WHO IS ISRAEL - NYOBS 41.15

WHO IS ISRAEL?

OLD COVENANT vs; NEW COVENANT

First Word

Is Israel the state that came into existence in 1948 or something else?

Was this the prophecy that was set forth in the books of Ezekiel, Isiah and Amos?

Are only the JEWS from the tribe of Judah called Israel or all the twelve tribes,

or can it be a hybrid Nation of Gentiles and Jews? – Stay Tuned.

OLD COVENANT - A little Background

·         When was the name Israel first recorded? – It’s a long story, starting with the promise to Abraham that he would become a great nation, which didn’t happen in his lifetime.   

·         Abraham’s first born by Sarah’s “maid servant” was Ishmael who is the progenitor of the religion of Islam which brings us the grief today by way of the ISIS Muslim terrorist. – But that’s another word study. - NYOBS 22.021 - ISHMAEL AND ISAAC.

·         Abraham’s first born of Sarah “his wife” was Isaac who was in line for the promises of God. - Isaac had twins, Esau and Jacob, with Esau being the first born and entitled to the birthright promises passed down through the family Line of Abraham.

·         Jacob’s name means; “heel grabber” or “supplanter”; his reputation was that of an opportunist and his mother Rebekah also had her own form of unscrupulous opportunism in her character - Like mother like son. – Together they conspired for Jacob to steal the birthright from his brother Isaac.  

·         Jacob stole the Birthright and then went away for twenty years; married two sisters, Leah and Rachel and had twelve sons; became wealthy and then began the return trip home to where his bother Esau was waiting with 400 warriors.

·         This is where we pick up the story, as Jacob is praying to God that Esau would not kill him and his family; the Angel of the Lord appeared to him as a man. – (I need to point out here that God had already intended for Jacob to receive the blessing, but Jacob got ahead of God’s providence through his “do it yourself” trickery.)

·         Jacob wrestled with the Angel of God and lost the PHYSICAL battle, but he would not let the Angel go until he blessed him.  This is where Jacob won the SPIRITUAL battle and was BORN AGAIN when the Angel changed his name from JACOB to ISRAEL. He had become a new man. - This experience was a Spiritual blessing on ONE MAN.

·         At some point in time Jacob, now named Israel passes the blessing on to his twelve sons and Israel becomes A NATION.

Genesis 32:26-28 - ONE MAN – Your name shall be called Israel
²⁶And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"
²⁷ So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob."
²⁸ and He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."

Genesis 49:28 – A NATION – The twelve tribes of Israel
²⁸ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing. (NKJV)

The Promised Blessing

·         What was this promise? I will make you a great Nation – I will make your name great and you will be a blessing to others – I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.  Because of you all the families of the earth will be blessed. - You will be my treasured possession among ALL peoples; you will be a HOLY NATION and a KINGDOM OF PRIEST.

·         Conditional Promise – IF Israel would obey God’s words and keep his covenant, the blessings would be theirs - BUT they didn’t keep His covenant.

Genesis 12:2-3 – Great nation – Your name great; be a blessing
² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

(ESV)

Exodus 19:4-6 – A KINGDOM OF PRIEST – A HOLY NATION.
⁴ You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
⁵ Now therefore, IF you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
⁶ and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” (ESV)

Kings and Kingdoms

·         As time moved on Israel decided they didn’t want to be ruled by the Priests and Prophets of God, but wanted a King like the other nations – God warned them that this was a bad idea and what would happen to them, but they insisted and He gave them their King. 

·         The first King was Saul, then David, then his son Solomon and then a progression of other kings; some good, but mostly bad. 

·         Then the kingdom was divided into the Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah) Kingdoms. – Then the ten tribes in the Northern kingdom was dispersed throughout the nations – LOST.

·         The name JEW was taken from Southern Tribe of “Judah” with Benjamin being the smaller of the remaining two tribes which eventually also went into exile.

·         This is where we see the scattered Israelites praying for an expected Messiah to be their King and liberate them so that they might become the great nation of the promise again. - There is now NO KING AND NO NATION and only a memory of a homeland.

·         This all happened because they did not follow God’s Word… Kind of like TODAY.

King of Israel

·         Astrologists say that On May 29^th 7 B.C. Jupiter and Saturn came very close and appeared as a great star in the Eastern Sky signaling a COMING KING. - Jesus Christ the Messiah, the Deliverer, the Redeemer came born in a manger.

·         When Jesus started His ministry, He entered into Jerusalem as A KING mounted on a donkey.

·         He went into the Temple, read the prophecy of the Messiah from the scroll of Isaiah and said “this day the prophecy has been fulfilled” and He sat down.  Every eye was fixed upon Him - The sitting position was crucial and everyone knew what it meant; it was the habitual position of a Jewish Teacher ready to receive questions and teach.

·         The King was rejected. – “We know this guy’s mama and daddy; he can’t be the Messiah”.

Luke 2:7 – The KING; born in a manger.
⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (ESV)

Luke 2:11-12 – A Savior is born
¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” (ESV)

Matthew 21:5 -The King came mounted on a donkey
⁵ Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” (ESV)

Luke 4:16-21 – Jesus fulfilled Scripture – Proclaimed Good News
¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.
¹⁷ And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
²¹ And he began to say to them, “TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING.” (ESV)

Isaiah 61:1-2 – Prophecy of Isaiah – Bring the Good News
¹ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; (ESV)

Revelation 19:16 - King of Kings
¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (ESV)

NEW COVENANT

·         The Jews today are basically a nation of Humanism; a nation of Works as they have rejected the New Covenant and continue to embrace the Old Covenant which God Himself rendered inoperative.

·         The Old Covenant eligibility for “The Promise” was determined by your birth; you had to be descendent of Abraham whose seed gave us the “Levitical Priesthood”.

·         Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi therefore He could not be a Levitical Priest.

·         There was a change in the Priesthood when Jesus was made a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, which was an older and higher order than that of the Levitical Priesthood.

·         When there is a change in the Priesthood there MUST be a change in the Law; thus a new covenant was born.

·         The New Covenant begins not at the birth of Jesus, but at His death – Jesus was born “Under the Law” of the Old Covenant – He referred often to the Torah, the writings of Moses and amplified those laws to show that they could not possibly be obeyed – His teachings were directed to those who were still “under the law”. 

·         He taught that they must be born again; “Out from under the Law” - That He would give them a new heart and put His Spirit in them.

·         The New Covenant lifts the veil of the Law of Moses and with unveiled faces, we behold the glory of the Lord, and are being transformed into the same image of His Son from one degree of glory to another.  

·         His death demolished the wall between the Jew and the Gentile drawing ALL men into Him.  Jesus, who was without sin, took our sin so we could become righteous – His being lifted up on the cross was to draw ALL men unto Him. - We can now participate in His righteousness because we have been “made perfect” forever.

·         Side Note:  Everybody that was not a Jew was referred to as a Gentile or Greek; that would be me and you.

·         New Commandments - We now serve God without being subject to the 630 Old Laws. - There are only two New Covenant Commandments or Laws –

1.     Love God with all your heart, soul and mind

2.     Love your neighbor just as you love yourself. 

·         Side Note: These two laws were actually from the Old Covenant, but they were NEW to them because they were not observing them anymore.

·         Jesus said that He was the only way to the Father God; that there was NO OTHER WAY, and God in His Grace and Mercy has given man “A LIFETIME” to search for Him and choose.

Heb 6:20 - Jesus was a Priest after the order of Melchizedek

20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. NIV

Heb 7:12 – Change in Priesthood – Change in Law

12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. NIV

Matt 22:37-40 – NT - Two Commandments only

37 Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' 

40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Deuteronomy 6:5 – OT – Love the Lord your God with your heart
⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (NKJV)

Leviticus 19:18 - OT - Love your neighbor as yourself;
¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. (NASB)

John 12:32-33 – Lifted up on the Cross drew all men unto Him

32 When I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. NIV

2 Cor 5:21 – Jesus without sin, took our sin

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. NIV

2 Peter 1:4 – We can now participate in His Devine Nature

4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. NIV

Heb 10:14 – We have been made perfect forever

14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

John 3:3-7 – You must be born again to see the Kingdom of God

3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.'

NIV

Ezek 36:26-27 – I will give you a new heart and spirit.

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.  NIV

Phil 2:13 – God’s Spirit in us gives us the desire to do good.

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. NIV

Heb 8:10 – He put His laws in our hearts and mind.

10 This is the covenant I will make with Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. NIV

2 Corinthians 3:13-18 The Old Covenant veils the Messiah
¹³ Not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.
¹⁴ But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.
¹⁵ Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read (The Old Covenant) a veil lies over their hearts.
¹⁶ But when one turns to the Lord (The New Covenant), the veil is removed.
¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (ESV)

John 14:6 – Jesus is the ONLY WAY to Jehovah God
⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV2011)

OLD COVENANT MESSIAH PROPHECIES

      OT PROPHECY                                                                                NT FULLFILLMENT

1. Zechariah 11:12                 Betrayed - 30 pieces of silver                 Matthew 26:14-16
2. Isaiah 53:7                        Be silent before accusers                       Matthew 27:12
3. Isaiah 53:5                        Be scourged and wounded                       Matthew 27:26
4. Isaiah 50:6                        Be smitten and spat upon                        Matthew 26:67
5. Psalms 22:16                      His hands and feet pierced                     Luke 22:33
6. Isaiah 53:12                       Put to death with criminals                     Matthews 27:38
7. Psalms 22:18                      Cast lots for His garments                      John 19:23-24
8. Psalms 69:21                      Would suffer thirst                                John 19:28
9. Psalms 69:21                      Gave gall and vinegar to drink                  Matthew 27:34
10. Psalms 22:1                        Utter forsaken cry to God                       Matthew 27:46
11. Psalms 34:20                      No bones would be broken                       John 19:33
12. Zechariah 12:10                 Side would be pierced                              John 19:34
13. Isaiah 53:9                        Buried in a rich man’s tomb                      Matthew 27:57
14. Psalms 16:10                       Rise from the dead                                  Mark 16:6
15. Psalms 68:18                      Ascend into heaven                                  Acts 1:9
16. Psalms 110:1                       Sit at the right hand of God                    Hebrews 1:3

Jesus Christ did not do away with the Old Covenant; He fulfilled it.

WAIT A MINUTE

·         What are you saying? – All this sounds like you are saying that all the followers of YAHWEH Jehovah God before the time of Jesus Christ WILL NOT inherit the kingdom of God. - That can’t be right.

·         Good News. – A little background first.  Before the time of Christ’s ministry, Hell was divided into two compartments separated by a large gulf. – Those who worshipped Jehovah God and had died were in a compartment of Hell known as “Abrahams Bosom” or “Paradise”. 

·         When Jesus died he went to Hell and for three days, preached the “Good News Message” to those in “Abrahams Bosom” and they ACCEPTED Him.  He then took Paradise and all those captive in it back to heaven where it is located now.  Not one of YAHWEH was lost.

·         Side Note: With Paradise removed, Hell has now been enlarged to receive all those who have rejected the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Luke 23:43 – Today you will be with me in Paradise
⁴³ And Jesus said unto him (thief on the cross), Verily I say unto thee, TODAY shalt thou be with me in paradise. (KJV)

Ephesians 4:9 – Jesus descended into Hell before he ascended
⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

Luke 16:22-26 - Hell had two compartments separated by a gulf
²² Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
²³ In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
²⁴ And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.'(NASB)

Ephesians 4:8 –Jesus took those captive in Paradise to Heaven
⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (KJV)

The Nation of Israel

• Another great star happened again in 1941 heralding a coming King. A new dispensation had started with the re-birth of Israel and the awaited return of the Messiah. The heavens are synchronized with God’s Plan.
• As the Muslim prays toward Mecca, the Jew scattered among the nations prays towards Jerusalem believing for the day they will return as breath to “dry bones” in the grave.
• Besides the heart’s desire of the Jew to go home, Anti-Semitism will increase again and the Jews will feel more and more compelled to relocate to Israel.  There’s already a steady stream coming out of Russia.  God is pulling them back.
• Before Christ the Messiah could return, Israel had to become a nation again in the land of their forefathers, and that happened on May 14, 1948.  A nation was born in a day.
• David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionis Organization and president of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, declared "the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Israel, to be known as the State of Israel."  (Wikipedia)
• NOTE; The wording here is “State” not “Nation”; we believe as Christians that the Spiritual Nation of Israel includes All believers in Jesus Christ.
• Neighboring Arab states invaded the next day after Israel became a state, in support of the Palestinian Arabs.  – Ever since, Israel has fought wars with neighboring Arab states.
• Israel has relied on Pre-emptied strikes for survival, and will do so again.

Num 24:17 – A king will come out of Israel

17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. NIV

Isa 66:8 – A Nation born in a day

8 Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. NIV

Ezek 37:4-6 – I will put breath in the dry bones of Israel

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, `Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!

5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.

Ezek 37:3-11 - ­These bones are the house of Israel

3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet-a vast army.

11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. NIV

Ezek 37:12 – I will bring back the Nation of Israel

12 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. NIV

Ezek 36:24 – I will gather you back into your own land

24 "`For, I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

NIV

Ezek 36:28 - You will live in the land I gave your forefathers

28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. NIV

Rom 11:25 – The GENTILES will come into Israel

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of THIS MYSTERY, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

NIV

Rom 11:23 – The BELIEVING Jews will be grafted back in

23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. NIV

Isa 43:5-6 – Believers from the east and west; north and south

5 I will bring your children 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 hold them back. 'Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-- NIV

Rom 11:26 – ALL BELIEVERS ARE ISRAEL

26   and so ALL Israel will be saved, as it is written: NIV

• The Prophet Amos declared that the Nation of Israel would be reborn, and restored.

Amos 9:14-15 – I will plant Israel in their own land

14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.

15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God. NIV

• The Prophet Isaiah wrote of God’s intention for the Jews to come back and live in Israel. He said the desert would blossom when Israel returned back to their Promised Land – At this writing the desert is being reclaimed and it blossoms.

Isa 43:5-6 - Bring sons & daughters from the ends of the earth

5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children 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 hold them back.” Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth- NIV

Isa 35:10 – The ransomed of the Lord will return and enter Zion

10 and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. NIV

Isa 61:4 – The will rebuild the long devastated ruined cities.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. NIV

Isa 44:26 – Jerusalem & Judah - rebuilt, restored & inhabited.

26 fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, It shall be inhabited, of the towns of Judah, `They shall be built,' and of their ruins, `I will restore them,' NIV

Isa 35:1 – The desert and wilderness will blossom as a rose

1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. KJV

Six Day War

• On June 5, 1967, the six day war began with Israel launching surprise bombing raids against Egyptian air-fields including an Israeli raid into the Jordanian-controlled West Bank.
• Israeli initiated aerial clashes over Syrian territory after Syrian artillery attacked Israeli settlements in the vicinity of the border. Israeli response followed against Syrian positions in the Golan Heights and into the demilitarized zones along the Syrian border and culminating in Egypt blocking the Straits of Tiran  - Wikipedia -
• Within six days, Israel had won a decisive land war. Israeli forces had taken control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.
• Ever since the six day war, efforts have been underway to get Israel to go back to the pre-1967 borders in order to have peace; but peace will never come, because the Arabs are never satisfied with what they have and Israelis borders would become in-defensible, setting up another pre-emptive strike by Israel to protect herself. (Which will happen)

Who is Israel?

• May of 1948 the population of Israel was 650,000; today it is 8,296,000 and growing.
• HOWEVER:  The nation of Israel HAS NOT accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah; therefore Israel is basically a religion of humanism, a religion of “works”.
• BUT… in the end, a remnant of Jews WILL accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God; the Messiah and the King of Kings.
• Spiritual Israel – I started off telling about how Jacob lost the physical battle with the angel of God, but won the Spiritual battle and received the Spiritual Blessing. - Jacob was born again; no longer was his name “The Grabber”, but changed to “Father of a multitude”– The State of Israel is Physical, but the Nation of Israel is Spiritual.
• There will be a BORN AGAIN remnant of Jewish Believers from ALL ages that finally makes up the whole saved Nation of Israel, plus the GENTILES that have been grafted into the vine.  Thus “ALL the BELIEVERS” in Israel will be saved. – That includes red, yellow, black and white; all believers are precious in His sight and that includes this “Gentile” man.
• This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are ISRAEL, but the children of the promise that are counted as offspring’s; the children of God.

Believers; Jews and Gentiles. - We are all SPIRITUAL ISRAEL -

Romans 9:6-8 - Not all are children of Abraham
⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,
⁷  and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
⁸  This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. (ESV)

Romans 11:25-26 All Israel shall be saved. – Jews and Gentiles
²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be IGNORANT of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
²⁶ And so ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (KJV)

Eph 1:11-14 – Two groups; Jews and (Everybody else) Gentiles

11 In him WE (Jews) were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

13 And YOU (Gentiles) also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, YOU were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory. NIV

John 10:16 – I have sheep that are not Jews, but are Gentiles

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. KJV

Eph 2:11-13 – The Gentiles once separated now brought near

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)-

12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

13 BUT NOW in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. NIV

Eph 2:19-22 – The Gentiles are no longer foreigners.

19 YOU (Gentiles) are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

22 And in him YOU too (Gentiles, not just Jews) are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. NIV

Eph 2:14-16 – Create one humanity out of two

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man (humanity) out of the two, thus making peace,

16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility NIV

Rom 9:30-31 – The Gentiles attained righteousness

30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;

31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. NKJV

Rom 10:12 – There is now no difference between Jew or Gentile

12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, NIV

Rom 9:8 – The Children of promise are predestined

8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. NIV

Rom 9:22-24 – Jews and Gentiles were prepared in advance

22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath-prepared for destruction?

23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory -

24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? NIV

Rom 9:25 -­ Call the Gentiles my people' who are not my people

25 As he says in Hosea: "I will call them `my people' who are not my people; and I will call her `my loved one' who is not my loved one,"

Rom 10:13- Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

13 For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Rom 10:9 – Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart

9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. NIV

Last Word

The NATION of Israel is all believers in Jesus Christ as the Son of God; the Messiah.

Through Him we have been grafted into the JEWISH ROOTS of the Olive Tree of Israel.

Romans 11:17-18 – Gentiles now have Jewish Roots.
¹⁷ But if some of the branches (Jews) were broken off, and you (Gentles), being a wild olive were grafted in among them (Israel) and became partaker with them (Israel) of the rich root of the olive tree (Jesus Christ)
¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward the branches (the Jews); but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you (Gentles), who supports the root, but the root (Jesus Christ) supports you. (NASB)

 

The Holy Spirit plants the seed

I get to water it 

God reaps the harvest.

I’m not responsible for planting the seed, nor the harvest. 

My purpose is just to water the seed.

Your purpose is to choose.

Life is choice driven and has eternal consequences.

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I otherwise ever could have.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

A commentary – Critical, Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans

Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus

Bible on the Life Hereafter; The – William Hendriksen

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Walter A. Elwell

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary; The – Frank E. Gaebelein

I’d like to Believe in Jesus, BUT – Bob Siegel

Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas & Tenney

New International Version Bible – NIV

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrison

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The - Tenney