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Who Is the Israel of God in the New Covenant?
Prophecy Questions Blog ^ | March 18, 2024 | Charles Meek

Posted on 03/19/2024 5:45:28 PM PDT by grumpa

Summary. The Israel of God is no longer fleshly, natural Israel, but rather all believers in Jesus―along with a remnant of Godly believers of old. Jesus fulfilled all of the promises to Old Covenant Israel (Luke 1:67-79; 2 Corinthians 1:20). “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel” (Romans 9:5-8). The church extends beyond natural Israel to include Gentiles (Luke 2:32; Acts 9:15; 11:1, 18; Romans 11:11-32; Galatians 3:6-9, 25-29). This is not “replacement theology, but rather “inclusion theology.” Here is a sampling of passages about this:

Galatians 6:14-16. In the context of the rest of Galatians, Paul refers to the “ISRAEL OF GOD” as those who walk according to the Spirit—by faith in Jesus Christ (and specifically not by works of the Jewish Old Covenant Law, including circumcision).

Galatians 4:21-31. Physical Jerusalem, that is, the old covenant, is cast out making way for the New Spiritual Jerusalem (“the Jerusalem above”)—the new children of the promise.

Hebrews 12:22-24. Christians of the first century had already arrived at the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem—through Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant.

Matthew 3:7-11. John the Baptist tells the Pharisees and Sadducees not to count on their physical descent. Indeed, they are about to be cut down in the wrath about to come (AD 70).

Matthew 21:18-19. Jesus curses the fig tree, an Old Testament symbol for Old Covenant Israel (Jeremiah 24; Hosea 9:10; Luke 13:6-9), and the fig tree withered away forever.

Matthew 21:33-45. Parable of the Tenants. Jesus tells the Jews that the kingdom is being taken away from them and given to another group, obviously the church.

Matthew 22:1-4. The Parable of the Wedding Feast. It was obviously the Jews who were invited to the wedding, but their refusal to accept Christ as Messiah would lead to their demise—“destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” (Matthew 23, the next chapter, details why the Jews were the object of Jesus’ wrath. Not only were they exceedingly sinful, but also refused to accept Him as Savior.)

John 1:12-13. The children of God are believers, and not by blood.

John 8:31-47. Jesus explains to the Jews of his day that they are not truly offspring of Abraham, but rather are offspring of the devil.

Romans 2:28-29. “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not the letter.”

Romans 9:5-8. Paul taught that not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel (“FOR THEY ARE NOT ALL ISRAEL WHO ARE ISRAEL”), and not all are children of Abraham. It is not the children of the flesh (i.e. their ethnicity) who are children of God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:16.)

Romans 11:5, 11-32. Branches (of Israel) were broken off and Gentiles grafted in by faith. Whoever accepted Christ, both Gentiles and a remnant of Jews are saved (11:5).

Galatians 3:6-9, 25-29. Heirs to the promise, i.e. the true sons of Abraham, comes from faith in Christ, not physical descent.

Ephesians 2:11-3:13. Gentiles are no longer aliens but are fellow citizens in a new dwelling place, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (cf. Revelation 21:14).

Ephesians 2:15-16. Jews and Gentiles became “one new man in place of two,” thus “one body.”

Philippians 3:3. The church is the real “circumcision.” Circumcision is the special sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and Israel (Genesis 17:10, 13), so the Christian church has become God’s covenantal people.

Colossians 2:6-3:17. Paul explains in this passage that physical circumcision had been replaced by spiritual circumcision, thus spiritual Israel—believers being made spiritually alive IN CHRIST. (See also Philippians 3:3).

Hebrews 8:5-13. The Old Covenant was being replaced by a New Covenant as predicted in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 31:31-34; etc.)

James 1:1; 2:1. The twelve tribes of Israel had become believers in Christ.

1 Peter 2:4-10. The new chosen race is the Christian church (building motif).

Revelation 2:9; 3:9. There are those who say they are Jews, but are really are a “synagogue of Satan.”

Revelation 19:7, 21:2, 9-27. The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ, the church—which is built on the foundation of the apostles (ref. Ephesians 2:20).

Conclusions. This is about the changing of the covenants. Israel’s covenant with God was contingent on obedience (Deuteronomy 28-32)! Throughout the Bible, Israel’s relationship with God is portrayed as a marriage (Isaiah 54:5; 62:4; Jeremiah 2:2; 3:14, 20; 31:31-34; Ezekiel 16:8, 32, 38; Hosea 2:2, 7, 16; Malachi 2:14). Whenever Israel was unfaithful, she is characterized as a harlot or adulterer (Deuteronomy 31:16-18; Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6-9; Ezekiel 6:8-9; 16:15, 26, 28; Hosea 1:2; 6:10; 9:1). The central theme of Revelation is a story of two women—the harlot Babylon who is judged/divorced (Revelation 17:1, 5, 15; 18:9, 21; 19:2) and God’s new bride the New Jerusalem (Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9). The faithless harlot is apostate Old Covenant Israel. The new bride is the Christian church, the wife of the Lamb, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12; 19:7; 21:2, 9-27). Compare to the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:1-14, as well as such passages as John 3:29; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-27.

The notion that Israel is separate from the church, and that Israel will re-emerge as pre-eminent among nations is not supported by the texts.


TOPICS: Theology
KEYWORDS: antisemitism; covenant; falseprophet; ibtz; israel; lol; lookwhohatesjews; new; zot
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To: daniel1212

RE Romans 11. The question is Who Is Israel, which is the subject of the OP. It’s not natural, genetic Israel. It is the Israel of God, which is all believers in Christ in addition to a remnant from the Old Covenant (11:5).


41 posted on 03/20/2024 5:00:42 AM PDT by grumpa
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To: grumpa
So Christians have replaced Jews. Jews are, in your replacement theology, only saved or chosen if they convert to your religion. It's one cool trick to make your own religion supreme.

The Arabs thought it was a clever trick and used it one more time to make Mohamed and Islam the true replacement for Christianity.

Historically this view has led to a lot of nasty anti-Semetism.

For instance the Protestant sect's inventor Martin Luther came to hate the Jews for not acknowledging Christ as the repacement leader and went on to suggest something akin the the Nazi Nuerenberg laws. It's not really surprising the Holocaust was perpetrated by the Government of the country that venerated the antiSemetic heritic.

Supernatural claims to have superseeded someone's religions are always an ungly thing and should be avoided by thoughtful people.2

42 posted on 03/20/2024 5:24:28 AM PDT by Vlad0
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To: LukeL

As long as the roots are not severed, all is well.
And all will be well in the garden.

—Chance the Gardener


43 posted on 03/20/2024 5:47:37 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Vlad0
Supernatural claims to have superseeded someone's religions are always an ungly thing and should be avoided by thoughtful people.2

You make Joseph Smith cry.



44 posted on 03/20/2024 5:50:45 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: grumpa
But if you use the Bible as your source, I'm all ears.

\/

i provided 2, and you went dark, ran from the example, failed to reconcile it with your theology . i presented those 2 verses at least 3 times , challenged you to explain them, and you haven't

you ignore rebuttal's that prove you wrong

your ears are closed,

so

the only thing you have proved is youre
a
liar.

45 posted on 03/20/2024 5:52:35 AM PDT by cuz1961 (officially useless /-))
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To: grumpa

——>At least 9 of the 10 commandments were reiterated as valid in the New Testament.

But not the one God said to remember.


46 posted on 03/20/2024 6:33:21 AM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: grumpa

If you were remotely interested in biblical evidence ... you would not be a preterist.


47 posted on 03/20/2024 6:53:27 AM PDT by dartuser
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To: grumpa
This is not “replacement theology, but rather “inclusion theology.

wow.

following your logic is like watching a gymnast.

how can a breaking off branches
( jews)

be considered “ inclusion “ ?

olympic level weasel wordsmithing is what that is.

you start with an open attempt to murder logic and common sense with an insult to intelligence

and end , ironically , with this..

The notion that Israel is separate from the church, .....first off this brings us up to the very 2 verses i challenged you over,.,,,,, and are the versus you continue to ignore and run from . .
you apparently redact those ...and then claim ..

The notion that Israel is separate from the church......is not supported by the texts

Dan 7:21 - “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, ...........and prevailing against them,

Daniel 7:21... israel prevailed against
////

\/\\

Matthew ...church not prevailed against
............

Mat 16:18 - “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades............. shall not prevail against.

..looks like they are seperate, thats what the plain reading text says.

/

48 posted on 03/20/2024 7:58:14 AM PDT by cuz1961 (officially useless /-))
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To: howlinhound
Jehovah is an amalgamation of the consonants YHWH with the vowels for Adonai that were latter added to the Masoretic text and guided the reader to pronounce the latter rather the name of God. The word Jehovah in the 16th century
49 posted on 03/20/2024 8:43:02 AM PDT by Petrosius
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To: Petrosius
Jehovah is an amalgamation of the consonants YHWH


50 posted on 03/20/2024 8:53:15 AM PDT by Sirius Lee (Tonight on The Bickersons... )
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To: Sirius Lee

+1 : )


51 posted on 03/20/2024 8:55:11 AM PDT by Petrosius
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To: Elsie

LIFE——
Is A State of Mind.
.
Being There


52 posted on 03/20/2024 9:06:56 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: grumpa
I don't have a "Westminster Confession" in my Bible. "Theologians" are refereed to as "Traditions of men" in my Bible.

Jesus said in red letters that He came to fulfill the Law, not change it or do away with it in Mat 5.

The Roman Catholic church banned Sabbath worship in the 4th century and changed it to a pagan day to worship the sun god. They banned Passover and the other Leviticus 23 Feasts because they were Antisemitic. Jesus kept every law and Feast listed in Scripture because He kept the Law. The first church that Jesus started Himself observed the laws and feasts as He did. For nearly 400 years it was so. A modern thing we ask today is "What would Jesus do?" People that claim Christ but don't keep His Commandments will hear from Him "Go away from Me, you workers of inequity, I never knew you". If you notice, Easter and Passover NEVER fall on the same day. Passover always falls on Nisan 15. Christmas is celebrating Tammuz, Nimrod's son. Nimrod is a type of Antichrist that started Babylon.

If you are looking for a mulligan of grace after you know what God requires, you aren't reading it right. God felt so strongly about the Sabbath that he included it as the 4th Commandment. Christians don't have 9 Commands out of 10. He never said don't commit adultery only if you feel like it. If you know what God said and don't do it, that is sin. When Jesus explained that if you have hate in your heart, you have already committed murder, or lust in your heart, you have committed adultery, He was explaining that you are still expected to follow the Commandments but also expected to understand the spiritual aspect of what they mean. Learning the Torah is a Spiritual teaching that is the foundation for the whole Bible and the foundation for understanding Jesus. An example would be a study of Exodus and learning the connection between the Tabernacle and Jesus. In Revelation we find the connection with the Tabernacle and Jesus.

Rev_21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

If you don't study the Old Testament, you will never understand the message of the New Testament. They are NOT different. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

53 posted on 03/20/2024 10:25:24 AM PDT by chuckles
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To: daniel1212

He was wounded for our Transgressions...


54 posted on 03/20/2024 10:27:43 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: chuckles

Quote
Passover always falls on Nisan 15.
....

It is written,
In the first month and in the 14th day of the month, at evening shall be the Passover of the Lord.

Passover is the 14th.
Unleavened Bread is the 15th.

It is written,
And on the 15th day of this month shall be the Feast of Unleavened Bread unto the Lord.


55 posted on 03/20/2024 10:55:36 AM PDT by delchiante
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To: chuckles
So, the Seventh Day Adventists got that right, eh?

Assuming this chart is mostly accurate, the change by the Early Christian Church (not really the Catholic Church, as we think of it today, the first of the schism's having not happened, and the Bishop of Rome not being considered the head of all Christianity at that time) -- meant that all future churches created by schism or separation inherited the "pagan" errors of Sabbath on Sunday.

Easter and Passover don't celebrate the same thing, obviously, so it's not clear that Easter is on the Wrong day, other than the entire Julian calendar was tossed onto the scrap heap by Pope Gregory to fix the errors in the Julian one. Logically it falls to ~: Passover + 3 days.

56 posted on 03/20/2024 1:30:46 PM PDT by Vlad0
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To: Elsie
I shant worry two seconds whether GOD is on my side or not. However, I will contemplate deeply on whether I am on His.

Not sure what you are getting at there.

57 posted on 03/20/2024 1:59:08 PM PDT by fso301
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To: daniel1212

Neither.

A believer is either part of spiritual Israel, or not. You must be born again. Church membership doesn’t automatically mean you are part of “the great congregation” or spiritual Israel.


58 posted on 03/20/2024 2:50:31 PM PDT by Salvavida
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To: Philsworld

The commandments that applied to His Chosen People?


59 posted on 03/20/2024 3:36:59 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: chuckles
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

I'll be back later, as there is a witch down the road that needs attending to.

60 posted on 03/20/2024 3:39:01 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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