TO KNOW AS I AM KNOWN

“Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and

ears to hear, to this very day.”Deuteronomy 29:4

In order for us to understand ourselves, our journey, our world and God in a deeper way we have to first look at this verse and understand who we are from God’s perspective…

In the opening chapter of his letter to the Romans Paul explains the roots of the fallen condition of man to the capital of the world of his day.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, evenHis eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

It’s clear that Paul refers to mankind’s eyes being closed

Romans 1:20 FOR THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF HIM FROM CREATION OF THE WORLD BY THE THINGS MADE BOTH ETERNAL HIS POWER ANDDIVINITY; FOR TO BE THEM WITHOUT EXCUSE.

“His eternal power and divinity (Theiotes)” which means divine nature or the Godhead. Theoites comes from the word Theios which is a general name of deities or divinities as used by the Greeks. In the New Covenant it is used for the only true God as in John’s Gospel.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

The problem is that something has blocked mankind from the divine nature of God. His nature can be unmistakably seen in creation but can only be truly known by revelation through His Son. There was a relationship in the beginning that must be restored.

That relationship is clearly established between God the father and God the son and God and man in Genesis. Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.

God clearly speaks to man giving him dominion of the earth but another supernatural entity also deceptively speaks to man, destroying relationship through communication with God, distorting man’s understanding of his role and his inheritance.

But God is revealed to those who by faith and repentance come to Him…and His wrath for those who turn away. Righteousness is founded in relationship through revelation…

Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith.“ (Habakkuk 2:4)18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

The relationship between God and man has to do with a condition of the heart.

Romans 2:5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

Israel was warned at its birth that there would be a price to pay, a consequence for not listening and obeying…and redemption when they would understand and repent.

Deuteronomy 4:26 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed.27 And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you.28 And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.29 But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.30 When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice31 ‘(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.”

The call on the nation of Israel was to know God…to come into a restored relationship with Him...Deuteronomy 4:32 "For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard.33 "Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?34 "Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him. (Shema Yisrael) 36 "Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.37 "And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power,38 "driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day.39 "Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

Israel’s given direction was to listen and obey God as a condition in relationship as it had been for Adam...

Deuteronomy 6: (Israel had made the gold calf and the first tablets were broken)3 "Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 4 "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one!5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.

Deuteronomy 10: (after they had made the gold calf and received the second tablets)12 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,13 "and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?14 "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.15 "The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day.16 "Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.

Hearing and obeying His word produces blessing and life and restores man to his intended place of dominion...

Deuteronomy 28:1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.

and if we didn’t obey we would be cursed…15 "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 46 "And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever.

But…we couldn’t!Deut. 29:2 Now Moses called all Israel and said to them: "You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land—3 "the great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great wonders.4 "Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.

However, in Deuteronomy 4 there is a promise of redemption after fulfillment of the warnings of destruction that will end with the restoration of the nation…

Deuteronomy 30:1 "Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you,2 "and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul,3 "that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.4 "If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you.5 "Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.6 "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants,to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. (Jer. 31:31-34)

God is the one who restores and redeems the faithful...

The condition was for us to choose life by listening…but how? It could only be given to those who were determined to obey…

11 For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off.12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.15 See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil,16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them,18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

God foretold of Israel’s unfaithfulness and national failure as a testimony of His sovereignty and warning to all nations...

Deuteronomy 31: 16 And the LORD said to Moses: "Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. (Joshua 23:15-16)17 Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ (Isaiah 7:14 Emanuel…God is among us…His promise)20 When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant.21 Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them."26 Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you;27 "for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD, then how much more after my death?”

Through Isaiah God explains the reason for Israel’s failure. It is for the nations to see and know that God who created and corrected Israel is their Lord and creator and through Adam’s fall we are all spiritually blinded, deaf and ignorant of our own death through disobedience...

Isaiah 43:5 Fear not, for I am with you (Matt. 28:20); I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west;6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth— (Jn. 11:52)7 Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." (Jn. 1:12)

10 "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, (Matt. 13:11-23) and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.11 I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses," Says the LORD, "that I am God. (Deut. 4:35: 31:21, 26)13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?" (Deut. 28:45-48; 31:1-5)

22 "But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; and you have been weary of Me, O Israel.

28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; I will give Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. (Deut. 28:15; 31:1, 2)

Isaiah 44:1 "Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen.2 Thus says the LORD who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty (Matt. 5:6; Jn. 4:14; 6:35), and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring;

7 And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them.8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock (Deut. 32:4); I know not one.’"

18 “They do not know nor understand; for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. (Deut. 29:4)19 And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; and shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?"20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"21 "Remember these, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me!

Isaiah 45:20 "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, who carry the wood of their carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save. (Gen. 3; Deut. 29:4)21 Tell and bring forth your case; yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me.22 "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.23 I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth (Genesis 1; Deut. 18:18, 19) in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath (Phil. 2:10).24 He shall say, ‘Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him (Ezek. 38, 39; Zech. 12:1,2).25 In the LORD all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory.’"(Deut. 33:26-29)

Isaiah 46:3 "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb:4 Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

Isaiah 47: 6 I was angry with My people; I have profaned My inheritance, and given them into your hand. You showed no mercy ; on the elderly you laid your yoke heavily. 7 And you said, ‘I shall be a lady forever,’ So that you did not take these things to heart,nor remember the latter end of them.” (Deut. 4:29-30; 32:29)

Isaiah 48:1 "Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; who swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth or in righteousness;3 "I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4 Because I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was an iron sinew, and your brow bronze, (Deut. 9:1-6)5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, and my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.’ (Deut 31:20, 21, 26-29)6 "You have heard; see all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them. (New Covenant Jer. 31:31-34) (Things explained by the new covenant)

7 They are created now and not from the beginning; and before this day you have not heard them, lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them.’8 Surely you did not hear, surely you did not know; surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb. (Gen. 3:14-24; Deut. 29:4)9 "For My name’s sake I will defer My anger, and for My praise I will restrain it from you, so that I do not cut you off.10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! (Deut. 32:29) Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Isaiah 49:1 "Listen, O coastlands, to me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called me from the womb; from the matrix of my mother He has made mention of my name. (Is. 42:4)2 And He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden me."3 "And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ (Jn. 4:22)

Isaiah was given understanding, his eyes were opened to his nation’s predicament, his ears to God’s word and he cried out for God to open their hearts and save His people…

Isaiah 63:15 Look down from heaven, and see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where areYour zeal and Your strength, the yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?16 Doubtless You are our Father, though Abraham was ignorant of us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. 17 O LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways, and hardened our heart from Your fear? Return for Your servants’ sake, the tribes of Your inheritance. (Deut. 32:27, 36)

Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him. (Gen. 3:9-14; 4:1-15; Deut. 4: ;29:4)5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned—in these ways we continue; and we need to be saved.

He was given knowledge of God’s plan to restore His people through the redeemer who would come…Isaiah 7: 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (Deut. 31:17)

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (1 Timothy 3:16)7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

As God had spoken through Moses, He would come from Israel…

Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,18 ‘I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.’ (Isaiah 42:4-6; 49:6)

To amend the covenant with them giving them a renewed heart to understand, eyes and ears…

Jeremiah 31: 31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— (Is 48:6)32 "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. (Is. 42:9)33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."(sins Matt. 9:2, 5; covenant Heb. 8:8-13; Phil. 3:3)

Matthew 9:5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" —then He said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’

Israel was never able to circumcise their own hearts…Joshua 23:15 "Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the LORD your God promised you, so the LORD will bring upon you all harmful things, until He has destroyed you from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.Joshua 24:22 So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD for yourselves, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses!"23 "Now therefore," he said, "put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel."24 And the people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!"

Jeremiah 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings."

Jeremiah 9:25 "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised—26 "Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart."

Circumcision can only come through an act of God’s mercy after correction, dispersion, repentance and return…Jeremiah 32:37 ‘Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. (Deut. 4: :30:1-6)38 ‘They shall be My people, and I will be their God;39 ‘then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.40 ‘And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

Ezekiel 36:24 "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (11:19)27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

Paul continues in this same prophetic truth about Israel as God’s testimony of mankind’s relationship with Him and its role in His plan of redemption…

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Is. 45:20-25)

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, (8:20)25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

The condition for redemption is still the same. It is available for those who cling to Him (Deut. 30:20)…Romans 2:5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds":7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, (Gen. 3; 4:1-15; Deut. 28:15-64)9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. (Amos 9:7)

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,25 whom God set forth as a propitiation (atonement) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, (Isaiah 53)26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Ex. 31:20; Deut. 18:15-18; Is. 50:10)

He teaches the nations that God has given this specific role to His servant Israel as an example of their condition for them to see themselves and repentant and be restored...

Romans 11:7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.8 Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.” (Deut. 29:4; Is. 44:18)

11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?

15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Deut. 32:39)

Israel violated the covenant and hardened their hearts…

20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.(Deut. 28:37; 31:16-17; 32:39-43; Is. 45:22-24; Rom. 8:32)

Israel is still in the same condition as stated (Deut. 29:4) for this purpose and remains hardened until all men have been given the choice…Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Is. 45:20-25; Rom. 9:17-18)26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; (Is. 45:25; 59:20)27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. (Deut. 28:45; 30:1; 31:16-17, 20-21; Is. 44:7, 8, 21; 45:24, 25)29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Deut. 32:43; Is. 44:2, 3, 21; 45:25; 46:3, 4; Jer. 31:35-37)30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. (Gen. 3; Is. 43:28; 45:20-25; 49:3; Rom. 1:18-25; 2:5-11; 8:20, 21; 9:17-18)

Yeshua says that through Him we have been given eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to know God and warns that the devil will attempt to take it from us as he has done from the beginning...

Matthew 13: 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. (Deut. 29:4)12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (Deut. 29:4)14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive;15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’ (Deut. 10:16; Isaiah 6:9, 10)16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. (Gen. 3:1-5)

Paul writes that his mission is to declare the testimony of God and Israel as His testimony. He had been taken out of darkness into the light; so it is with mankind and Israel when God opens all eyes and ears and circumcises hearts to restored relationship with Him.

1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. (Rom. 1-11:11, 12, 15; testimony of Israel Deut. 29:29; 31:20, 21, 26-29)2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (Is. 53)3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, (Deut. 29:29; 31:20, 21, 26-29; Is. 44:4; 45:21; 48:3-6)8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heartof man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." (Deut 29:4; Is. 44:18; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:26, 27; Rom. 11:8)10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:26, 27)13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.16 For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ. (Is. 40:13; Jer. 31:33)

It’s only by grace and restored fellowship through the Son and the Spirit that we can know God…not by works of the law as Paul testifies of himself but through sanctification and regeneration.

Philippians 3: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

As a child of God and a new creation we are in process, having not attained nor having been perfected yet we carry on to the higher mark to KNOW Him and His righteous requirements…

Galatians 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?20 Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant.21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.”

Psalm 51:1-31 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Yeshua, by whose death we are redeemed, is subject to obeying the will of the father, as our example for reconciliation with Him...

John 3:11 "Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.20 "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

Hebrews 5:7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

The condition is still the same…we can do nothing unless we listen, obey and cling to Him…and if we do we will enter full restoration with God…in eternity!!

John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.25 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

28 "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice29 "and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

30 "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

But we must understand our present condition…

We know only what He has been given us to know...1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

In the end we will have a pure knowledge of God… our circumcision of heart will be complete and we will live in His presence forever in a world without any presence of evil.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who

subjected it in hope; (As a consequence of Adam’s disobedience)21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until

now. (We understand that it is because of Adam’s sin that we are subjected to futility)23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us {NU-Text omits for us.} with groanings which cannot be uttered.27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those

who are the called according to His purpose.(We live with godly hope of resurrection!)

We are yet incomplete but He intercedes for us…even when we don’t understand…

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." (Psalm 44:22)37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, (NO ENEMY OF GOD AND HIS KINGDOM)39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But our heart attitude must be one of selfless love for one another and forgiveness as we have been shown, repentant for the hardness of our heart...

Then Yeshua said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. Luke 23:34

Until the day when His kingdom will be established and our struggle with darkness is finished...

Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD…For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Revelation 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am

known.