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It was ALWAYS the Church - Some Jews are part of it and some Gentiles are part of it.

Acts 7:37-38

This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the CHURCH in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us

And, yes, I used the AKJV for those who are obsessed with that. And, YES, the original Greek word there is ekklesia. Can't get around it. Speaking in the Spirit, while seeing Jesus STANDING at the right hand of God welcoming the first martyr into heaven, Stephen proclaims this - that when Moses was in Sinai with the exiles he was with the CHURCH - there were other Israelites there as well, but the Remnant there with him was the CHURCH.

God's plan from DAY ONE was the CHURCH, always has been and always will be.