Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.  (Romans 10:1-3)

The answer lies in knowledge of God and the righteousness that He reckons upon those that submit to His righteousness. Not a righteousness that people establish on their own behalf.

Paul has to explain it to them directly that it is a matter of acknowledged faith/belief:

Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)

This is the stumbling block that Jews failed to navigate around. Paul ties the righteousness they would understand under Jewish law (delivered via Moses) to righteousness bestowed on those that believe in God’s sent Gift/Son, Jesus Christ.

Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:5-9)

In other words, it is a heart and mind-thing, not an act of simply law-obedience. It is about righteousness by faith, even a declaration that springs from our mind to our lips that says that Jesus is Lord and God of all Creation raised Him from the dead.

That’s what the Jews missed.

So Now Jews and Gentiles are All the Same
God’s plan of mankind’s restoration since Adam’s fall was played out with the selection of Abraham way back in Genesis 12. The promise given then was that Abram’s descendants would be numerous and through whom would come the Savior of the world; that is, a blessing for all the nations.

The Jews thought it was always about them, which it was, but only to a point.

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  (Romans 10:10-13)

And now, over 20 years since the brutal death of Christ, orchestrated by the Jewish religious leaders in conjunction with the Roman Empire, the Jewish people and their religious establishment are still reluctant to embrace God’s hand played right before them.

Of course, many Jews wholeheartedly received the blessed gift of Christ and believed. Particularly after witnessing Jesus’ resurrection and then 50 days later at Pentecost (see ACTS 2), the coming of God’s Holy Spirit in power and force upon Jerusalem, as Jesus promised.

After all, the first Christians were all, like the original Disciples, Jewish people themselves. And now the Gentiles are invited in as well.

How, then, can they [Jews] call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)

But the Jews did not all respond well. Some did not listen to the message or word about Christ.

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

How Did the Jews Miss This?
The obvious question is asked by Paul himself: “Didn’t Israel understand?” He closes ROMANS 10 with a series of Old Testament Hebrew texts from Deuteronomy and the prophet Isaiah. 

Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

And Isaiah boldly says,

But concerning Israel he says,

The obvious answer is that yes, they should have understood, but they didn’t. As we’ll find upcoming in ROMANS 11, their mistake ironically was God’s way to make His blessing available to ALL the nations.

And they still got a second chance.

As all are His Creation, do you see the patience and love God has for the people of Israel as well as for all the nations?
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Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. – Romans  10:1-2