jewish unbelief, the kingdom and promises were not put on hold. The fact that the Gentiles were coming in during the last days as prophesied to provoke Israel to jealousy also demonstrates that there was also coming in the last days "faithful remnant" [cf. Rom 9:27:29; 11:5, 7]. And the Lord would make it a short work for the remnant to come into completion [Rom 9:27-29].

We will deal with vs. 19 as well as [Rom 10:6-21] to show that Paul as well as the rest of the N.T. writer's, for the most part, applied [Deut 32] to their last days. The whole context bolster's this understanding.

As noted above. [Deut 30-34] is Israel's last days, judgment and restoration. Something we have shown even top Dispensational scholars agree on. And yet Paul here In [Rom 10] quotes from [Deut 30-34] three times.  This will other major O.T. promise passages [Isa 52:7; Joe 2:32; Isa 65:1-2] shows us that for Paul,

 "Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." [Rom 13:11-12].

In [Rom 10:6-8 cf. Deut 30:12-14] Paul is quoting the section of Deuteronomy that speaks of Israel's restoration. If they would obey the word they would be restored. In [Rom 9:30-10:4] we see clearly the obedience is to the gospel. The righteousness of the law, as opposed to the righteousness of Christ, is what Israel was pursuing. But of course, it is only the perfect active and passive righteousness of Christ that will save anybody. His active obedience in keeping the law perfectly and his passive obedience in experiencing the cup of God's wrath. This is imputed to the believing one. That is why after the section of [Rom 9:30-10:4] in vs. 5 we see the conjunction "For" (gar) To show not a shift in Paul's thinking but he is bolstering his case of that of law & gospel (Lev 18:5 cf. Deut 30:1f). [Lev 18:5] we have law while in [Deut 30:1f] we have restoration, gospel. This is the Reformation understanding of Scripture. Law & Gospel. Commands and demands with also promises and salvation.

Our next promise passage that Paul directly quotes is [Joe 2:32], which reads in context,

"Then the Lord will be zealous for His land And will have pity on His people...“And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of Lord Will be delivered" [Joe 2:18; 32]

Also what is mentioned at great length beside Israel being gathered back into the land is that their produce would be abundant and they would no longer be a reproach. And of course the Day of the Lord is mentioned before the passage before us in [Joe 2:32] which shown above, Peter applies directly to his day.

N.T. Wright in his standard massive commentary on Romans states the following concerning our present text and how Paul to see's Israel's restoration,

"The quotation from Joel is a further point at which we are right to hear echoes of God's renewal of the Covenant. Joel 2 sits comfortably alongside Deuteronomy 30 30 as a powerful statement of how God will restore the fortunes of Israel after devasting judgment." [1]

Next of our promise passages is found in vs. 15 quoted from [Isa 52:7].

"How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings the good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

One of my favorite passages from Isaiah.

As Moo, in what is considered to be the best commentary on Romans that we have suggests that this present verse as well as (vs. 14-18) is used by Paul in context of fallen Israel. [2]

Moo also goes on to state that [Isa 52:7]," the passage was widely viewed as a prophetic of the messianic age." [3]

The main themes of Isa 52 are the Servant, Zion restored and the second exodus into the land. These realities were being fulfilled Under Paul's ministry. The next two texts will prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt. Next is [Rom 10:19],

" But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,

 “I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation, By a nation without understanding will I anger you.” [Deut 32:21]

Much has already been stated when it comes to [Deut 32]. For Paul to quote in the context of Israel's rejection of Messiah and His righteousness which is imputed to the believing one [Rom 9:30-10:4] is to bring the idea of judgment. As we have seen in [Acts 2:40] and will see in [Heb 10:25f cf. Rev 19:2] when [Deut 32] is used in the context of national Israel and or her judgment, it is referring to her latter end, her covenant cursing that fell again in A.D. 70.

Paul as he does so often (like the prophets, John & Jesus) he couples Israel's restoration [Deut 30; Isa 52:7; Joe 2:32; Isa 65:1-2] with [Deut 32]. Israel's wrath to come. And of course, this section in Romans Paul blends in her judgment for rejecting the true righteousness with the remnant and nations final salvation.

Our last passage is from [Isa 65:1-2] quoted by Paul in [Rom 10:20-21],

"And Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”  But as for Israel, He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

In [Isa 65:1-16] we find a vivid picture of the judgment of Israel as a whole, with the exception of the remnant, Yahweh's "servants" and the nations. Isaiah speaks of not destroying the whole cluster for the sake of the remnant who would inherit the "mountains of Judah." In vs. 13f we find a sharp contrast between Israel and the faithful remnant.

"Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry.
"Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. “Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart, But you will cry out with a heavy heart, And you will wail with a broken spirit. “You will leave your name for a curse to My chosen ones, And the Lord God will slay you. But My servants will be called by another name. “Because he who is blessed in the earth Will be blessed by the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Will swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My sight!" [Isa 65:13-16]

After this we see Zion and all of its glory restored. The commentators are divided as to whom [Isa 65:1-2] refer to. Disobedient Israel or the Gentiles. Motyer in his major text on Isaiah sees the Gentiles in view, as does Grogan and a host of others. [4] [5]

Notes

[1] The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary, Copyright 2015, Abingdon Press. vol ix, Romans, N.T. Wright, pg. 569
[2] The Epistle To The Romans (NICNT) Moo, Douglas, 1996, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505, pg. 663
[3] Ibid. pg 664
[4]IVP Academic, An imprint of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1993, Motyer, J.A. The Prophecy Of Isaiah: An Introduction & Commentary pg. 523-524
[5] The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 6, pg. 349, Isaiah, Geoffrey W. Grogan (Zondervan, 1986).