The Israel of God

[Episkopos]

People love to divide things...just as God loves to bring things together. So there is a push-pull struggle going on between God and those who He has redeemed but who are resisting what God wants to do.

I have posted this before but people tend to not comprehend very quickly that which they either don't understand...or want to understand. I'm hoping this thread will get featured...just so I don't have to write this again! :)

Who is Israel? We all know that Jacob's name was changed after he prevailed upon God for a blessing.

But look at this...

Gen, 35:9 Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. 11 Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations (גּוֹי וּקְהַל גּוֹיִם ) shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.

In Hebrew..a nation is a "goy" and the following statement translated as "a company of nations" is "kehal goyim" in the original text...which better translates as "a church of the nations."

The Hebrew word "kehal" means congregation or church.

So then Israel has always been something physical...the nation called Israel (not to be confused with the present state called Israel) AND a spiritual assembly from the nations...as will be shown..

 

[VictoryinJesus]

People love to divide things...just as God loves to bring things together.

God is without seam.

John 19:22-23
[22] Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. [23] Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

Genesis 45:26-28
[26] And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. [27] And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: [28] And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

 

[Episkopos]

God is without seam.

John 19:22-23
[22] Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. [23] Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

This is brilliant.

 

[Episkopos]

The OP is scriptural proof as to the will of God concerning Israel. He ALWAYS thought of Israel as first...a physical thing....then a spiritual thing.

1 Cor. 15;46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

So people will choose to divide what God is bringing together,

But who is looking at God's will in the matter?

Israel in our time is no longer something physical...but spiritual. Jesus came to the physical Israel (Judea) to announce the spiritual....the kingdom of God...which is the calling of Israel into the spiritual realm.

 

[Episkopos]

The gospel is also preached in this order....first the physical...then the spiritual. First to the Jew ...then the Gentile.

Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

EVERYONE who believes.

The Jew is first invited into the spiritual congregation which is Israel. But most will be satisfied with their old calling as physical Israel and refuse the gospel. In fact many Christians also have adopted this lack of understanding. And these pretend to be preachers of the gospel? After all...no one thinks the new wine is better after they have drunk the old. This can be understood of the Jews...but Christians?

So then it is they who reject the gospel that refuse the move from the physical into the spiritual. The gospel..to these....is falsely called...Replacement Theology. But this is an invention of the unbelieving Jews. These seek to leave divided what God has brought together through Jesus Christ. The foolishness of "believers" is to throw their lot with the unbelievers.

 

[Episkopos]

Who is "all Israel" ???

The word translates the word. All Israel Judah AND the 10 northern tribes....that were lost in the world....but are back in business as Gentile believers in Christ.

2 Sam. 8:15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

When the Gentile believers came into the faith, James said...

Acts 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

James related the coming of the Gentiles to the rebuilding of the tent of David....the restoration of ALL Israel.

 

[bbyrd009]

God is without seam.

The camel through the eye of a needle, toward the bottom
Camels in the Bible serve as units of trade