We want to say shalom and welcome to everyone to the Bible classes of the Holy Scriptures in Israel. And we are thankful that you are able to come and to join us for the study of the book of Romans. And we are in Romans chapter 9 and chapter 10. You have the Bible available. The word of God is open. We are going to pray right now. And then we will begin with reading from Romans chapter 9 verse 30 into Romans chapter 10 and verse 11. Let's pray together. Let's ask the Lord to bless our meeting today. So our God and our Father, thank you for the word of God, for the Scriptures.

We ask that you will bless your word to us as we read it together, we study together, the book of Romans, and we just commit ourselves to you, Abba Father, asking this in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach, the Lord Jesus, our Messiah. Amen. Amen. So, Romans chapter 9, verses 30 to the end, and then Romans chapter 10, verses 1 to 11, and I'm reading. What shall we say then? Paul is asking that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained the righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith but Israel which followed after the law of righteousness has not attained to the righteousness of the law or to the law of righteousness wherefore Why?

Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, but they stumbled at the stumbling stone. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion, a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Chapter 10 and verse 1. God's desire and prayer to God for Israel 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. For Christ, for Mashiach, Messiah, is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

For Moses described the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, bring the Messiah Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Messiah Christ again from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach that if thou shall confess with thy mouth. Lord Jesus, and that God has raised him from the dead. Let me repeat this verse again. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God had raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart men believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, Scripture says, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. And I'm stopping here with verse 11 of Romans chapter 10. Of course, we began our reading in Romans chapter 9 and verse 30 onwards. Now, beloved brothers and sisters, as we are continuing now with the study of the book of Romans, section of Romans that present before us the sovereignty of God in relationship to Israel and so the apostle Paul is seeking to convey to the Roman believers from among the Gentiles who may ask the question how is it possible that the Jewish people the people of Israel who were that who are the chosen people of God how come they as a nation did not.

Accept Yeshua the Messiah how come they as a nation did not come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord Yeshua the Messiah so the apostle Paul is writing right in the middle of the book of Romans in chapter 9 10 and 11 these three important chapters and in these chapters he conveyed to the believers at Rome the three areas of the history of Israel. In fact, he gives all the prophetic plan of God for Israel. First of all, in chapter 9, Israel's past privileges. Secondly, in chapter 10, Israel's present problem. And thirdly, in chapter 11, Israel's future prospect. He is explaining this to the Roman believers from among the nations that they will understand.

That God is sovereign and God deal with his people with mankind according to his own pleasure and according to his own will and so if you remember he presented the privileges of Israel already in the first five verses those who are Israelis to them pretend the adoption the glory the covenant the giving of the law the service of God the promises and the fathers and the Messiah himself came from among the nation of Israel who is God blessed forever this was in verses four and five then in verses six onward if you remember beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Paul explain why Israel as a nation rejected or did not accept the Messiah at his first coming why first of all because he explained of the truth of election Not all Israel are of Israel.

Not all the physical descendants of Israel are also spiritual, belonging to God, redeemed people. Although there is an all Israel who is all the descendants, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and out of them you have what is known of Israel. Those who are Jewish, Hebrews, Israelis, but believers who belong to the Lord. And that's how he explained it, and he gave these illustrations from the life of Abraham, who had two sons, Ishmael and Yitzhak. Isaac was chosen, Ishmael was not. Then he gave the second illustration from the other family of Rebekah. It was Yaakov that was chosen, elected, and not Esav. And so he's speaking, he's sharing with the Roman believers concerning the sovereignty of God.

And he also mentioned at the end of chapter 9 that it's applied also to the Gentile world. Not all the people of the world were chosen by God from among the Gentiles to be part of the church age. Today but you who is a believer were chosen in Christ in the Mashiach before the foundation of the world elected by the divine sovereign will of God it's applied to Israel the nation it's applied to the whole Gentile population so now when we arrive to the last verses we enter into chapter 10 in these final verses of chapter 9 and as we continue on into the first 11 verses of chapter 10 Paul is explaining why Israel did not accept the Lord Yeshua the Messiah as a nation as a nation let me just remind you beloved brothers and sisters that all the first believers in the church age were all Jewish believers.

And they were the ones that were used by God to preach the gospel to the nations of the world. So they are always a remnant. They are always Jewish people who believed in God and were used by God to be a testimony to the world. And the time where all Israel as a nation, physical. Israel will be redeemed will be taking place at the end of the tribulation period before the messianic kingdom will begin but until then he is showing that God in his wisdom when it's come to his divine election nothing has gone wrong it is all in the plan of God it is all in the program of God from the plan and the program of God he is going to bring it to pass in a future day when the totality of the nation of Israel will be saved as a nation at the end of the tribulation but throughout the ages there were always a remnant that was saved from all the nation of Israel even in this church age according to 11 and verse 5 there is a remnant according to the election of grace according to the election of grace Romans 11 and verse 5 in this present day of the church age so in these last verses of chapter 9 we find out why did now Israel fail and this time he presented from the human responsibility when it's come to the divine.

Sovereignty of God, we learn that God has chosen and has elected some and didn't elect others. But when it's come to the human responsibility, notice what he's telling us now in verses 30 to 33 of Romans chapter 9. The people of Israel as a nation stumbled because when the Messiah came they sought to be justified on the basis of the works of the law and not on the basis of faith alone in the person of our Lord Jesus the Messiah and so notice that there is a paradox here and the paradox is concerning Israel and concerning the Gentile world or believers from among the Gentile world it says in chapter 9 and verse 30 what shall we say then this is again the question that have been asked you remember in verse 14 what shall we say then in verse 19 why does he had find fault and now in verse 30 what shall we say then that notice that in verse 30 and 31 that the Gentiles which follow not after righteousness.

Have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith and now verse 31 but Israel which followed after the law of righteousness has not attained to the law of righteousness in other words what the apostle Shaul Paul is presenting before the Roman believers the fact that Israel sought to attain to receive righteousness to be justified by the Lord on the basis of law keeping. But the Gentiles who did not follow after righteousness and simply believe they have attained what Israel did not attain. By faith the Gentiles who believe in the Lord Jesus the Messiah have attained to righteousness and the word righteousness beloved brothers and sisters mentioned about 30 something 30 some number amount of time here in the in Roman chapter 9 10 and 11 in fact some says even double the amount over 60 times in the book of Romans the word righteousness what does it mean righteousness righteousness simply means to be to.

Be declared just by God to be declared just to attain righteousness simply means that one is declared by God as righteous but he declared by God as righteous on the basis of his or her faith in the finished work of our Lord Jesus the Messiah So the paradox concerning Israel and the Gentiles is found in verses 30 and 31. And I'm repeating this. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, this is the goyim, people from among the nations who did not receive the law, who did not come out, their forefathers didn't come out of the land of Egypt, redeemed by the blood, who did not receive the Torah, the law, on mount for Mount Sinai the Gentile which follow not after righteousness they have attained to righteousness but notice what he says in verse 30 even the righteousness which is of faith of believing and then on the other hand in that paradox but Israel which followed after the law of righteousness or righteousness from.

The law has not attained to the law of righteousness you see there is a distinction here between faith righteousness and law righteousness faith righteousness means that one believes and the Lord declare him forgiven and righteous on the other hand we have those that seek to attain righteousness basis of keeping the law of doing works in order to attain to be accepted by God and they seek to do it on a basis of law keeping and look at the different look at the paradox the one that sought to be declared just declared righteous did not attain to the to become to be to be reckoned righteous because they On the other hand, the other ones, the Gentiles who did not look for and lived in light of righteousness, they did not follow after righteousness, they have embraced the invitation of God to believe in the Lord Jesus and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and to attain unto righteousness.

A tremendous beloved brothers and sisters. Now go back for a moment to Romans chapter 1. In fact, throughout the book of Romans, the word righteousness in Hebrew, righteousness, to be declared just, is mentioned once and again, over 35 times or more, portion that we are studying in Romans 9:10 and 11. Romans chapter 1 and verse 16 and 17 the Apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah." Why Paul? Why aren't you ashamed of the gospel of Christ, of the gospel of the Messiah? Paul said it is the power of God unto salvation. It is God's dynamite. It is God's power. God's authority upon which a sinner can be saved so I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is God's power unto salvation to everyone that believers to the Jew first and then also unto the Greek and then verse 17 he says for therein in the gospel in the gospel meaning that in the gospel in the truth that the Messiah came from heaven on the Roman cross he was buried and he rose again on the third day this is the gospel this is the good news the glad tidings is that Paul was not ashamed of is because he understood on the basis of the word of God that the Mashiach Christ came he died for the sin of this world he was buried and he rose again and he was offered for our offenses and he was.

Is for our justification, that God could declare the believer righteous. So Paul is saying, I'm not ashamed of that gospel. I'm not ashamed of this gospel because through the gospel, through these good glad tidings, I, a sinner, receive forgiveness by believing in Christ, in the Mashiach's work. Here's the truth of the theme of the book of Romans: "For therein, in the gospel, the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith." So God declared the sinner righteous when he or she simply believed in the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. And that's what happened, beloved brothers and sisters, that the Apostle Paul is saying to the Roman believers in verse 30 and 31.

He says, what should we say then? That the Gentiles which follow not after righteousness, they have attained unto this righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. But on the other hand, listen to what he says about Israel and the Jewish people. He said but notice that but Israel this is the whole nation of Israel specifically the conservative community the religious leaders the pharisees the sadducees he said they follow after the law of righteousness they have not attained to the law of righteousness why you see why because when the law was given to our forefathers The law was never given to our forefathers, the nation of Israel, in order to declare them righteous and to save them, to lead them unto salvation.

In fact, the law was given to Israel to show them the holy standard of a righteous God and to reveal to them the reality about their hearts and the human hearts in general. Paul said in Romans 7 that the law is holy. The law is righteous. The problem is not with the law, the problem is with mankind. And when God gave the law to Israel from Mount Sinai through Moshe, he gave it in order to show the nation of Israel the need to turn to the Messiah. Law and they did fail like you and I had failed and all men had failed, God provided a sacrifice, a blood that had to be shed.

And when the blood was shed, then beloved brothers and sisters, atonement was made and sins were forgiven temporarily until the Messiah Yeshua came. The beginning of the gospel of John when when John is writing and he's presenting of course the Messiah is the eternal one the one that came from heaven he says in verse 17 for the law was given by Moshe when God gave to the nation of Israel the Torah the law he gave it through Moshe who was went to Mount Sinai received the law from God and then he brought the law in the midst of the nation of Israel He gave to Israel the law through Moshe.

But when it comes to grace and truth, he gave it through the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, by Yeshua the Messiah. Why? Because when the Messiah came, he fulfilled the law that God gave to Israel through Moshe. And the law was given to Israel temporarily. Conditionally to drive Israel to turn to the sacrifice that pointed to the Mashiach that would come in the fullness of the time and so listen to the paradox that we have here that on the one hand the Gentiles which fall on earth after righteousness they have attained righteousness and the righteousness that they have attained based upon faith and faith in the person of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah but Israel which received the law from God and all the commandments that God has given to our forefathers through the law which should have caused them to realize that oh God we cannot attain to your high standard we need forgiveness thank you for the sacrificial system that pointed to the Mashiach but what happened is that over the generation the clouds you might say over the truth of the fact that the law was pointing to the Messiah was kind of a place over the nation because the spiritual leaders of Israel introduced other things that came over and above.

That God had given on Mount Sinai and what we know as one that was once a faith in God became a works system that clouded that kind of put a cloud over the truth that one simply need to recognize that they cannot attain God's holy requirement a full sense of the word and to be driven to trust in God's provision through the sacrifice which ultimately pointed to the final sacrifice of our Lord Jesus the Messiah and so you notice this beloved brothers and sisters the Gentiles who believed attained the Jewish people who sought to attain the righteousness on the basis of law they did not attain to it from a human responsibility they failed of course not all because the church the foundation of the church was really the apostles and the prophets of the first century were all were Jewish in fact the the church was hundred percent Jewish in the land of Israel in the city of Jerusalem in the first few years until the Gentiles came in as they were preaching.

Message of the gospel to the nations of the world. And so this is how the apostle Paul helped the believers at Rome to understand beloved brothers and sisters in verses 30 and 31. This is the paradox that how come Israel as a nation is not a redeemed nation in its totality of the nation? How come only some? Now, go back to chapter 3 for a moment, Romans chapter 3. Paul has already mentioned this in the earlier verses, earlier chapters of the book of Romans. In chapter 3, verse 24, 25, and 26, we do read, beloved brothers and sisters, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ. Christ Jesus another one salvation justification is a gift you receive it freely you have been justified and redeemed on the basis of the grace of God and you are redeemed through the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah Christ Jesus the Mashiach Yeshua verse 25 and 26 says whom this is Christ Jesus the Messiah Yeshua, God hath set forth to be a mercy seat, a propitiation, through faith in His blood, believing on Him, believing that He shed His blood.

He paid a price for our sins, provided for us redemption, beloved brothers and sisters. And again, it is so beautiful as we learn from the Word of God. God's people are justified according to the book of Romans in seven ways. We are justified of God, Romans 3:26. We are justified in Him, 1 Corinthians 1:30. We are justified by the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:9. We are justified by grace, Romans 3:24. We are justified by blood. We are justified by works. As believers, it shows our justification by works. As James said in James 2 and verse 21, 24 and 25, goods works is the proof of our justification. The outflow of the manner whereby we live comes because we have already been justified.

Through the finished work of the Lord Jesus the Messiah now back to Romans chapter 3 and verse 26 we read to declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and justified of him which believers in Jesus these Gentiles believers in the city of Rome believe in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and yet they needed to understand that not all Israel came yet to faith in the Lord Jesus the Messiah some did like Shaul Paul like Peter even Paul as he's writing to them he will tell them in chapter 11 I am also an Israeli of the seed of Abraham I am justified by faith in my Messiah just like you became justified on a basis of faith in the Lord Yeshua.

Are Jesus the Messiah so beloved brothers and sisters Paul is now moving from what he said earlier in chapter 9 from the sovereignty of God in his wisdom he knew very well he that he have elected some from among all Israel there is the of Israel whom he has elected but ultimately all the nation of Israel at the end of the tribulation will be become in the Lord Jesus the Messiah then all Israel shall be saved at the end of the tribulation but in this present day Israel as a nation did not accept the Messiah although many Jewish people many Israelis did and those Israelis with the Gentiles believers became part of the body of the Messiah now notice that in verse 32 and verse 33 of Roman chapter 9 In these two verses, we have the explanation of the paradox and the cause of that from a human responsibility, from the responsibility of every individual.

In the context, the individuals are the people of Israel. And so in verse 32, Israel did not seek righteousness by faith. On the basis of the law of Moshe. Verse 32 says, Wherefore, why? He's explaining. Why the Gentile believers attained and Israel did not attain? Why? Verse 32. Wherefore, because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. So notice it. Let's just pause here for a moment. You see, that is the problem of man in general. Not only Israel, but the general population in the world, they think that they can earn, they can work, they can keep some rules and laws in order to be declared righteous by God and to be accepted by God.

And Paul is saying that's not the case. You cannot attain unto righteousness on the basis of works. Or on a basis of law keeping. You can try, but it doesn't work. It doesn't help. And you remember the first time where someone tried to attain righteousness and forgiveness on a basis of doing something themselves were Adam and Eve. When they disobeyed God, and they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, sinned. You know what they have done? The first thing that they have done is they went to the tree, the fig tree, and they took fig leaves and they covered themselves. They made an apron out of fig leaves.

They tried to hide their sinfulness and their nakedness from God and from each other. But it didn't work. That they were still sinful, disobedient, and naked before God. And they couldn't attain, could not be accepted by God because it represents works. It represents something that they do to cover themselves to achieve acceptance by God. But it didn't work because God had to provide for them garment of skin of an animal which he killed innocent animal on behalf of Adam and Eve another person that tried to achieve righteousness was Cain when Cain and Abel were approaching God Cain came to God from providing the fruit of the land that he worked he worked very hard and he brought the fruit and the vegetables to God And on the other hand, Hevel, that is Abel, he brought of the first of the animals that he had, and their blood, and he offered these to God as a sacrifice.

And God have accepted Abel, but he rejected Cain. In other words, Abel have attained righteousness because he believed God's instruction that the blood is needful to make atonement for the soul. But Cain didn't accept it. So he came on a basis of his own merit. I worked hard. I bring my vegetable and fruit to you, God, so you can accept me and forgive my sins. And God didn't accept him. And Cain was very angry with God. The animal sacrifice, and it's blood. And that's the system that we see among the human race. Every time someone's religious system and all sort of way whereby people think that they will attain righteousness, that they will be accepted by a holy and a righteous God.

But beloved friends and dear brothers and sisters, sin must be judged by a holy and a righteous God. The wages of sin is death. No works that one can accomplish, no provision that one can do for God will avail. In fact, what we do learn from here, that everyone has to come to God through faith. Righteousness because law righteousness we cannot attain because God's holy law is perfect and we have that sinful nature and so Paul is explaining he developing it in verse 32 he says why why Israel didn't attain and why the Gentiles who did not follow after righteousness attained it because they did it they accepted the provision of God by faith Israel sought to do it on the merit of works, keeping the law.

And while one cannot be lawless because the law is holy and God does not expect people to be lawless, but God's law is perfect and man's nature is sinful and no man or woman can attain to God's holy law in a perfect way. The sacrifice that pointed to the Messiah who came, Yeshua, is provided. And so where he says, wherefore, because they sought it not by faith, but they sought it by works of the law. By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Paul said it already earlier in chapter 3. By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified. Listen to this again.

In Romans chapter 3 and I read there in verse 24 onward as we read in verse 24 it says being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. In verse 26 to declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and Where is the boasting? Verse 27. It is excluded by what law? Law of works? Nay, but the law of faith. Verse 28 says, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. So here it is. That's what Paul is sharing with the believers at Rome. But now notice what happened from a human responsibility. God have offered Israel the Messiah.

And the Messiah came to the Jew first, to the nation of Israel. But the nation of Israel stumbled over that stumbling stone. People, the nation of Israel, as a stumbling stone, according to verse 32. We read again. Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. Why? Because they stumbled, notice that, they stumbled, they fell over that stumbling stone. That stumbling stone is none else. The stone is the Messiah. Yeshua the Messiah himself in verse 33 the end the last verse of chapter 9 we read as it is written you see Shaul Paul always going back to the Hebrew Scriptures why because everything that he basing his ministry to the Romans is based upon the written word of God the Hebrew Scriptures the letter was not yet available for the Romans he was just writing this to them So he goes to the Tanach, he's going to the Hebrew Scriptures, to the Torah, to the Nevi'im, to the Ketuvim, to the law, the prophets and the writing.

And he's quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures. Notice what he's quoting. As it is written, as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him. Shall not be a shame whosoever believeth on him shall not be a shame you notice it's a him it is a person and that person is that stumbling stone and Israel as a nation seeking to attain righteousness on a basis of law keeping which was clouded now because of the pharisees and the sadducees and rabbinical addition that came by men they did not seek to attain righteousness on a basis of faith so they sought at that time and they still seek for that to attain to be justified by God on a basis of traditions and law keeping and works of the law and and while the law is holy and just and pure whether it is one who is from Israel or one who is from among the Gentile world no one can attain to it now notice the verse in Psalm 118 Psalm 118 and verse 22 the psalmist of Israel says listen the stone this is the Messiah which the builders this is Israel the builders refuse.

Become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. God made a day. That day that we read in verse 23 of Psalm 118 is the day when the Mashiach will pay for the sin of this world. It is the day. Any ordinary days the day that the stone will be the one that the builders refuse he become the headstone of the corner it is the Lord's doing it is marvelous in our eyes God have done it so when the Mashiach will come he will become the head corner the stone that become the stone the headstone of the corner the Messiah's death, Jesus the Messiah's death, burial and resurrection.

It was the Lord's doing. He is the stone which the builders refused. That's the one that we read in Psalm 118 and verse 22. Turn with me to Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah, in chapter 8. Sisters concerning that stone and that rock of offense in chapter 8 and verse 14 and 15 notice we read in verse 13 sanctify the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear let him be your dread Isaiah saying to Israel and he shall be for a sanctuary but he says but for a stone of stumble and a rock of offense to both houses of Israel for a sign I'm sorry for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken many from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem many from among Israel and Judah shall stumble over the the stone, many among them shall stumble and fall.

You see what happened, beloved brothers and sisters, from human responsibility, not now from divine sovereignty. From God's sovereignty He have elected from among Israel, and He will ultimately bring it to pass. But from a human responsibility, Israel stumbled at the stone. Stumble, as we read here in verse 33, at the stumbling stone and the rock of offense. Notice one more verse in Isaiah chapter 28. Isaiah chapter 28 and verse 16. There we read a little bit further. In verse 16, Therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tri stone a precious stone a corning stone a sure foundation he that believeth shall not make haste this is the Messiah the Mashiach notice the Lord is there is a progression here beloved brothers and sisters God promised that one day when he spoke through Isaiah to Israel before the the the the northern kingdom of Israel would be scattered later on the southern kingdom of Israel would be taken by Nebuchadnezzar but God made a promise to Israel one day I will lay in Zion a foundation stone that is in reference to the Messiah he is the foundation stone but even more he is a tried stone in other words he was tested and was found.

He was truly indeed the Messiah and that is a reference to the life of the Messiah who was tried and tested, who lived for God, who was born to the Virgin and Miriam and throughout his life and ultimately his death he gave himself to the Father, to God. He was not only a foundation stone but he was a tried stone, a tested one. All of us have failed. All tested and found wanting. But when God looked from heaven upon this tried stone, the Messiah himself, he lived a life that was pleasing to God. He was tried and tested and was found indeed the Messiah, the one that was sinless, undefiled, separate from sinners, that was qualified to pay for the sin of this world.

So Isaiah said not only that he was a foundation stone, not only that he was a tried stone, but he was a precious stone. How precious was the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, to God the Father. Precious, precious indeed. In his life, in his death, he shed his precious blood. He was the one that was holy, harmless, undefiled. Precious. When the wise men came from the east and they as the the megis the wise men and they came to Jerusalem they said where is he that was born the king of the Jews and when they came to the house in beth lechem they gave to the Lord Yeshua Jesus the massad his baby that was born there that is now starting to grow they gave him this gift the gold the myrrh The frankincense.

The gold speak of his divine nature. The myrrh speak of his suffering, atoning suffering. The frankincense speak of his preciousness. How precious he is to God. He is the burnt offering that rise to God's nostrils and gave satisfaction to God the Father. But notice, after he's saying, Behold, I lay in Zion a foundation stone. Number one, a tried stone. Number two, a precious cornerstone. Number three, but notice he continue, a sure foundation. One that all who trust in him can be assured of their forgiveness of sins. He's a sure, unmovable foundation. Haste the one that believes will not be in harry he will trust in him and will be rewarded by that so now go back to our chapter and notice that beloved brothers and sisters we read in this chapter and as we're just about to conclude these I guess this last four verses of chapter 9 of Romans is written behold i lay in Zion and then quoting what we just read in the prophet of the prophecy of Isaiah it is written there i lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed i just want to read another verse in the book of first corinthian first Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 18 There we read, listen to that, in verse 18 we read, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

You see, for the world, the preaching of the cross of the Messiah is foolish. They stumble over that stone. They stumble over the work of Christ. Someone who died on that shameful altar, on that shameful cross. Even for our own people, Israel stumbled over the cross of Christ, the death of the Messiah. Notice what we read in verse 22 and verse 23 of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. To save them that believe. Notice, for the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach the Messiah, crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, the Messiah, Christ, the Mashiach, God and the wisdom of God see Paul like he wrote to the Roman believers he said to the Corinthians that for the Jewish people Yeshua the Messiah became a stumbling block a stumbling block now one final verse beloved brothers and sisters in first Peter chapter 2 in conclusion first Peter chapter 2 it was not only Shaul Paul who wrote concerning the stumbling stone and a rock of offense but also Shimon Petros he wrote of that in first Peter chapter 2 and verses 1 to 10 I'm not going to read everything but listen to this in verse 4 we read to whom coming is unto a living stone we came unto the Mashiach unto the Messiah as a living.

Stone disallowed indeed or rejected indeed of men but chosen of God and precious and he continued and he said ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus the Messiah by Yeshua HaMashiach Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Peter is saying. And he is also going back to the Hebrew Scripture. Then he is saying, Behold, I lay in Zion, quoting Isaiah, quoting the Psalm, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, an elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Believe he is precious, but that to them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, same is made the head of the corner.

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, or they appointed themselves. Beloved brothers and sisters, how wonderful to understand this, that the reason from a human responsibility, the reason that all Israel is not yet a redeemed nation as a nation, though many Israelis, many Hebrews, many Jewish people throughout the ages were believers used by the law to give the gospel to the whole nations of the world like Shimon Petros and Paul and the others yet at the same time we learn from this that Israel disobeyed and did not seek to be receiving the righteousness of God by faith but they sought to be righteous on the basis of the works of the law Israel verse 31.

Which follow after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. And the lesson that we all learn from these beloved brothers and sisters is righteousness can only be attained by faith and by faith alone. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ believe on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and you shall be saved for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son it's a gift that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life he that has the son hath life he that has not the son of God My dear brothers and sisters and dear friends, how important to understand that we cannot attain righteousness with our own merit.

We are sinners by nature. God is holy. And God demands 100%. And because we cannot attain 100%, we must accept God's provision of salvation. In his provision was this precious, precious person whose name is Yeshua, Jesus, who came down from heaven to provide redemption for us. He is the rock. He is the stone. He is the one whom God had sent to this world to provide redemption for us. That all of us that hear this message will come to recognize that while we ought to seek to live godly here in this world but we can never attain justification and righteousness on the basis of our of the works of the law or on a basis of of our human merit but we need to believe what God had provided for us behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of this world.

Look at him. Believe on him. Accept him. And you will be declared justified. You will attain the righteousness which is of faith. May the Lord bless his word to us all and may the Lord help us to trust him and to follow after the person and the work of our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. And with this we concluded, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friend, Romans chapter 9. And in the will of the Lord, we will continue with Romans chapter 10 in our next meeting together. So our God and our Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the stone, for the rock that thou had sent the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah.

That gave himself a ransom for men and because of him we who believe on him have eternal salvation have righteousness so bless your word we pray for we ask it in Yeshua's name Amen and Amen my dear friends and dear brothers and sisters until the next time we say Shalom Shalom Bye Bye Bye. Bye. Bye.